429P - Brain imaging screening (BIS) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC): Patients’ and physicians’ perspectives

Background

Routine BIS in patients with MBC without neurological symptoms is not currently recommended, as no survival/quality-of-life improvements have been demonstrated. We investigated physicians and patients’ perspectives.

Methods

Anonymous questionnaires for BC patients and BC-treating physicians were distributed online between 05/2023-02/2024. Data on demographics, treatments and physicians’/patients’ preferences were collected.

Results

545 patients from 14 European countries completed the questionnaire. Median age was 50 years and most had high education levels (73%). 86% had MBC, 51% hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative, 31% HER2-positive and 18% triple negative (TN) BC. 86% of patients, especially younger ones (p=0.02) and with HR- disease (p=0.03), were willing to undergo BIS for asymptomatic brain metastases (BM), despite the uncertain clinical benefit. 529 physicians from 50 countries (80% European) completed the questionnaire. Most were medical oncologists (71%) working in academic hospitals (53%). 52% of physicians sometimes/rarely request BIS, mainly when extracranial progression occurs and especially for HER2+ and TN MBC. Among physicians never recommending BIS (35%), 59% would do it if recommended by guidelines, 93% in case of clinical benefit and 32% if ≥ 30% likelihood of BM detection. Notably, 86% of patients would like to receive information regarding BM development while only 13% of physicians routinely address the issue.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the need for clinical trials investigating the clinical value of BIS for detection of asymptomatic BM. They also underline the willingness of BC patients to know more about the possibility and implications of BM development.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.