Effectiveness of postoperative irradiation in stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer according to regression tree analyses of recurrence risks

[Prevention, Diagnosis, Therapy, and Follow-up of Lung Cancer - Interdisciplinary Guideline of the German Respiratory Society and the German Cancer Society - Abridged Version]

The current S3 Lung Cancer Guidelines are edited with fundamental changes to the previous edition based on the dynamic influx of information to this field:The recommendations include de novo a mandatory case presentation for all patients with lung cancer in a multidisciplinary tumor board before initiation of treatment, furthermore CT-Screening for asymptomatic patients at risk (after federal approval), recommendations for incidental lung nodule management , molecular testing of all NSCLC independent of subtypes, EGFR-mutations in resectable early stage lung cancer in relapsed or recurrent disease, adjuvant TKI-therapy in the presence of common EGFR-mutations, adjuvant consolidation treatment with checkpoint inhibitors in resected lung cancer with PD-L1 ≥ 50%, obligatory evaluation of PD-L1-status, consolidation treatment with checkpoint inhibition after radiochemotherapy in patients with PD-L1-pos. tumor, adjuvant consolidation treatment with checkpoint inhibition in patients withPD-L1 ≥ 50% stage IIIA and treatment options in PD-L1 ≥ 50% tumors independent of PD-L1status and targeted therapy and treatment option immune chemotherapy in first line SCLC patients.Based on the current dynamic status of information in this field and the turnaround time required to implement new options, a transformation to a "living guideline" was proposed.

The role of postoperative radiotherapy for completely resected pIIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer patients with different clinicopathological features: a systemic review and meta-analysis

Background: The role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in completely resected pathological stage IIIA-N2 (pIIIA-N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of PORT in patients with pIIIA-N2 NSCLC on the basis of clinicopathological features.

Methods: The PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. The main outcomes were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), which were compared using the hazard ratio (HR).

Results: One randomized trial and 12 retrospective studies were eligible for the analysis. PORT significantly improved both OS [HR = 0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79-0.92] and DFS (HR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.38-0.85) compared with non-PORT treatment in patients with multiple N2 metastases or multiple N2 station involvement. No significant difference in either OS (HR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.86-1.24) or DFS (HR = 1.08; 95% CI: 0.70-1.65) was found between PORT and non-PORT groups for patients with single N2 station involvement. No significant heterogeneity was observed. No significant differences in OS were observed between PORT and non-PORT groups for patients of different ages, sex, tumor sizes or pT stages, and histological types.

Conclusions: The findings of this meta-analysis supported a role for PORT in patients with completely resected pIIIA-N2 NSCLC having multiple N2 metastases and favored withholding PORT to patients with single N2 station involvement. Further prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the findings.

PLNR≤20% may be a benefit from PORT for patients with IIIA-N2 NSCLC: a large population-based study

Purpose

Our study was to evaluate the influence of positive lymph nodes ratio (PLNR) on survival for patients with pathological stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after receiving postoperative radiotherapy (PORT).

Patients and methods

The chi-squared test was used to compare the patient baseline characteristics. Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the influence of different variables on overall survival (OS). X-tile model was applied to determine the cutoff values of PLNR. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare survival differences. Based on different cutoff values of PLNR, Cox proportional hazard model was also used to analyze the influence factors on OS.

Results

Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that PLNR (P=0.001) and PORT (HR=1.283; 95% CI 1.154–1.426; P<0.001) were significant independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with resected IIIA-N2 NSCLC. The X-tile model was used to screen three different cutoff values including PLNR≤20%, 20%<PLNR≤40%, PLNR>40%. Based on these different cutoff values, we found that patients with PLNR≤20% receiving PORT have a better OS (P=0.007). Further multivariable analysis showed that PORT is an independent prognostic factor of OS only for patients with PLNR≤20% (HR=1.328; 95% CI 1.139–1.549; P<0.001). Conclusion: PLNR≤20% may be a prognostic factor for patients with IIIA-N2 NSCLC receiving PORT.

Choice of postoperative radiation for stage IIIA pathologic N2 non-small cell lung cancer: impact of metastatic lymph node number

Background

Postoperative radiation (PORT) is an option for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with resectable stage IIIA pathological N2 status (pN2). For patients with PORT, this study aims to investigate the impact of the exact number of positive lymph nodes (LNs) on overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS).

Methods

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified 3373 patients with stage IIIA pathological N2 status (pN2) NSCLC who underwent a lobectomy or pneumonectomy from 2004 to 2013. OS and LCSS were compared among patients coded as receiving PORT or observation. The proportional hazards model was applied for investigation.

Results

OS and LCSS favored PORT for patients with stage IIIA (pN2) NSCLC. Multivariable analyses showed that PORT and the exact number of positive LNs (n ≤ 3) were independently associated with better OS and LCSS. Both better OS and LCSS emerged for positive LNs (n > 3) after the use of PORT in survival analyses, whereas the benefits of OS and LCSS were not observed anymore for positive LNs (n ≤ 3) group. More importantly, multivariable analyses showed that the use of PORT is an independent risk factor of survival for positive LNs (n > 3) but not for positive LNs (n ≤ 3).

Conclusions

In Stage IIIA (pN2) NSCLC, the use of PORT demonstrated better survival results than no PORT for patients with positive LNs (n > 3), but not for patients with positive LNs (n ≤ 3).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13014-017-0946-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Propensity score-matching analysis of postoperative radiotherapy for stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database

Background

To investigate the effects of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) on the survival of patients with resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

A total of 3,334 patients with resected stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC in 2004 to 2013 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and stratified according to use of PORT. Propensity score-matching (PSM) methods were used to balance the baseline characteristics of patients who did (n = 744) or did not (n = 744) undergo PORT. Overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) were compared between these two patient groups.

Results

After PSM, PORT increased OS (hazard ratio, 0.793; p = 0.001) and LCSS (hazard ratio, 0.837; p = 0.022) compared with no PORT. The OS benefit for PORT was mainly seen in patients aged <60 years (5-year OS, 35.4% versus 28.9% for PORT versus no PORT, respectively; p = 0.026) and in those who underwent lobectomy (5-year OS, 43.5% versus 34.5% for PORT versus no PORT, respectively; p = 0.001). The LCSS benefit for PORT was significant in patients undergoing lobectomy (5-year LCSS, 48.3% versus 42.3% for PORT versus no PORT, respectively; p = 0.036).

Conclusions

The survival benefits of PORT were primarily observed in patients with resected stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC who were <60 years of age or had undergone lobectomy.

Effect of LINAC-based postoperative radiotherapy on local control and survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Aim

To perform a retrospective analysis of survival, local–regional control and the effect of prognostic factors in 61 non-small cell lung cancer patients who were treated with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) by a linear accelerator (LINAC).

Material and methods

A total of 50–66 Gy PORT with a fractional dose of 1·8–2 Gy was administered to 24 patients (24·5%) for surgical margin positivity, 33 patients (54%) for mediastinal lymph node involvement and 13 patients (21·5%) for both mediastinal lymph node involvement and positive surgical margins.

Results

Median follow-up was 17 months, and the median survival and median distant metastasis-free survival were 25 and 19 months, respectively. Local-regional progression was observed in 10 patients (16·4%). Treatment modality (2D/3D) (p=0·021), tumour size >4 cm (p=0·004), surgical margin positivity (p=0·001), and left lung localisation of the tumour (p≤0·05) were the prognostic factors in terms of survival.

Conclusions

A survey of the literature shows that, without PORT, local recurrence or progression rates increase while overall survival rates decrease. In this study, only patients with PORT are studied and the results show that the local progression and overall survival rates are comparable with literature of LINAC-based PORT. In the case of overall survival, 3D treatment shows better results than 2D treatment modality.

Evidence-based recommendations of postoperative radiotherapy in lung cancer from Oncologic Group for the Study of Lung Cancer (Spanish Radiation Oncology Society)

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a diversified illness in which postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) for complete resection with positive hiliar (pN1) and/or mediastinal (pN2) lymph nodes is controversial. Although several studies have shown that PORT has beneficial effects, randomized trials are needed to demonstrate its impact on overall survival. In this review, the Spanish Radiation Oncology Group for Lung Cancer describes the most relevant literature on PORT in NSCLC patients stage pN1-2. In addition, we have outlined the current recommendations of different national and international clinical guidelines and have also specified practical issues regarding treatment volume definition, doses and fractionation.

Role of adjuvant radiotherapy in completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer

Most long-term survivors of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are patients who have had a completely resected tumour. However, this is only achievable in about 30% of the patients. Even in this highly selected group of patients, there is still a high risk of both local and distant failure. Adjuvant treatments such as chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) have therefore been evaluated in order to improve their outcome. In patients with stage II and III, administration of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy is now considered the standard of care, based on level 1 evidence. The role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) remains controversial. In the PORT meta-analysis published in 1998, the conclusions were that if PORT was detrimental to patients with stage I and II completely resected NSCLC, the role of PORT in the treatment of tumours with N2 involvement was unclear and further research was warranted. Thus at present, after complete resection, adjuvant radiotherapy should not be administered in patients with early lung cancer. Recent retrospective and non-randomised studies, as well as subgroup analyses of recent randomised trials evaluating adjuvant chemotherapy, provide evidence of the possible benefit of PORT in patients with mediastinal nodal involvement. The role of PORT needs to be evaluated also for patients with proven N2 disease who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery. The risk of local recurrence for N2 patients varies between 20% and 60%. Based on currently available data, PORT should be discussed for fit patients with completely resected NSCLC with N2 nodal involvement, preferably after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy or after surgery if patients have had preoperative chemotherapy. There is a need for new randomised evidence to reassess PORT using modern three-dimensional conformal radiation technique, with attention to normal organ sparing, particularly lung and heart, to reduce the possible over-added toxicity. Quality assurance of radiotherapy as well as quality of surgery – and most particularly nodal exploration modality – should both be monitored. A new large multi-institutional randomised trial Lung ART evaluating PORT in this patient population is needed and is now under way.

The emerging outcome of postoperative radiotherapy for stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer patients: based on the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy technique and institutional standard clinical target volume

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT), administered using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and our institutional standard clinical target volume (CTV) delineation, for completely resected stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

From 2005 to 2012, consecutive patients with pT1-3N2 NSCLC who were treated with PORT employing our institutional CTV delineation after complete surgery or who underwent complete resection in our hospital but without PORT were identified. We excluded patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy (RT). Kaplan-Meier estimates for locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed. In the OS estimation, patients who received epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) during follow-up were censored at the time of TKI initiation.

RESULTS

Data from 70 patients in the PORT group and 287 in the non-PORT group were analysed. All 70 cases received 3D-CRT following our institutional CTV guideline, with a median total dose of 50.4 Gy at 1.8 Gy/fraction. At a median follow-up of 34.3 months for the PORT group and 31.2 months for the non-PORT group, PORT significantly improved local control (5-yr LRFS 91.9% for PORT vs 66.4% for non-PORT, P < 0.001) and OS (5-yr OS 57.5% for PORT vs 35.1% for non-PORT, P = 0.003), whereas no differences in DMFS were noted (P = 0.18). In multivariable analyses, PORT was independently associated with an improved LRFS (HR 0.2, P = 0.001) and OS (HR 0.4, P = 0.001). All patients completed the planned RT dose without interruption of RT due to treatment-related complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggested that PORT administered using the 3D-CRT technique following our institutional CTV delineation guideline resulted in a promising outcome with favourable survival for completely resected IIIA(N2) NSCLC, after controlling for subsequent EGFR-TKI confounding in the OS analysis. Prospective trials are needed to further corroborate these results.

The single institutional outcome of postoperative radiotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in resected non-small cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to observe the outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in single institution.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2002 to 2013, 78 patients diagnosed with NSCLC after curative resection were treated with radiotherapy alone (RT, n = 48) or concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT, n = 30). The indications of adjuvant radiation therapy were N2 node positive (n = 31), close or involved resection margin (n = 28), or gross residual disease due to incomplete resection (n = 19). The median radiation dose was 57.6 Gy (range, 29.9 to 66 Gy).

RESULTS

Median survival time was 33.7 months (range, 4.4 to 140.3 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 49.5% (RT 46% vs. CCRT 55.2%; p = 0.731). The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 45.5% (RT 39.4% vs. CCRT 55.3%; p = 0.130). The 3-year local control rate was 68.1% (RT 64.4% vs. CCRT 77.7%; p = 0.165). The 3-year DMFS rate was 56.1% (RT 52.6% vs. CCRT 61.7%; p = 0.314). In multivariate analysis, age ≥66 years and pathologic stage III were significant poor prognostic factors for OS. Treatment failure occurred in 40 patients. Four patients had radiologically confirmed grade 3 radiation pneumonitis.

CONCLUSION

In NSCLC, adjuvant RT or CCRT after curative surgery is a safe and feasible modality of treatment. OS gain was seen in patients less than 66 years. Postoperative CCRT showed a propensity of achieving better local control and improved disease-free survival compared to RT alone according to our data.

Elevated serum C-reactive protein, carcinoembryonic antigen and N2 disease are poor prognostic indicators in non-small cell lung cancer

AIM

To assess the prognostic value of mediastinal lymph node metastases (N2 disease), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the 7th edition of the TNM classification.

METHODS

Newly diagnosed stage III-IV NSCLC were enrolled, including 75 patients with malignant pleural effusion. The relationship between serum CRP levels and other relevant variables such as sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, smoking status, initial staging, N2 disease, serum albumin, white blood cell count, platelet count, CEA, comorbidity and pathology were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to find prognostic markers using Cox's proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Of the 127 patients enrolled, 55 (43%) had elevated CRP levels. There was a significant correlation between serum CRP level and platelet count (P = 0.011). Median overall survival (OS) in the normal CRP group was significantly longer than in the high CRP group (15.7 months vs 9.1 months, P = 0.013). Hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.047), higher CEA (P = 0.043) and N2 disease (P = 0.040) were additional prognostic factors on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis an elevated CRP serum level (HR = 1.796; P = 0.005), higher CEA (HR = 1.563; P = 0.031) and N2 disease (HR = 1.723; P = 0.012) were independent prognostic factors for poor survival.

CONCLUSION

High levels of serum CRP and CEA, and N2 disease are independent prognostic indicators for the survival of patients with stage III-IV NSCLC.

Modern post-operative radiotherapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer may improve local control and survival: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

We hypothesized that modern postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) could decrease local recurrence (LR) and improve overall survival (OS) in patients with stage IIIA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

To investigate the effect of modern PORT on LR and OS, we identified published phase III trials for PORT and stratified them according to use or non-use of linear accelerators. Non-individual patient data were used to model the potential benefit of modern PORT in stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC treated with induction chemotherapy and resection.

RESULTS

Of the PORT phase III studies, eleven trials (2387 patients) were included for OS analysis and eight (1677 patients) for LR. PORT decreased LR, whether given with cobalt, cobalt and linear accelerators, or with linear accelerators only. An increase in OS was only seen when PORT was given with linear accelerators, along with the most significant effect on LR (relative risk for LR and OS 0.31 (p=0.01) and 0.76 (p=0.02) for PORT vs. controls, respectively). Four trials (357 patients) were suitable to assess LR rates in stage III NSCLC treated with surgery, in most cases after induction chemotherapy. LR as first relapse was 30% (105/357) after 5 years. In the modeling part, PORT with linear accelerators was estimated to reduce LR rates to 10% as first relapse and to increase the absolute 5-year OS by 13%.

CONCLUSIONS

This modeling study generates the hypothesis that modern PORT may increase both LR and OS in stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC even in patients being treated with induction chemotherapy and surgery.

Chemoradiation for definitive, preoperative, or postoperative therapy of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Over the last few decades, the integration of chemotherapy and radiation has played a crucial role in the management of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Locally advanced NSCLC is a very heterogeneous disease. Because of this heterogeneity, advanced NSCLC can be managed in various ways depending on the bulk of disease, the comorbidities of the patient, and the expertise and resources of the treating physicians and facilities. This review describes the evolution of current treatment strategies and predicted future changes for the management of locally advanced NSCLC.

The role of consolidation therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer with persistent N2 disease after induction chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Persistent pathologic mediastinal nodal involvement after induction chemotherapy and surgical resection is a negative prognostic factor for stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer patients. This population has high rates of local-regional failure and distant failure, yet the effectiveness of additional therapies is not clear. We assessed the role of consolidative therapies (postoperative radiation therapy and chemotherapy) for such patients.

METHODS

In all, 179 patients with stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center were treated with induction chemotherapy followed by surgery from 1998 through 2008; 61 patients in this cohort had persistent, pathologically confirmed, mediastinal nodal disease, and were treated with postoperative radiation therapy. Local-regional failure was defined as recurrence at the surgical site or lymph nodes (levels 1 to 14, including supraclavicular), or both. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival outcomes were assessed by log rank tests. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify factors influencing local-regional failure, distant failure, and overall survival.

RESULTS

All patients received postoperative radiation therapy after surgery, but approximately 25% of the patients also received additional chemotherapy: 9 (15%) with concurrent chemotherapy, 4 (7%) received adjuvant sequential chemotherapy, and 2 (3%) received both. Multivariate analysis indicated that additional postoperative chemotherapy significantly reduced distant failure (hazard ratio 0.183, 95% confidence interval: 0.052 to 0.649, p=0.009) and improved overall survival (hazard ratio 0.233, 95% confidence interval: 0.089 to 0.612, p=0.003). However, additional postoperative chemotherapy had no affect on local-regional failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Aggressive consolidative therapies may improve outcomes for patients with persistent N2 disease after induction chemotherapy and surgery.

Postoperative radiotherapy for elderly patients with stage III lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The potential role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) for patients who have completely resected, stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with N2 disease remains controversial. By using population-based data, the authors of this report compared the survival of a concurrent cohort of elderly patients who had N2 disease treated with and without PORT.

METHODS

By using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry linked to Medicare records, 1307 patients were identified who had stage III NSCLC with N2 lymph node involvement diagnosed between 1992 and 2005. Propensity scoring methods and instrumental variable analysis were used to compare the survival of patients who did and did not receive PORT after controlling for selection bias.

RESULTS

Overall, 710 patients (54%) received PORT. Propensity score analysis indicated that PORT was not associated with improved survival in patients with N2 disease (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1.27). Analyses that were limited to patients who did or did not receive chemotherapy, who received intermediate-complexity or high-complexity radiotherapy planning, or adjusted for time trends produced similar results. The instrumental variable estimator for the absolute improvement in 1-year and 3-year survival with PORT was -0.04 (95% CI, -0.15 to 0.08) and -0.08 (95% CI, -0.24 to 0.15), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The current data suggested that PORT is not associated with improved survival for elderly patients with N2 disease. These findings have important clinical implications, because SEER data indicate that a large percentage of elderly patients currently receive PORT despite the lack of definitive evidence about its effectiveness. The potential effectiveness of PORT should be evaluated further in randomized controlled trials.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for resected non-small-cell lung cancer: future perspectives for clinical research

Adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a debated issue in clinical oncology. Although it is considered a standard for resected stage II-IIIA patients according to the available guidelines, many questions are still open. Among them, it should be acknowledged that the treatment for stage IB disease has shown so far a limited (if sizable) efficacy, the role of modern radiotherapies requires to be evaluated in large prospective randomized trials and the relative impact of age and comorbidities should be weighted to assess the reliability of the trials' evidences in the context of the everyday-practice. In addition, a conclusive evidence of the best partner for cisplatin is currently awaited as well as a deeper investigation of the fading effect of chemotherapy over time. The limited survival benefit since first studies were published and the lack of reliable prognostic and predictive factors beyond pathological stage, strongly call for the identification of bio-molecular markers and classifiers to identify which patients should be treated and which drugs should be used. Given the disappointing results of targeted therapy in this setting have obscured the initial promising perspectives, a biomarker-selection approach may represent the basis of future trials exploring adjuvant treatment for resected NSCLC.

Role of postoperative radiotherapy in resected non-small cell lung cancer: a reassessment based on new data

In completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with pathologically involved mediastinal lymph nodes (N2), administration of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy is now considered the standard of care, based on level 1 evidence. The role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in this group of patients remains controversial. The PORT meta-analysis published in 1998 concluded that adjuvant radiotherapy was detrimental to patients with early-stage completely resected NSCLC, but that the role of PORT in the treatment of tumors with N2 involvement was unclear, and that further research was warranted. Recent retrospective and nonrandomized studies, as well as subgroup analyses of recent randomized trials evaluating adjuvant chemotherapy, provide evidence of the possible benefit of PORT in patients with mediastinal nodal involvement. The role of PORT is also a valid question in patients with proven N2 disease who have undergone only induction chemotherapy followed by surgery, because the local recurrence rate for such patients varies in the range of 20%-60%. Based on the currently available data, PORT should be discussed for fit patients with completely resected NSCLC with N2 nodal involvement, preferably after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy. There is a need for new randomized evidence to evaluate PORT using the modern three-dimensional conformal radiation technique, with attention paid to reducing the risk for, particularly, pulmonary and cardiac toxicity. A new large multi-institutional randomized trial evaluating PORT in this patient population is needed and now under way.

Adjuvant therapy for resected non-small cell lung cancer

Surgery remains the initial treatment for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The frequent occurrence of distant metastases and local regional failure after surgical resection would indicate that additional treatment is necessary. Early trials of adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiation were often plagued by small patient sample size, inadequate surgical staging, and ineffective or antiquated treatment. A 1995 meta-analysis found a nonsignificant reduction in risk of death for postoperative cisplatin-based chemotherapy. This was followed by a new generation of randomized phase III trials some of which have reported a benefit for chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting. Based on the results of these trials, platin-based chemotherapy has become the standard of care for resected stages II and IIIA NSCLC. The role of postoperative radiation therapy remains to be defined. In the future, improvement in survival outcomes from adjuvant treatment is likely to result from the evaluation of novel agents, identification of tumor markers predictive of disease relapse, and definition of factors that determine sensitivity to therapeutic agents. Some of the molecularly targeted agents such as the angiogenesis and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors are being incorporated into clinical trials. Gene expression profiles and proteomics are techniques being used to create prediction models to identify patients at risk for disease relapse. Molecular markers such as ERCC1 may determine response to treatment. Increasing the understanding of the molecular makeup of lung cancer will hopefully increase cure rates for patients by maximizing the efficacy of the adjuvant therapy.

The role of surgery in the treatment of stage III non—small-cell lung cancer

Stage III, locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer represents an incredibly heterogeneous group of patients. The majority of patients are treated with curative intent, but optimal therapy is controversial and the role of surgery is not well defined. Consensus has shown that the majority of patients with IIIB disease are not amenable to resection. The exceptions are selected patients with tumor stage 4 (T4) by virtue of a satellite nodule or those with isolated invasion of the spine, superior sulcus, carina, or vena cava. Surgery is more widely used for stage IIIA disease. Patients with nodal stage 2 (N2) disease represent the largest population of patients in stage III. Increasing evidence supports the use of surgery as part of a multimodality approach for N2 disease. The impact of surgery is partially determined by the bulk of the mediastinal node involvement. Patients with micrometastatic disease and single-station nodal involvement have the greatest chance for cure, and surgery appears to play a significant role in their treatment. Patients with bulky multistation disease are frequently not amenable to complete resection and may be best approached with definitive chemotherapy and radiation. In addition, the ability to sterilize mediastinal lymph nodes with induction therapy correlates strongly with survival following resection, but the ideal induction regime that balances the safety and efficacy has yet to be determined.

Postoperative radiotherapy for stage II or III non-small-cell lung cancer using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database

PURPOSE

To investigate the association between survival and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in patients with resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we selected patients with stage II or III NSCLC who underwent a lobectomy or pneumonectomy. Only those patients coded as receiving PORT or observation were included. To account for perioperative mortality, we excluded patients who survived less than 4 months. As a result of our inclusion criteria, we selected a total of 7,465 patients, with a median follow-up time of 3.5 years for patients still alive.

RESULTS

Predictors for the use of PORT included age less than 50 years, higher American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, T3-4 tumor stage, larger tumor size, advanced node stage, greater number of lymph nodes involved, and a ratio of lymph nodes involved to lymph nodes sampled approaching 1.00. On multivariate analysis, older age, T3-4 tumor stage, N2 node stage, male sex, fewer sampled lymph nodes, and greater number of involved lymph nodes had a negative impact on survival. The use of PORT did not have a significant impact on survival. However, in subset analysis for patients with N2 nodal disease (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.855; 95% CI, 0.762 to 0.959; P = .0077), PORT was associated with a significant increase in survival. For patients with N0 (HR = 1.176; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.376; P = .0435) and N1 (HR = 1.097; 95% CI, 1.015 to 1.186; P = .0196) nodal disease, PORT was associated with a significant decrease in survival.

CONCLUSION

In a population-based cohort, PORT use is associated with an increase in survival in patients with N2 nodal disease but not in patients with N1 and N0 nodal disease.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of resectable non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection remains the cornerstone of therapy for early-stage disease and offers the best chance for cure. Local and distant failure rates, however, remain unacceptably high with surgery alone. Radiation and systemic chemotherapy have been used to reduce recurrences in early-stage disease. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant strategies both offer sound theoretical benefit, but evidence supporting this has been lacking. The publication of a meta-analysis in 1995 triggered a reevaluation of adjuvant chemotherapy. Four randomized trials reported in the last 2 years support the use of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy.

METHODS

This article reviews the history of clinical trials evaluating neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy in non-small-cell lung cancer.

RESULTS

Adjuvant chemotherapy improves 5-year survival rates by approximately 5%-15% compared with surgery alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is the standard of care treatment for patients with completely resected stage I, II, and IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer.

Re-Examining the Role of Elective Nodal Irradiation

OBJECTIVE

Elective nodal irradiation (ENI) of regional lymphatics has been a foundational paradigm for radiation oncologists in the treatment of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its utility has recently been called into question. This review summarizes the controversies surrounding ENI and reviews the therapeutic options available to treat regional lymphatics in NSCLC.

METHODS

Local failure after conventional radiotherapy (RT) occurs in 40% to 80% of patients fueling the investigation of more aggressive RT regimens. As the dose is increased and accelerated the volume of normal lung tissue treated becomes a limiting factor. Thus elimination of ENI followed by further dose escalation has become a commonly pursued solution. When ENI is excluded, treatment is restricted to clinically positive disease and negative lymph node stations are left untreated.

RESULTS

Radiographic and surgical data suggest our ability to determine the true extent of disease is imperfect and therefore the elimination of ENI likely leaves microscopic NSCLC untreated.

CONCLUSIONS

At our institution we have concluded that the prophylactic treatment of regional lymph nodes is best reserved for patients most likely to achieve local control and are designing treatment protocols including chemotherapy to take advantage of this improvement in local control.

Localized Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Adjuvant Radiotherapy in the Era of Effective Systemic Therapy

Investigators in Europe, Canada, and the United States recently established a definitive role for adjuvant systemic chemotherapy following resection of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This was no small accomplishment, as upward of 20 randomized trials had previously been conducted. The role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) has been studied with far less vigor in the modern era. A 1998 meta-analysis of randomized trials suggesting that PORT was detrimental to survival included studies of doubtful quality. The value of PORT should be considered in the same context as recent chemotherapy trials. Advances in imaging have improved the accuracy of staging, patient selection, and target definition. Modern dosimetry and accelerator technologies have advanced the capacity to deliver radiation to the target with less tissue toxicity. Evolving philosophies in dosing and fractionation should improve the therapeutic ratio. Finally, it is reasonable to assume that the importance of local control will be enhanced in the setting of better systemic therapies. We will review the data on PORT and address critical issues in the design of trials to assess the role of modern radiotherapy in the integrated approach to management of early-stage NSCLC.

Effectiveness of radiation therapy on non-small-cell lung cancer

Radiotherapy is an effective locoregional cancer treatment aimed at achieving tumor control. For almost a century, radiation has been used as a curative and/or palliative form of treatment alone or in combination with other treatment modalities for non-small-cell lung cancer. Trials are ongoing to investigate the value of altered fractionation radiation therapy alone or in combination with novel chemotherapy agents such as taxanes and gemcitabine, while monitoring for related toxicities. Attempts at minimizing the amount of normal tissue irradiated with three-dimensional treatment planning and/or protecting normal tissues with a radioprotector may allow for therapeutic escalation of radiation dose with further success at treating our nation's number one cause of cancer-related mortality.

Nonsmall cell lung cancer: evaluation of 737 consecutive patients in a single institution

OBJECTIVE: To analyze surgical and pathological parameters and outcome and prognostic factors of patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were admitted to a single institution, as well as to correlate these findings to the current staging system. METHOD: Seven hundred and thirty seven patients were diagnosed with NSCLC and admitted to Hospital do Cancer A. C. Camargo from 1990 to 2000. All patients were included in a continuous prospective database, and their data was analyzed. Following staging, a multidisciplinary team decision on adequate management was established. Variables included in this analysis were age, gender, histology, Karnofsky index, weight loss, clinical stage, surgical stage, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and survival rates. RESULTS: 75.5% of patients were males. The distribution of histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma 51.8%, adenocarcinoma 43.1%, and undifferentiated large cell carcinoma 5.1%. Most patients (73%) presented significant weight loss and a Karnofsky index of 80%. Clinical staging was IA 3.8%, IB 9.2%, IIA 1.4%, IIB 8.1%, IIIA 20.9%, IIIB 22.4%, IV 30.9%. Complete tumor resection was performed in 24.6% of all patients. Surgical stage distribution was IA 25.3%, IB 1.4%, IIB 17.1%, IIIA 16.1%, IIIB 20.3%, IV 11.5%. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were considered therapeutic options in 43% and 72%, respectively. The overall 5-year survival rate of nonsmall cell lung cancer patients in our study was 28%. Median survival was 18.9 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NSCLC who were admitted to our institution presented with histopathologic and clinical characteristics that were similar to previously published series in cancer hospitals. The best prognosis was associated with complete tumor resection with lymph node dissection, which is only achievable in earlier clinical stages.

Resected non-small cell lung cancer: need for adjuvant lymph node treatment? From hope to reality

Even if postoperative thoracic radiotherapy has been widely used as adjuvant treatment, the oncological community has poorly evaluated this treatment after complete surgical resection in lung cancer. The number of patients included in randomised trials has been less than 3000. The analysis of these trials showed rather a deleterious effect in terms of overall survival, suggesting a lethal late treatment-related toxicity in early stage I or II disease. In N2 disease, these effects have not been demonstrated but information is lacking to consider this treatment on an evidence-based medicine policy. We discuss here the available worldwide information on this subject. There is an urgent need for new trials in this topic.

Use of Postoperative Radiotherapy for Node-Positive non—small-Cell Lung Cancer

The appropriate patient selection for adjuvant radiotherapy after primary surgical therapy of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. Four thousand thirteen patients diagnosed from 1988-1995 in 9 registry areas of the Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results program who received primary surgical therapy for pathologic stage T1-3 N1/2 M0 NSCLC were identified. County-level and patient-specific variables associated with the use of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) were studied by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Prognostic factors for cause-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were determined by Cox multivariate analysis. Overall, 58% of node-positive patients received PORT. Use of PORT was independently associated with younger age, more advanced nodal disease, no prior cancer, less extensive surgery than pneumonectomy, and patient residence close to a radiotherapy facility. In multivariate analysis of the entire node-positive population, there were no differences in OS or CSS with the use of PORT. In the patients with N2 disease, PORT was associated with improved OS (5-year OS: 16% without PORT, 22% with PORT; P = 0.001) and CSS (5-year CSS: 25% without PORT, 30% with PORT; P = 0.02). Additionally, patients with = 4 nodes involved also had an improved survival in association with PORT (5-year OS: 11% without PORT, 18% with PORT; P = 0.001; 5-year CSS: 17% without PORT, 25% with PORT; P = 0.009). Therefore, recognizing the inherent limitations of a retrospective, registry-based analysis, patients with more advanced nodal disease appear to have an improved survival with the use of PORT.

Postoperative irradiation in non-small cell lung cancer

A growing body of evidence suggests that postoperative irradiation for non-small cell lung cancer may cause life-threatening toxicity and, when the risk of local-regional recurrence is low, the toxicity of irradiation may outweight the benefit. However, many of these studies used outdated, even crude techniques. Although these techniques may be responsible for a significant amount of the toxicity reported in these studies, essentially no randomized or high-quality retrospective study has shown a survival benefit for postoperative irradiation for patients with N0 or N1 disease. The situation for N2 tumors is more positive. Taken as a whole, the available data suggest that, as a worst-case scenario, the net effect of adjuvant irradiation is neutral (with neither a net survival decrement nor a net advantage). As a best-case scenario, postoperative irradiation may improve the chance for long-term survival in patients with N2 tumors.

Non-small cell lung cancer: prognostic factors in patients treated with surgery and postoperative radiation therapy

PURPOSE

To determine survival outcomes, to identify adverse prognostic factors for relapse, and to compare American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging systems in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with surgery and postoperative radiation therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 1980 and 1995, 211 patients with NSCLC underwent surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. Surgery consisted of wedge resection (12.5%), lobectomy (67.8%), or pneumonectomy (19.7%). Pathologic stages (1992 AJCC) included I (n = 22), II (n = 70), IIIA (n = 104), and IIIB (n = 12). Indications for radiation therapy included compromised margins (n = 81) and/or positive mediastinal nodes (n = 55). Prognostic factors were identified by using univariate and multivariate models.

RESULTS

Overall 3-year survival for patients with stage I, II, and IIIA cancer was 58.9%, 44.1%, and 43.2%, respectively. Older age (P = .008), male sex (P = .021), large primary tumor (P = .004), and multiple positive mediastinal nodes (P = .046) were associated with worse rates of survival. Actuarial risk of local-regional relapse (36 patients) was 21.4% at 3 years. In a multivariate model, use of wedge resection (P = .001), positive margins (P = .010), and larger pathologic tumor (P = .059) were risk factors for local-regional recurrence. Actuarial rate of distant failure was 55.2% at 3 years.

CONCLUSION

Local-regional control can be achieved with surgery and radiation therapy in approximately 80% of patients; however, the rate of distant metastasis remains unacceptably high. Other variables, such as multiple positive nodes, may serve to identify patients at higher risk for relapse and poorer survival. Methods for improving treatment outcomes in these patients should be pursued.