Second primary cancer in survivors following concurrent chemoradiation for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Prevalence of lung tumors in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and vice versa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Recent reports suggest an increased prevalence of lung second primary tumors (LSPTs) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients and vice versa. However, the exact prevalence of SPTs remains unclear and screening for these SPTs is currently not routinely performed in western countries. We aimed to report on the prevalence of LSPTs in patients with ESCC and esophageal second primary tumors (ESPTs) in patients with lung cancer (LC).

METHODS

Databases were searched until 25 March 2021 for studies reporting the prevalence of LSPTs in ESCC or vice versa. Pooled prevalences with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of SPTs were calculated with inverse variance, random-effects models and Clopper-Pearson.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies in ESCC patients and 20 studies in LC patients were included. The pooled prevalence of LSPTs in patients with ESCC was 1.8% (95% CI 1.4-2.3%). For ESPTs in LC patients, the pooled prevalence was 0.2% (95% CI 0.1-0.4%). The prevalence of LSPTs in ESCC patients was significantly higher in patients treated curatively compared to studies also including palliative patients (median 2.5% versus 1.3%). This difference was consistent for the ESPT prevalence in LC patients (treated curatively median 1.3% versus 0.1% for all treatments). Over 50% of the detected SPTs were squamous cell carcinomas and were diagnosed metachronously.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ESCC and LC have an increased risk of developing SPTs in the lungs and esophagus. However, the relatively low SPT prevalence rates do not justify screening in these patients. Further research should focus on risk stratification to identify subgroups of patients at highest risk of SPT development.

Recognizing Radiation Therapy-related Complications in the Chest

Radiation therapy is one of the cornerstones for the treatment of thoracic malignancies. Although advances in radiation therapy technology have improved the delivery of radiation considerably, adverse effects are still common. Postirradiation changes affect the organ or tissue treated and the neighboring structures. Advances in external-beam radiation delivery techniques and how these techniques affect the expected thoracic radiation-induced changes are described. In addition, how to distinguish these expected changes from complications such as infection and radiation-induced malignancy, and identify treatment failure, that is, local tumor recurrence, is reviewed. ^©RSNA, 2019.

Recent trends in the treatment of unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer

Approximately 20-25% of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is diagnosed when the disease has progressed to clinical stage III. At this stage, and even if the cancer is considered unresectable, the treatment strategy should aim to achieve a cure. At the time of the initial diagnosis, it is necessary for medical oncologists to devise the best treatment strategy for each patient by composing a multidisciplinary treatment team including thoracic surgeons and radiation oncologists. In this review, we summarize prior pivotal clinical trials in unresectable clinical stage III NSCLC. Furthermore, we review very recent clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of NSCLC.

Second primary cancer in survivors of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiation followed by surgery

The standard treatment for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) is chemoradiotherapy (CRT), but surgical resection following induction CRT can extend overall survival in a select population. However, patients who survive longer are at risk of developing a second primary cancer (SPC). This is the first report to determine the incidence of SPC in survivors with LA-NSCLC after trimodal therapy. Between October 1997 and October 2013, 112 Stage III NSCLC patients underwent trimodal therapy in our hospital. The 5-year overall survival rate was 71.8%. SPC developed in 10 of the 112 patients 0.60-15.0 (median 5.49) years after initiating CRT. The observed incidence of SPC was 1.8 per 100 patient-years. Although trimodal therapy can prolong patient survival, the estimated incidence of SPC does not increase. A large prospective study with a longer follow-up time is required to determine the effects of trimodal therapy, including the development of SPC.

Imaging of Radiation Treatment of Lung Cancer

Radiation therapy is an important modality in the treatment of patients with lung cancer. Recent advances in delivering radiotherapy were designed to improve loco-regional tumor control by focusing higher doses on the tumor. More sophisticated techniques in treatment planning include 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and proton therapy. These methods may result in nontraditional patterns of radiation injury and various radiologic appearances that can be mistaken for recurrence, infection and other lung diseases. Knowledge of radiological manifestations, awareness of new radiation delivery techniques and correlation with radiation treatment plans are essential in order to correctly interpret imaging in these patients.

Imaging after radiation therapy of thoracic tumors

Radiation-induced lung disease (RILD) is frequent after therapeutic irradiation of thoracic malignancies. Many technique-, treatment-, tumor- and patient-related factors influence the degree of injury sustained by the lung after irradiation. Based on the time interval after the completion of the treatment RILD presents as early and late features characterized by inflammatory and fibrotic changes, respectively. They are usually confined to the radiation port. Though the typical pattern of RILD is easily recognized after conventional two-dimensional radiation therapy (RT), RILD may present with atypical patterns after more recent types of three- or four-dimensional RT treatment. Three atypical patterns are reported: the modified conventional, the mass-like and the scar-like patterns. Knowledge of the various features and patterns of RILD is important for correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. RILD should be differentiated from recurrent tumoral disease, infection and radiation-induced tumors. Due to RILD, the follow-up after RT may be difficult as response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST) criteria may be unreliable to assess tumor control particularly after stereotactic ablation RT (SABR). Long-term follow-up should be based on clinical examination and morphological and/or functional investigations including CT, PET-CT, pulmonary functional tests, MRI and PET-MRI.

Surveillance Practice Patterns after Curative Intent Therapy for Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the Medicare Population

OBJECTIVES

Recurrence after treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is common, and routine imaging surveillance is recommended by evidence-based guidelines. Little is known about surveillance patterns after curative intent therapy for early stage NSCLC. We sought to understand recent practice patterns for surveillance of stage I NSCLC in the first two years after curative intent therapy in the Medicare population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database we selected patients diagnosed with stage I NSCLC between 1998 and 2008. We studied adherence to surveillance guidelines based on specialty society recommendations for chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) scanning. We also tracked the use of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, which are not recommended for surveillance. We calculated the percent of patients who received guideline-adherent surveillance imaging and used logistic regression to determine associations between patient and provider factors and guideline adherence.

RESULTS

Overall, 61.4% of patients received guideline-adherent surveillance during the initial 2 years after treatment. Use of CT scans in the first year after treatment increased from 47.4% in 1998-78.5% in 2008, and PET use increased from 5.8% to 28.9%. Adherence with surveillance imaging was associated with younger age, higher income, more comorbidities, access to primary care, and receipt of SBRT as the primary treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to specialty society guidelines for surveillance after treatment for stage I NSCLC was poor in this population of Medicare beneficiaries, with less than two-thirds of patients receiving recommended imaging, and almost 30% receiving non-recommended PET scans.

Long-term results of concurrent chemoradiotherapy using cisplatin and vinorelbine for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The long-term feasibility and efficacy of vinorelbine and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy were investigated. Eighteen patients received cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and vinorelbine (20 mg/m(2) in level 1, and 25 mg/m(2) in level 2) on days 1 and 8 every 4 weeks for four cycles in a phase I trial. Ninety-three patients received the same chemotherapy regimen except for the fixed vinorelbine (20 mg/m(2)) dosage and consolidation therapy with docetaxel (60 mg/m(2), every 3 weeks). The thoracic radiotherapy consisted of a single dose of 2 Gy once daily to a total dose of 60 Gy. A total of 111 patients were analyzed in the present study: male/female, 91/20; median age, 60 years; stage IIIA/IIIB, 50/61; and squamous/non-squamous histology, 26/85. The 3-, 5-, and 7-year overall survival rates (95% CI) were 43.2% (33.9-52.2), 25.2% (17.6-33.5), and 23.2% (15.8-31.4), respectively. The median progression-free survival and median survival time (95% CI) were 13.5 (10.1-16.7) months and 30.0 (24.3-38.8) months, respectively. Four patients (4%) experienced Grade 5 pulmonary toxicities from 4.4 to 9.4 months after the start of treatment. In conclusion, approximately 15% of patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC could be cured with chemoradiotherapy without severe late toxicities after 10 months of follow-up. Although based on the data from highly selected population participated in phase I and phase II trial, this analysis would strengthen and confirm the previous reports concerning concurrent chemoradiotherapy with third generation cytotoxic agents.

Long-term follow-up of phase II trial of docetaxel and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiation therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Chemoradiation improves survival for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but clinical outcomes beyond five years are rarely reported. The aim of the present study was to identify the long-term results of a phase II study of docetaxel and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiation.

METHODS

We previously reported short-term outcomes from the phase II study, which enrolled 42 patients (aged ≤ 75 years) with unresectable stage III NSCLC. We continued to follow these patients for long-term clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up for all patients of 6.3 years (range: 5.2-7.1 years), the median survival time was 2.1 years and the actual five-year survival rate was 31%. Among 14 patients who were progression-free longer than two years, three patients died due to bacterial or fungal pneumonia and one died due to gall bladder cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Thirty-one percent of locally advanced patients having NSCLC treated with docetaxel and cisplatin and concurrent thoracic radiation survived beyond five years. Progression-free patients might be cautiously followed up taking precautions against emerging pneumonia.

Cancer survivors in the United States: a review of the literature and a call to action

BACKGROUND

The number of cancer survivors in the U.S. has increased from 3 million in 1971, when the National Cancer Act was enacted, to over 12 million today. Over 70% of children affected by cancer survive more than 10 years, and most are cured. Most cancer survivors are adults, with two-thirds of them 65 years of age or older and two-thirds alive at five years. The most common cancer diagnoses among survivors include breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. This review was conducted to better appreciate the challenges associated with cancer survivors and the opportunities healthcare providers have in making a difference for these patients.

METHODS

Comprehensive review of literature based on PubMed searches on topics related to cancer survivorship, and associated physical, cognitive, socio-economic, sexual/behavioral and legal issues.

RESULTS

At least 50% of cancer survivors suffer from late treatment-related side effects, often including physical, psychosocial, cognitive and sexual abnormalities, as well as concerns regarding recurrence and/or the development of new malignancies. Many are chronic in nature and some are severe and even life-threatening. Survivors also face issues involving lack of appropriate health maintenance counseling, increased unemployment rate and workplace discrimination.

CONCLUSIONS

Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer will lead to more survivors and better quality of life. However, tools to recognize potentially serious long-lasting side effects of cancer therapy earlier in order to treat and/or prevent them must be developed. It is incumbent upon our health care delivery systems to make meeting these patients' needs a priority.

Lung abnormalities at multimodality imaging after radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer

Three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiation therapy (CRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) are designed to deliver the maximum therapeutic radiation dose to the tumor, allowing improved local disease control, while minimizing irradiation of surrounding normal structures. The complex configuration of the multiple beams that deliver the radiation dose to the tumor in 3D CRT and SBRT produces patterns of lung injury that differ in location and extent from those seen after conventional radiation therapy. Radiation-induced changes in lung tissue after 3D CRT and SBRT occur within the radiation portals. The imaging appearance of irradiated tissues varies according to the time elapsed after the completion of therapy, with acute-phase changes of radiation pneumonitis represented by ground-glass opacities and consolidation and with late-phase changes of radiation fibrosis manifesting as volume loss, consolidation, and traction bronchiectasis. Knowledge of treatment timelines and radiation field locations, as well as familiarity with the full spectrum of possible radiation-induced lung injuries after 3D CRT and SBRT, is important to correctly interpret the abnormalities that may be seen at computed tomography (CT). Differential diagnoses in this context might include infections, lymphangitic carcinomatosis, local recurrence of malignancy, and radiation-induced tumors. The integration of morphologic information obtained at CT with metabolic information obtained at positron emission tomography is helpful in distinguishing radiation-induced parenchymal abnormalities from residual, recurrent, and new cancers. Thus, multimodality follow-up imaging may lead to substantial changes in disease management.

Phase III trial comparing docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy with mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin combination chemotherapy with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: OLCSG 0007

PURPOSE

To demonstrate the efficacy of docetaxel and cisplatin (DP) chemotherapy with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients age 75 years or younger with LA-NSCLC, stratified by performance status, stage, and institution, were randomly assigned to two arms consisting of DP (docetaxel 40 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 40 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, 29, and 36) or mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin (MVP) chemotherapy with concurrent TRT.

RESULTS

Between July 2000 and July 2005, 200 patients were allocated into either the DP or MVP arm. The survival time at 2 years, a primary end point, was favorable to the DP arm (P = .059 by a stratified log-rank test as a planned analysis and P = .044 by an early-period, weighted log-rank as an unplanned analysis). There was a trend toward improved response rate, 2-year survival rate, median progression-free time, and median survival in the DP arm (78.8%, 60.3%,13.4 months, and 26.8 months, respectively) compared with the MVP arm (70.3%, 48.1%, 10.5 months, and 23.7 months, respectively), which was not statistically significant (P > .05). Grade 3 febrile neutropenia occurred more often in the MVP arm than in the DP arm (39% v 22%, respectively; P = .012), and grade 3 to 4 radiation esophagitis was likely to be more common in the DP arm than in the MVP arm (14% v 6%, P = .056).

CONCLUSION

DP chemotherapy combined with concurrent TRT is an alternative to MVP chemotherapy for patients with LA-NSCLC.

Point mutation of K-ras gene in cisplatin-induced lung tumours in A/J mice

The risks of secondary lung cancer in patients with early stage non-small and small cell lung cancers are estimated to be 1-2% and 2-10% per patient per year, respectively. Surprisingly, the incidence of second primary cancer in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer at 10 years, following cisplatin-based chemotherapy with concurrent radiotherapy, increases to 61%. Those patients, on the road to being cured, cannot overlook the possibility of developing a second primary cancer. We developed a second primary lung cancer model using cisplatin as a carcinogen in A/J mice to screen for chemopreventive agents for a second malignancy. In the primary lung tumour model, 4-(methyl-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), urethane induces specific K-ras mutations in codon 12, codon 12, and codon 61, respectively, in the A/J mice. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of carcinogenicity by cisplatin in the A/J mice. In the cisplatin-induced tumours, we found no K-ras codon 12 mutation, which is the major mutation induced by NNK or BaP. K-ras gene mutations in codon 13 and codon 61 were found in one tumour (4%) and five tumours (17.8%), respectively. These findings suggest that cisplatin is partially related to K-ras codon 61 mutations, and that the mechanism of carcinogenicity by cisplatin is different from that by NNK or BaP.