Brain metastasis develops in 20-40 % of diagnosed cancer patients worldwide during the course of their illness and represent most frequent neurological complications of systemic cancer as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The cornerstones of treatment for metastatic brain disease are surgery, whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and radio surgery along with varying doses of steroids. As majority of patients present with multiple brain lesions which precludes the option of surgical resection and trials using various systemic chemotherapeutic agents have only demonstrated efficacy in treating brain metastases in a very selected group of primary cancers that are highly chemo sensitive. Whereas radiotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating brain metastases regardless of primary. Commonly used palliative whole brain radiation therapy treatment protocols are 30 Gy in 10 fractions and 20Gy in 05 fraction by two lateral parallel opposed fields. As most of the patients with brain metastases are with poor performance status, this retrospective study was carried out at IRNUM from 1st Jan 2016 –Dec 2016 to evaluate the efficacy of 8 Gy single fraction of radiation to whole brain in terms of relief of symptoms and median as well as overall survival. There were 21 patients .04 male and 18 females. Out of 21 included patients 14 patients were of breast cancer, 06 patients were of lung cancer and 01 patient was of gestational trophoblastic disease. All patients were diagnosed on contrast enhanced Magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI). All patients were having multiple brain metastases. All patients were planned for whole brain radiotherapy to dose of 08 Gy single fraction by two parallel opposed lateral fields on Co-60 teletherapy machine plus steroids. Patients were monitored for relief of symptoms, median as well as overall survival.
