Improved survival associated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with clinical stage IIIA(N2) non-small-cell lung cancer. J Thorac Oncol. 2013;8:915-922. [PMID: 23608815 DOI: 10.1097/jto.0b013e31828f68b4]

Real-world status of multimodal treatment of Stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer in Japan: Results from the SOLUTION study, a non-interventional, multicenter cohort study

OBJECTIVES

There is limited consensus on resectability criteria for Stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We examined the patient characteristics, N2 status, treatment decisions, and clinical outcomes according to the treatment modality for Stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC in Japan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with Stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC in Japan were consecutively registered in the SOLUTION study between 2013 and 2014. Patients were divided according to treatment (chemoradiotherapy [CRT], surgery + perioperative therapy [neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapy], surgery alone). Demographic characteristics, N2 status (number and morphological features), pathological information, and treatments were analyzed descriptively. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Of 227 patients registered, 133 underwent CRT, 56 underwent surgery + perioperative therapy, and 38 underwent surgery alone. The physicians reported the following reasons for unresectability for 116 of 133 CRT patients: large number of metastatic lymph nodes (70.7 %), extranodal infiltration (25.0 %), poor surgical tolerance (19.0 %), or other reasons (18.1 %). CRT was more frequently performed in patients whose lymph nodes had an infiltrative appearance (64.3 %) and was the predominant treatment in patients with multiple involved stations (discrete: 60.0 %; infiltrative: 80.4 %). Distant metastasis with/without local progression was found in 50.4 %, 50.0 %, and 36.8 % of patients in the CRT, surgery + perioperative therapy, and surgery alone groups, respectively. The respective 3-year OS and DFS/PFS rates (median values) were as follows: surgery + perioperative therapy-61.9 % (not reached) and 37.1 % (22.4 months; DFS); CRT group-42.2 % (31.9 months) and 26.8 % (12.0 months; PFS); surgery alone group-37.7 % (26.5 months) and 28.7 % (12.6 months; DFS).

CONCLUSION

This study has illuminated the real-world decision rules for choosing between surgical and non-surgical approaches in patients with Stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. Our landmark data could support treatment decision making for using immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy for driver oncogenes in the perioperative therapy era.

Evaluation of treatment strategies for patients with stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer in the immunotherapy era

BACKGROUND

Optimal treatment for patients with stage IIIA NSCLC is controversial. Growing evidence indicates surgery with adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (SC) may be superior to non-surgical treatments. Direct comparisons have not been performed between SC and chemoradiation with immunotherapy (CRI) among patients diagnosed with stage IIIA NSCLC since consolidation immunotherapy was added to treatment guidelines.

METHODS

This retrospective study compared surgical and systemic non-surgical treatments (except targeted therapy) among adults diagnosed with stage IIIA NSCLC 2017-2021. Data was from ConcertAI's curated EHR Patient360™ NSCLC real-world care product. Real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) and overall survival (rwOS) were evaluated among patients treated with SC or CRI using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard methods. Baseline differences were balanced using propensity score-derived inverse probability treatment weights (IPTW).

RESULTS

Among 1718 eligible, the two main comparator groups (SC and CRI) had 431 (25%) and 576 (34%) patients; 711 patients received chemoradiation or monotherapy. A wide range of treatment strategies was observed across included oncology clinics (e.g., 0-67% clinic patients received surgery). IPTW-adjusted analyses showed reduced hazards in the SC group vs. CRI for rwPFS (HR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.97) and rwOS (HR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.49-0.82). SC was similarly beneficial for patients across nodal status groups and appeared especially beneficial for patients with resectable squamous-cell tumors.

CONCLUSION

Stage IIIA NSCLC treatment is highly variable. Real-world studies can provide valuable evidence to support surgery as a treatment option for stage IIIA patients, who currently may only be offered chemoradiation with or without immunotherapy.

The Value of Radiotherapy in Patients With Resectable Stage IIIA Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the Era of Individualized Treatment: A Population-Based Analysis

INTRODUCTION

No consensus has been achieved on the benefit of radiotherapy for resected stage IIIA NSCLC patients. The division of stage IIIA has changed significantly in 2017. This study aims to explore the effects of radiotherapy on the survival of patients with resectable stage IIIA NSCLC in the new era.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients diagnosed with NSCLC between 2010 and 2018 were identified in the 8th edition TNM classification from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. A nomogram was developed by integrating all independent predictors for lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS). The Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and subgroup analysis were applied to mitigate potential bias. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

A total of 2632 stage IIIA NSCLC patients were enrolled. The C-index of the nomogram for the prediction of LCSS was 0.636 (95% CI, 0.616-0.656). In the group of patients with N2 stage who featured more than 5 positive regional lymph nodes, compared with non-PORT, PORT did prolong postoperative survival time (50 vs. 31 months; P= .005). N2 patients with visceral pleural invasion (VPI), older (age >65), or had a larger tumor (size >3 cm) could also benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Treatment protocol for stage IIIA NSCLC patients should be individualized. Based on our findings, N2 patients with more than 5 positive regional lymph nodes, VPI, larger tumor size (greater than 3 cm), and older (age above 65) could benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. Further well-designed randomized trials are warranted.

Predictive value of post-treatment C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUNDS

The PACIFIC trial established durvalumab consolidation therapy after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) as the standard treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). However, little is known about the predictive factors of durvalumab efficacy in this population. This study aimed to validate the predictive use of inflammation-related parameters in patients with LA-NSCLC treated with CCRT plus durvalumab.

METHODS

We recruited 76 LA-NSCLC patients who received CCRT followed by durvalumab from 10 Japanese institutions. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR), and prognostic nutrition index (PNI) were measured before (pre-treatment) and 2 months after (post-treatment) durvalumab induction. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to examine prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) after durvalumab therapy.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 17 (range, 3.3-35.8) months. The median PFS and overall survival (OS) times were 26.1 and 33.7 months, respectively. Durvalumab was discontinued in 47 (61.8%) patients, with non-infectious pneumonitis being the most common reason. Post-treatment CAR (cutoff, 0.2) was a significant stratifying factor in survival comparison (<0.2 vs. ≥ 0.2, median PFS, not-reached vs. 9.6 months. Log-rank, p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model showed that post-treatment CAR was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (hazard ratio, 3.16, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that post-treatment CAR has predictive value for LA-NSCLC patients treated with CCRT plus durvalumab consolidation therapy.

PROSPECTS OF NEOADJUVANT CHEMORADIOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH STAGE III A NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER AS A METHOD OF IMPROVING SURVIVAL

OBJECTIVE

The aim: To study the survival rate and count the number of complications in groups with NCRT, NCT and NCT + adjuvant radiotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and methods: The studied patients were divided into three groups with a total number of 304 people, Patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy-149 people, who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiation therapy-90 people. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was performed in accordance with Cisplatin/Docetaxel or Carboplatin/Paclitaxel 4 Mg and simultaneous radiation therapy with a total radiation dose 30 gray with a single dose of 2 Mg. After neoadjuvant treatment, patients of all groups underwent radical surgery. It consisted of lobectomy, bilobectomy and pneumonectomy. Postoperative complications and the duration of stay in the clinic after surgery were studied. Survival was assessed on the Kaplan and Mayer scale.

RESULTS

Results: The study analyzed the main results of treatment, which showed that the 5 years survival in the main group was 28.1±5.9 %, in the control groups-the first control group (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) - 10.4±3.8 % and the second control group (neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiation therapy) - 5.8±2.0 %, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: 1. The overall survival rate of patients receiving NCT compared to patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy is higher than in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group and 13 months higher than in the adjuvant radiation therapy group. 2. Patients who had the phenomenon of a complete morphological response have a significantly higher survival rate (45 and 39 months, respectively).

Lobectomy Versus Sublobectomy in Stage IIIA/N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Population-Based Study

Background

The role lobectomy plays in stage IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversial for a long time. What’s more, no previous study concentrates on whether sublobectomy can improve survival outcome for these patients, so we performed this population-based study to investigate whether stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC can benefit from these two surgery types and compare survival outcomes after lobectomy and sublobectomy.

Methods

A total of 21,638 patients diagnosed with stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC between 2004 and 2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database matched our selection criteria. The study cohort included patients who received no surgery (n = 15,951), sublobectomy (n = 628) and lobectomy (n = 5,059). Kaplan–Meier method, Cox regression analyses, and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-adjusted Cox regression were used to illustrate the influence of sublobectomy and lobectomy on overall survival (OS) rates in the study cohort and compare these two surgery types.

Results

Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed sublobectomy [HR: 0.584 (95%CI: 0.531–0.644), P-value <0.001; IPTW-adjusted HR: 0.619 (95%CI: 0.605–0.633), P-value <0.001] and lobectomy [HR: 0.439 (95%CI: 0.420–0.459), P-value <0.001; IPTW-adjusted HR: 0.441 (95%CI: 0.431–0.451), P-value <0.001] were both related to better OS rates compared with no surgery, and lobectomy exhibited better survival than sublobectomy [HR: 0.751 (95%CI: 0.680–0.830), P-value <0.001; IPTW-adjusted HR: 0.713 (95%CI: 0.696–0.731), P-value <0.001]. Moreover, the results in subgroup analyses based on age, tumor size and radiotherapy and chemotherapy strategy in all study cohort were consistent.

Conclusion

Stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients could benefit from sublobectomy or lobectomy, and lobectomy provided better OS rates than sublobectomy.

Major pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation in potentially resectable stage III non-small cell lung carcinoma

The aim of this study was to identify predictors of postoperative outcome and survival of locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) resections after neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation. Medical records of all patients with clinical stage III potentially resectable NSCLC initially treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation followed by major pulmonary resections were retrieved from the databases of four Israeli Medical Centers between 1999 to 2019. The 124 suitable patients included, 86 males (69.4%) and 38 females (30.6%), with an average age of 64.2 years (range 37-82) and an average hospital stay of 12.6 days (range 5-123). Complete resection was achieved in 92.7% of the patients, while complete pathologic response was achieved in 35.5%. The overall readmission rate was 16.1%. The overall 5-year survival rate was 47.9%. One patient (0.8%) had local recurrence. Postoperative complications were reported in 49.2% of the patients, mainly atrial fibrillation (15.9%) and pneumonia (13.7%), empyema (10.3%), and early bronchopleural fistula (7.3%). The early in-hospital mortality rate was 6.5%, and the 6-month mortality rate was 5.6%. Pre-neoadjuvant bulky mediastinal disease (lymph nodes > 20 mm) (p = 0.034), persistent postoperative N2 disease (p = 0.016), R1 resection (p = 0.027), preoperative N2 multistation disease (p = 0.053) and postoperative stage IIIA (p = 0.001) emerged as negative predictive factors for survival. Our findings demonstrate that neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation in locally advanced potentially resectable NSCLC, followed by major pulmonary resection, is a beneficial approach in selected cases.

Salvage surgery after definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has been a standard of care for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, locoregional recurrence occurs in about 30% of patients after definitive CRT. Recently, the addition of durvalumab as maintenance therapy has shown to improve the outcome of these patients. However, locoregional recurrence will still remain. “Salvage surgery” has been performed to achieve local control in clinical practice, although its clinical significance is unclear. In this review, we define salvage surgery as lung resection for local control of the tumor which was not planned initially, after failure or insufficient treatment effect of the initial CRT for locally advanced cancer and evaluated nine studies to gain some insights on its role in the treatment of lung cancer. The time from radiotherapy (RT) to salvage surgery varied considerably (range, 3 to 282 weeks). Salvage surgery was performed for persistent disease (47%) and locoregional recurrence (52%). Lobectomy (63%) and mediastinal lymph node dissections (90%) were the most common procedures. However, the rate of pneumonectomy was higher in salvage surgery (28%) compared to that in lung resection in general. The median morbidity was 41% (range, 15% to 62%) and the mortality was 4% (range, 0 to 11%) which appeared acceptable. The median recurrence-free survival and overall survival (OS) after salvage surgery ranged from 10 to 22 months and 13 to 76 months, respectively. Favorable prognostic factors of salvage surgery were longer period from RT to salvage surgery and radiological downstaging. The pathological response was also prognostic, although this information cannot be obtained preoperatively. We conclude that salvage surgery can be considered especially for those with late local recurrence or those with the metabolic response. Given the condition where phase III trials are difficult, the accumulation of real-world evidence in a prospective fashion will be necessary.

Estimating the disease burden of lung cancer attributable to residential radon exposure in Korea during 2006-2015: A socio-economic approach

Estimating the lung cancer disease burden can provide evidence for public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. This study uses claim data from lung cancer patients for 2006-2015 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service to estimate the lung cancer burdens attributable to residential radon in Korea using disability-adjusted life years (DALY) and patients' annual economic burden with societal perspectives using the cost-of-illness (COI) method. The number of patients increased during our study period (from 35,866 to 59,168). The disease burden and that attributable to residential radon, respectively, increased from 517.57 to 695.74 and 64.62 (95%; CIs 61.33-67.69) to 86.99 (95%; CIs 82.7-91.1) DALYs per 100,000 patients. The percentage of years lost due to disability among the DALY doubled from 8% to 17%. The cost for all the patients was US$2.33 billion, with US$292 (95%; CIs 278-306) million attributable to residential radon. During the last decade, the lung cancer disease burden increased by 1.34 times, with a doubled percentage of non-fatal burden and average annual growth rate of 9.5% of the total cost. Hence, the burden and cost of lung cancer in Korean provinces have been steadily increasing. The findings could be used as input data for future cost-effectiveness analysis of policies regarding radon reduction.

REFINED TAYLOR SERIES EXPANSION-BASED PREDICTION OF THE OVERALL SURVIVAL FOR NONSMALL CELL LUNG CANCER PATIENTS OF CLINICAL STAGE IIIA-N2 AFTER VARIOUS TREATMENTS: TAIWAN POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF 2655 CASES FROM 2010 TO 2017

The overall survival (OS) prediction for nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients of clinical IIIA-N2 stage undergone various treatments was investigated through a refined Taylor series expansion algorithm. The model was created according to a population-based study in Taiwan. The proposed prediction algorithm is based on the well-known hit and target model adopted for analyzing the cell death from the microscopic viewpoint. It also implies the application of the Taylor series expansion to the population-based survey dataset. In the proposed algorithm, the basic degradation of a patient’s health is represented via a specific function comprising a single exponential term exp([Formula: see text]). The refined algorithm successfully predicted NSCLC IIIA-N2 patients’ OS rate. A total of 127,301 patients were collected from 2010 to 2017. Then, 2655 patients were recognized as effective events and classified into eight classes according to various medical treatments, namely surgical operation, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. For each class of patients, the average life was evaluated, according to Taylor’s expansion algorithm, and the average derived life range spread from 3.51 to 7.81 years. An index of life gain with specific treatment was defined according to the Taguchi optimization analysis. The life gains provided by the surgical operation, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were 2.74, 1.18, and 0.48 years. The surgical operation was the most beneficial treatment, which is in concert with recommendations of European experts. A similar finding was also reflected in four out of eight classes, which included the surgical operation in the treatment plans of most Taiwanese hospitals.

The impact of order with radiation therapy in stage IIIA pathologic N2 NSCLC patients: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal order of radiation therapy in patients affected by stage IIIA pathologic N2 (IIIA/N2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to identify its potential risk factors.

METHODS

17,654 (8786 men and 8868 women) diagnosed with NSCLC stage IIIA-N2 from 2004 to 2015 patients were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Among the relevant clinical parameters, we evaluated overall survival (OS), lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) and other variables such as age, sex and tumor size in patients who were treated with different combinations of surgery and radiotherapy strategies.

RESULTS

We discovered that surgery benefit in younger IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients (age ≤ 75), and compared with surgery only, preoperative radiotherapy significantly improved the survival rate most (p < 0.001). When we performed the OS and LCSS analysis in the subgroup of patients' age > 75 years old, who underwent postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) had the highest survival rate (p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses showed that the following parameters had a negative impact on survival: female sex, older age, no chemotherapy, large tumor size, high tumor grade, no surgery or radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

In IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were associated with improved OS and LCSS. Younger patients underwent surgical resection and chemotherapy, the main population we studied, benefited most from preoperative radiotherapy in all orders with radiation therapy (p < 0.001). In patients more than 75 years old, there was no clear benefit from only surgery, and PORT was recommended in case of having surgery.

How Effective Is Neoadjuvant Therapy Followed by Surgery for Pathologic Single-Station N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?

The optimal treatment strategy for pathologic single-station N2 (pN2a1) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-surgery first followed by adjuvant treatment (SF) or neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery (NS)-remains unclear. We compared disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) after NS versus SF for pN2a1 NSCLC. We retrospectively identified patients with pN2a1 NSCLC resected between 2000 and 2018. Patients in the SF group had cN0 disease and were treated with surgery before adjuvant chemotherapy; patients in the NS group had known preoperative nodal disease, cN2 disease, and were treated with neoadjuvant therapy before surgery. The matching-weights procedure was applied to generate a cohort with similar characteristics between groups. DFS and OS were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier approach and compared between groups using weighted log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards models. We identified 227 patients with pN2a1 disease: 121 treated with SF and 106 with NS. After the matching-weights procedure, 5- and 10-year DFS were 45% and 27% for SF versus 26% and 21% for NS (log-rank P = 0.056; hazard ratio [HR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-2.65); 5- and 10-year OS were 49% and 30% for SF versus 43% and 20% for NS (log-rank P = 0.428; HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.67-2.28). SF and NS for pN2a1 NSCLC resulted in similar survival. A study comparing SF for known preresectional pN2a1 with occult pN2a1 disease could be a next step. Further investigation of SF for known N2a1 versus occult pN2a1 disease could power a clinical trial focused on N2a NSCLC.

Resectable IIIA-N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): In Search for the Proper Treatment

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer accounts for one third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of initial diagnosis and presents with a wide range of clinical and pathological heterogeneity. To date, the combined multimodality approach involving both local and systemic control is the gold standard for these patients, since occult distant micrometastatic disease should always be suspected. With the rapid increase in treatment options, the need for an interdisciplinary discussion involving oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and radiologists has become essential. Surgery should be recommended to patients with non-bulky, discrete, or single-level N2 involvement and be included in the multimodality treatment. Resectable stage IIIA patients have been the subject of a number of clinical trials and retrospective analysis, discussing the efficiency and survival benefits on patients treated with the available therapeutic approaches. However, most of them have some limitations due to their retrospective nature, lack of exact pretreatment staging, and the involvement of heterogeneous populations leading to the awareness that each patient should undergo a tailored therapy in light of the nature of his tumor, its extension and his performance status.

Primary pneumonectomy, pneumonectomy after induction therapy, and salvage pneumonectomy: a comparison of surgical and prognostic outcomes

Background

Surgical outcomes of pneumonectomy for lung cancer differ based on various therapeutic strategies.

Methods

One hundred and fifty-one patients who underwent pneumonectomy were divided into three groups based on patients' therapeutic conditions: a primary pneumonectomy group (no preoperative treatment, n=137), an induction group (planned surgery after induction chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, n=10), and a salvage group (surgery for residual or enlarged lesions after radical non-operative therapies, n=4).

Results

Multivariate analysis showed that completeness of resection (P=0.003), subcategorization of whether there was no invasion, infiltration only to the main bronchus or pleura, or invasion of other deeper structures (P=0.008), and the presence or absence of mediastinal lymph node metastasis (P=0.033) were significant prognostic factors. Severe postoperative complications occurred in 5.1% (7/137), 20% (2/10), and 0% (0/4) in the primary pneumonectomy, induction, and salvage groups, respectively. Among patients with pN0-1 disease, the 3-year overall survival rate was 58.7% in the primary pneumonectomy group, 100% and 40% in cases with high and low pathological effects in the induction group, respectively, and 50% in the salvage group. Among patients with pN2 disease, this rate was 41.4% in the primary pneumonectomy group, and no patients survived for postoperative 2 years in the other groups.

Conclusions

For patients undergoing pneumonectomy, subcategorization based on the invasion status (none/bronchus/pleura or other deeper structures) is a crucial prognostic factor. To consider pneumonectomy in the induction or salvage setting, selecting patients with pN0-1 disease may be mandatory.

Consolidation treatment of durvalumab after chemoradiation in real-world patients with stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Treatment for stage III non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of unresectable disease mainly involves concurrent chemoradiation (CRT). Post‐CRT consolidation treatment with durvalumab is a major therapeutic advance that provides survival benefit in this group of patients. However, the performance of this treatment strategy remains to be studied in a real‐world setting.

Methods

A total of 31 patients who had disease control post‐CRT were included in the durvalumab early access program (EAP) as an intent‐to‐treat cohort and retrospectively reviewed for post‐CRT progression‐free survival (PFS) and time to metastatic disease or death (TMDD). The neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at the initiation of durvalumab was analyzed in 29 patients.

Results

The median time from the completion of concurrent CRT to the initiation of durvalumb was 2.8 months. The objective response was 25.8% and the 12 month PFS and TMDD‐free rate were 56.4% and 66.9%, respectively. The low NLR patients showed a significantly longer post‐CRT PFS (not reach vs. 12.0 months [95% CI: 5.5–not estimable]; P = 0.040; the hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.23 [95% CI: 0.05–1.00]; P = 0.048) and the 12 month post‐CRT PFS rate (82.5 vs. 42.6%). The post‐CRT TMDD (not reach vs. 12.6 months, [95% CI: 10.8–not estimable]; P = 0.010; the hazard ratio for distant metastasis or death, 0.11 [95% CI: 0.01–0.88]; P = 0.037) and 12 month post‐CRT TMDD‐free rate (90.9 vs. 57.1%) were also significantly higher in the low NLR patients.

Conclusions

Durvalumab consolidation treatment in real‐world patients showed substantial efficacy and the correlation with the NLR level warrants further investigation.

Locoregional Control, Overall Survival, and Disease-Free Survival in Stage IIIA (N2) Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Analysis of Resected and Unresected Patients

INTRODUCTION

The standard of care for stage IIIA (N2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes concurrent definitive chemoradiation (dCRT) followed by durvalumab, thus challenging the role of surgery in resectable patients. We assessed locoregional disease control and survival in patients with surgically resected and unresected stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis from prospectively collected databases at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery or dCRT for clinical stage IIIA (N2) disease (2004-2014) were evaluated. Primary outcomes included locoregional disease control, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Kaplan-Meier outcome analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Of the 159 resected patients, the majority had lobectomy (82.4%), followed by pneumonectomy (11.9%) and sublobar resection (5.7%). The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.6% and 1.3%, respectively. At median follow-up of 52.8 months, recurrence was 55.3%, with 44.0% having distant and 15.1% locoregional recurrence. At 5 years, OS was 50.8% and DFS was 33.1% Median OS was 61.2 months. A total of 366 patients underwent dCRT, with intensity-modulated radiation in 64.5%, proton therapy in 26.0%, and 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in 9.6%. The mean dose was 68.1 Gy. At median follow-up of 20.8 months, recurrence was 53.6%, with distant and locoregional recurrence of 40.7% and 30.3%, respectively. At 5 years, OS was 29.2% and DFS was 20.5%. Median OS was 27.5 months.

CONCLUSION

Stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC continues to be a heterogeneous disease, and patients with surgically resected and unresected disease represent different risk populations. Ongoing immunotherapy trials may further redefine treatment algorithms in this complex patient population.

Trimodality Therapy in the Treatment of Stage III N2-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis

BACKGROUND

Significant controversy remains regarding the care of patients with clinical stage III (N2-positive) NSCLC. Although multimodality therapy is effective, the roles of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are not fully defined and the optimal treatment approach is not firmly established. We analyzed outcomes and predictors associated with trimodality therapy (TT) in the National Cancer Database.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The NCDB was queried from 2004 to 2014 for patients with NSCLC diagnosed with stage III (N2) disease and treated with chemotherapy and radiation (CRT). Three cohorts of patients were studied: CRT only/no surgery (NS), CRT plus lobectomy (LT), and CRT plus pneumonectomy (PT). The univariate and multivariable analyses (MVA) were conducted using Cox proportional hazards model and log-rank tests.

RESULTS

A total of 29,754 patients were included in this analysis: NS 90.1%, LT 8.4%, and PT 1.5%. Patient characteristics: median age 66 years; male 56% and white 85%. Patients treated at academic centers were more likely to receive TT compared with those treated at community centers (odds ratio: 1.85 [1.53-2.23]; p < .001). On MVA, patients that received TT were associated with better survival than those that received only CRT (hazard ratio: 0.59 [0.55-0.62]; p < .001). The LT group was associated with significantly better survival than the PT and NS groups (median survival: 62.8 months vs. 51.8 months vs. 34.2 months, respectively). In patients with more than two nodes involved, PT was associated with worse survival than LT and NS (median survival: 51.4 months in LT and 39 months in NS vs. 37 months in PT). The 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were found to be significantly higher in PT patients than in LT.

CONCLUSION

TT was used in less than 10% of patients with stage III N2 disease, suggesting high degree of patient selection. In this selected group, TT was associated with favorable outcomes relative to CRT alone.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This analysis demonstrates that trimodality therapy could benefit a selected subset of patients with stage III (N2) disease. This plan should be considered as a treatment option following patient evaluation in a multidisciplinary setting in experienced medical centers with the needed expertise.

Impact of diffusing lung capacity before and after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiation on postoperative pulmonary complications among patients with stage IIIA/N2 non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the impact of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco) before and after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) on postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) among stage IIIA/N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 324 patients with stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC between 2009 and 2016. Patients were classified into 4 groups according to DLco before and after neoadjuvant CCRT; normal-to-normal (NN), normal-to-low (NL), low-to-low (LL), and low-to-very low (LVL). Low DLco and very low DLco were defined as DLco < 80% predicted and DLco < 60% predicted, respectively.

RESULTS

On average, DLco was decreased by 12.3% (±10.5) after CCRT. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for any PPC comparing patients with low DLco to those with normal DLco before CCRT was 2.14 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.36-3.36). Moreover, the IRR for any PPC was 3.78 (95% CI = 1.68-8.49) in LVL group compared to NN group. The significant change of DLco after neoadjuvant CCRT had an additional impact on PPC, particularly after bilobectomy or pneumonectomy with low baseline DLco.

CONCLUSIONS

The DLco before CCRT was significantly associated with risk of PPC, and repeated test of DLco after CCRT would be helpful for risk assessment, particularly in patients with low DLco before neoadjuvant CCRT.

Effects of Neoadjuvant Therapy After the Initial Assessment of Operability in Patients with Borderline Operable and Inoperable Stage IIIA Non-small Lung Cancer

Introduction:

Lung cancer is a neoplasm with the highest mortality rate in the world. The role of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with initially assessed borderline operable or inoperable lung cancer is to improve survival by downstaging the tumor and allowing surgical resection, as well as the potential treatment of micrometastatic disease.

Aim:

Establishing the justification and efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy after the initial assessment of operability in patients with borderline operable and inoperable histopathologically verified stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods:

The retrospective study included 65 patients with initially assessed stage IIIA lung cancer, who underwent neoadjuvant therapy. After the cycles of neoadjuvant therapy, 19 patients who achieved the regression of the tumor underwent surgery. We analyzed the histological type of the tumor, extent, and prevalence of surgical resection, the status of regional lymph nodes, and the achieved R status.

Results:

Of the total number of patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy, after reevaluation of the disease, 19 patients (19/65, 29.23% of cases) achieved a clinical response, i.e. tumor downstaging. Of 19 patients who underwent surgery, 16 patients underwent surgical resection, while three patients underwent surgical exploration. The largest number of patients had N0 and N1 status (six patients each). R0 status was achieved in 14 patients (14/16, 87.5% of cases), while R1 in the remaining two. One patient had a fatal outcome.

Conclusion:

Neoadjuvant therapy plays an important role in the treatment of initially assessed borderline operable or inoperable lung cancers. By downstaging the tumor, it allows surgical resection and potential treatment of micrometastatic disease.

Bronchus Anastomosis Healing Depending on Type of Neoadjuvant Therapy

BACKGROUND

Preoperative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy of lung cancer in patients with locally advanced disease is an option in multimodal treatment. Sleeve lobectomy has an important part in decreasing complications and sparing lung function. We present our experience in a large cohort of patients after sleeve lobectomy with or without neoadjuvant treatment and standardized assessment of bronchial anastomotic healing.

METHODS

The data used for this study were collected in a prospective database in our hospital. Anastomotic healing was documented by bronchoscopy on the seventh postoperative day and thereafter only when necessary, using a standardized scoring system. From 2006 to 2017, we performed 501 sleeve lobectomies representing 19% of all lung cancer resections. A total of 365 of patients had no preoperative treatment (73%), 41 had neoadjuvant chemotherapy (8%), and 95 had radiochemotherapy (19%).

RESULTS

Using our scoring system of the bronchial anastomosis from 1 (excellent) to 5 (insufficient), we found the anastomosis was worse than grade 2 after no treatment, chemotherapy, or radiochemotherapy in 17%, 10%, and 30%, respectively (P = .002). The rate of anastomotic insufficiency was equally low after no pretreatment and chemotherapy (2.7% and 2.4%) and rose to 10.4% after radiotherapy (P = .002). Similarly, the risk for pulmonary complications was higher after radiochemotherapy (39%) compared with no pretreatment (29%) or chemotherapy (27%), respectively (P = .382).

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy is associated with worse wound healing of the anastomosis after sleeve lobectomy in lung cancer. There seems to be a higher risk for anastomotic insufficiency and complications.

Strengths and limitations of large databases in lung cancer radiation oncology research

There has been a substantial rise in the utilization of large databases in radiation oncology research. The advantages of these datasets include a large sample size and inclusion of a diverse population of patients in a real-world setting. Such observational studies hold promise in enhancing our understanding of questions for which evidence is conflicting or absent in lung cancer radiotherapy. However, it is critical that investigators understand the strengths and limitations of large databases in order to avoid the common pitfalls that beset observational analyses. This review begins by outlining the data variables available in major registries that are used most often in observational analyses. This is followed by a discussion of the type of radiotherapy-related questions that can be addressed using such datasets, accompanied by examples from the lung cancer literature. Finally, we describe some limitations of observational research and techniques to mitigate bias and confounding. We hope that clinicians and researchers find this review helpful for designing new research studies and interpreting published analyses in the literature.

Treatment and Survival Disparities in the National Cancer Institute's Patterns of Care Study (1987-2017)

BACKGROUND

Cancer health services research is a primary tool for analyzing the association between various factors, cancer health care delivery, and the resultant outcomes. To address disparities strategies must be developed to target factors that are related to differences in care; however, to date, most disparities studies have been descriptive. The primary objective was to describe cancer treatment and survival disparities in community oncology practice patterns found in the National Cancer Institute's population-based Patterns of Care (POC) Study (1987-2017). Secondarily, we compared POC findings to peer-reviewed literature. In POC data, older age was consistently associated with decreased odds of treatment and increased mortality. Interestingly, in contrast to current literature, few POC studies found race/ethnicity significantly predicted disparities. Cancer health disparities are complex; they are multifactorial, differ by cancer site and may wax and wane. The complexity supports the need for deeper understanding and targeted interventions to ensure equitable cancer care and outcomes.

Neoadjuvant treatment followed by surgery versus definitive chemoradiation in stage IIIA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer: A multi-institutional study by the oncologic group for the study of lung cancer (Spanish Radiation Oncology Society)

OBJECTIVES

The role of surgery in stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an actively debated in oncology. To evaluate the value of surgery in this patient population, we conducted a multi-institutional retrospective study comparing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy plus surgery (CRTS) to definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 247 patients with potentially resectable stage T1-T3N2M0 NSCLC treated with either CRTS or dCRT between January 2005 and December 2014 at 15 hospitals in Spain were identified. A centralized review was performed to ensure resectability. A propensity score matched analysis was carried out to balance patient and tumor characteristics (n = 78 per group).

RESULTS

Of the 247 patients, 118 were treated with CRTS and 129 with dCRT. In the CRTS group, 62 patients (52.5%) received neoadjuvant CRT and 56 (47.4%) neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Surgery consisted of either lobectomy (97 patients; 82.2%) or pneumonectomy (21 patients; 17.8%). In the matched samples, median overall survival (OS; 56 vs 29 months, log-rank p = .002) and progression-free survival (PFS; 46 vs 15 months, log-rank p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the CRTS group. This survival advantage for CRTS was maintained in the subset comparison between the lobectomy subgroup versus dCRT (OS: 57 vs 29 months, p < 0.001; PFS: 46 vs 15 months, p < 0.001), but not in the comparison between the pneumonectomy subgroup and dCRT.

CONCLUSION

The findings reported here indicate that neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery (preferably lobectomy) yields better OS and PFS than definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients with resectable stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC.

Practice Patterns and Outcomes for Pemetrexed Plus Platinum Doublet as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Adenocarcinomas of Lung: Looking Beyond the Usual Paradigm

AIMS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is the standard of care in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) with locally advanced N2 disease. There is a scarcity of data for the pemetrexed-platinum regimen as NACT. Also, apart from N2 disease, the role of NACT in locally advanced NSCLCs for tumour downstaging is unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Non-metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung treated with pemetrexed-platinum-based NACT were analysed. The patients with locoregionally advanced N2 disease and those who were borderline candidates for upfront definitive treatment were planned for NACT after discussion in a multidisciplinary clinic. In total, four cycles of 3-weekly pemetrexed and platinum were delivered in the combined neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting. A response assessment was carried out using RECIST criteria. Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Of 114 patients, 96 evaluable patients received NACT with pemetrexed-platinum. The most common indication for NACT was N2 disease at baseline (46.8%). The objective response rate was 36.4% (95% confidence interval 22-52%), including two complete and 32 partial responses, whereas 12.5% of patients had progressive disease on NACT. The median PFS was 14 months (95% confidence interval 10.7-17.3) and the median overall survival was 22 months (95% confidence interval 15.6-28.4) at a median follow-up of 16 months. There was a significant improvement in the overall survival of patients undergoing definitive therapy versus no definitive therapy (median overall survival 25 months [95% confidence interval 19.6-30.4] versus 12 months [95% confidence interval 3.2-20.7], respectively; P = 0.015, hazard ratio 0.56 [95% confidence interval 0.3-0.9]). Among patients who could not undergo definitive chemoradiation upfront due to dosimetric constraints (n = 34), 24 (70.6%) patients finally underwent definitive therapy after NACT.

CONCLUSIONS

Pemetrexed-platinum-based NACT seems to be an effective option and many borderline cases, where upfront definitive therapy is not feasible, may become amenable to the same after incorporation of NACT.

Optimal managements of stage IIIA (N2) non-small cell lung cancer patients: a population-based survival analysis

Background

This study aimed to investigate the optimal management of stage IIIA (cN2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and determine potential predictive factors.

Methods

We extracted patients diagnosed as NSCLC stage IIIA (cN2) between 2004 and 2011 from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) were compared among patients given different clinical managements by Kaplan-Meier method. Other variables such as age, sex and tumor size were analyzed to explore the factors associated with outcomes.

Results

A total of 98,700 IIIA-cN2 NSCLC patients were identified from SEER database. Survival of patients treated with surgery was better than that of patients treated by radiotherapy alone (P<0.001). Radiation prior to surgery significantly improved the survival in comparison with surgery alone (P<0.001). In the subgroups of OS analysis, age >65 (P=0.902), adenocarcinoma (P=0.279), tumor size ≤3 cm (P=0.170), well differentiated (P=0.360) patients, preoperative radiotherapy improved survival insignificantly compared with surgery alone.

Conclusions

Preoperative radiation with surgery had the most encouraging survival outcomes in stage IIIA-cN2 NSCLC patients compared with radiation or surgery alone. No significant outcome improvement was shown between postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) and surgery alone.

Trend Analysis for the Choice and Cost of Lung Cancer Treatment in South Korea, 2003-2013

Purpose

Our study aimed to report the annual changes in lung cancer statistics and analyze trends in sociodemographic, medical, and financial factors from 2003 to 2013 in the national database from the Korean National Health Insurance (KNHI).

Materials and Methods

Among 7,489 patients with code C34 in KNHI database, only lung cancer patients newly diagnosed after 2003 were included in the study population, for a total of 4,582 patients. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize treatment patterns and medical costs according to sociodemographic factors.

Results

Approximately 70% of subjects were male, and the mean age was 67 years. Around 46% of patients were over 70 years old, and 12% were over 80 years old. The medical costs were highest for patients younger than 60 and lowest for those over 80 years old. Surgery was more common in younger patients, while “no treatment” increased greatly with age. In trend analysis, the proportions of aging (p for trend < 0.001), female (p for trend=0.003), metropolitan/urban (p for trend=0.041), and lowest or highest-income patients (p for trend=0.004) increased over time, along with the prevalence of surgery as the primary treatment (p for trend < 0.001). There was also a trend with regard to change in medical costs (p for trend < 0.001), in that those of surgery and radiotherapy increased.

Conclusion

Surgery as a curative treatment has increased over the past decade. However, the elderly, suburban/rural residents, and low-income patients were more likely to be untreated. Therefore, active measures are required for these increasingly vulnerable groups.

Combined modality therapy in Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer: clarity or confusion despite the highest level of evidence?

Recent years have witnessed a number of clinical trials in Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comparing (A) induction chemotherapy (CHT) with induction CHT and radiotherapy (RT), each followed by surgery; (B) either induction CHT or induction RT-CHT, each followed by surgery, with definitive RT-CHT (no surgery). Due to the heterogeneity of patient, tumor and treatment characteristics across these trials, various meta-analyses (MAs) have been performed to define the optimal treatment approach in this setting for this clinical presentation. Six such MAs exist. In spite of the differences between MAs, it appears that RT does not add extra benefit to induction CHT administered before surgery, and that a trimodality (i.e. including surgery) regimen is not superior to definitive concurrent RT-CHT. While one can consider both induction CHT followed by surgery and exclusive concurrent RT-CHT as feasible in this setting, lack of pre-treatment predictive factors identifying patients who might preferentially benefit from a surgical approach limits its use to well-planned clinical trials.

Disparities in receipt of care for high-grade endometrial cancer: A National Cancer Data Base analysis

PURPOSE

To examine patterns of care and survival for Hispanic women compared to white and African American women with high-grade endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We utilized the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to identify women diagnosed with uterine grade 3 endometrioid adenocarcinoma, carcinosarcoma, clear cell carcinoma and papillary serous carcinoma between 2003 and 2011. The effect of treatment on survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors predictive of outcome were compared using the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

43,950 women were eligible. African American and Hispanic women had higher rates of stage III and IV disease compared to white women (36.5% vs. 36% vs. 33.5%, p<0.001). African American women were less likely to undergo surgical treatment for their cancer (85.2% vs. 89.8% vs. 87.5%, p<0.001) and were more likely to receive chemotherapy (36.8% vs. 32.4% vs. 32%, p<0.001) compared to white and Hispanic women. Over the entire study period, after adjusting for age, time period of diagnosis, region of the country, urban or rural setting, treating facility type, socioeconomic status, education, insurance, comorbidity index, pathologic stage, histology, lymphadenectomy and adjuvant treatment, African American women had lower overall survival compared to white women (Hazard Ratio 1.21, 95% CI 1.16-1.26). Conversely, Hispanic women had improved overall survival compared to white women after controlling for the aforementioned factors (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80-0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

Among women with high-grade endometrial cancer, African American women have lower all-cause survival while Hispanic women have higher all-cause survival compared to white women after controlling for treatment, sociodemographic, comorbidity and histopathologic variables.

Lung cancer in Brazil: epidemiology and treatment challenges

Lung cancer persists throughout the world as a major cause of death. In 2014, data from the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) estimated 16.400 new cases of lung cancer among men (second most common) and 10.930 new cases among women (fourth most common). These data are consistent for all Brazilian regions and reflect the trends of cancer in the country over the last decade. Brazil is a continental country, the largest in Latin America and fifth in the world, with an estimated population of >200 million. Although the discrepancy in the national income between rich and poor has diminished in the last 2 decades, it is still huge. More than 75% of the Brazilian population do not have private health insurance and rely on the national health care system, where differences in standard of cancer care are evident. It is possible to point out differences from the recommendations of international guidelines in every step of the lung cancer care, from the diagnosis to the treatment of advanced disease. This review aims to describe and recognize these differences as a way to offer a real discussion for future modifications and action points toward delivery of better oncology care in our country.

Timing of Surgery after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

INTRODUCTION

A subset of patients with potentially resectable clinical stage IIIA NSCLC are managed with trimodality therapy. However, little data exist to guide the timing of surgery after neoadjuvant therapy. This study examined whether the time interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NCRT) and surgical resection affects overall survival.

METHODS

Patients with clinical stage IIIA disease (T1-3 N2) NSCLC who underwent NCRT were identified in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) between 2004 and 2012 and categorized on the basis of the interval between chemoradiation and surgery (0 to ≤3, >3 to ≤6, >6 to ≤9, and >9 to ≤12 weeks). Other clinical stages were excluded. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests were used to compare overall survival rates, and a bootstrapped Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine significant contributors to overall survival.

RESULTS

Of the 1623 patients identified, 7.9% underwent an operation 0 to 3 weeks or less after NCRT, 50.5% underwent an operation greater than 3 and less than or equal to 6 weeks after NCRT, 31.9% underwent an operation greater than 6 and less than or equal to 9 weeks after NCRT, and 9.6% underwent an operation greater than 9 and less than or equal to 12 weeks after NCRT. Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated no significant difference in survival in those who underwent an operation within 6 weeks of NCRT. However, significant drops in overall survival were observed in those who had an operation greater than 6 and less than or equal to 9 weeks after NCRT (hazard ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.76, p = 0.043) and greater than 9 and less than or equal to 12 weeks after NCRT (hazard ratio = 1.44, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-2.01, p = 0.030).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this retrospective study suggest that overall survival may be significantly lower in patients with clinical stage IIIA N2 NSCLC who undergo an operation later than 6 weeks after NCRT. These results discourage unnecessary delays in surgery.

Role of multimodality therapy in cIIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer: perspective

Constant effort via well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials is needed to decipher the heterogeneity of Stage III non–small cell lung cancer.

A number of promising new approaches for both local and systemic control of locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer have been examined in clinical trials, aimed at improving the patient survival. Development of better systemic therapies by adopting newer agents (such as epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors) from advanced non–small cell lung cancer is mandatory. As for radiotherapy, adaptive radiotherapy and proton therapy are under investigation after the RTOG 0617 trial unexpectedly failed to show the efficacy of high-dose radiotherapy for Stage III disease. To date, no Phase III trial has clearly shown the benefit of adding surgery as a part of multimodality therapy for locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer. Such poor progress in the development of effective treatments for Stage III non–small cell lung cancer is considered to be attributable to the existence of heterogeneities in the disease characteristics, including the biological and anatomic characteristics. Constant effort via well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials is needed to decipher the heterogeneity of Stage III non–small cell lung cancer.

Role of surgery in N2 NSCLC: pros

The optimal management of clinical N2 Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer is still controversial. For a cure of locally advanced IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer, the control of both local regions and possible distant micrometastases is crucial. Chemotherapy is generally expected to prevent distant recurrence. For local tumor control, radiotherapy or surgery has been adopted singly or in combination. If a complete resection can be safely performed, surgery remains the strongest modality for 'eradicating' local disease. Many retrospective studies have reported a possible survival benefit of induction treatment followed by surgery in selected patients with IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer; however, randomized Phase III trials have failed to demonstrate the superiority of induction treatment followed by surgery over chemoradiotherapy, mainly because of the heterogeneity of the N2 status. IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer consists of a heterogeneous group of disease ranging from microscopically single station to radiologically bulky ipsilateral multi-station mediastinal lymph node involvement. A recent definition proposed by the American College of Chest Physicians classified non-small cell lung cancer based on the N2 status, such as discrete or infiltrative type, and recommendations were made according to this N2 status, with definitive chemoradiotherapy recommended for infiltrative clinical N2 and definitive chemoradiotherapy or induction treatment followed by surgery recommended for other cases. Thus, the introduction of a multimodality treatment strategy seems to be necessary for the improved prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients with IIIA/N2 disease. In this review, we discuss the role of surgery and the optimal surgical management for patients with IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer.

Surgical outcomes of pulmonary resection for lung cancer after neo-adjuvant treatment

AIM: To evaluate the outcomes of surgery for lung cancer after induction therapy.

METHODS: Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database (2005-2012), we identified 4063 patients who underwent a pulmonary resection for lung cancer. Two hundred and thirty-six (5.8%) received neo-adjuvant therapy prior to surgery (64 chemo-radiation, 103 radiation alone, 69 chemotherapy alone). The outcomes were compared to 3827 patients (94.2%) treated with surgery alone. Primary outcome was 30-d mortality, and secondary outcomes included length of stay, operative time and NSQIP measured postoperative complications.

RESULTS: Lung cancer patients who received preoperative treatment were younger (66 vs 69, P < 0.001), were more likely to have experienced recent weight loss (6.8% vs 3.5%; P = 0.011), to be active smokers (48.3 vs 34.9, P < 0.001), and had lower preoperative hematological cell counts (abnormal white blood cell: 25.6 vs 13.4; P < 0.001; low hematocrit 53% vs 17.3%, P < 0.001). On unadjusted analysis, neo-adjuvant patients had significantly higher 30-d mortality, overall and serious morbidity (all P < 0.001). Adjusted analysis showed similar findings, while matched cohorts comparison confirmed higher morbidity, but not higher early mortality.

CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that patients who receive neo-adjuvant therapy for lung cancer have worse early surgical outcomes. Although NSQIP does not provide stage information, this analysis shows important findings that should be considered when selecting patients for induction treatment.

Management for Elderly Women With Advanced-Stage, High-Grade Endometrial Cancer

OBJECTIVE

To examine the treatment and survival of elderly women diagnosed with advanced-stage, high-grade endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed between 2003 and 2011 with advanced-stage, high-grade endometrial cancers (grade 3 adenocarcinoma, carcinosarcoma, clear-cell carcinoma, and uterine serous carcinoma) using the National Cancer Database. Women were stratified by age: younger than 55, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85 years old or older. Multivariate logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards survival methods for all-cause mortality were used for analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty thousand four hundred sixty-eight patients were included, 14.9% younger than 55 years, 30.9% 55-64 years, 31.1% 65-74 years, 18.8% 75-84 years, and 4.3% 85 years old or older. Patients younger than 55 years had surgery more frequently compared with patients 75-84 years (97.2% compared with 95.8%; P<.001) and 85 years or older (97.2% compared with 94.8%; P<.001) and a higher rate of lymph node dissection (78.7% compared with 70.5%; P<.001 and 78.7% compared with 59.5%; P<.001, respectively). Women younger than 55 years old were more likely to receive chemotherapy compared with those 75-84 years (63.9% compared with 42.2%; P<.001) and 85 years old or older (63.9% compared with 22%; P<.001). After adjusting for prognostic factors, women ages 75-84 and 85 years or older were less likely to have received chemotherapy compared with women younger than 55 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29-0.38 and OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.10-0.14). The same was true with surgery (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45-0.88 and OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.30-0.70) and radiotherapy (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.53-0.70 and OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.37-0.56). The Cox regression model showed that in women with stage III disease, women 75-84 years had a twofold higher risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.38, 95% CI 2.14-2.65) and those 85 years or older had a threefold higher risk (HR 3.16, 95% CI 2.76-3.61) compared with patients younger than 55 years. Patients with stage IV and age 75-84 years had a 24% increased risk of death (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11-1.40) and those 85 years or older had a 52% increased risk (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.29-1.79).

CONCLUSION

Elderly women with high-grade endometrial cancer are less likely to be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy followed by surgery is superior to that followed by definitive chemoradiation or radiotherapy in stage IIIA (N2) nonsmall-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis and system review

BACKGROUND

Approximately 30% of all cases of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are of a locally advanced (IIIA or IIIB) stage. However, surgical therapy for patients with stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC is associated with a disappointing 5-year survival rate. The optimal treatment for stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC is still in dispute.

METHODS

A literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases (last search updated in March 2015), and a meta-analysis of the available data was conducted. Two authors independently extracted data from each eligible study.

RESULTS

A total of nine studies, including five randomized controlled trials and four retrospective studies, were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Significant homogeneity (χ (2)=49.62, P=0.000, I (2)=81.9%) was detected between four of the studies, including a total of 11,948 selected cases. Among the nine studies that investigated overall survival, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) was 0.70 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-0.87; P=0.000). Subgroup analyses were performed according to the study design and the extent of resection. We observed a statistically significant better outcome after lobectomy (pooled HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.58; P=0.000) than after pneumonectomy (pooled HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69-0.98; P=0.028). Unfortunately, there was no significant difference between the randomized controlled studies, as the pooled HR was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.81-1.09; P=0.440).

CONCLUSION

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy followed by surgery (particularly lobectomy) is superior to following these therapies with definitive chemoradiation or radiotherapy, particularly in patients undergoing lobectomy.

Racial disparities in survival in malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary

OBJECTIVE

To investigate racial disparities with respect to adjuvant treatment and survival in patients presenting with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (OGCT).

METHODS

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to identify women diagnosed with OGCT. Demographic data were abstracted, including stratification by race and histology. Standard univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression were performed to describe predictors of adjuvant treatment. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards survival methods were used to evaluate racial differences in survival between African American (AA) and white (W) women.

RESULTS

The study population included 2196 patients, with 1654 (75.3%) W and 328 (14.9%) AA women. Histologic distribution varied significantly by race (p<0.0001), but neither age nor stage at presentation showed racial differences (p=0.086 and p=0.209, respectively). AA received more chemotherapy than W (W: 54.6%, AA: 65.5%, p=0.008), but in multivariate analysis there was no statistically significant difference in any adjuvant treatment modality. Despite similar treatment, and independent of histology, survival varied significantly by race with 91% (CI 0.89-0.93) five year survival in W patients compared to 84% five year survival in AA (CI 0.8-0.89) (p=0.02). These disparities were most pronounced in advanced stage disease, with 5 year survival of 84% (CI 0.79-0.89) in W compared to 61% (CI 0.48-0.78) for AA in stage III (p=0.0002), and 54% (CI 0.42-0.68) compared to 14% (CI 0.03-0.71) for stage IV (p=0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

AA with OGCT have significantly worse 5 year survival when compared to W patients despite similar rates and modalities of adjuvant treatment.

Clinical outcomes of surgery after induction treatment in patients with pathologically proven N2-positive stage III non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

To assess the effect of preoperative neoadjuvant therapy on resectability, downstaging, and the prognosis in patients with stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

Eighty-four patients who underwent resections after induction therapy [76 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CTx) and 8 with induction chemoradiotherapy (CRTx)] for clinically evident [larger than 1 cm on computed tomography (CT)] and pathologically confirmed ipsilateral N2 positive NSCLC (stage IIIA) between January 2009 and July 2013 were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Partial response (PR) was observed in 39 patients (46.4%). Standard lobectomy was performed in 63 cases (75.0%), and extensive resection was conducted in 21 cases (25.0%), including four pneumonectomies. Pathologic nodal downstaging (pN2 to pN0-1) was confirmed in 38 cases (45.2%). After induction therapy plus resection, 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in cases with radical resections were 37.9% and 34.2%, respectively. Patients who underwent lobectomy or pathologic nodal downstaging had better prognosis than those who had extensive resection or persistent N2 in PFS (P=0.036; P=0.025) and OS (P=0.023; P=0.024). On univariate analysis, lobectomy and pathological nodal downstaging were favourably predictive factors both in PFS and OS. Cox multivariate analyses identified only pathologic nodal downstaging to predict better PFS, and lobectomy to be significantly prognostic for OS.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that neoadjuvant therapy was feasible, and helpful for tumor and pathologic nodal downstaging with promising rates of survival in patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. After induction therapy, patients with potentially radical lobectomy were more likely to benefit from operation. Pathological nodal downstaging of pN2 to pN0-1, rather than clinical response was predictive of a favorable outcome, and was correlated with a better chance of survival.

Disparities in treatment of patients with inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer: a population-based analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients unable to receive surgery for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can undergo conventional radiotherapy (ConvRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), or no treatment (NoTx). This study assessed patterns of care and disparities in the receipt of each of these treatments.

METHODS

The study included patients in the National Cancer Database from 2003 to 2011 with T1-T2N0M0 inoperable lung cancer (n = 39,822). Logistic regressions were performed to determine predictors of receiving any radiation versus NoTx and for receiving SBRT versus ConvRT.

RESULTS

Treatment with radiation was significantly less likely in blacks (odds ratio, OR 0.65) and Hispanics (OR 0.42) compared with whites. Treatment with SBRT versus ConvRT was more likely in an academic research program (OR 2.62) and a high-volume facility (OR 7.00) compared with community cancer programs or low-volume facilities. In 2011, use of SBRT, ConvRT, and NoTx was 25%, 28%, and 46% for patients in a community cancer center versus 68%, 11%, and 21%, respectively, in an academic center (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

There were marked institutional and socioeconomic variations in the treatment of inoperable stage I NSCLC. These results suggest that removal of barriers to receive radiation therapy and particularly improved access to SBRT may meaningfully improve survival in this disease.

Definitive Bimodality Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Patients with Inoperable N2-positive Stage IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to evaluate the treatment outcomes following definitive bimodality concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with inoperable N2-positive stage IIIA (N2-IIIA) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From May 1997 to December 2012, 65 out of 633 patients with N2-IIIA NSCLC received bimodality therapy. The treatment modality was selected during/after neoadjuvant CCRT in 21 patients or primarily at diagnosis in 44 through a multidisciplinary consensus meeting. The median age was 65 years (range, 36 to 76 years). Sixty patients (92.3%) had clinically evident N2 disease, while 22 (33.8%) had multi-station N2 involvement. The median radiation therapy dose was 66 Gy in 33 fractions, while the dose was elevated to 72 Gy in 13 patients who had a treatment break due to delayed decision regarding resectability. The most frequent chemotherapy regimen was weekly paclitaxel or docetaxel plus cisplatin or carboplatin (54, 83.1%).

RESULTS

During the median follow-up of 18.8 months (range, 1.6 to 173.1 months), 34 patients (52.3%) experienced disease progression, with distant metastasis being the most common first treatment failure pattern (23, 34.8%). The median and 2-year rates of progression-free survival were 18.8 months and 45.9%, respectively. The median and 2-year rates of overall survival were 28.6 months and 50.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Definitive bimodality therapy in patients with N2-IIIA NSCLC demonstrated favorable outcomes, while trimodality therapy could be considered for candidates for less than pneumonectomy.

Pneumonectomy for Clinical Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Effect of Neoadjuvant Therapy

BACKGROUND

The role of pneumonectomy after neoadjuvant therapy for stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains uncertain.

METHODS

Patients who underwent pneumonectomy for clinical stage IIIA NSCLC were abstracted from the National Cancer Database. Individuals treated with neoadjuvant therapy, followed by resection, were compared with those who underwent resection, followed by adjuvant therapy. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with 30-day mortality. A Cox proportional hazards model was fitted to identify factors associated with survival.

RESULTS

Pneumonectomy for stage IIIA NSCLC with R0 resection was performed in 1,033 patients; of these, 739 (71%) received neoadjuvant therapy, and 294 (29%) underwent resection, followed by adjuvant therapy. The two groups were well matched for age, gender, race, income, Charlson comorbidity score, and tumor size. The 30-day mortality rate in the neoadjuvant group was 7.8% (57 of 739). Median survival was similar between the two groups: 25.9 months neoadjuvant vs 31.3 months adjuvant (p = 0.74). A multivariable logistic regression model for 30-day mortality demonstrated that increasing age, annual income of less than $35,000, nonacademic facility, and right-sided resection were associated with an elevated risk of 30-day mortality. A multivariable Cox model for survival demonstrated that increasing age was predictive of shorter survival and that administration of neoadjuvant therapy did not confer a survival advantage over adjuvant therapy (p = 0.59).

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients who require pneumonectomy for clinical stage IIIA NSCLC receive neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, without an improvement in survival. In these patients, primary resection, followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, may provide equivalent long-term outcomes.