Adrenalectomy for adrenal metastasis from lung carcinoma

In the past 3 years, five patients with lung carcinoma were found to have enlarged adrenal glands without any evidence of distant metastasis. The patients were treated with adrenalectomy. The cases are presented in order to discuss optimal methods of diagnosis and treatment for this condition.     

Late adrenal metastasis in operable non-small-cell lung carcinoma

Treatment of early-stage (I, II, and some IIIA) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is curative resection. Simultaneous isolated adrenal metastasis represents a dilemma. Although many studies addressing the management of adrenal metastasis diagnosed simultaneously with NSCLC have been published, only very few reports of late adrenal metastasis can be found in the literature. Our purpose is to discuss the management of solitary late (metachronous) adrenal metastasis from operable NSCLC based on published experience. We describe a patient with a solitary metachronous adrenal metastasis diagnosed 3 years after resection of NSCLC. Adrenalectomy was done, followed by combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin. MEDLINE literature on similar cases was reviewed and updated. Only 18 cases have been reported from 1965 to 2000. The median interval between the diagnosis of NSCLC and development of adrenal metastasis was 11.5 months. All patients were male. Unilateral adrenal metastases were reported in 15 patients, whereas 3 had bilateral metastases. Five patients were treated with adrenalectomy, and eight patients were treated with adrenalectomy and postoperative adjunctive chemotherapy. Chemotherapy alone was used in two patients and two patients underwent palliative radiation therapy. One patient was treated with intraarterial chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. Solitary metachronous adrenal metastases are rare. There are no standard treatment guidelines for this group of patients. Review of the literature showed that median survival after treatment was 19 months for the group treated with adrenalectomy followed by chemotherapy; 15 months for the chemotherapy group; 14 months for the adrenalectomy group; and 8 months for the group treated with palliative radiation.     

Adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma

A 60-year-old man underwent anterior resection for advanced rectal carcinoma. Seven years and 2 months later, right lower pneumonectomy was performed for a metastatic lung tumor. Two years and 2 months thereafter, left adrenalectomy was performed for solitary adrenal metastasis. The patient remained disease-free for 10 months postoperatively, until multiple lung metastases appeared. The patient is alive and well, under mild chemotherapy with oral doxifluridine, 3 years and 5 months after left adrenalectomy. We conclude that patients with solitary adrenal metastasis may benefit from surgical resection and that resection could be considered as a therapy for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma.     

Breast metastasis from non-small-cell lung carcinoma

Development of metastasis to the breast from lung cancer is very rare and the prognosis for such patients is poor. We present a patient who had metastasis to breast from non-small-cell lung cancer. It is important to distinguish a primary breast cancer from metastasis to the breast, as the therapy offered would be markedly different, with considerably different outcomes.     

Gamma Knife radiosurgery for occipital condyle metastasis

We present a 45 year old female with right occipital condylar metastases who was treated at William Beaumont Hospital in the Gamma Knife Unit. Clinical results at 17 months follow-up and MRI are exposed.     

Adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer

A 77-year-old man had sigmoidectomy for sigmoid colon cancer. Two years later, a right hepatectomy for a liver metastasis was performed. Two years thereafter, abdominal computed tomography scanning and FDG-PET showed the right adrenal mass. Right adrenalectomy was performed with a diagnosis of solitary adrenal metastasis from sigmoid colon cancer. On pathology, adrenal metastasis was confirmed. The patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy (IRIS). There have been no signs of recurrence for 6 months after the operation. We conclude that patients with solitary adrenal metastasis from colorectal cancer may benefit from surgical resection.     

Surgery after multimodality treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer

Neoadjuvant treatment for Locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stage IIIA and IIIB promises higher resection rates because of a reduction of the primary tumour and sterilisation of mediastinal nodes ("downstaging"). In this study we analyse the perioperative course and the long-term survival of patients with trimodality treatment. Between 03/1991 and 12/2002, 392 patients with NSCLC underwent resection after induction treatment. Included were 266 males and 126 females, age 55.8 +/- 9 (28-74), of whom 218 were stage-IIIA patients, 174 were stage-IIIB patients. Induction treatment included 3 courses of chemotherapy with cisplatin/etoposide or cisplatin/paclitaxel, followed by one course of chemotherapy with cisplatin/etoposide as well as hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy of the primary tumour and the mediastinal nodes with 45 Gy, followed by surgery. Before induction treatment all patients underwent mediastinoscopy. In patients with N3 disease mediastinoscopy was repeated before surgery. Resections included 133 pneumonectomies (34%), 15 bilobectomies (4%), 55 sleeve lobectomies (14%), 168 lobectomies (42.5%), 6 segmentectomies (1,5%), and 15 explorative thoracotomies (4%). In-hospital mortality rates amounted to 4.6% (18 patients) while postoperative morbidity ran up to 46% (180 patients). Morbidity and mortality rates were significantly higher in patients with Karnofsky status lower than 80% and patients older than 65 years. Bronchopleural fistulas occurred in 16 patients (3.2%). The protection of the bronchial stump or anastomosis with viable tissue, like pericardial fat, proves to be a significant factor for the reduction of septic complications. For NSCLC, the 5- and 7-year survival rates were 36% and 31%, respectively, for stage IIIA, and 26% for stage IIIB. This intensive trimodality treatment proves to be feasible. Treatment-related toxicities are overall moderate and acceptable. Accurate cardiopulmonary evaluation before surgery and reinforcement of bronchial stump or anastomosis can contribute to reducing complications. Induction treatment demonstrated a "downstaging effect", so that a clear trend for organ-sparing resection was observed. Long-term survival rates for selected groups look very promising when compared to historical controls.     

Adrenalectomy for isolated adrenal metastases from non-adrenal cancer

Adrenalectomy for metastatic cancer is rarely performed. The survival benefit for patients undergoing resection of isolated adrenal metastases is not clear. The goal of this study was to compile a series of such cases from national and international sources and examine patient survival. The patient series was derived from published series and case reports, plus eight new cases from an international registry of patients. We found 77 patients. We examined the effect of primary tumor site, metastasis size, and disease-free interval on postoperative survival duration, including only cases where complete resection with negative margins was achieved. We compared these patients with a large series from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (N=37). The median survival time after adrenalectomy was 23 months, with an operative mortality rate of 3.9%. There was a significant difference in survival duration depending on primary tumor site. A longer disease-free interval from time of primary cancer therapy to adrenal metastasis was associated with a longer postoperative survival after adrenalectomy. Metastasis size did not affect survival. Survival times for USA and non-USA patients were similar. Survival duration of the 77 analytical patients was similar to that of the 37 non-analytical patients from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Selected patients, particularly those with long disease-free intervals and favorable tumor biology, should be offered resection for isolated adrenal metastases.     

Gamma Knife radiosurgery after radiation therapy as an adjunctive treatment for glioblastoma

Despite a randomized trial showing no benefit of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) prior to radiation therapy (RT), the benefits of SRS after RT and at the time of progression require further characterization. We retrospectively reviewed 48 patients with histopathological diagnoses of glioblastoma (GBM) that were treated with SRS over a 16-year period (1991–2007). Twenty-two were treated as part of their initial treatment paradigm and 26 were treated at the time of progression. The primary endpoints studied were overall survival (OS), survival after SRS and time-to-progression (TTP). Patients treated at the time of progression had significantly longer OS than those treated on initial presentation (17.4 vs. 15.1 months, P = 0.003). On multivariate analysis, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) class III patients, those with more extensive resections, and those who were not on steroids at the time of SRS had significantly improved OS. SRS margin dose was a significant prognostic factor for TTP on multivariate analysis (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62–0.98). In the subgroup of patients treated with GKS as part of their initial treatment, an increasing number of weeks between surgical resection and GKS was a poor prognostic factor on multivariate analysis (HR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23). In patients who were treated with SRS at the time of progression, chemotherapy was associated with a longer TTP (P = 0.028). Our results suggest that SRS provides a survival advantage when delivered after RT. This benefit may be best appreciated in RTOG class III patients. Moreover, SRS may be a viable alternative to open surgery for aggressive management of GBM at the time of recurrence. Prospective studies of SRS for GBM should focus on these two groups of patients. Portions of this work were presented as proceedings at the Annual Meeting of the Neurosurgical Society of the Virginias, Hot Springs, Virginia, January 2006.     

Therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastasis Therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastasis

Brain metastasis is a major cause of poor prognosis and high mortality for non-smal celllung cancer patients. The prognosis of non-smal-celllung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastasis is general...     

Adrenalectomy for solitary adrenal metastases from non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with adrenal metastases from lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC) remains controversial. Several studies of adrenalectomy in cases of isolated adrenal metastases from NSCLC suggest that these patients could have improved survival. Our aim is to define the history of patients after resection of solitary metastases to the adrenal gland and to identify characteristics of patients who achieved prolonged survival. METHODS: Between January 1997 and July 2000, 11 patients underwent curative resection for metastatic NSCLC of the adrenal gland in our institution. In all patients who were accepted for curative adrenalectomy, the primary NSCLC had been treated by complete resection. RESULTS: Eleven patients (seven men and four women) with unilateral adrenal metastases of NSCLC entered the study. Median age was 59 years (range 47-67 years). There was no perioperative death. The overall median survival after metastasectomy was 12.6 months (CI: 9.2-16.1 months). Patients with curative resection and metachronous disease (n=6) had a median survival of 30.9 months and tended to do better than patients with synchronous adrenal metastases (n=5) (median survival: 10.3 months). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that adrenalectomy for clinically solitary, resectable metastases can be performed safely. It appears reasonable that such selected patients should be considered surgical candidates.     

伽玛刀治疗颅内多发胶质母细胞瘤近期疗效观察

目的:探讨伽玛刀治疗颅内多发胶质母细胞瘤的安全性和近期疗效. 方法:11例经立体定向活检病理证实的颅内多发胶质母细胞瘤患者采用伽玛刀治疗,其中5例采用分次伽玛刀治疗,6例仅接受单次伽玛刀治疗.伽玛刀共照射治疗35个肿瘤,边缘剂量13Gy～20Gy,中心剂量31.1Gy～42.5Gy.术后定期复查头部增强磁共振扫描,记录患者肿瘤控制情况及复发时间.结果:11例患者均顺利完成治疗并全部随访至肿瘤复发.患者伽玛刀治疗后平均复发时间为11.2个月,术后3个月和6个月肿瘤控制率分别为90.9%和72.5%.3例患者(75%,3/4)伽玛刀治疗后运动障碍症状获得显著缓解,未观察到与伽玛刀治疗相关的神经功能并发症出现.结论:伽玛刀治疗颅内胶质母细胞瘤近期效果良好,能改善患者症状,并发症轻微,是有效的颅内多发胶质母细胞瘤治疗方法.     

Late results after sleeve or wedge lobectomies for non-small-cell lung carcinoma

From January 1971 to June 1983, 35 lobectomies with bronchoplastic procedures for invasive non-small-cell lung carcinoma were performed. Sleeve lobectomy was carried out in 21 cases, wedge lobectomy in 11, and upper sleeve bilobectomy in 3. There were 23 stage I, 10 stage II, and 2 stage IIIa tumors. Completion pneumonectomy was required in 1 case for anastomotic fistula and in 2 for atelectasis of residual lung. One of these patients died later due to empyema. The 5-year probability of death with recurrence was 31.98%. The 5-year disease-free survival was 58.57%. Metastatic relapse was observed in 8 cases and loco-regional recurrence in 5. A new primary lung tumor occurred in 2 patients.     

Surgery for oligometastatic disease in non-small-cell lung cancer

In general, patients with additional metastatic nodules or distant metastases of a non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a poor prognosis. However, published results suggest that in carefully selected patients with synchronous or metachronous metastatic lesions, long-term survival can be obtained when a complete resection of the primary site and metastasis – mostly single brain or adrenal – is achieved. Different subgroups of patients with metastatic NSCLC exist and a distinction should be made between additional malignant nodules in the ipsilateral and contralateral lung, malignant pleural effusion and extrathoracic, single or multiple metastases. Patients with additional malignant nodules in the same lobe or ipsilateral nonprimary lobe have a better prognosis than suggested by the current tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) classification. The other subgroups have a poor prognosis. In view of recent data from a large, international database, proposals have been made for the new TNM classification that will be introduced in 2009.     

Therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastasis

Brain metastasis is a major cause of poor prognosis and high mortality for non-small cell lung cancer patients. The prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer（NSCLC） patients with brain metastasis is generally poor and more effective treatment is required to improve their prognosis. Whole-brain radiotherapy, surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, chemotherapy and targeted therapy are the main treatment for brain metastasis. This review focuses on the five therapeutic strategy and in particular, on targeted therapy.     

伽玛刀治疗肺癌脑转移瘤生存与预后分析

目的:分析伽玛刀治疗肺癌脑转移瘤患者的生存及预后影响因素。方法:回顾性分析行伽玛刀治疗的56例肺癌脑转移瘤患者,单纯SRS组22例,单纯SRT组16例,联合全脑放疗(WBRT)组9例,行伽玛刀挽救组7例,行联合WBRT挽救组2例。Log rank法单因素分析影响预后的因素。结果:全组经治疗后6月、1年生存率分别为50%、10%,中位生存期为6个月。单纯SRS、单纯SRT、SRS联合WBRT、SRS/SRT挽救组、SRS+WBRT挽救组6月生存率分别为59%、55%、40%、33%、0%,中位生存期分别为8、9、6、5、3个月（P=0.005）。其中,SRS对SRT（P=0.157）、SRS对SRS+WBRT（P=0.551）、SRT对SRS+WBRT（P=0.266）、SRS/SRT挽救组对SRS+WBRT挽救组（P=0.177）无统计学意义。单因素分析显示影响总生存率的因素有原发灶的控制情况、病理、中枢外转移情况、KPS评分、RPA分级、病灶所处位置、前期化疗、前期颅内治疗、病灶数目(P=0.000、0.013、0.002、0.000、0.000、0.000、0.043、0.011、0.037)。多因素分析显示KPS评分、原发灶控制、病理、前期颅内处理影响生存（P=0.000、0.005、0.006、0.002）。结论:用伽玛刀行单次SRS或分次SRT或与WBRT联合治疗在对生存获益上相似;KPS评分、原发灶控制情况、病理类型、前期颅内处理是影响生存的主要因素。     

磁共振对低级别脑星形细胞瘤伽玛刀疗效的评价

[目的]评价低级别脑星形细胞瘤（Ⅰ～Ⅱ级）伽玛刀术后疗效并探讨磁共振（MRI）评价疗效的方法及优越性。[方法]分析140份（52例）低级别脑星形细胞瘤伽玛刀术后磁共振复查资料的影像学表现（病灶大小变化、术后MRI强化、灶周水肿、坏死囊变）以评价疗效，并统计肿瘤局控率和患者生存率。[结果]总有效率为84.3％，总显效率为54.3％，术后分时间段计算的显效率分别为30．0％、36．4％、50．0％、68．0％、69．2％和73．1％。病灶增大与术后MRI强化及坏死囊变存在关联。1年生存率达100％，而近期局控率低。[结论]磁共振对低级别星形细胞瘤伽玛刀术后的疗效评价具优越性，显示其疗效显著，显效率随时间而持续递增。在评价方法显效率明显优于有效率，远期追踪更科学。放射反应对疗效评价有一定影响。近期局控率不适合于此评价。