Outcome of brain metastases from adrenocortical carcinoma: a pooled analysis

Purpose Brain metastases rarely complicate the natural history of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). No information is available regarding the life expectancy and efficacy of treatments in ACC patients with brain involvement. Methods A pooled analysis was performed by searching on PubMed and using the keywords: “brain metastases in adrenocortical carcinoma”, and “leptomeningeal metastases in adrenocortical carcinoma”. Four patients diagnosed at Spedali Civili Hospital in Brescia were added to the analysis. Data concerning demographic, disease characteristics, adopted treatments and patient prognosis were collected. Results A total of 27 patients (18 adults and 9 children) were included in this study, 22 of them had an adequate follow-up. Brain metastases occurred late in the natural history of adult patients but not in that of children. Surgery plus/minus radiation therapy was the treatment of choice. Adult patients with brain metastases had a poor prognosis with a median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 2 and 7 months, respectively. Median PFS and OS were not attained in children. Conclusion Brain metastases in ACC patients are rare and are associated with poor prognosis, particularly in adults. Surgery plus/minus radiotherapy is the only therapeutic approach that can offer patients a chance to obtain durable local disease control.