Health-related quality of life after stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with brain metastases

Purpose This study aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and to identify factors associated with this. Methods HRQoL was measured pre-SRS, at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Physical functioning, cognitive functioning, role functioning, and fatigue were analyzed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Motor dysfunction, future uncertainty, visual disorder, communication deficit, and headaches were analyzed with the EORTC QLQ-BN20. Clinically important symptom or functional impairment was assessed following set thresholds. Factors associated with impairment were identified through multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results At baseline, 178 patients were included; 54% ( n =96) completed questionnaires at 3 months and 39% ( n =70) at 6 months. Before SRS, 29% of linear accelerator (LINAC) patients reported physical and cognitive impairment, while 25% reported impairment for fatigue. At 6 months, 39%, 43%, and 57% of LINAC patients reported impairment respectively. Forty-five percent of Gamma Knife (GK) patients reported impairment pre-SRS for physical, cognitive functioning, and fatigue. At 6 months, 48%, 43%, and 33% of GK patients reported impairment respectively. Except for role functioning, pre-SRS symptom and functioning scores were associated with impairment at 3 months, whereas scores at 3 months were associated with impairment at 6 months. Age, gender, systemic therapy, and intracranial progression were not associated with clinically important impairment. Conclusion As 33–57% of patients with brain metastases reported symptom burden and functional impairments that were of clinical importance, it is recommended to pay attention to the HRQoL outcomes of these patients during clinical encounters.