Le Rhun É, Taillibert S, Blonski M, Jouniaux Delbez N, Delgadillo D, Taillia H, Auquier P, Belin C, Bonnetain F, Varin D, Tallet A, Taillandier L
Neuro-oncologie, département de neurochirurgie, hôpital Roger-Salengro, CHRU, rue Émile-Laine, 59037 Lille cedex, France; Oncologie médicale, centre Oscar-Lambret, 3, rue Frédéric-Combemale, BP 307, 59020 Lille cedex, France; Inserm U1192, laboratoire Prism, université Lille 1, bâtiment SN3 1(er) étage, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France; Groupe de réflexion sur la prise en charge des métastases cérébrales (GRPCMaC), 13273 Marseille cedex 09, France.
Neuro-oncologie, neurologie 2, groupe hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France; Radiothérapie et neuro-oncologie, groupe hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.
Cancer Radiother. 2015 Feb;19(1):55-60. doi: 10.1016/j.canrad.2014.11.003. Epub 2015 Jan 29.
Brain metastases impact on the survival of the patients, but on their quality of life as well. The objective of the management of these patients is then double. Currently, due to medical advances, survivals tend to improve, especially for some tumor subtypes. During the course of the disease, different neurological signs and symptoms can be observed according to the location, the number and the volume of the metastase(s). Patients and caregivers are especially worried about the loss of autonomy and cognitive impairments. A permanent dialogue, during the course of the disease, is mandatory, in order to adapt the management to the objectives determined by the patients and the medical team. These objectives may vary according to the objective response rates of the disease to anticancer therapies, according to the impact of the disease and its management in daily living. Anticancer therapies and supportive care must be appreciated according to their impact on the survival, on the preservation of the functional independence and the quality of life of the patient, on their abilities to preserve the neurological status and delay the apparition of new neurological signs and symptoms, and their adverse events. Supportive care, cognition and quality of life should be regularly evaluated and adapted according to the objectives of the management of brain metastases patients. Different approaches are described in this paper.
