Is prophylactic cranial irradiation indicated in small-cell lung cancer?

Role of radiation therapy in the management of lung cancer

Most patients who have lung cancer will receive radiation therapy at some point during the course of their disease. For patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, radiation therapy is sometimes used after complete resection, particularly in patients with lymph node involvement. In addition, irradiation is commonly used after incomplete resection. In patients with unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer, radiation therapy alone is typically used, although recent studies of a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, or radiation therapy given in twice-daily fractions, have yielded promising results. For patients with small-cell lung cancer who have limited (that is, nonmetastatic) disease, the addition of thoracic radiation therapy to chemotherapy has improved survival over that with chemotherapy only. The role of prophylactic cranial irradiation in small-cell lung cancer remains controversial. Radiation therapy has a major role in the management of locally recurrent and metastatic lung cancer. Both the bones and the brain are common metastatic sites in patients with lung cancer. Radiation therapy provides effective palliation of symptoms from these and other metastatic lesions.

Prophylactic cranial irradiation in the treatment of small-cell carcinoma of the lung

The high incidence of central nervous system (CNS) failure in patients given chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer led to the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) to prevent the development of metastases. Seven randomized trials have investigated the use of PCI, 5 of which reported a statistically significant reduction in risk of CNS disease though none demonstrated improvement in overall survival. Recent reports have demonstrated the potential for severe toxicity with PCI, leading some investigators to recommend discontinuing its use, while others have suggested improvements in timing and dose fractionation. It appears that the subgroup of patients most likely to benefit from PCI are those with limited-stage disease in complete response after chemotherapy, in whom a reduction in the risk of CNS failure may translate into improved survival. The recommended radiation dose is 30 to 36 Gy in 2 Gy/day fractions.

Immunotoxin therapy of small-cell lung cancer. N901-blocked ricin for relapsed small-cell lung cancer

Despite its initial chemosensitivity, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is rarely cured with chemotherapy alone, and fewer than 5% of patients are alive at 5 years. Immunotoxin therapy appears to offer promise in treating the minimal residual disease that remains after induction chemotherapy. We have studied N901-bR in patients with relapsed SCLS. N901-bR consists of the N901 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) and blocked ricin, an altered ricin molecule in which the galactose binding sites of the ricin B-chain which mediate nonspecific binding of the toxin are blocked through the covalent binding of ligands. N901 is an anti-NCAM (CD56) MoAb which binds to SCLC tumors and cell lines, cardiac muscle, natural killer (NK) cells, and peripheral nerve. N901-bR showed a 2.7 log greater in vitro cytotoxicity to the CD56-positive cell line SE-2 than to the antigen-negative Namalwa cell line. Nineteen patients with relapsed antigen-negative Namalwa cell line. Nineteen patients with relapsed and/or refractory SCLC have been entered into a phase I study at doses ranging from 5 to 40 micrograms/kg/day given as a 7-day continuous infusion. The dose-limiting toxicity is capillary leak syndrome observed in two thirds of the patients treated at 40 micrograms/kg/day. One patient at the maximum tolerated dose, 30 micrograms/kg/day x 7 days, has achieved a partial response to N901-bR. No patient has developed clinically significant peripheral or central neuropathy. We plan to begin a phase II study of N901-bR following induction chemotherapy in patients with SCLC.

Carboplatin as second line treatment for recurrent or progressive brain metastases from small cell lung cancer

Patients with brain metastases from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have a poor prognosis. Although most patients die from metastatic disease outside the central nervous system, this disabling metastatic site often needs treatment to mitigate the signs and symptoms of intracranial disease. The effect of carboplatin (400 mg/m2 every 4 weeks) as second line treatment for recurrent or progressive brain metastases was studied in 20 SCLC patients. 19 patients could be evaluated: 16 by contrast enhanced brain computer tomography (CT) scan (2 patients had complete response, 6 partial response, 4 stable disease and 4 progressive disease) and 3 patients clinically, who had progressive disease. The objective response rate in the brain was 40% (95% CI:22-61%). The median response duration was 8 weeks (range 2-29). The median survival was 15 weeks (range 1-44). Previous cranial irradiation appeared to be beneficial for survival. There was only mild haematological and gastrointestinal toxicity. Carboplatin has activity against brain metastases and gives palliation in responding patients.

Multimodal therapy of small cell lung cancer in TNM stages I through IIIa

Since 1977, Innsbruck University Hospital has been employing a multimodal therapy concept for small cell bronchial carcinomas in stages I to IIIa. This concept includes all three treatment forms effective in this tumor, namely, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. The therapy scheme is stage-dependent and begins in stages T1-3 N0-1 with lung resection and in stage N2 with chemotherapy. To date, 45 patients have been included in a prospective, nonrandomized (phase II) trial: 7 in TNM stage I, 11 in stage II, and 27 in stage IIIa (6 T3 and 21 N2). The actuarial 5-year survival rate of the entire group (including therapy-related lethality, early recurrences, and protocol violations) is 36%; it is 57% for those in stage I, 28% for those in stage II, and 34% for those in stage IIIa. Median survival time is 18 months. Patients with completed multimodal treatment have a 5-year survival rate of 56% regardless of disease stage. Three patients died of tumor-unrelated causes after 47, 52, and 54 months.

Pretreatment staging evaluation in small cell lung carcinoma. A new approach to medical decision making

The real need for extensive staging at the time of diagnosis is discussed in regard to small cell lung carcinoma. We performed a decisional retrospective analysis on a series of 182 patients, based on three staging steps: the first step included physical examination and routine biologic tests. The second step consisted of liver ultrasonography and needle aspiration of any clinically detectable tumor mass, and the third step included bone marrow examination, radionuclide bone scan, thoracic, abdominal, and brain CT scan. A stepwise multivariate logistic regression performed on 11 variables considered in the first step shows that a four-parameter model can predict the spread of the disease (limited or extensive): weight loss, performance status, and elevated LDH or alkaline phosphatase levels. Limited disease can be predicted in two ways: (1) elevated LDH with normal alkaline phosphatases, no weight loss, and good performance status, or (2) normal LDH and alkaline phosphatases. In this series, 28 percent of patients can be predicted as having extensive disease and can be treated with chemotherapy alone without chest irradiation. After the second step, the probability of disease being extensive is only 25 percent, and only 84 (46.15 percent) patients would need to undergo the third step of staging procedures (brain CT scan, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, radionuclide bone scan) with this method. We conclude that a multistep approach represents a simple staging method and offers the advantage of harmlessness and lower costs for patients not to be evaluated in prospective clinical trials.

Prophylactic cranial irradiation: advantages and disadvantages

Anaplastic small cell carcinoma of the lung is a disease that responds to multiagent systemic therapy. Unfortunately, a high incidence of central nervous system (CNS) relapse has been observed by many investigators. Cranial irradiation has been successfully used in acute lymphoblastic leukemia to reduce CNS relapse and improve survival. A similar application of prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients undergoing therapy for small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung has been noted to decrease CNS relapse from approximately 25% to approximately 5%. However, CNS toxicity has been noted to occur with CNS prophylaxis. We can reduce the incidence of CNS toxicity by using modern treatment schedules and avoiding the use of doxorubicin with irradiation. Prophylactic cranial irradiation delivered to those patients who obtain a complete remission in response to induction chemotherapy can reduce the incidence of CNS relapse and can usually be delivered with minimal CNS toxicity. Unfortunately, long-term disease control with systemic agents is poor. Until more effective systemic agents are developed, the role of prophylactic cranial irradiation is one of palliation rather than improving survival.

Extrapulmonary and pulmonary small-cell carcinoma: tumor biology, therapy, and outcome

Extrapulmonary small-cell cancer is a distinct clinicopathological entity from small-cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung. Approximately 1,000 cases have been projected annually in the United States, which represents an overall incidence of between 0.1% and 0.4% of all cancer. Not surprisingly then, little information is available regarding the treatment of this disease, which presents a challenge to the clinician when it is regionally confined. The majority of patients with extrapulmonary small-cell neoplasms have only been treated with local modalities of therapy, surgery, radiation, or a combination of both. Prolonged survival is not infrequent, which is in contrast to the experience for small-cell lung cancer and surprising given our current systemic approach to patients with this disease. This report will summarize the similarities and differences in biology, natural history, and clinical characteristics of patients with extrapulmonary small-cell cancer and small-cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung. The histogenesis of small-cell cancer is briefly reviewed. A general therapeutic approach to patients with small-cell lung cancer is reported. Lastly, recommendations for therapy of patients with regionally confined extrapulmonary small-cell cancer by primary site are outlined.

Lung cancer: a review of current therapeutic modalities

This article describes the current approach to the systematic management of both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The treatment of stages I, II, and IIIa NSCLC is surgical resection. Although adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I disease offers no survival benefit, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II and IIIa NSCLC remains controversial. Results of pilot studies using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage IIIa NSCLC are encouraging and data from ongoing randomized trials are awaited with interest. For locally advanced NSCLC, chest irradiation remains the standard of care. However, the addition of systemic chemotherapy holds promise. The impact of cisplatin-based regimens on overall survival in stage IV NSCLC remains disappointing. The introduction of newer agents, such as 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino] carbonyloxycamptothecin (CPT-11), a topoisomerase-I inhibitor, has shown early favorable results. Chemotherapy is the most important therapeutic modality in the management of small cell lung cancer because of this cancer's propensity for early dissemination. In limited stage small cell lung cancer, chest radiotherapy, particularly if used early and concurrently with chemotherapy, may improve survival, but at the expense of increased toxicity. The role of prophylactic brain irradiation remains controversial in limited-stage disease. Chemotherapy is also the most important treatment modality in extensive-stage disease, but its role is only palliative. Radiotherapy is reserved primarily for disease-related complications in patients in whom chemotherapy has failed.

Neuropsychological assessment outcomes of nonacquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma before and after blood-brain barrier disruption chemotherapy

The risk of neurotoxicity was evaluated in eight consecutive patients with non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) primary central nervous system lymphoma who had survived disease free for more than 1 year after completion of treatment with osmotic opening of the blood-brain barrier and chemotherapy (methotrexate, cytoxan, procarbazine, and decadron). Trends in neuropsychological assessment results between baseline and follow-up (1 to 7 years) were analyzed for all eight nonradiated survivors. This serial assessment design addressed the specific issue of neurotoxic risk potential of treatment, when confounding factors of tumor persistence/recurrence and cranial irradiation were ruled out. Follow-up results of an extensive battery of tests to assess higher cortical function provided evidence of the safety of chemotherapy protocol with the blood-brain barrier disruption. These findings stand in contrast to well-known cognitive risks associated with cranial radiotherapy. Long-term follow-up suggests that chemotherapy can be given in conjunction with osmotic opening of the blood-brain barrier in nonradiated patients without cognitive manifestations of neurotoxicity.

Central nervous system involvement by cutaneous T cell lymphoma

Central nervous system disease in cutaneous T cell lymphoma is uncommon and is usually not considered in standard therapeutic regimens. We report three patients who had cutaneous T cell lymphoma with involvement of the central nervous system and review the cases of 28 such patients reported in the literature. Potential risk factors, the reliability of various diagnostic tests, and potential therapeutic modalities are discussed.

Effective new low toxicity chemotherapy with carboplatin, vinblastine and methotrexate for small cell lung cancer: a randomised trial against doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide

Carboplatin has been incorporated into a new low toxicity combination chemotherapy regimen with methotrexate and vinblastine (CVM) against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We have compared CVM (carboplatin 300 mg/m2, vinblastine 6 mg/m2, methotrexate 30 mg/m2, all intravenously every 4 weeks) with ACE (doxorubicin 40 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, etoposide 100 mg/m2 all intravenously day 1-3, every 3 weeks) in a randomised trial. 36/54 evaluable patients treated with CVM achieved an objective response (67%) (95% confidence limits [CL] 54-79%) compared with 44/50 treated with ACE (88%) (95% CL 80-97%, P = 0.06). For patients with limited disease treated with CVM, 14/17 (83%) (95% CL 64-100%) had an objective response compared with 14/15 (93%) (95% CL 81-100%) treated with ACE (not significant). Overall median survival was 8 months for CVM and 7 months for ACE. Haematological toxicity was significantly lower for CVM than ACE and consequently dose reduction/delay and infection were less with CVM. Subjective toxicity was low and alopecia was significantly less for CVM than ACE. CVM is an active, well tolerated new chemotherapy regimen for SCLC.

Long-term survival and toxicity in small cell lung cancer. Expanded Southwest Oncology Group experience

The Southwest Oncology Group formed a database of 2,501 patients consecutively enrolled in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) trials since 1976. This report summarizes an analysis of this database to determine predictors of 2- and 5-year survival in limited stage disease (LD) and 1- and 2-year survival in extensive stage disease (ED). In addition, we analyzed the frequency of late recurrences, toxicity, and quality of life issues in the long-term survivors. For consecutive studies, greater than or equal to 2-year survival in LD were 15 percent, 21 percent, 28 percent, and 43 percent; 5-year survivals were 5 percent, 9 percent, 8 percent, and 20 percent. In ED, greater than or equal to 1-year survivals were 27 percent, 23 percent, 21 percent, and 42 percent; greater than or equal to 2-year survivals were 6 percent, 5 percent, 3 percent, and 19 percent. Using the logistic regression multivariate model, independent favorable predictors of 5-year survival for patients accrued to our older LD trials were normal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values and good performance status. Therapy as employed in these trials was not an independent factor. However, if patients enrolled on more recent trials were included, 2-year predictors could be assessed. Therapy with concurrent chemoradiotherapy and female gender then became additional independent favorable predictors. In ED, a single metastatic site and a normal LHH value were favorable predictors of survival beyond 1 year. The retrospective review of 63 patients with LD who survived at least 5 years found 33 asymptomatic patients with no recurrent disease; 6 with recurrent SCLC, 3 of whom died; 7 who died of non-cancer-related causes or unknown causes; 3 who died of secondary primary lung cancer; and 14 alive with persistent central nervous system symptoms and signs, possibly due to prophylactic brain radiation as given in the first 3 trials. No increased incidence of this syndrome has yet been observed in subsequent trials. For ED patients, 25 of 51 survivors greater than or equal to 2 years subsequently died of recurrent SCLC. The majority of the long-term survivors with ED (35 of 51) had either a single metastatic site or metastases limited to opposite side of the chest or regional nodes. Our multivariate models support the conclusion that aggressive combined modality, concurrent induction therapy, along with favorable prognostic variables, independently contribute to the improved long-term survival we have observed in LD. Longer follow-up is required to confirm that this improvement has occurred with less late toxicity.

Brain function, learning styles, and cancer patient education

As cancer care moves into the outpatient setting and hospital stays are shortened, patients and their family members are expected to take on tremendous responsibilities in providing their own self-care. At the same time, stress and anxiety about the diagnosis of cancer, the disease itself, and cancer therapy can effect learning. Information processing, learning styles, and learning barriers need to be considered when developing and implementing cancer education programs.