Raymond Y. Huang, MD, PhD, of the Department of Radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the corresponding author of an article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, “Comparative Analysis of Response Evaluation Criteria intracranial in patients with melanoma Brain metastases treated with the combination Nivolumab + Ipilimumab in CheckMate 204. »
How would you summarize your study for a lay audience?
Our study examines how different imaging criteria can be used to assess brain tumor responses in melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy. We identified an imaging method that is more accurate than others for predicting survival. Although further work is needed, our study is promising and highlights the importance of more consistent imaging standards in clinical trials.
What methods or approaches did you use?
We looked at different measures of brain metastases (tumors that form when cancer cells spread to the brain) on MRI scans taken over a period of two years or more for patients participating in a multicenter phase 2 clinical trial evaluating immunotherapy for brain cancer. We considered the patient’s response to treatment, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), to determine which set of criteria was most predictive of patient outcome.
What did you find?
We found that a modified imaging approach (mRECIST) and volumetric measurements (3D size analysis) were more accurate in predicting survival than other methods. These approaches worked well even for small tumors, suggesting that they should be included in future studies when evaluating treatment response.
What are the implications?
Overall, these findings aim to improve how oncologists evaluate and treat brain metastases in cancer patients.
What are the next steps?
We are currently developing automatic segmentation technology to improve the consistency of 3D tumor measurements, with the goal of creating a standard tool for assessing brain metastases.
