Salvage Lung Resections After Definitive Chemoradiotherapy: A Safe and Effective Oncologic Option

BACKGROUND

Patients with locally advanced, non-small cell lung cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy alone often demonstrate persistent or recurrent disease. In the absence of systemic progression, salvage lung resection after definitive chemoradiotherapy has been used as a treatment option. Given the paucity of data, we sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of salvage pulmonary resections occurring greater than 90 days after definitive chemoradiotherapy.

METHODS

Retrospective institutional database review identified patients undergoing salvage lung resection at least 90 days after the completion of definitive chemoradiotherapy. Primary outcomes evaluated were overall survival and recurrence-free survival.

RESULTS

Thirty patients met inclusion criteria between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2015. Median time to surgery after definitive radiotherapy was 279 days (interquartile range, 168-474 days). Extended resections were performed in 11 patients (37%). Ottawa Thoracic Morbidity and Mortality Classification System grade IIIA or greater complications occurred in 12 patients (40%). Thirty-day mortality was 6.7% (2 patients). Median overall survival after salvage resection was 24 months. Median overall survival for an R1 resection was 5.3 months vs 108 months for an R0 resection (P = .001). Persistent pN1-positive salvage resections also did less well compared with pN0 (8.9 vs 28.2 months; P = .06). For patients who underwent nonextended salvage resection (simple lobectomy or simple pneumonectomy), median overall survival was 108.4 months, vs 8.9 months for extended salvage resections (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

With proper patient selection, salvage lung resections can be performed with acceptable morbidity, mortality, and oncologic outcomes, particularly when a ypN0R0 resection can be achieved by nonextended surgical means.

Esophagectomy for failed endoscopic therapy in patients with high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal carcinoma

Endoscopic therapy (ablation +/- endoscopic resection) for high-grade dysplasia and/or intramucosal carcinoma (IMC) of the esophagus has demonstrated promising results. However, there is a concern that a curable, local disease may progress to systemic disease with repeated endotherapy. We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent esophagectomy after endotherapy at three tertiary care esophageal centers from 2006 to 2012. Our objective was to document the clinical and pathologic outcomes of patients who undergo esophagectomy after failed endotherapy. Fifteen patients underwent esophagectomy after a mean of 13 months and 4.1 sessions of endotherapy for progression of disease (53%), failure to clear disease (33%), or recurrence (13%). Initially, all had Barrett's, 73% had ≥3-cm segments, 93% had a nodule or ulcer, and 91% had multifocal disease upon presentation. High-grade dysplasia was present at index endoscopy in 80% and IMC in 33%, and some patients had both. Final pathology at esophagectomy was T0 (13%), T1a (60%), T1b (20%), and T2 (7%). Positive lymph nodes were found in 20%: one patient was T2N1 and two were T1bN1. Patients with T1b, T2, or N1 disease had more IMC on index endoscopy (75% vs. 18%) and more endotherapy sessions (median 6.5 vs. 3). There have been no recurrences a mean of 20 months after esophagectomy. Clinical outcomes were comparable to other series, but submucosal invasion (27%) and node-positive disease (20%) were encountered in some patients who initially presented with a locally curable disease and eventually required esophagectomy after failed endotherapy. An initial pathology of IMC or failure to clear disease after three treatments should raise concern for loco-regional progression and prompt earlier consideration of esophagectomy.

Optimizing a canine survival model of orthotopic lung transplantation

INTRODUCTION

While acute models of orthotopic lung transplantation have been described in dogs, the technical considerations of developing a survival model in this species have not been elaborated. Herein, we describe optimization of a canine survival model of orthotopic lung transplantation.

METHODS

Protocols of orthotopic left lung transplantation and single lung ventilation were established in acute experiments (n=9). Four dogs, serving as controls, received autologous, orthotopic lung transplants. Allogeneic transplants were performed in 16 DLA-identical and 16 DLA-mismatched unrelated recipient dogs. Selective right lung ventilation was utilized in all animals. A Malecot tube was left in the pleural space connected to a Heimlich valve for up to 24 hours. To date, animals have been followed up to 24 months by chest radiography, pulmonary function tests, bronchoscopy with lavage, and open biopsies.

RESULTS

Long-term survival was achieved in 34/36 animals. Two recipients died intraoperatively secondary to cardiac arrest. All animals were extubated on the operating table, and in all cases the chest tube was removed within 24 hours. Major complications included thrombosis of the pulmonary artery and subcritical stenosis of bronchial anastamosis. One recipient underwent successful treatment of a small bowel intussusception.

CONCLUSIONS

We report our experience in developing a survival canine model of orthotopic single lung transplantation. While short-term survival following canine lung transplantation is achievable, we report particular considerations that facilitate animal comfort, early extubation, and lung reexpansion in the immediate postoperative period, further optimizing use of this species for experimental modeling of long-term complications after lung transplantation.