# EORTC 08993 (Slotman): prophylactic cranial irradiation in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer

Source: https://onco.cc/trials/slotman-pci-es-sclc/  
OnCo record `slotman-pci-es-sclc` (Trial). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Slotman's trial showed that irradiating the brain before metastases appear cuts symptomatic brain metastases and lengthens survival in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, though a later Japanese trial with MRI screening did not confirm the survival gain.

## Summary

EORTC 08993 randomised 286 patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer who had responded to chemotherapy to prophylactic cranial irradiation or observation. Symptomatic brain metastases within a year fell from 40.4 to 14.6 percent and one-year survival rose from 13.3 to 27.1 percent (Slotman and colleagues, New England Journal of Medicine 2007). Patients were not required to have brain imaging before entry; Takahashi's 2017 trial with MRI surveillance found no survival benefit, so practice now varies.

## Fields

- Kind: Trial
- Status: positive
- Last checked: 2026-09-17
- Tags: radiation-wave4
- Phase: 3
- Setting: Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer responding to chemotherapy: prophylactic cranial irradiation versus observation
- Sponsor: EORTC
- Enrolled: 286
- Result: Symptomatic brain metastases at 1 year 14.6% vs 40.4%; 1-year survival 27.1% vs 13.3%.
- Outcomes: Symptomatic brain metastases within 1 year: Prophylactic cranial irradiation 14.6% vs Observation 40.4%

## Sources

- NEJM 2007: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa071780

## Connected records

- cancers: [Small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/sclc/)
- technologies: [Prophylactic cranial irradiation vs MRI surveillance](https://onco.cc/technologies/prophylactic-cranial-irradiation/)
- terms: [Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT)](https://onco.cc/terms/wbrt/)

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