Leone JP, et al. - Researchers studied treatment patterns of breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) among women with BCBM reported to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare Program from 1992 to 2012. They also assessed characteristics related to treatment selection and trends in overall survival (OS) over time via multinomial logistic regression and Cox regression. The treatments recorded from Medicare claims from the date of brain metastases diagnosis until 60 days after, included resection, radiation, and chemotherapy. Findings revealed substantial changes in treatment patterns and OS over time. An increase in treatment rates, from 50% in 1992 to 64.1% in 2012, was reported among 5,969 patients. During this time, a simultaneous increase from 8.8% to 18% was noted for therapy combining radiation, resection, and/or chemotherapy. A significantly improved OS was observed over time in patients who underwent a combination of two or more treatments. A significantly shorter OS was observed in older patients, those with extracranial metastases, or estrogen/progesterone-negative tumors. Patients with extracranial metastases, those with estrogen-negative tumors, younger age at diagnosis, no comorbidities and more recently diagnosed brain metastases, were significantly more likely to receive combined therapy.