Indications and limitations of chemotherapy and targeted agents in non-small cell lung cancer brain metastases
Cet article fait le point sur les indications et les limites de chimiothérapies et de thérapies ciblées pour traiter des métastases cérébrales ayant pour origine un cancer du poumon non à petites cellules
Lung cancer is characterized by the highest incidence of solid tumor-related brain metastases, which are reported with a growing incidence during the last decade. Prognostic assessment may help to identify subgroups of patients that could benefit from more aggressive therapy of metastatic disease, in particular when central nervous system is involved. The recent sub-classification of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) into molecularly-defined “oncogene-addicted” tumors, the emergence of effective targeted treatments in molecularly defined patient subsets, global improvement of advanced NSCLC survival as well as the availability of refined new radiotherapy techniques are likely to impact on outcomes of patients with brain dissemination. The present review focuses on key evidence and research strategies for systemic treatment of patients with central nervous system involvement in non-small cell lung cancer.