Surgery for small cell lung cancer in the modern era: opportunities and challenges

Closing the RCT Gap-A Large Meta-Analysis on the Role of Surgery in Stage I-III Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

INTRODUCTION

Despite clear guideline recommendations, surgery is not consistently carried out as part of multimodal therapy in stage I small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. The role of surgery in stages II and III is even more controversial. In the absence of current randomized control trials (RCT), we performed a meta-analysis comparing surgery versus non-surgical treatment in stage I to III SCLC patients.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted on 1 July 2023, focusing on studies pertaining to the impact of surgery on small cell lung cancer (SCLC). These studies were evaluated using the ROBINS-I tool. Statistical analyses, including I² tests, Q-statistics, DerSimonian-Laird tests, and Egger regression, were performed to assess the data. In addition, 5-year survival rates were analyzed. The meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA standards.

RESULTS

Among the 6826 records identified, 10 original studies encompassing a collective cohort of 95,323 patients were incorporated into this meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was observed across the included studies, with no discernible indication of publication bias. Analysis of patient characteristics revealed no significant differences between the two groups (p-value > 0.05). The 5-year survival rates in a combined analysis of patients in stages I-III were 39.6 ± 15.3% for the 'surgery group' and 16.7 ± 12.7% for the 'non-surgery group' (p-value < 0.0001). SCLC patients in stages II and III treated outside the guideline with surgery had a significantly better 5-year survival compared to non-surgery controls (36.3 ± 20.2% vs. 20.2 ± 17.0%; p-value = 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

In the absence of current RCTs, this meta-analysis provides robust suggestions that surgery might significantly improve survival in all SCLC stages. Non-surgical therapy could lead to a shortening of life. The feasibility of surgery in non-metastatic SCLC should always be evaluated as part of a multimodal treatment.

Redefining the role of surgery in early small-cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

Resection is guideline recommended in stage I small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) but not in stage II. In this stage, patients are treated with a non-surgical approach. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the role of surgery in both SCLC stages. Surgically treated patients were compared to non-surgical controls. Five-year survival rates were analysed.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed on December 01, 2021 in Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library. Studies published since 2004 on the effect of surgery in SCLC were considered and assessed using ROBINS-I. We preformed I²-tests, Q-statistics, DerSimonian-Laird tests and Egger-regression. The meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA.

RESULTS

Out of 6826 records, we identified seven original studies with a total of 15,170 patients that met our inclusion criteria. We found heterogeneity between these studies and ruled out any publication bias. Patient characteristics did not significantly differ between the two groups (p-value > 0.05). The 5-year survival rates in stage I were 47.4 ± 11.6% for the 'surgery group' and 21.7 ± 11.3% for the 'non-surgery group' (p-value = 0.0006). Our analysis of stage II SCLC revealed a significant survival benefit after surgery (40.2 ± 21.6% versus 21.2 ± 17.3%; p-value = 0.0474).

CONCLUSION

Based on our data, the role of surgery in stage I and II SCLC is robust, since it improves the long-term survival in both stages significantly. Hence, feasibility of surgery as a priority treatment should always be evaluated not only in stage I SCLC but also in stage II, for which guideline recommendations might have to be reassessed.

Comparison of treatment strategies for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer who received chemotherapy

Background

The standard care for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is unclear. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcome for patients receiving chemotherapy alone, chemotherapy plus surgery (CS), chemotherapy plus radiation (CR), or chemotherapy plus surgery and radiation (CSR) for limited-stage SCLC.

Methods

Patients with T1-4N0-2M0 SCLC who received chemotherapy from 2004 to 2014 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The overall survival (OS) of these patients, stratified by different stage, was compared in accordance to the method of receiving different treatments using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis.

Results

A total of 7,204 patients were included, where 1,347 (18.7%) patients received chemotherapy alone, 296 (4.1%) undergone CS, 5,296 (73.5%) patients were subjected to CR and 267 (3.7%) patients were managed by the three combination of CSR. Chemotherapy alone was associated with the worst survival in comparison to the other two method of combination i.e., chemotherapy with radiation or surgery. When compared with CR, CS had no survival benefit in patients with stage in excess of T1-2N0 disease, but was associated with improved 5-year OS in patients with T1-2N0 disease, which ranged from 29.1% to 54.3% (P<0.001). For patients with T1-2N2 disease who received CSR demonstrated superior OS over those who received CR (P=0.004) or CS (P=0.036). Cox regression analysis showed CS was associated with improved OS when compared with CR in patients with N0 disease (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.43–0.68; P=0.000) and CSR was associated with better OS in comparison with CR in patients with N2 disease (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55–0.93; P=0.013).

Conclusions

Patients with limited-stage SCLC can benefit from local treatment such as surgery, radiation, and surgery plus radiation. For patients with N0 disease, CS was associated with improved survival in comparison to CR. If N2 was identified after surgery, radiation may be added to improve OS.

Surgery for small cell lung cancer: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Survey from 2010 to 2015

The role of surgery in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is controversial. This study explored whether surgery offered a survival benefits for patients with SCLC.Patients diagnosed with SCLC between 2010 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage of SCLC in these patients was reclassified according to the 8th edition of the TNM classification for lung cancer. Overall survival (OS) was separately compared according to TNM stage between patients who underwent surgery and those who did not using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression model was used to identify relevant variables affecting survival. Additional Kaplan-Meier curves were created to compare different types of surgery. Cox regression models and Forest plots were used to identify the predictors of survival in the surgery cohort.A total of 26,659 patients with SCLC were included, among which 627 (2.4%) patients underwent surgery. Surgery was associated with longer survival in patients with stage IA (45.0 vs 20.0 months, P < .001), stage IB (47.0 vs 19.0 months, P = .001), stage IIA (16.0 m vs NR, P = .007), stage III (18.0 vs 12.0 months, P < .001), and stage IV (9.0 vs 5.0 months, P < .001) disease, although the difference was not statistically significant for patients with stage IIB disease. Multivariate analysis identified surgery as an independent predictor of improved survival for all cohorts divided by stages except for stage IIB. Lobectomy was the most commonly performed procedure. Multivariate analysis in patients who underwent surgery identified lobectomy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.544; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.341-0.869; P = .011) and chemotherapy (HR, 0.634; 95% CI, 0.487-0.827; P < .001) as independent predictors of improved survival in the surgery cohort.In a national analysis, surgery was performed in some patients for both early and advanced-stage SCLC. Surgery for SCLC was associated with improved survival except for patients with stage IIB disease. These results support an increased role of surgery in multimodal therapy for SCLC.