Abstract:
Objective: To evaluate clinical risk factors which can predict brain metastases after complete resection of stage ⅢA NSCLC and to determine the parameters that indicate Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation (PCI). Methods:This study analyzed193 patients with completely resected stage IIIA NSCLC by evaluating the effect of brain metastases on survival. This study also sought to determine the clinical risk factors for brain metastasis. Results: Participants' median survival time was 829 days. The 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 80.3%,54.8%,37.6%,29.7%, and21.9%, respec-tively. Of the 193 patients, 34.7% (67/193 ) developed brain metastases at some point after resection. The incidence of brain metastases within 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery was 15.0%,31.5%, and40.1%, respectively. Univariate and multi-variate analyses identified pre-operative serum CEA elevation ( P=0.014 , HR= 2.152 , 95% CI: 1.169 -3.963 ) and squamous cell carcinoma (P=0.021 , HR= 0.400 , 95% CI:0.184 ~0.873 ) as independent clinical risk factors for brain metastasis. Conclusion: Pre-operative serum CEA elevation and squamous cell carcinoma were found to be independent clinical risk factors for NSCLC metastasis to the brain.