Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) has long been used for SCLC to reduce the risk of brain metastases and potentially improve overall survival. Nevertheless, recent immunotherapy trials have provided limited data on its impact, as few patients were treated with PCI. The ADRIATIC trial reported improved outcomes with consolidation immunotherapy in limited-stage SCLC, and PCI was a stratification factor. Notably, patients receiving PCI in both arms had better outcomes than those who did not. Ongoing studies, such as EORTC-1901 PRIMALung (NCT04790253) and SWOG 1827-MAVERICK (NCT04155034), are further investigating PCI's role in the era of immunotherapy, highlighting its potential importance in evolving treatment strategies.
Keywords: Brain radiotherapy; Immune checkpoint blockers; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Thoracic oncology.
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