CLRM-10 ENHANCED PATIENT CARE FOR BRAIN METASTASIS PATIENTS UTILIZING A DEDICATED METASTASIS TUMOR BOARD

BACKGROUND: Patients with brain metastases are a heterogeneous population. In contrast to patients with primary brain tumors, these patients require individualized therapy based on the type and status of systemic cancer, number and volume of brain metastases, anticipated efficacy of therapy and survival. Therapeutic options for brain metastasis; surgical, radiation and precision medicine approaches have increased in recent years as has survival for a number of cancers, leading to more sophisticated care. To meet this challenge in January 2023 we organized a dedicated brain metastasis tumor board. METHODS: We reviewed the number of total patients, and those newly-diagnosed, presented at the dedicated brain metastasis board in the first 10 weeks of 2023 as compared with the same time interval the prior year where similar cases were presented at a general brain tumor board. We also assessed change in practice pattern based on the dedicated metastasis tumor board. RESULTS: 89 patients were presented in the first 10 weeks of 2023, including 75 who were newly diagnosed. The total number and those newly diagnosed are 17% higher than the prior year. The dedicated brain metastasis board, staffed by experts in brain metastases, allowed for earlier identification of patients eligible for clinical trial and additionally our review of patients identified the need for standardizing advanced imaging techniques including high resolution, higher contrast-dose MRI scans for better assessment of brain metastases across our hospital sites. CONCLUSION: We found that a dedicated brain metastasis board increased the number of patients presented for multidisciplinary review, including new patients, which served to better identify those eligible for clinical trial. It led to a consensus to incorporate advanced imaging techniques for assessing treatment response. The experience is superior to inclusion of these patients in a general brain tumor board.