SynthesisNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2025
Efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiosurgery versus whole brain radiotherapy for the treatment of brain metastasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Developing a predictive model and uncovering immune influences on prognosis for brain metastasis from lung carcinomas.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Article
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8 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundWhole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) has traditionally been the primary treatment for most patients with brain metastases despite its adverse effects on overall health. Recently, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as a safe and effective alternative. However, the data comparing the efficacy and safety of SRS and WBRT remain inconsistent. To address this, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize evidence from all published studies comparing SRS and WBRT for patients with brain metastases.
methodsWe systematically searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL, to identify relevant comparative studies on stereotactic radiosurgery and whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases. Eligible studies were selected based on predefined criteria, and data were extracted using a standardized data extraction sheet. RevMan software (version 5.2) was used to perform meta-analysis and generate forest plots.
resultsThis meta-analysis included 35 studies (27 observational and 8 RCTs), encompassing a total of 26,000 patients. SRS was linked to longer survival times (mean difference of 4.38 months, 95% CI [3.10, 6.57], P < 0.00001); however, this was predominantly influenced by retrospective studies, with evidence from two RCTs indicating similar survival times. SRS also resulted in a longer time to intracranial progression (standardized mean difference of -0.94, 95% CI [-1.64, -0.23], P = 0.009) and improved local intracranial control (risk ratio of 1.20, 95% CI [1.01, 1.42], P = 0.04). No significant difference was observed between SRS and WBRT regarding distant intracranial control (odds ratio of 0.61, 95% CI [0.32, 1.19], P = 0.15). A systematic collection of data related to adverse events was done.
conclusionSRS enhances survival and local tumor control but is associated with an increased risk of distant brain recurrences. Due to its safety profile, SRS is recommended for high-risk patients, as it preserves short-term quality of life and maintains long-term cognitive function.
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