Whole-brain Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients with Dural Metastasis Without Concomitant Brain Metastasis and Leptomeningeal Metastasis.

Aim: To evaluate outcomes of breast cancer patients with confirmed dural metastasis (DM) alone who received whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT).

Patients And Methods: The medical records of thirty-three breast cancer patients who received WBRT to treat intracranial metastasis were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical presentation of DM-only was compared with that of brain metastasis (BM)/leptomeningeal metastasis (LM).

Results: Eight patients had DM and 25 patients had BM/LM. Median survival was 12 months in patients with DM and 7 months in those with BM/LM. Multivariate analysis found that only a Karnofsky performance status of ≥70 was significantly associated with improved OS. DM did not cause the death of any patient. Symptoms did not worsen in any DM patient.

Conclusion: WBRT can be considered for patients with DM alone for symptom improvement and preventing DM-related death.