Gefitinib is the first inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor that has shown activity in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its potential value in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) metastases has been rarely assessed. We report 2 cases of patients with CNS metastases responding to gefitinib and a review of all the cases previously published in the literature. Computerized and manual searches were performed to identify reports of patients with NSCLC with CNS metastases treated with gefitinib. Ten reports including 16 cases were identified. Of 18 patients, which included our 2 cases, 14 (78%) were female and 4 (22%) were male. Histologic type was reported in 15 cases, and 12 of them (80%) were adenocarcinomas. Five patients exhibited a complete response (28%) and the rest were partial responses. In addition, we identified 5 series of NSCLC patients with CNS metastases treated with gefitinib, and response rates ranged from 0 to 33%. In conclusion, gefitinib can induce long-lasting responses in NSCLC patients with CNS metastases. Responses have been most frequently observed in female patients with adenocarcinoma. Gefitinib may be an effective and well-tolerated option for selected NSCLC patients with CNS metastases.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3816/clc.2005.n.030 | DOI Listing |
AJNR Am J Neuroradiol
January 2025
From the Department of Radiology (GMC, MM, YN, BJE), Department of Quantitative Health Sciences (PAD, MLK, JEEP), Department of Neurology (CBM, JAS, MWR, FSG, HKP, DHL, WOT), Department of Neurosurgery (TCB), Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (RBJ), and Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology (WOT), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Dell Medical School (MFE), University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA.
Background And Purpose: Diagnosis of tumefactive demyelination can be challenging. The diagnosis of indeterminate brain lesions on MRI often requires tissue confirmation via brain biopsy. Noninvasive methods for accurate diagnosis of tumor and non-tumor etiologies allows for tailored therapy, optimal tumor control, and a reduced risk of iatrogenic morbidity and mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Treat Options Oncol
January 2025
Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Breast cancer metastasizing to the central nervous system (CNS) encompasses two distinct entities: brain metastases involving the cerebral parenchyma and infiltration of the leptomeningeal space, i.e., leptomeningeal disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimers Dement
December 2024
NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; NYU, New York City, NY, USA.
Background: Astrocytes, a major glial cell in the central nervous system (CNS), can become reactive in response to inflammation or injury, and release toxic factors that kill specific subtypes of neurons. Over the past several decades, many groups report that reactive astrocytes are present in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, as well as several other neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, reactive astrocyte sub-types most associated with these diseases are now reported to be present during CNS cancers of several types.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFluids Barriers CNS
January 2025
Department of Anatomy, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
Brain metastases (BMs) are the most common intracranial tumors in adults and occur 3-10 times more frequently than primary brain tumors. Despite intensive multimodal therapies, including resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, BMs are associated with poor prognosis and remain challenging to treat. BMs predominantly originate from primary lung (20-56%), breast (5-20%), and melanoma (7-16%) tumors, although they can arise from other cancer types less frequently.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging
January 2025
Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
This joint practice guideline/procedure standard was collaboratively developed by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO), and the PET task force of the Response Assessment in Neurooncology Working Group (PET/RANO). Brain metastases are the most common malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors. PET imaging with radiolabeled amino acids and to lesser extent [F]FDG has gained considerable importance in the assessment of brain metastases, especially for the differential diagnosis between recurrent metastases and treatment-related changes which remains a limitation using conventional MRI.
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