Roberge Explains the Role of Radiotherapy in Treatment of Brain Metastasis

David Roberge, MD, associate professor at the University of Montreal and head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal–Notre Dame, discusses the current role of radiosurgery in the brain metastasis treatment paradigm, a topic he reviewed during a presentation at the 2020 Society of Neuro-Oncology Conference on Brain Metastases.

Radiation is most commonly used as treatment of brain metastasis, said Roberge. A one-time radiosurgery procedure is more attractive to patients though, Roberge notes, because it offers the same treatment effect as radiotherapy alone but does not require repeat visits to the clinic. What radiation oncologists do not know about radiosurgery is how it impacts overall survival and quality of life in patients.

Recent studies have shown, however, that radiosurgery may positively impact cognitive outcomes in patients with multiple brain metastases considering that outcomes were better for patients who received radiosurgery compared with whole-brain radiation. Contrarily, Roberge hypothesizes that the more brain metastases that are treated with radiosurgery, the higher the risk in interfering with positive treatment outcomes.