Head and neck cancer patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy involving the oral cavity and oropharynx: is another choice possible than prophylactic gastrostomy?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Recent recommendations on cachexia highlight, in head and neck cancers, the heterogeneity of studies, focusing on weight loss and sequelae including swallowing disorders. The current national guidelines emphasize that, in cases of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) involving the oral cavity and oropharynx, prophylactic gastrostomy placement should be carried out systematically. We review why this technique is particularly relevant in this specific location for the feasibility of cCRT.

RECENT FINDINGS

A randomized trial is underway on swallowing disorders and the quality of life of patients after prophylactic vs. reactive gastrostomy in advanced oropharyngeal cancer patients treated with CRT. Concurrently, recent literature reviews emphasize the importance of the cumulative dose of chemotherapy for local control and survival. In cases of cCRT involving the oral cavity or the oropharynx, nutritional support could have a beneficial or detrimental impact on chemotherapy.

SUMMARY

Specifically for patients treated with cCRT involving the oral cavity and oropharynx, prophylactic gastrostomy would be able to fulfill the three objectives of local control, survival, and quality of life, minimizing complications related to nutritional support. Studies need to be more homogeneous. In clinical practice, nutrition should primarily assist in carrying out cancer treatment when survival is the main goal.

[Proposal for the delineation of postoperative primary clinical target volumes in maxillary sinus and nasal cavity cancers]

In this article, we propose a consensus delineation of postoperative clinical target volumes for the primary tumour in maxillary sinus and nasal cavity cancers. These guidelines are developed based on radioanatomy and the natural history of those cancers. They require the fusion of the planning CT with preoperative imaging for accurate positioning of the initial GTV and the combined use of the geometric and anatomical concepts for the delineation of clinical target volume for the primary tumour. This article does not discuss the indications of external radiotherapy (nor concurrent systemic treatment) but focuses on target volumes when there is an indication for radiotherapy.

Profiles, diagnostic process, and patterns of care of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: A French national study

BACKGROUND

The management of stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains heterogeneous and complex, even after the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors post-chemoradiotherapy (CRT). This observational study from France evaluated real-world practices in managing stage III NSCLC.

METHODS

Between 2020 and 2022, we conducted a physician practice survey in 41 medical centers across France, and retrospectively analyzed aggregated information from 417 consecutive charts of patients with stage III NSCLC. We collected information on diagnostic and staging procedures, biomarker testing, surgical and non-surgical treatments, and follow-up.

RESULTS

According to the physician survey, diagnostic workup of stage III NSCLC primarily relied on positron emission tomography/computed tomography and brain magnetic resonance imaging, performed for the majority of patients in 100 % and 78 % of centers, respectively. Of 417 patient charts, 414 were evaluable with 53 % of patients having stage IIIA disease, 37 % IIIB, and 10 % IIIC. The most common node involvement was N2 (59 %). Programmed death-ligand 1 testing was conducted for 98 % of patients. Invasive staging (mediastinoscopy or endobronchial ultrasound) was performed in 41 % of patients, of whom 83 % had N2 or N3 nodal involvement. Surgical resection was offered to 120 patients (29 %), with 85 % achieving R0 resection. In 292 charts of patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC, 190 patients (65 %) were offered CRT followed by consolidation immunotherapy. Within these patients, concurrent CRT was more frequently employed (52 %) than sequential CRT (13 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic procedures and treatment modalities in French medical centers generally align with clinical guidelines for stage III NSCLC, except for invasive staging that was less commonly performed than expected.

[Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for less than 3cm (stage I) and 5cm (stage II) inoperable lung tumors: 10 years experience of Montpellier Cancer Institute]

PURPOSE

Search for predictive factors on survival and local control for less than 3 centimeters (cm) (stage I) and 5cm (stage II) inoperable lung tumors treated by Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) in a retrospective monocentric study from Montpellier Cancer Institute (ICM) PATIENTS AND METHOD: Every patients treated at ICM for a stage I or II inoperable lung tumors from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy nine lesions were treated in 176 patients, with a major part (82,7%) in operated due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Median overall survival for all patients was 71,7 months with a 35 months follow-up and the 2 years loco-regional free survival was 94,0 months. Better associated outcomes were stage I (median overall survival 71,7 versus 29,0 months P=0,004 ; HR=2,37 P=0,005), BED≥150Gy (median time-to-progression not reached versus 76,7 months P=0,025), small size of Planning Target Volume (PTV) (HR=0,42 P=0,032 when PTV<15,6 cc). 7,3% of all patients developed radiation pneumonitis.

CONCLUSION

SBRT is associated with an excellent overall survival and a high rate of local control for less than 3cm (stage I) and 5cm (stage II) lung tumors but a low rate of toxicities. For these patients with many comorbidities, BED over 150Gy seems to be associated with a better loco-regional free survival, while cause of death is often other than lung cancer.

[Stereotactic radiotherapy for operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer]

Standard treatment stage of non-small cell lung cancer is currently surgery. For inoperable patients, stereotactic body radiotherapy is the reference treatment. This non-invasive technique has developed considerably and its excellent results in terms of carcinological control and tolerance raise the question of its indication for operable patients, especially for old patients and/or with comorbidities. This article reviews the available data in the literature of the place of stereotactic body radiotherapy for medically operable patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

Extended follow-up of a phase 2 trial of xevinapant plus chemoradiotherapy in high-risk locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a randomised clinical trial

INTRODUCTION

We report long-term efficacy and overall survival (OS) results from a randomised, double-blind, phase 2 study (NCT02022098) investigating xevinapant plus standard-of-care chemoradiotherapy (CRT) vs. placebo plus CRT in 96 patients with unresected locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA SCCHN).

METHODS

Patients were randomised 1:1 to xevinapant 200 mg/day (days 1-14 of a 21-day cycle for 3 cycles), or matched placebo, plus CRT (cisplatin 100 mg/m² every 3 weeks for 3 cycles plus conventional fractionated high-dose intensity-modulated radiotherapy [70 Gy/35 F, 2 Gy/F, 5 days/week for 7 weeks]). Locoregional control, progression-free survival, and duration of response after 3 years, long-term safety, and 5-year OS were assessed.

RESULTS

The risk of locoregional failure was reduced by 54% for xevinapant plus CRT vs. placebo plus CRT but did not reach statistical significance (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.46; 95% CI, 0.19-1.13; P = .0893). The risk of death or disease progression was reduced by 67% for xevinapant plus CRT (adjusted HR 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.67; P = .0019). The risk of death was approximately halved in the xevinapant arm compared with placebo (adjusted HR 0.47; 95% CI, 0.27-0.84; P = .0101). OS was prolonged with xevinapant plus CRT vs. placebo plus CRT; median OS not reached (95% CI, 40.3-not evaluable) vs. 36.1 months (95% CI, 21.8-46.7). Incidence of late-onset grade ≥3 toxicities was similar across arms.

CONCLUSIONS

In this randomised phase 2 study of 96 patients, xevinapant plus CRT demonstrated superior efficacy benefits, including markedly improved 5-year survival in patients with unresected LA SCCHN.

Trismus Occurrence and Link With Radiotherapy Doses in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Treated With Chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) induces side-effects, including trismus, which impairs quality of life by causing difficulty to eat, speak, and maintain good oral hygiene, and by altering social life. Given the wide variation of reported trismus prevalence and as a first mandatory step for the preventive physiotherapy OPEN program (NCT03979924) this study evaluated trismus occurrence and its link with radiation doses.

METHODS

Study population was non-larynx HNC patients with epidermoid carcinoma treated with CRT, with or without surgery. A physiotherapist measured maximal interincisal distance before, during and after CRT, at 10 weeks and 6 months. The proportion of patients with trismus (with a 95% confidence interval) was estimated. Irradiation doses were analyzed between patients with and without trismus using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

We included 45 patients (77.8% male), median age 61 years (range 41-77). The proportion of trismus at baseline was 24.4%, 26.8% at 10 weeks and 37.1% at 6 months. During radiotherapy, it was 27.9% at week 3 and increased to 41.9% at week 6. Trismus occurrence at 10 weeks was higher when the radiation dose to the ipsilateral lateral pterygoid muscle was above the median value, that is, 36.8 grays.

CONCLUSION

Trismus occurrence differed according to radiation dose and cancer location. These findings highlight the necessity of early preventive physiotherapy programs to reduce trismus occurrence. The second step, of the interventional multicenter OPEN program, is currently evaluating the impact of preventive physiotherapy and patient education on trismus in a sample of 175 patients.

Stereotactic MR-Guided Radiotherapy for Adrenal Gland Metastases: First Clinical Results

Stereotactic MR-guided Radiotherapy (MRgRT) is an interesting treatment option for adrenal gland metastases (AGM). We reviewed data from 12 consecutive patients treated with MRgRT for an AGM in our center between 14 November 2019 and 17 August 2021. Endpoints were tolerance assessment, the impact of adaptive treatment on target volume coverage and organs at risk (OAR) sparing, local control (LC), and overall survival (OS). The majority of patients were oligometastatic (58.3%), with 6 right AGM, 5 left AGM and 1 left and right AGM. The prescribed dose was 35 to 50 Gy in 3 to 5 fractions. The median PTV V95% on the initial plan was 95.74%. The median V95% of the PTVoptimized (PTVopt) on the initial plan was 95.26%. Thirty-eight (69%) fractions were adapted. The PTV coverage was significantly improved for adapted plans compared to predicted plans (median PTV V95% increased from 89.85% to 91.17%, p = 0.0478). The plan adaptation also significantly reduced Dmax for the stomach and small intestine. The treatment was well tolerated with no grade > 2 toxicities. With a median follow-up of 15.5 months, the 1−year LC and OS rate were 100% and 91.7%. Six patients (50%) presented a metastatic progression, and one patient (8.3%) died of metastatic evolution during the follow-up. Adaptation of the treatment plan improved the overall dosimetric quality of MRI-guided radiotherapy. A longer follow-up is required to assess late toxicities and clinical results.

NUTM1 -rearranged Carcinoma of the Thyroid : A Distinct Subset of NUT Carcinoma Characterized by Frequent NSD3 - NUTM1 Fusions

NUT carcinoma (NC) is a rare subtype of squamous cell carcinoma defined by NUTM1 rearrangements encoding NUT fusion oncoproteins (the most frequent fusion partner being BRD4 ) that carries a very poor prognosis, with most patients dying in under 1 year. Only rare primary thyroid NCs have been reported. Here, we evaluated a series of 14 cases. The median patient age at diagnosis was 38 years (range: 17 to 72 y). Eight of 13 cases with slides available for review (62%) showed a morphology typical of NC, whereas 5 (38%) had a non-NC-like morphology, some of which had areas of cribriform or fused follicular architecture resembling a follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma. For cases with immunohistochemistry results, 85% (11/13) were positive for NUT on biopsy or resection, though staining was significantly decreased on resection specimens due to fixation; 55% (6/11) were positive for PAX8, and 54% (7/13) for TTF-1. Tumors with a non-NC-like morphology were all positive for PAX8 and TTF-1. The fusion partner was known in 12 cases: 9 (75%) cases had a NSD3-NUTM1 fusion, and 3 (25%) had a BRD4-NUTM1 fusion. For our cohort, the 2-year overall survival (OS) was 69%, and the 5-year OS was 58%. Patients with NC-like tumors had a significantly worse OS compared with that of patients with tumors with a non-NC-like morphology ( P =0.0462). Our study shows that NC of the thyroid can mimic other thyroid primaries, has a high rate of NSD3 - NUTM1 fusions, and an overall more protracted clinical course compared with nonthyroid primary NC.

The correlation between pre-treatment symptoms, acute and late toxicity and patient-reported health-related quality of life in non-small cell lung cancer patients: Results of the REQUITE study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To investigate the association between clinician-scored toxicities and patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL), in early-stage (ES-) and locally-advanced (LA-) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving loco-regional radiotherapy, included in the international real-world REQUITE study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clinicians scored eleven radiotherapy-related toxicities (and baseline symptoms) with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4. HRQoL was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core HRQoL questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30). Statistical analyses used the mixed-model method; statistical significance was set at p = 0.01. Analyses were performed for baseline and subsequent time points up to 2 years after radiotherapy and per treatment modality, radiotherapy technique and disease stage.

RESULTS

Data of 435 patients were analysed. Pre-treatment, overall symptoms, dyspnea, chest wall pain, dysphagia and cough impacted overall HRQoL and specific domains. At subsequent time points, cough and dysphagia were overtaken by pericarditis in affecting HRQoL. Toxicities during concurrent chemo-radiotherapy and 3-dimensional radiotherapy had the most impact on HRQoL. Conversely, toxicities in sequential chemo-radiotherapy and SBRT had limited impact on patients' HRQoL. Stage impacts the correlations: LA-NSCLC patients are more adversely affected by toxicity than ES-NSCLC patients, mimicking the results of radiotherapy technique and treatment modality.

CONCLUSION

Pre-treatment symptoms and acute/late toxicities variously impact HRQoL of ES- and LA-NSCLC patients undergoing different treatment approaches and radiotherapy techniques. Throughout the disease, dyspnea seems crucial in this association, highlighting the additional effect of co-existing comorbidities. Our data call for optimized radiotherapy limiting toxicities that may affect patients' HRQoL.

[Stereotactic radiotherapy for localized primary lung tumours of stage T1-T2]

The historical treatment for stage I non-small cell lung cancer is surgical. Parenchymal amputation is not always possible due to cardiopulmonary comorbidities and stereotactic radiotherapy is one of the alternatives to an invasive procedure. The excellent results observed for inoperable tumors raised the question of this treatment in operable patients. This article presents the data in these two situations and the future perspectives.

[Challenges and limits of therapeutic de-escalation for papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer]

The incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers has been increasing in Western countries for several decades. If they are individualized within the latest TNM classification, the current standards of management do not authorize the management of these patients to be singled out. However, their distinct oncogenesis and their excellent prognosis compared to other patients has allowed the development of several clinical trials based on the question of therapeutic de-escalation. This review of the literature aims to take stock of the elements provided by clinical research in recent years.

Nationwide Real-Life Safety and Treatment Exposure Data on Durvalumab After Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Unresectable Stage III, Locally Advanced, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Analysis of Patients Enrolled in the French Early Access Program

PURPOSE

Consolidation immunotherapy with the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) has shown a significant survival improvement and is now a standard of care in patients with unresectable stage III or non-operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

In this early access program cohort, demographic, disease characteristics and safety data were collected for 576 patients from 188 centers, who received durvalumab 10 mg/kg intravenous infusion every 2 weeks, until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or for a maximum of 12 months following cCRT. Durvalumab exposure data were available for 402 patients.

RESULTS

Overall, 576 patients were included, 72.9% were men, median age 64.0 years, 52.3% had a stage IIIB disease. PD-L1 status captured in 445 (77%) patients was positive (48.1%), negative (32.6%), unknown (19.3%). At the end of cCRT, adverse events (AEs) all grade ≤ 2, were reported in 22.7% of patients, mainly esophagitis (6.3%). The main reasons of discontinuation were completion of the planned 12 months of consolidation treatment (42.1% patients), disease progression (28.6%) and adverse events (19.5%). Treatment completion was similar in PDL-1 positive and PDL-1 negative patients groups. 20.7% patients had a SAE drug reaction and 17.7% stopped treatment mainly due to SAE. ADR rate and early treatment discontinuation were higher in patients > 70 years old. Death due to AEs occurred in 7 patients, 2 had interstitial lung disease.

CONCLUSION

Safety data with durvalumab consolidation after cCRT in a large cohort of patients with stage III NSCLC are reported in this real-life cohort. Consistent data were reported both in the PD-L1 positive and PD-L1 negative NSCLC patients in daily practice.

Postoperative radiotherapy versus no postoperative radiotherapy in patients with completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer and proven mediastinal N2 involvement (Lung ART): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

In patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the use of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) has been controversial since 1998, because of one meta-analysis showing a deleterious effect on survival in patients with pN0 and pN1, but with an unclear effect in patients with pN2 NSCLC. Because many changes have occurred in the management of patients with NSCLC, the role of three-dimensional (3D) conformal PORT warrants further investigation in patients with stage IIIAN2 NSCLC. The aim of this study was to establish whether PORT should be part of their standard treatment.

METHODS

Lung ART is an open-label, randomised, phase 3, superiority trial comparing mediastinal PORT to no PORT in patients with NSCLC with complete resection, nodal exploration, and cytologically or histologically proven N2 involvement. Previous neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed. Patients aged 18 years or older, with an WHO performance status of 0-2, were recruited from 64 hospitals and cancer centres in five countries (France, UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the PORT or no PORT (control) groups via a web randomisation system, and minimisation factors were the institution, administration of chemotherapy, number of mediastinal lymph node stations involved, histology, and use of pre-treatment PET scan. Patients received PORT at a dose of 54 Gy in 27 or 30 daily fractions, on five consecutive days a week. Three dimensional conformal radiotherapy was mandatory, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy was permitted in centres with expertise. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival, analysed by intention to treat at 3 years; patients from the PORT group who did not receive radiotherapy and patients from the control group with no follow-up were excluded from the safety analyses. This trial is now closed. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00410683.

FINDINGS

Between Aug 7, 2007, and July 17, 2018, 501 patients, predominantly staged with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET (456 [91%]; 232 (92%) in the PORT group and 224 (90%) in the control group), were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive PORT (252 patients) or no PORT (249 patients). At the cutoff date of May 31, 2019, median follow-up was 4·8 years (IQR 2·9-7·0). 3-year disease-free survival was 47% (95% CI 40-54) with PORT versus 44% (37-51) without PORT, and the median disease-free survival was 30·5 months (95% CI 24-49) in the PORT group and 22·8 months (17-37) in the control group (hazard ratio 0·86; 95% CI 0·68-1·08; p=0·18). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were pneumonitis (13 [5%] of 241 patients in the PORT group vs one [<1%] of 246 in the control group), lymphopenia (nine [4%] vs 0), and fatigue (six [3%] vs one [<1%]). Late-grade 3-4 cardiopulmonary toxicity was reported in 26 patients (11%) in the PORT group versus 12 (5%) in the control group. Two patients died from pneumonitis, partly related to radiotherapy and infection, and one patient died due to chemotherapy toxicity (sepsis) that was deemed to be treatment-related, all of whom were in the PORT group.

INTERPRETATION

Lung ART evaluated 3D conformal PORT after complete resection in patients who predominantly had been staged using (18F-FDG PET-CT and received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. 3-year disease-free survival was higher than expected in both groups, but PORT was not associated with an increased disease-free survival compared with no PORT. Conformal PORT cannot be recommended as the standard of care in patients with stage IIIAN2 NSCLC.

FUNDING

French National Cancer Institute, Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique from the French Health Ministry, Gustave Roussy, Cancer Research UK, Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research, and Innovation, Swiss Cancer Research Foundation, Swiss Cancer League.

[Proposal for the delineation of postoperative primary clinical target volumes in ethmoid cancers]

It is proposed to delineate the anatomo-clinical target volumes of primary tumor (CTV-P) in ethmoid cancers treated with post-operative radiotherapy. This concept is based on the use of radioanatomy and the natural history of cancer. It is supported by the repositioning of the planning scanner with preoperative imaging for the replacement of the initial GTV and the creation of margins around it extended to the microscopic risk zones according to the anatomical concept. This article does not discuss the indications of external radiotherapy but specifies the volumes to be delineated if radiotherapy is considered.

A double-blind phase III trial of immunomodulating nutritional formula during adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in head and neck cancer patients: IMPATOX

BACKGROUND

In a previous phase II study an immunonutrient supplement was found to reduce severe acute toxicities for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) patients treated with concomitant cisplatin and radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate efficacy of the same immunonutrient supplement on severe mucositis. Secondary objectives included tolerance, compliance to oral supplementation, chemotherapy interruptions and delays, quality of life, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 1, 2, and 3 y.

METHODS

Between November 2009 and June 2013, 180 HNSCC patients eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery with curative intent were included in our double-blind phase III multicenter trial. They were assigned to receive oral supplementation (3 sachets/d) of either a formula enriched with l-arginine and omega-3 (n-3) fatty and ribonucleic acids (experimental arm), or an isocaloric isonitrogenous control (control arm), for 5 d before each of 3 cycles of cisplatin. Intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were undertaken, along with subgroup analyses of ≥75% compliant patients, to compare the incidence of acute mucositis (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and WHO scales) and 36-mo survival.

RESULTS

At 1 mo after terminating chemoradiotherapy (CRT), no differences were observed in the incidence of grade 3-4 mucositis between treatment groups, in the ITT, PP (172 patients), and subgroup (≥75% compliance, n = 112) analyses. The immunomodulating supplement did not significantly improve survival in the ITT and PP analyses at 3 y after CRT. Among ≥75% compliant patients, however, OS at 3 y was significantly improved in the immunomodulating formula group (81%; 95% CI: 67%, 89%) compared with controls (61%; 95% CI: 46%, 73%; P = 0.034), as well as PFS (73%; 95% CI: 58%, 83% compared with 50%; 95% CI: 36%, 63%; P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Although this immunomodulating formula failed to reduce severe mucositis during CRT, the findings suggest that the long-term survival of compliant HNSCC patients was improved.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01149642.

A comparison of two modalities of stereotactic body radiation therapy for peripheral early-stage non-small cell lung cancer: results of a prospective French study

OBJECTIVES

This prospective, observational, non-randomized multicentric study was conducted to compare efficiency and toxicity using different modalities of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in early-stage peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

From 9 April to 11 December, 106 patients were treated according to the local equipment availability for peripheral NSCLC with SBRT: 68 by linear accelerator equipped for SBRT and 38 by Cyberknife^®. Multivariate analysis and propensity score analysis using Inverse Probability Treatment Weighting (IPTW) were undertaken in an effort to adjust for potential bias due to non-randomization.

RESULTS

2-year local control rates were 97.0% (95% CI: [90.6%; 99.4%]) with SBRT by Linac vs 100% (95% CI: ([100%; 100%]) with Cyberknife^® (p = 0.2839). 2-year PFS and 2-year OS rates were 52.7% (95% CI [39.9%;64.0%]) versus 54.1% (95% CI [36.8; 68.6%]) (p = 0.8582) and 65.1% (95% CI: [51.9%; 75.5%] versus 83.9% (95% CI: [67.5%; 92.4%] (p = 0.0831) using Linac and Cyberknife^® respectively. Multivariate regression analysis indicates no significant effect of SBRT treatment type on PFS or OS. Local relapse could not be modeled due to the small number of events (n = 2). Acute and late toxicity rates were not significantly different. After IPTW adjustment, results were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

No difference in efficiency or toxicity was shown after SBRT of peripheral NSCLC treatment using Linac or Cyberknife^®.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

This is the first large prospective non-randomized study focusing on peripheral localized NSCLC comparing SBRT using an appropriately equipped linac with Cyberknife^®. No significant difference in efficiency or toxicity was shown in this situation.

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) combined with immunotherapy (L19-IL2) versus standard of care in stage IV NSCLC patients, ImmunoSABR: a multicentre, randomised controlled open-label phase II trial

BACKGROUND

About 50% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have metastatic disease at initial diagnosis, which limits their treatment options and, consequently, the 5-year survival rate (15%). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, have become standard of care (SOC) for most good performance status patients. However, most patients will not obtain long-term benefit and new treatment strategies are therefore needed. We previously demonstrated clinical safety of the tumour-selective immunocytokine L19-IL2, consisting of the anti-ED-B scFv L19 antibody coupled to IL2, combined with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR).

METHODS

This investigator-initiated, multicentric, randomised controlled open-label phase II clinical trial will test the hypothesis that the combination of SABR and L19-IL2 increases progression free survival (PFS) in patients with limited metastatic NSCLC. One hundred twenty-six patients will be stratified according to their metastatic load (oligo-metastatic: ≤5 or poly-metastatic: 6 to 10) and randomised to the experimental-arm (E-arm) or the control-arm (C-arm). The C-arm will receive SOC, according to the local protocol. E-arm oligo-metastatic patients will receive SABR to all lesions followed by L19-IL2 therapy; radiotherapy for poly-metastatic patients consists of irradiation of one (symptomatic) to a maximum of 5 lesions (including ICI in both arms if this is the SOC). The accrual period will be 2.5-years, starting after the first centre is initiated and active. Primary endpoint is PFS at 1.5-years based on blinded radiological review, and secondary endpoints are overall survival, toxicity, quality of life and abscopal response. Associative biomarker studies, immune monitoring, CT-based radiomics, stool collection, iRECIST and tumour growth rate will be performed.

DISCUSSION

The combination of SABR with or without ICI and the immunocytokine L19-IL2 will be tested as 1st, 2nd or 3rd line treatment in stage IV NSCLC patients in 14 centres located in 6 countries. This bimodal and trimodal treatment approach is based on the direct cytotoxic effect of radiotherapy, the tumour selective immunocytokine L19-IL2, the abscopal effect observed distant from the irradiated metastatic site(s) and the memory effect. The first results are expected end 2023.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ImmunoSABR Protocol Code: NL67629.068.18; EudraCT: 2018-002583-11; Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03705403; ISRCTN ID: ISRCTN49817477; Date of registration: 03-April-2019.

Pravastatin Reverses Established Radiation-Induced Cutaneous and Subcutaneous Fibrosis in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Results of the Biology-Driven Phase 2 Clinical Trial Pravacur

PURPOSE

The "PRAVACUR" phase 2 trial (NCT01268202) assessed the efficacy of pravastatin as an antifibrotic agent in patients with established cutaneous and subcutaneous radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) after head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) radiation therapy and/or radiochemotherapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The main inclusion criteria were: NSCC in remission, grade ≥2 cutaneous and subcutaneous neck RIF (National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0), and no current treatment with statins or fibrates. Patients received pravastatin 40 mg/d for 12 months. The primary endpoint was reduction of RIF thickness by more than 30% at 12 months, as measured by cutaneous high-frequency ultrasonography. Secondary endpoints included RIF severity reduction, pravastatin tolerance, and quality of life.

RESULTS

Sixty patients with grade 2 (n = 37), grade 3 (n = 22), or grade 4 (n = 1) RIF were enrolled from February 2011 to April 2016. The mean interval between RIF diagnosis and pravastatin initiation was 17.1 months. Pravastatin was stopped before 11 months of treatment in 18 patients (because of grade ≥2 adverse events related to pravastatin in 8 patients [13%]). In the 40 patients in whom pravastatin efficacy was assessed by high-frequency ultrasonography at baseline and at 12 months of treatment, a reduction of RIF thickness ≥30% was observed in 15 of 42 patients (35.7%; 95% confidence interval, 21.6%-52.0%). At the 12-month clinical evaluation, RIF severity was decreased in 50% of patients (n = 21; 95% confidence interval, 34.2%-65.8%), and the patients' self-perception, mood state, and social functioning were significantly improved. Pravastatin was well tolerated, with a very low occurrence of grade 3 toxicities (myalgia, n = 1) and grade 2 toxicities (myalgia/arthralgia or esophagitis, n = 3).

CONCLUSIONS

This phase 2 prospective study supports the notion of radioinduced fibrosis reversibility. It showed that pravastatin (40 mg/d for 12 months) is an efficient antifibrotic agent in patients with grade ≥2 cutaneous and subcutaneous fibrosis after HNSCC radiation therapy.

Tracking, gating, free-breathing, which technique to use for lung stereotactic treatments? A dosimetric comparison

BACKGROUND

The management of breath-induced tumor motion is a major challenge for lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Three techniques are currently available for these treatments: tracking (T), gating (G) and free-breathing (FB).

AIM

To evaluate the dosimetric differences between these three treatment techniques for lung SBRT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pretreatment 4DCT data were acquired for 10 patients and sorted into 10 phases of a breathing cycle, such as 0% and 50% phases defined respectively as the inhalation and exhalation maximum. GTVph, PTVph (=GTVph + 3 mm) and the ipsilateral lung were contoured on each phase.For the tracking technique, 9 fixed fields were adjusted to each PTVph for the 10 phases. The gating technique was studied with 3 exhalation phases (40%, 50% and 60%). For the free-breathing technique, ITVFB was created from a sum of all GTVph and a 3 mm margin was added to define a PTVFB. Fields were adjusted to PTVFB and dose distributions were calculated on the average intensity projection (AIP) CT. Then, the beam arrangement with the same monitor units was planned on each CT phase.The 3 modalities were evaluated using DVHs of each GTVph, the homogeneity index and the volume of the ipsilateral lung receiving 20 Gy (V 20Gy).

RESULTS

The FB system improved the target coverage by increasing D mean (75.87(T)-76.08(G)-77.49(FB)Gy). Target coverage was slightly more homogeneous, too (HI: 0.17(T and G)-0.15(FB)). But the lung was better protected with the tracking system (V 20Gy: 3.82(T)-4.96(G)-6.34(FB)%).

CONCLUSIONS

Every technique provides plans with a good target coverage and lung protection. While irradiation with free-breathing increases doses to GTV, irradiation with the tracking technique spares better the lung but can dramatically increase the treatment complexity.

Clinical Outcomes of Several IMRT Techniques for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: A Propensity Score-Weighted Analysis

PURPOSE

The Advanced Radiotherapy Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie (ART-ORL) study (NCT02024035) was performed to prospectively evaluate the clinical and economic aspects of helical TomoTherapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy (RapidArc, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) for patients with head and neck cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Fourteen centers participated in this prospective comparative study. Randomization was not possible based on the availability of equipment. Patients with epidermoid or undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma or epidermoid carcinoma of the oropharynx and oral cavity (T1-T4, M0, N0-N3) were included between February 2010 and February 2012. Only the results of the clinical study are presented in this report, as the results of the economic assessment have been published previously. Inverse probability of treatment weighting using the propensity score analysis was undertaken in an effort to adjust for potential bias due to nonrandomization. Locoregional control, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival assessed 18 months after treatment, as well as long-term toxicity and salivary function, were evaluated.

RESULTS

The analysis included 166 patients. The following results are given after inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment. The locoregional control rate at 18 months was significantly better in the TomoTherapy group: 83.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 72.5%-90.2%) versus 72.7% (95% CI, 62.1%-80.8%) in the RapidArc group (P=.025). The cancer-specific survival rate was better in the TomoTherapy group: 97.2% (95% CI, 89.3%-99.3%) versus 85.5% (95% CI, 75.8%-91.5%) in the RapidArc group (P=.014). No significant difference was shown in progression-free or overall survival. TomoTherapy induced fewer acute salivary disorders (P=.012). Posttreatment salivary function degradation was worse in the RapidArc group (P=.012).

CONCLUSIONS

TomoTherapy provided better locoregional control and cancer-specific survival than RapidArc treatment, with fewer salivary disorders. No significant difference was shown in progression-free and overall survival. These results should be explored in a randomized trial.

Dose escalation of radiotherapy (RT) for locally advanced head and neck carcinomas treated with concomitant chemotherapy (CT) and RT: Results of the GORTEC 2004-01 randomized trial

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Background: Concomitant CT-RT is a well established standard of care (SoC) in locally advanced (LA) squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN). While there is a well established dose effect relationship for RT alone in these cancers, it is not known whether this also applies to concomitant CT-RT. Methods: Patients were randomized between 75 Gy/7 weeks (Arm A) versus 70 Gy/35F in 7 weeks (Arm B). A sequential boost of 10 times 2.5 Gy after 50Gy/25F was given to the initial gross tumor volume (GTV) in Arm A. IMRT was used for arm A and 3D conformal RT for arm B. In both arms, patients (pts) received during RT 3 cycles of cisplatin at 100 mg/m2. Inclusion criteria were pts fit for receiving high dose cisplatin, non metastatic, non operated stage III-IV SCC of oral cavity, oro/hypopharynx. A 1:1 randomization was done by minimization on centers, N & T stages & GTV uni/bilateral. To detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.56 in locoregional (LR) control, inclusion of 310 pts was required to observe 109 LR progressions and achieve 85% power at 2-sided significance level of 0.05. Results: Between 2005 and 2015, 188 pts were randomized: 82% males, median age 58 years, 85% oropharynx. The accrual rate was slower than expected, due to the fact that IMRT became a SoC and was only allowed in arm A. As a consequence the trial was discontinued after inclusion of 188 patients. The majority of pts had stage IVa (73% vs 72%). All initial characteristics were well balanced between arms. The median follow-up was 4.7 years, not different between arms. Acute and late xerostomia were markedly improved in arm A (IMRT arm). The 1-year grade 0-1 salivary toxicity (RTOG) was 81% and 34% (p< 0.0001) in arm A and B respectively. At 3 years these rates were 92% vs 53% (p=0.0003). The increase of the dose to the GTV with IMRT did not transfer in a higher LR control probability with an adjusted HR of 0.88 [95%CI 0.51-1.52] (p=0.63). PFS, overall survival were not significantly different between the 2 arms. Conclusions: The dose escalation of RT to the GTV did not improve LR control in patients treated with concomitant CT-RT. This trial adds some new evidence level 1 in favor of IMRT in LA SCCHN. Clinical trial information: NCT00158678.

Phase II Study of a Radiotherapy Total Dose Increase in Hypoxic Lesions Identified by 18F-Misonidazole PET/CT in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (RTEP5 Study)

See an invited perspective on this article on page 1043.This multicenter phase II study investigated a selective radiotherapy dose increase to tumor areas with significant ¹⁸F-misonidazole (¹⁸F-FMISO) uptake in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Methods: Eligible patients had locally advanced NSCLC and no contraindication to concomitant chemoradiotherapy. The ¹⁸F-FMISO uptake on PET/CT was assessed by trained experts. If there was no uptake, 66 Gy were delivered. In ¹⁸F-FMISO-positive patients, the contours of the hypoxic area were transferred to the radiation oncologist. It was necessary for the radiotherapy dose to be as high as possible while fulfilling dose-limiting constraints for the spinal cord and lungs. The primary endpoint was tumor response (complete response plus partial response) at 3 mo. The secondary endpoints were toxicity, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival at 1 y. The target sample size was set to demonstrate a response rate of 40% or more (bilateral α = 0.05, power 1-β = 0.95). Results: Seventy-nine patients were preincluded, 54 were included, and 34 were ¹⁸F-FMISO-positive, 24 of whom received escalated doses of up to 86 Gy. The response rate at 3 mo was 31 of 54 (57%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 43%-71%) using RECIST 1.1 (17/34 responders in the ¹⁸F-FMISO-positive group). DFS and overall survival at 1 y were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.77-0.96) and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.49-0.74), respectively. DFS was longer in the ¹⁸F-FMISO-negative patients (P = 0.004). The radiotherapy dose was not associated with DFS when adjusting for the ¹⁸F-FMISO status. One toxic death (66 Gy) and 1 case of grade 4 pneumonitis (>66 Gy) were reported. Conclusion: Our approach results in a response rate of 40% or more, with acceptable toxicity. ¹⁸F-FMISO uptake in NSCLC patients is strongly associated with poor prognosis features that could not be reversed by radiotherapy doses up to 86 Gy.

[Radioanatomy of rhinopharyngeal carcinoma]

Rhinopharyngeal cancer is one of the best indications for conformal radiotherapy with modulated intensity. Due to the high dose gradient, accurate delineation of target volumes and organs at risk is a critical success factor with this technology. This requires a good knowledge of rhinopharyngeal radioanatomy and optimal imaging techniques.