Phase I/II study of altered schedule of cisplatin and etoposide administration and concurrent accelerated hyperfractionated thoracic radiotherapy for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer

A systematic review of survival following anti-cancer treatment for small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of survival following treatment recommended by the European Society of Medical Oncology for SCLC in order to determine a benchmark for novel therapies to be compared with.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Randomized controlled trials and observational studies reporting overall survival following chemotherapy for SCLC were included. We calculated survival at 30 and 90-days along with 1-year, 2-year and median.

RESULTS

We identified 160 for inclusion. There were minimal 30-day deaths. Survival was 99 % (95 %CI 98.0-99.0 %, I²33.9 %, n = 77) and 90 % (95 %CI 89.0-92.0 %, I²79.5 %, n = 73) at 90 days for limited (LD-SCLC) and extensive stage (ED-SCLC) respectively. The median survival for LD-SCLC was 18.1 months (95 %CI 17.0-19.1 %, I²77.3 %, n = 110) and early thoracic radiotherapy (thoracic radiotherapy 18.4 months (95 %CI 17.3-19.5, I²78.4 %, n = 100)) vs no radiotherapy 11.7 months (95 %CI 9.1-14.3, n = 10), prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI 19.7 months vs No PCI 13.0 months (95 %CI 18.5-21.0, I²75.7 %, n = 78 and 95 %CI 10.5-16.6, I²81.1 %, n = 15 respectively)) and better performance status (PS0-1 22.5 months vs PS0-4 15.3 months (95 %CI 18.7-26.1, I²72.4 %, n = 11 and 95 %CI 11.5-19.1 I²77.9 %, n = 13)) augmented this. For ED-SCLC the median survival was 9.6 months (95 %CI 8.9-10.3 %, I²95.2 %, n = 103) and this improved when irinotecan + cisplatin was used, however studies that used this combination were mostly conducted in Asian populations where survival was better. Survival was not improved with the addition of thoracic radiotherapy or PCI. Survival for both stages of cancer was better in modern studies and Asian cohorts. It was poorer for studies administering carboplatin + etoposide but this regimen was used in studies that had fewer patient selection criteria.

CONCLUSION

Early thoracic radiotherapy and PCI should be offered to people with LD-SCLC in accordance with guideline recommendations. The benefit of the aforementioned therapies to treat ED-SCLC and the use of chemotherapy in people with poor PS is less clear.

Phase I North Central Cancer Treatment Group Trial-N9923 of escalating doses of twice-daily thoracic radiation therapy with amifostine and with alternating chemotherapy in limited stage small-cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

The primary goal was to identify the maximum tolerable dose (MTD) of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) that can be given with chemotherapy and amifostine for patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LSCLC).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Treatment began with two cycles of topotecan (1 mg/m(2)) Days 1 to 5 and paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)) Day 5 (every 3 weeks) given before and after TRT. The TRT began at 6 weeks. The TRT was given in 120 cGy fractions b.i.d. and the dose escalation (from 4,800 cGy, dose level 1, to 6,600 cGy, dose level 4) followed the standard "cohorts of 3" design. The etoposide (E) (50 mg/day) and cisplatin (C) (3 mg/m(2)) were given i.v. before the morning TRT and amifostine (500 mg/day) was given before the afternoon RT. This was followed by prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). The dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were defined as Grade > or =4 hematologic, febrile neutropenia, esophagitis, or other nonhematologic toxicity, Grade > or =3 dyspnea, or Grade > or =2 pneumonitis.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients were evaluable for the Phase I portion of the trial. No DLTs were seen at dose levels 1 and 2. Two patients on dose level 4 experienced DLTs: 1 patient had a Grade 4 pneumonitis, dyspnea, fatigue, hypokalemia, and anorexia, and 1 patient had a Grade 5 hypoxia attributable to TRT. One of 6 patients on dose level 3 had a DLT, Grade 3 esophagitis. The Grade > or =3 toxicities seen in at least 10% of patients during TRT were esophagitis (53%), leukopenia (33%), dehydration (20%), neutropenia (13%), and fatigue (13%). The median survival was 14.5 months.

CONCLUSION

The MTD of b.i.d. TRT was 6000 cGy (120 cGy b.i.d.) with EP and amifostine.

Phase II study of irinotecan combined with carboplatin in previously untreated small-cell lung cancer

To determine the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan combined with carboplatin, we conducted a phase II trial. Eligibility criteria were: chemotherapy-naïve, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), good performance status (PS: 0-2), age Collapse

Key Words

• small-cell lung cancer
• chemotherapy
• clinical trial
• irinotecan
• carboplatin

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MESH Headings

• Aged
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use
• Camptothecin/administration & dosage
• Camptothecin/analogs & derivatives
• Carboplatin/administration & dosage
• Carcinoma, Small Cell/drug therapy
• Disease Progression
• Female
• Humans
• Irinotecan
• Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Survival Analysis
• Treatment Outcome

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Grants Collapse

Affiliation(s)

A Kinoshita National Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan
M Fukuda Kawasaki Medical School, Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Medicine, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
H Soda Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan
S Nagashima Sasebo General Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan
M Fukuda Japanese Red-Cross Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan
H Takatani Nagasaki Municipal Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan
M Kuba National Okinawa Hospital, Okinawa, Japan
Y Nakamura Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan
J Tsurutani Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan
S Kohno Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan
M Oka Kawasaki Medical School, Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Medicine, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan

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The Role of Radiation Therapy in Thoracic Tumors

Radiation plays an important role in the treatment of thoracic tumors. During the last 10 years there have been several major advances in thoracic RT including the incorporation of concurrent chemotherapy and the application of con-formal radiation-delivery techniques (eg, stereotactic RT, three-dimensional conformal RT, and intensity-modulated RT) that allow radiation dose escalation. Radiation as a local measure remains the definitive treatment of medically inoperable or surgically unresectable disease in NSCLC and part of a multimodality regimen for locally advanced NSCLC, limited stage SCLC, esophageal cancer, thymoma, and mesothelioma.

Small cell lung cancer associated with systemic sclerosis

A 51-year-old woman developed small cell lung cancer (SCLC). She was a non-smoker and had interstitial pneumonia associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Sixteen additional cases obtained from the literature describing patients with SCLC associated with SSc are reviewed. The majority of patients were women with underlying interstitial pneumonia. In 3 patients who were non-smokers, interstitial pneumonia was complicated and cancer had developed in the peripheral lung field but not in the central lung field. Since SCLC is very rare in non-smokers, these findings suggest a positive association between SCLC and interstitial pneumonia associated with SSc.

Combined Chemoradiotherapy in Small Cell Lung Cancer

Combined chemoradiotherapy is the established standard of care for limited stage small cell lung cancer; it provides cure in 15% to 25% of patients. Early concurrent therapy imparts a 5% long-term survival benefit compared with sequential therapy. Hyperfractionated delivery of radiotherapy may provide a small incremental benefit when compared with standard fractionation. Radiotherapy dose escalation and reduced radiotherapy volumes are feasible; however, survival benefit has not been confirmed. Cisplatin and etoposide remain the preferred chemotherapy agents. New chemotherapeutic agents and novel treatment approaches are under intense investigation.

Phase I/II study of docetaxel and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiation therapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Recent studies have suggested the superiority of concomitant over sequential administration of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Docetaxel and cisplatin have demonstrated efficacy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study evaluated the safety, toxicity, and antitumour activity of docetaxel/cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced NSCLC. Patients with locally advanced NSCLC (stage IIIA or IIIB), good performance status, age <or=75 years, and adequate organ function were eligible. Both docetaxel and cisplatin were given on days 1, 8, 29, and 36. Doses of docetaxel/cisplatin (mg m(-2)) in the phase I study portion were escalated as follows: 20/30, 25/30, 30/30, 30/35, 30/40, 35/40, 40/40, and 45/40. Beginning on day 1 of chemotherapy, thoracic radiotherapy was given at a total dose of 60 Gy with 2 Gy per fraction over 6 weeks. In the phase I portion, the maximum tolerated doses (MTD) among 33 patients were docetaxel 45 mg m(-2) and cisplatin 40 mg m(-2). The major dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was radiation oesophagitis. The recommended doses (RDs) for the phase II study were docetaxel 40 mg m(-2) and cisplatin 40 mg m(-2). A total of 42 patients were entered in the phase II portion. Common toxicities were leukopenia, granulocytopenia, anaemia, and radiation oesophagitis, with frequencies of grade >or=3 toxicities of 71, 60, 24, and 19%, respectively. Toxicity was significant, but manageable according to the dose and schedule modifications. Dose intensities of docetaxel and cisplatin were 86 and 87%, respectively. Radiotherapy was completed without a delay in 67% of 42 patients. The overall response rate was 79% (95% confidence interval (CI), 66-91%). The median survival time was 23.4+ months with an overall survival rate of 76% at 1 year and 54% at 2 years. In conclusion, chemotherapy with cisplatin plus docetaxel given on days 1, 8, 29, and 36 and concurrent thoracic radiotherapy is efficacious and tolerated in patients with locally advanced NSCLC and should be evaluated in a phase III study.