Clinical outcomes of a phase I/II study of 48 Gy of stereotactic body radiotherapy in 4 fractions for primary lung cancer using a stereotactic body frame

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of 48 Gy of three-dimensional stereotactic radiotherapy in four fractions for treating Stage I lung cancer using a stereotactic body frame. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Forty-five patients who were treated between September 1998 and February 2004 were included in this study. Thirty-two patients had Stage IA lung cancer, and the other 13 had Stage IB lung cancer where tumor size was less than 4 cm in diameter. Three-dimensional treatment planning using 6-10 noncoplanar beams was performed to maintain the target dose homogeneity and to decrease the irradiated lung volume >20 Gy. All patients were irradiated using a stereotactic body frame and received four single 12 Gy high doses of radiation at the isocenter over 5-13 (median = 12) days. RESULTS: Seven tumors (16%) completely disappeared after treatment (CR) and 38 tumors (84%) decreased in size by 30% or more (PR). Therefore, all tumors showed local response. During the follow-up of 6-71 (median = 30) months, no pulmonary complications greater than an National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria of Grade 3 were noted. No other vascular, cardiac, esophageal, or neurologic toxicities were encountered. Forty-four (98%) of 45 tumors were locally controlled during the follow-up period. However, regional recurrences and distant metastases occurred in 3 and 5 of T1 patients and zero and 4 of T2 patients, respectively. For Stage IA lung cancer, the disease-free survival and overall survival rates after 1 and 3 years were 80% and 72%, and 92% and 83%, respectively, whereas for Stage IB lung cancer, the disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 92% and 71%, and 82% and 72%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Forty-eight Gy of 3D stereotactic radiotherapy in 4 fractions using a stereotactic body frame is useful for the treatment of Stage I lung tumors.     

Hypofractionated high-dose proton beam therapy for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer: preliminary results of a phase I/II clinical study

PURPOSE: To present treatment outcomes of hypofractionated high-dose proton beam therapy for Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-one patients with Stage I NSCLC (11 with Stage IA and 10 with Stage IB) underwent hypofractionated high-dose proton beam therapy. At the time of irradiation, patient age ranged from 51 to 85 years (median, 74 years). Nine patients were medically inoperable because of comorbidities, and 12 patients refused surgical resection. Histology was squamous cell carcinoma in 6 patients, adenocarcinoma in 14, and large cell carcinoma in 1. Tumor size ranged from 10 to 42 mm (median, 25 mm) in maximum diameter. Three and 18 patients received proton beam irradiation with total doses of 50 Gy and 60 Gy in 10 fractions, respectively, to primary tumor sites. RESULTS: Of 21 patients, 2 died of cancer and 2 died of pneumonia at a median follow-up period of 25 months. The 2-year overall and cause-specific survival rates were 74% and 86%, respectively. All but one of the irradiated tumors were controlled during the follow-up period. Five patients showed recurrences 6-29 months after treatment, including local progression and new lung lesions outside of the irradiated volume in 1 and 4 patients, respectively. The local progression-free and disease-free rates were 95% and 79% at 2 years, respectively. No therapy-related toxicity of Grade > or =3 was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Hypofractionated high-dose proton beam therapy seems feasible and effective for Stage I NSCLC. Proton beams may contribute to enhanced efficacy and lower toxicity in the treatment of patients with Stage I NSCLC.     

立体定向放射治疗早期中央型肺癌的疗效观察

  目的   探讨立体定向放射治疗早期中央型肺癌的临床疗效及不良反应。   方法   回顾性分析2006年11月至2010年12月立体定向放射治疗的17例分期为T1/T2N0M0的中央型非小细胞肺癌患者, 根据肿瘤位置及分期, 给予不同的分割剂量, 中位处方剂量56(48~60)Gy, 中位分割次数5(3~10)次, 中位治疗体积46.2(13.8~92.2)mL。   结果   治疗后3个月疗效评价: 9例病变完全缓解, 7例部分缓解, 1例稳定, 治疗反应率94.1%;中位随访期19.5(4~64)个月, 中位生存时间43个月, 1、2年局控率、无进展生存、总生存分别为100%、87.5%, 80.8%、67.3%和82.4%、68.4%。随访期内见呼吸困难、疲劳、肺不张等不良反应, 其中3级不良反应1例, 未见4~5级不良反应。   结论   根据肿瘤位置及分期不同, 给予不同的剂量分割模式, 立体定向放疗可以较好的应用于早期中央型肺癌的治疗。      

Phase I/II study of hypofractioned radiation with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for clinical T3-4N0-1M0 stage esophageal carcinoma

Compared to conventional fractionated-dose radiotherapy, high hypofractionated-dose radiotherapy could yield tumoricidal effects. However, few clinical trials of hypofractionated radiotherapy in loco-regionally advanced incurable esophageal cancer at present have yet been performed. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of hypofractioned radiation with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for clinical T3-4N0-1M0 stage esophageal carcinoma. From September 2003 to December 2005, 45 patients with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma were grouped and received three-dimensional conformal hypofractioned radiotherapy (3D-CRT) whose fractionated dose was gradually increase per group. Radiotherapy was administered to a total dose of from 50 to 54 Gy (fractionated dose of from 3.0 to 6.0 Gy, 3 times weekly), over a 3-4 week period. And patients received 4 cycles chemotherapy. The median follow-up period for survivors was 38 months. Treatment tolerance rate was 78.8% with daily dose of from 3 to 5 Gy. There are 21.2% patients occurring Grade ≥ 3 acute toxicities. But patients couldn't tolerate daily dose of 6 Gy (55.6%). The 1-year, 2-year and 3-year local control rates were 62%, 49% and 39% respectively. And the 1-year, 2-year and 3-year overall survival rates were 34%, 21% and 9% respectively. The median overall survival time was 17 months. At the time of following up, 13 patients (31.0%) had occurred esophageal late complications, with mainly esophageal perforation, hemorrhage or stenosis, including initial stenosis aggravation. Therefore hypofractionated irradiation was thought to be feasible for clinical T3-4N0-1M0 stage esophageal carcinoma. And daily dose of ≤5 Gy was comparatively suitable in hypofractionated irradiation for esophageal carcinoma, and the patients tolerated well. But further research was in need also.     

Radiotherapy as an alternative to surgery in elderly patients with resectable lung cancer

From 1978 to 1983, 50 patients with a peripherally located non-small cell tumor of the lung were irradiated with curative intent. These patients were not operated upon because of poor cardiac or pulmonary condition, old age or refusal to operate. Mean age was 74 years, 40 patients being over 70 years of age. All patients had T1-2 N0M0 tumors according to the AJC classification and received 60 Gy to the primary tumor only. The overall response rate was 90%, with 50% complete responses in tumors smaller than 4 cm. The crude overall survival rates were 56% at 2 years and 16% at 5 years, with a median survival of 27 months. Age did not influence survival. There was a strong correlation of survival to tumor size, with 5-year survival rates of 38, 22, 5 and 0% in tumors with diameters of less than or equal to 2, 2-3, 3-4 and greater than 4 cm respectively. Only 5 out of 20 complete responders had a local recurrence, the 5-year survival in this group was 42%. These results compared favorably to a group of 86 patients over 70 years of age who were selected for operation in the same hospital. The 2- and 5-year survival rates in these patients were 48 and 26% respectively, median survival being 23 months. We conclude that in patients over 70 years of age with resectable lung cancer, radiotherapy with curative intent should be offered as an alternative to operation, especially if the tumor is not larger than 4 cm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for limited hepatic metastases

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of liver metastases. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The records of 69 patients with 174 metastatic liver lesions treated with SBRT between April 2001 and October 2004 were reviewed. The most common primary tumors were colorectal (n = 20), breast (n = 16), pancreas (n = 9), and lung (n = 5). The mean number of lesions treated per patient was 2.5 (range, 1-6). The longest diameter of the lesions ranged in size from 0.6 to 12.2 cm (median, 2.7 cm). Dose per fraction ranged from 2 Gy to 6 Gy, with a median total dose of 48 Gy (range, 30-55 Gy). Dose was prescribed to the 100% isodose line (IDL), with the 80% IDL covering the gross tumor volume with a minimum margin of 7 mm. RESULTS: The median follow up was 14.5 months. Sixty patients were evaluable for response based on an abdominal computed tomography scan obtained at a minimum of 3 months after completion of SBRT. The actuarial overall infield local control rate of the irradiated lesions was 76% and 57% at 10 and 20 months, respectively. The median overall survival time was 14.5 months. The progression-free survival rate was 46% and 24% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. None of the patients developed Grade 3 or higher toxicity. CONCLUSION: Hypofractionated SBRT provides excellent local control with minimal side effects in selected patients with limited hepatic metastases.     

Possible misinterpretation of demarcated solid patterns of radiation fibrosis on CT scans as tumor recurrence in patients receiving hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer

PURPOSE: To retrospectively analyze opacity changes near primary lung cancer tumors irradiated by using hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HSRT) to determine the presence or absence of tumor recurrence. METHODS AND MATERIALS: After review-board approval for a retrospective study, we examined data from 50 patients treated with curative intent for proven or highly suspected localized peripheral-lung cancer and followed up for at least 12 months. All patients had received 50 Gy in five fractions (80% isodose) and were followed up monthly with chest X-ray until clinical and X-ray findings stabilized. Follow-up computed tomography scans were performed 1 and 3 months after HSRT and thereafter at 3-month intervals during the first 2 years. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 30.4 months (range, 12.0-73.8 months). Abnormal opacities that were suspicious for recurrent tumor appeared in 20 patients at a median of 20.7 months (range, 5.9-61.4 months). Only 3 patients were finally found to have recurrence; 14 were recurrence free but were suspected to have fibrosis, and findings for the other 3 patients were considered equivocal because of a short follow-up period (相似文献   

Accelerated Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Centrally Located Lung Tumours Not Suitable for Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy

AimsAccelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy is used at our institution for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients not eligible for stereotactic body radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to report clinical outcomes of delivering 60 Gy in 15 fractions for these patients.Materials and MethodsAll NSCLC patients who received 60 Gy in 15 fractions were reviewed. Outcomes of interest were local failure, regional failure, distant progression, overall survival and treatment-associated toxicities.ResultsIn total, 111 patients were included. The median age was 78.8 years and most tumours were adenocarcinoma (n = 55, 49.6%). Sixty-five patients (58.6%) were N0. The cumulative incidence of local failure at 12 and 24 months in the N0 cohort was 5.2% and 14.2%, respectively, compared with 11.5% and 14.8% for N+ patients. Tumour size >35 mm predicted for local failure (hazard ratio 2.706, 95% confidence interval 1.002–7.307, P = 0.0494). Distant progression at 12 and 24 months in N0 patients was 13.7% and 24.3% compared with 24.6% and 33.5% in N+ patients. In N0 patients, larger tumour size was associated with increased risk of distant progression. The median overall survival was 38.1 months in N0 patients versus 31.7 months in N+ patients. The most common toxicity was radiation pneumonitis (n = 6, 6.4%). The incidence of any grade 3 toxicity was 10.3% at ≥1 year. There were no deaths or hospitalisations attributed to treatment.ConclusionsAccelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy is well tolerated and resulted in favourable clinical outcomes in various stages of NSCLC patients.     

Stereotactic body radiation therapy of early-stage non-small-cell lung carcinoma: phase I study

PURPOSE: A Phase I dose escalation study of stereotactic body radiation therapy to assess toxicity and local control rates for patients with medically inoperable Stage I lung cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: All patients had non-small-cell lung carcinoma, Stage T1a or T1b N0, M0. Patients were immobilized in a stereotactic body frame and treated in escalating doses of radiotherapy beginning at 24 Gy total (3 x 8 Gy fractions) using 7-10 beams. Cohorts were dose escalated by 6.0 Gy total with appropriate observation periods. RESULTS: The maximum tolerated dose was not achieved in the T1 stratum (maximum dose = 60 Gy), but within the T2 stratum, the maximum tolerated dose was realized at 72 Gy for tumors larger than 5 cm. Dose-limiting toxicity included predominantly bronchitis, pericardial effusion, hypoxia, and pneumonitis. Local failure occurred in 4/19 T1 and 6/28 T2 patients. Nine local failures occurred at doses < or =16 Gy and only 1 at higher doses. Local failures occurred between 3 and 31 months from treatment. Within the T1 group, 5 patients had distant or regional recurrence as an isolated event, whereas 3 patients had both distant and regional recurrence. Within the T2 group, 2 patients had solitary regional recurrences, and the 4 patients who failed distantly also failed regionally. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic body radiation therapy seems to be a safe, effective means of treating early-stage lung cancer in medically inoperable patients. Excellent local control was achieved at higher dose cohorts with apparent dose-limiting toxicities in patients with larger tumors.     

Stereotactic single-dose radiotherapy (radiosurgery) of early stage nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

BACKGROUND: The clinical results after stereotactic single-dose radiotherapy of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stages I and II were evaluated. METHODS: Forty-two patients with biopsy-proven NSCLC received stereotactic radiotherapy. Patients were treated in a stereotactic body frame and breathing motion was reduced by abdominal compression. The single doses used ranged between 19 and 30 Gy/isocenter. RESULTS: After a median follow-up period of 15 months (range, 1.5-72 months) the actuarial overall survival rates and disease-free survival rates were 74.5%, 65.4%, 37.4%, and 70.2%, 49.1%, 49.1% at 12, 24, and 36 months after therapy, respectively. The actuarial local tumor control rates were 89.5%, 67.9%, and 67.9% at 12, 24, and 36 months after therapy, respectively. A significant difference (P = .032) in local tumor control was found for patients receiving 26-30 Gy (n = 32) compared with doses of less than 26 Gy (n = 10). The effect of the tumor volume on local tumor control was also evaluated. Although the difference was not statistically significant (P = .078), the subgroup of tumors with a tumor volume of less than 12 cm(3) (n = 10) experienced no tumor recurrence. Thirteen (31%) patients developed metastases during follow-up, whereas isolated regional lymph node recurrence was only encountered in 2 patients. No clinically significant treatment-associated side effects were documented. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic single-dose radiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with early stage NSCLC not suitable for surgery. Especially for small tumor volumes it seems to be equally effective as hypofractionated radiotherapy, while minimizing the overall treatment time.     

Tolerance of organs at risk in small-volume,hypofractionated, image-guided radiotherapy for primary and metastatic lung cancers

PURPOSE: To determine the organ at risk and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of radiation that could be delivered to lung cancer using small-volume, image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) using hypofractionated, coplanar, and noncoplanar multiple fields. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with measurable lung cancer (except small-cell lung cancer) 6 cm or less in diameter for whom surgery was not indicated were eligible for this study. Internal target volume was determined using averaged CT under normal breathing, and for patients with large respiratory motion, using two additional CT scans with breath-holding at the expiratory and inspiratory phases in the same table position. Patients were localized at the isocenter after three-dimensional treatment planning. Their setup was corrected by comparing two linacographies that were orthogonal at the isocenter with corresponding digitally reconstructed images. Megavoltage X-rays using noncoplanar multiple static ports or arcs were used to cover the parenchymal tumor mass. Prophylactic nodal irradiation was not performed. The radiation dose was started at 60 Gy in 8 fractions over 2 weeks (60 Gy/8 Fr/2 weeks) for peripheral lesions 3.0 cm or less, and at 48 Gy/8 Fr/2 weeks at the isocenter for central lesions or tumors more than 3.0 cm at their greatest dimension. RESULTS: Fifty-seven lesions in 45 patients were treated. Tumor size ranged from 0.6 to 6.0 cm, with a median of 2.6 cm. Using the starting dose, 1 patient with a central lesion died of a radiation-induced ulcer in the esophagus after receiving 48 Gy/8 Fr at isocenter. Although the contour of esophagus received 80% or less of the prescribed dose in the planning, recontouring of esophagus in retrospective review revealed that 1 cc of esophagus might have received 42.5 Gy, with the maximum dose of 50.5 Gy. One patient with a peripheral lesion experienced Grade 2 pain at the internal chest wall or visceral pleura after receiving 54 Gy/8 Fr. No adverse respiratory reaction was noted in the symptoms or respiratory function tests. The 3-year local control rate was 80.4% +/- 7.1% (a standard error) with a median follow-up period of 17 months for survivors. Because of the Grade 5 toxicity, we have halted this Phase I/II study and are planning to rearrange the protocol setting accordingly. The 3-year local control rate was 69.6 +/- 10.6% for patients who received 48 Gy and 100% for patients who received 60 Gy (p = 0.0442). CONCLUSIONS: Small-volume IGRT using 60 Gy in eight fractions is highly effective for the local control of lung tumors, but MTD has not been determined in this study. The organs at risk are extrapleural organs such as the esophagus and internal chest wall/visceral pleura rather than the pulmonary parenchyma in the present protocol setting. Consideration of the uncertainty in the contouring of normal structures is critically important, as is uncertainty in setup of patients and internal organ in the high-dose hypofractionated IGRT.     

Stereotactic hypofractionated radiotherapy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer--mature results for medically inoperable patients

Medically inoperable patients with stage I NSCLC are mainly offered conventionally fractionated radiotherapy with a limited chance of local control and some toxicity. A technique for stereotactic precision therapy for extracranial tumors using a linear accelerator and a body frame for patient immobilization was applied in an attempt to improve the local control and decrease toxicity for consecutive patients with inoperable stage I NSCLC at Sahlgrenska University hospital since 1998. A hypofractionated schedule with three fractions of 15Gy to a total of 45 Gy during 1 week was used which represents a biological equivalent dose (BED) of 112.5 Gy. Planning target volume (PTV) was a 5mm margin around the tumor in the transversal plane and 10mm in the cranial-caudal direction and the dose was prescribed in the periphery of the PTV. Forty-five patients were treated between September 98 and March 03, 25 men and 20 women, median age 74 years (58-84) and median Karnofsky 80 (100-60). TNM: 18 T1N0, 27 T2N0. Histology: 18 squamous cell carcinoma, 15 adenocarcinoma, 3 NSCLC and histology was missing in nine patients. The majority, 51%, did not experience any toxicity at all, four had esophagitis grade I, nine had skin reactions, four had transient chest pain and four had infections. Late toxicity was two rib fractures and three patients with atelectasias. After a median follow-up of 43 months had nine patients developed local recurrence or never achieved local control, two had regional recurrence and nine distant metastases. The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year overall survival was 80, 71, 55 and 30%, respectively, with a median survival of 39 months. No prognostic factor for survival could be identified among histology, tumor stage and size, gender and age. We think this hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy shows encouraging survival and a relatively low toxicity in this elderly population with substantial comorbidity. A multicenter randomized trial comparing this treatment with conventional fractionated radiotherapy is under way.     

三维适形低分割放射治疗老年非小细胞肺癌疗效观察

目的　探讨三维适形低分割放射治疗老年非小细胞肺癌的疗效。方法　 4 5例患者均采用低分割治疗 ,处方剂量为 4～ 5Gy,隔日 1次 ,总量 4 8～ 5 5Gy。结果　CR 2 3例 ( 5 1.1% ) ,PR 15例( 33.3% ) ,NC 5例 ( 11.1% ) ,PD 2例 ( 4 .4 % ) ,RR 38例 ( 84 .4 % )。 1、2、3年生存率分别为 6 6 .7%、4 8.9%、39.1%。结论　三维适形放射治疗对于老年非小细胞肺癌是一种反应较小 ,痛苦较轻 ,安全有效的治疗措施     

Elective nodal failures are uncommon in medically inoperable patients with Stage I non-small-cell lung carcinoma treated with limited radiotherapy fields

PURPOSE: To review the outcome for 56 Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer treated definitively with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and to investigate the value of elective nodal irradiation in this patient population. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1992 and 2001, 56 patients were treated with 3D-CRT for inoperable Stage I histologically confirmed non-small-cell lung cancer; 31 with T1N0 and 25 with T2N0 disease. All patients were treated with 3D-CRT to a median isocenter dose of 70 Gy (range 59.94-83.85) given in daily doses of 1.8 or 2 Gy. Prognostic factors were analyzed with respect to their impact on overall survival. Twenty-two patients received radiotherapy (RT) directed to elective regional lymphatics to doses of 45-50 Gy. The remaining 33 patients were treated to limited fields confined to the primary lung cancer with a margin. The patterns of failure were reviewed. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 20 months (range 6 months to 6 years). The actuarial local control rate was 88%, 69%, and 63%, at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The actuarial cause-specific survival rate was 82%, 67%, and 51% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The actuarial overall survival rate was 73%, 51%, and 34% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The actuarial metastasis-free survival rate was 90%, 85%, and 81% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The RT dose was the only factor predictive of overall survival in our analysis. No statistically significant difference was noted in cause-specific or overall survival according to whether patients received elective nodal irradiation. Two of 33 patients treated with limited fields had regional nodal failure. CONCLUSION: Many patients with medically inoperable Stage I lung cancer die of intercurrent causes. The omission of the elective nodal regions from the RT portals did not compromise either the cause-specific or overall survival rate. Elective nodal failures were uncommon in the group treated with limited RT fields. A radiation dose 70 Gy was predictive of better survival in our population. We await the results of prospective trials evaluating high-dose RT in patients treated with RT alone for Stage I lung cancer.     

Definitive Radiotherapy for Inoperable Stage IIB Non–small-cell Lung Cancer: Patterns of Care and Comparative Effectiveness

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to analyze practice patterns and perform comparative effectiveness of definitive radiotherapy techniques for inoperable stage IIB (American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition) non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Materials and MethodsAdults in the National Cancer Database diagnosed with T3N0M0 or T1-2N1M0 NCSLC between 2004 and 2015 who received definitive radiotherapy were identified. Cases were divided as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT), or conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) and stratified by systemic therapy (ST). Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the effect of covariates on overall survival (OS). Subgroup analysis by tumor size, chest wall invasion, multifocality, and ST use was performed with Kaplan-Meier estimates of OS.ResultsA total of 10,081 subjects met inclusion criteria: 4401 T3N0M0 (66.5% CFRT, 11.0% HFRT, and 22.5% SBRT) and 5680 T1-2N1M0 (92.5% CFRT and 7.5% HFRT). For T3N0M0 NSCLC, SBRT utilization increased from 3.7% in 2006% to 35.4% in 2015. Subjects treated with SBRT were more likely to have smaller tumors, multifocal tumors, or adenocarcinoma histology. SBRT resulted in similar or superior OS compared with CFRT for tumors > 5 cm, tumors invading the chest wall, or multifocal tumors. SBRT was significantly associated with improved OS on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 0.715; P < .001). For T1-2N1M0 NSCLC, patients treated with HFRT were significantly older and less likely to receive ST; nevertheless, there was no difference in OS between HFRT and CFRT on multivariate analysis.ConclusionCFRT + ST is utilized most frequently to treat stage IIB NSCLC in the United States when surgery is not performed, though it is decreasing. SBRT utilization for T3N0M0 NSCLC is increasing and was associated with improved OS.     

Stereotactic radiotherapy of histologically proven inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer: Patterns of failure

Background and purpose

To report patterns of failure of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in inoperable patients with histologically confirmed stage I NSCLC.

Materials and methods

Ninety-two inoperable patients (median age: 75 years) with clinically staged, histologically proven T1 (n = 31) or T2 (n = 61), N0, M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included in this study. Treatment consisted of 3-5 fractions with 7-15 Gy per fraction prescribed to the 60% isodose.

Results

Freedom from local recurrence at 1, 3 and 5 years was 89%, 83% and 83%, respectively. All 10 local failures were observed in patients with T2 tumors. Isolated regional recurrence was observed in 7.6%. The crude rate of distant progression was 20.7%. Overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 79%, 38% and 17% with a median survival of 29 months. Disease specific survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 93%, 64% and 48%. Karnofsky performance status, T stage, gross tumor volume and tumor location had no significant impact on overall and disease specific survival. SBRT was generally well tolerated and all patients completed therapy as planned.

Conclusion

SBRT for stage I lung cancer is very well tolerated in this patient cohort with significant cardiopulmonal comorbidity and results in excellent local control rates, although a considerable portion develops regional and distant metastases.     

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with twice weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin followed by esophagectomy for locally advanced esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: To test the feasibility of incorporating a twice-weekly paclitaxel (Taxol) and cisplatin regimen into concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), followed by surgery, for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with operable T3N0-1M0 or T1-3N1M0 esophageal cancer were enrolled. The CCRT regimen included paclitaxel (35 mg/m2 1 h on days 1 and 4/week), cisplatin (15 mg/m2 1 h on days 2 and 5/week), and radiotherapy (2 Gy on days 1-5/week). When the accumulated radiation dose reached 40 Gy, the feasibility of esophagectomy was evaluated in all patients. In patients for whom esophagectomy was not feasible, CCRT was continued to a dose of 60 Gy. RESULTS: The majority of 97 patients enrolled had squamous cell carcinoma on histology (95%) and T3N1 disease by endoscopic ultrasonographic staging (90%). All patients received CCRT to 40 Gy. Sixty-one patients underwent surgery, and 26 patients continued definitive CCRT to 60 Gy. The intention-to-treat pathological complete response rate was 25% [24/97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 16-33]. At a median follow-up of 25.3 months, the median progression-free and overall survival was 15.6 and 28.8 months, respectively. The most common grade 3/4 toxic effects were leukopenia (30%), thrombocytopenia (10%), and diarrhea (15%). CONCLUSIONS: CCRT with a twice-weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin regimen followed by esophagectomy is an active treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer.