Top Takeaways from ASCO: Brain metastases and genetic profiles

Source: healio.com/hematology-oncology, December 2015

Brain metastases in non–small cell lung cancer, melanoma and breast cancer exhibit similar genetic landscapes with limited but important differences when compared with primary tumors, aligning more with a linear progression model of cancer metastasis, according to researchers.

The findings suggest primary tumors and brain metastases would respond to similar chemotherapeutics with consideration for blood-brain barrier penetration, with small molecule inhibitors of EGFR and topoisomerase inhibitors etoposide (VePesid, Bristol-Myers Squibb) or irinotecan (Camptosar, Pfizer) among the potential options to be particularly effective in treating brain metastases.