The prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer found to have carcinomatous pleuritis at thoracotomy

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Lung Cancer Staging Project: Proposals for Revision of the Classification of Residual Tumor After Resection for the Forthcoming (Ninth) Edition of the TNM Classification of Lung Cancer

INTRODUCTION

The goal of surgical resection is to completely remove a cancer; it is useful to have a system to describe how well this was accomplished. This is captured by the residual tumor (R) classification, which is separate from the TNM classification that describes the anatomic extent of a cancer independent of treatment. The traditional R-classification designates as R0 a complete resection, as R1 a macroscopically complete resection but with microscopic tumor at the surgical margin, and as R2 a resection that leaves gross tumor behind. For lung cancer, an additional category encompasses situations in which the presence of residual tumor is uncertain.

METHODS

This paper represents a comprehensive review of evidence regarding these R categories and the descriptors thereof, focusing on studies published after the year 2000 and with adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Consistent discrimination between complete, uncertain, and incomplete resection is revealed with respect to overall survival. Evidence regarding specific descriptors is generally somewhat limited and only partially consistent; nevertheless, the data suggest retaining all descriptors but with clarifications to address ambiguities.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of this review, the R-classification for the ninth edition of stage classification of lung cancer is proposed to retain the same overall framework and descriptors, with more precise definitions of descriptors. These refinements should facilitate application and further research.

EGFR Mutation is a Prognostic Factor in Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Dissemination Detected During or After Surgery

BACKGROUND

Primary lung tumors are sometimes resected when either pleural dissemination (PD) or malignant pleural effusion (MPE) exists. This study clarified the prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with either PD and MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We examined patients with NSCLC from a multicenter database who had either PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery between 2005 and 2015. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Among 9463 registered patients, PD, MPE, or both, were found in 114 patients with NSCLC during or after surgery. Primary tumor resection and exploratory thoracotomy were performed in 65 and 49 patients, respectively. In univariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis (c-N0 or unknown), EGFR mutation, and combination of chemotherapy or tyrosine kinase inhibitors after surgery were better prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), whereas in the multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis, and EGFR mutation were favorable independent prognostic factors in OS. Additionally, limited to patients with EGFR mutation, patients with primary lung tumor resection showed a significantly better 5-year OS than those with exploratory thoracotomy (86.4 vs. 44.8%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that surgical resection of primary tumors could improve the prognosis of patients with PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery when the tumors harbor an EGFR mutation.

Long-Term Treatment-Free Survival After Multimodal Therapy in a Patient with Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma

We report the first case of a patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) who achieved disease- and treatment-free survival for nearly 10 years. A 50-year-old man was diagnosed with NSCLC with MPE and underwent chemotherapy and salvage thoracic surgery. The patient received chemotherapy with cisplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab, and a partial response was achieved. After informed consent was obtained from the patient, right middle lobectomy was performed to achieve local tumor control. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with pemetrexed and bevacizumab was discontinued after almost 1 year of chemotherapy due to side effects such as diarrhea and muscle weakness. The patient has survived without recurrence of lung cancer for more than 11 years after being diagnosed and nearly 10 years after discontinuing chemotherapy.

Surgical Resection of Primary Tumors Provides Survival Benefits for Lung Cancer Patients With Unexpected Pleural Dissemination

Background: Surgery is not generally recommended for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with malignant pleural dissemination (PD). However, in some cases, PD is found unexpectedly during surgery. There is no consensus on whether surgical intervention can provide survival benefit for them. We investigated the role of surgery in NSCLC patients with unexpected PD by a cohort study.

Methods: Clinical data of consecutive patients who intended to undergo radical surgery for NSCLC between January 2010 and December 2015 at Shanghai Chest Hospital and Huadong Hospital were collected from a lung cancer database. Patients diagnosed with unexpected malignant pleural nodules intraoperatively were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Results: A total of 181 NSCLC patients were diagnosed with unexpected malignant PD intraoperatively and confirmed with postoperatively histological examinations. Out of these, 80 (44.2%) patients received pleural nodule biopsies alone, and 101 (55.8%) received primary tumor resection (47 with sublobar resection and 54 with lobectomy). The median progression-free survival and overall survival for all patients were 13 and 41 months respectively. Patients in the resection group had significantly better progression-free survival (19.0 vs. 10.0 months, P < 0.0001) and overall survival (48.0 vs. 33.0 months, P < 0.0001) than patients in the biopsy group. In the resection group, there was no statistical difference between patients with sublobar resection and lobectomy (P = 0.34). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified primary tumor resection, targeted adjuvant therapy, and tumor size (≤ 3 cm) as independent prognostic factors.

Conclusions: NSCLC patients with unexpected intraoperative PD potentially benefited from surgical resection of the primary tumor and multidisciplinary targeted therapy, particularly when tumor size did not exceed 3 cm. Our data demonstrated that the resection type was not associated with survival differences, which remains to be defined with a larger sample size.

New horizons in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with ipsilateral pleural dissemination (M1a): review of the literature

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with ipsilateral pleural dissemination (pM1a) is generally contraindicated for surgery owing to the extremely poor survival. However, some studies have demonstrated that primary tumor resection (PTR) may prolong the survival of these patients. Besides, with the development of systemic therapy, it is still hard to decide the best therapy model for pM1a patients. Thus, we reviewed essential studies about NSCLC with pleural disease and summarized the progress of new techniques in recent years, trying to provide promising new horizons about the management of pM1a patients. Firstly, we suggest performing PTR for highly selected pM1a patients, combined with appropriate systemic therapies and follow-up strategies. Secondly, hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) can control the symptoms and prolong the survival of NSCLC patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). It could also combine with PTR together. Finally, application of genetic testing and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring may furthermore make it possible for personalized management of pM1a patients in the future.

Is surgical resection of primary tumour superior to exploratory thoracotomy without resection in treating lung cancer patients with unexpected pleural metastasis detected during operation?

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'In lung cancer patients with unexpected pleural metastasis detected during operation, is surgical resection of primary tumour superior to exploratory thoracotomy without resection in improving long-term survival?'. Altogether, 1443 papers were found using the reported search, of which 1 meta-analysis and 10 retrospective observational cohort studies represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers were tabulated. One meta-analysis and 9 cohort studies found that surgical resection of the primary tumour, on the discovery of pleural metastases, yielded a better overall survival than exploratory thoracotomy alone, while 1 cohort study showed no difference. Six studies found that main tumour resection was an independent favourable prognostic factor for overall survival in lung cancer patients with unexpected pleural metastasis detected during operation, while 3 cohort studies also showed improved progression-free survival over exploratory thoracotomy. Therefore, we conclude that surgical resection of the primary tumour is superior to exploratory thoracotomy in treating lung cancer patients with unexpected pleural metastasis detected during operation.

Predictive factors related to pleural dissemination in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

The prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with pleural dissemination is poor, and pleural dissemination is generally considered a contraindication for radical surgery. However, if pleural dissemination is missed intraoperatively, patients with false-negative stage IV NSCLC cannot receive appropriate chemotherapy, and their prognosis might worsen.

Methods

In the present study, we enrolled 144 patients who received surgery for NSCLC between January 2008 and December 2019 with available data on the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max) on positron emission tomography (PET) with lesions adjacent to the visceral pleura and without lesions invading the chest wall.

Results

Seven patients who had pleural dissemination were compared with 137 patients who had not pleural dissemination. The relationships between pleural dissemination and the clinicopathological variables were analyzed, and significant differences in the histopathological type (P=0.03), and differentiation (P<0.01) were noted. It was suggested that squamous cell carcinoma tended not to show dissemination to the pleural cavity. The logistic regression analyses of the predictive factors related to pleural dissemination in non-squamous cell carcinoma patients were analyzed, and the age (P=0.01) and differentiation (P<0.01) were identified as significant predictive factors related to pleural dissemination.

Conclusions

Cases with non-squamous cell carcinoma, a young age, and poor differentiation of undifferentiated grade of histological differentiation are factors associated with early pleural cavity dissemination.

The prognostic value of multiorgan metastases in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and its variants: a SEER-based study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of different organs metastases in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its most common subtypes.

METHODS

We identified 45,423 NSCLC cases (25,129 men and 20,294 women) between 2010 and 2013 with distant metastases, with complete clinical information obtained from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database.

RESULTS

Bone and liver were the most and the least common metastatic sites with rates of 37.1 and 16.8%, respectively. The mortality rates associated with bone, brain, liver, lung metastases, and multiorgan metastases (MOM) were 73.2, 72.7, 78.3, 65.4, and 77.5%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated that patients with MOM and liver metastasis had the worst survival. Compared with NSCLC cases with other organ metastasis, but without the four organs metastasis, hazard ratios (HRs) for lung, bone, brain, and liver metastases, and MOM were 0.906 (95% CI 0.866-0.947), 1.276 (95% CI 1.225-1.330), 1.318 (95% CI 1.260-1.379), 1.481 (95% CI 1.388-1.580), and 1.647 (95% CI 1.587-1.709), respectively. Similar results were obtained for adenocarcinoma (AD) cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The mortality risk is highest with MOM and liver metastasis followed by bone, brain, other organ, and lung metastases in NSCLC and AD which is the most common variant for NSCLC. These results will be helpful for pre-treatment evaluation regarding the prognosis of NSCLC patients.

The prognosis after contraindicated surgery of NSCLC patients with malignant pleural effusion (M1a) may be better than expected

Although non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with malignant pleural effusion (M1a) is generally contraindicated for surgery, several reports have demonstrated favorable prognosis. This study aimed to describe the results of surgical intervention in this disease. In this retrospective study, we evaluated NSCLC patients with ipsilateral malignant pleural effusion selected from Surveillance Epidemiology and End-Results database (SEER). Primary tumor resection was compared to no tumor resection in the overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS). Multivariate analyses and propensity score matching were applied to compare the two groups. The study included 2,217 eligible patients. Primary tumor resection group was significantly associated with better OS and LCSS compared to no tumor resection group (the median survival time (MST), 20 vs 7 months; OS, p <0.001; LCSS, p <0.001). Multivariable analyses indicated that no primary tumor resection was associated with decreased OS (Hazard Ratio (HR), 2.136; p<0.001) and LCSS (HR, 2.053; p<0.001). In propensity score-matched pairs, better OS and LCSS were further validated in patients with ipsilateral malignant pleural effusion who underwent primary tumor resection compared to no tumor resection (MST, 20 vs 6 months; OS, p <0.001; LCSS, p <0.001). Similarly, multivariable analyses also indicated that no primary tumor resection was associated with decreased OS (HR, 2.309; p <0.001) and LCSS (HR, 2.301; p <0.001) for patients with ipsilateral malignant pleural effusion. In conclusion, the prognosis after contraindicated surgery of NSCLC patients with malignant pleural effusion (M1a) may be better than expected. Thus, subsequent studies should aim to identify patients who could benefit from surgery.

Effect of postoperative systemic therapy on pulmonary adenocarcinoma with unexpected pleural spread detected during thoracotomy or thoracoscopy

Background

Occasionally, malignant pleural disease is only detected unexpectedly during surgery in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Previous studies mostly focused on the role of main tumor resection on patient's outcome, barely addressing the position of postoperative systemic therapy.

Methods

The medical records of 5321 non-small cell lung cancer patients who underwent thoracic surgery between January 1990 and December 2012 were reviewed. Pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients with unexpected pleural spread noted during surgery were included. The clinical and postoperative treatment variables were assessed for correlation with overall survival.

Results

In 134 patients identified, main tumor resection was performed in 87 (64.9%) patients, while 89 (66.4%) and 57 (42.5%) patients received postoperative chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor- tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR -TKI) therapy, respectively. Overall, the 5-year survival rate was 30.2% and median survival time was 29.3 months. Multivariate analysis showed main tumor resection and EGFR-TKI therapy were associated with better survival. Mutational status of EGFR was available in 57 patients and 43 (75.4%) had activating mutations. Resection of the main tumor conferred a better outcome in patients without EGFR mutation or with unknown EGFR mutation status and had not been treated with EGFR-TKI therapy (P = 0.003), but not in those with activating EGFR mutation and had been treated with EGFR-TKI (P = 0.857).

Conclusions

In pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients with unexpected pleural spread detected during surgery, main tumor resection and EGFR-TKI therapy correlated with better survival. Identifying EGFR mutation status before surgery can provide useful information for clinical decision during surgery.

Management of occult malignant pleural disease firstly detected at thoracotomy for non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background

The current study was to investigate the risk factors of occult malignant pleural disease (MPD) detected at thoracotomy and the outcomes of surgical intervention for these non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with or without MPD.

Methods

We reviewed 2,093 consecutive NSCLC patients who underwent thoracotomy from January 2006 to January 2015. We used univariate and multivariate statistics to analyze the associations between clinicopathological variables and occurrence of occult MPD. Survival probability was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

5.26% (110/2,093) MPD was observed for these NSCLC patients with 28% of 5-year estimated survival rate. Age ≤50 (P=0.055), high CEA level (P=0.006), advanced N stage (P=0.005), adenocarcinoma (P=0.001) and pleural invasion (P=0.041) were detected to be independent risk factors for the occult MPD. Combination of these five factors, 0.756 of area under curve (AUC) was shown by the integrated prediction model test. Based on the optimal cut-off value (risk score =2.795), low-risk patients have better prognosis than the high-risk patients (median survival time 61.4 months vs. not reached, P<0.001; 5-year survival 71.8% vs. 51.1%, P<0.001). Significantly, 49.0 months/31.7% and 29.4 months/19.5% of the median survival time/5-year survival rate were found for the occult MPD 110 patients receiving primary lesion resection and open-close surgery, respectively (P=0.037).

Conclusions

We summarized that a new prediction model including 5-risk factors of age, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), N stage, adenocarcinoma and pleural invasion was provided to diagnose MPD for the NSCLC patients and primary lesion resection greatly contributed for these MPD patients.

The role of surgical intervention in lung cancer with carcinomatous pleuritis

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) associated with carcinomatous pleuritis are currently classified as having stage IV disease per the 7^th edition of the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) system, which means that the disease is deemed incurable. In fact, the 5-year survival rate of these patients was only 2% in a large global cohort collected by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. However, patients with carcinomatous pleuritis have heterogeneous conditions. Some have minimal pleural effusion, which is first detected at thoracotomy; some have numerous pleural nodules without any effusion; and others have massive effusion and nodules with symptoms. Several investigators have reported the contribution of surgical intervention to favorable outcomes of patients with carcinomatous pleuritis first detected at thoracotomy. These reports show a relatively higher 5-year survival rate of 15% to 37%. The extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) is a radical surgical procedure that is commonly employed in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Two authors reported that they have successfully performed EPPs for the treatment of patients with carcinomatous pleuritis. Their 5-year survival rates were estimated to be 22% and 61%, a significantly improved outcome. Although the development of chemotherapeutic agents, including molecular targeted drugs, might have the potential to prolong the survival of patients with advanced lung cancer, surgical interventions including EPP might have a role in improving the survival of patients with carcinomatous pleuritis of minimal disease and those without massive effusion or numerous pleural nodules.

Should primary tumor be resected for non-small cell lung cancer with malignant pleural disease unexpectedly found during operation?-a systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with malignant pleural disease (MPD) was considered to be contraindication for surgery, but sometimes MPD was unexpectedly found intraoperatively. There was no consensus on the role of surgical intervention on the primary tumor in patients with MPD. The object of this research was to assess whether exairesis of primary tumor could prolong survival time.

METHODS

A systemic research of literature was performed on the databases of PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. Literatures examining surgical benefit or other prognostic factors among NSCLC patients with MPD unexpectedly found during operations were included. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) as well as P value is applied for prognostic role of surgical removal or other potential factors.

RESULTS

Nine articles with a total number of 861 patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria, five of them compared the survival benefit between exploration and resection among NSCLC patients with unexpected MPD, and other studies also investigated the prognostic factors in these patients. There was a significant survival benefit in patients with primary tumor resection (HR =0.443; 95% CI: 0.344-0.571; P<0.001). This role was further detected when stratified by analysis method and ethnicity. Female was an independent favorable predicted factor (HR =0.788; 95% CI: 0.648-0.959; P=0.017) while higher N-stage was a risk factor (HR =1.879; 95% CI: 1.307-2.701; P=0.001). Among patients who received primary tumor resection, higher N-stage was also a risk factor for poorer survival (HR =2.021; 95% CI: 1.496-2.730; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Resection of primary tumor, female and lower-N stage were suggested to be beneficial prognostic factor among NSCLC patients who were detected with MPD for the first time in the operating room. And among these people who received surgical removal of primary tumor, lower N-stage also indicated a better survival.

Surgical Intervention for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Carcinomatosis: Results From the Japanese Lung Cancer Registry in 2004

INTRODUCTION

A subset of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with malignant pleural effusion and/or malignant pleural nodules is now classified as stage IV and is generally considered a contraindication to surgery. However, several reports have demonstrated that the prognosis of patients with pleural carcinomatosis first detected at thoracotomy is relatively favorable. The aim of this study was to describe the results of surgical intervention in NSCLC patients with pleural carcinomatosis in Japan.

METHODS

In 2010, the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry conducted a nationwide registration of lung cancer patients who underwent surgery in 2004. Using this database, we performed a retrospective study focused on pleural carcinomatosis. We examined the clinicopathological features, the current status of therapy, and surgical outcomes in patients with pleural carcinomatosis.

RESULTS

Among the 11,420 registered NSCLC patients, 329 (2.9%) patients had pleural carcinomatosis. The median survival time and 5-year survival rate of 313 patients without other metastatic disease were 34.0 months and 29.3%, respectively. Primary tumor resection was performed in 256 (81.8%) patients, and macroscopic complete resection was achieved in 152 (48.6%) patients, with 5-year survival rates of 33.1% and 37.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (p < 0.001), best stage nodal status (p = 0.002), and the presence or absence of gross residual tumor (p = 0.013) were independent predictors of survival.

CONCLUSION

In our surgical registry for NSCLC, patients with pleural carcinomatosis accounted for 2.9%, and macroscopic complete resection for them was associated with better survival.

Accidental invisible intrathoracic disseminated pT4-M1a: a distinct lung cancer with favorable prognosis

OBJECTIVE

In the 7(th) edition of the TNM classification of malignant tumors, the prognosis for pT4-M1a stage IV lung cancer is better than for stage pIIIB. Subgroups of lung cancer patients who underwent incomplete resection (R1/R2) have a favorable prognosis. This study compares the prognosis between cases of invisible local residual disease and intrathoracic disseminated pT4-M1aIV.

METHODS

Patient characteristics and histological and molecular profiles were retrospectively collected for lung cancer patients who underwent resection intended to be curative but were accidentally incomplete. All patients were divided into either a local residual group or an intrathoracic disseminated pT4M1a group. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models.

RESULTS

In total, 1,483 consecutive lung cancer patients receiving thoracotomies at Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute were retrospectively analyzed. Fifty-eight patients receiving incomplete resections (R1/R2) were enrolled, including 38 patients with local residual cancer (2.6% of all patients) and 20 patients with disseminated pM1a (1.3%). Patient characteristics, and histological and molecular profiles of the two groups were different. Compared to the local residual group, the disseminated pT4-M1a group contained more females (P=0.002), more patients younger than 60 years of age (P=0.028), more non-smokers (P=0.037), more adenocarcinomas (20/20 vs. 20/38, P<0.001), more adenocarcinomas with lepidic pattern (11/20 vs. 4/38, P<0.001), higher carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (P=0.06), higher epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation rates (16/20 vs. 7/38, P<0.001), a higher R2/R1 resection ratio (P=0.013), a higher advanced stage IV/IIIB ratio (P<0.001), but fewer lymph node metastases (P=0.013). Median PFS for the local residual and disseminated pT4-M1a groups was 9.0 and 18.0 months, respectively [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.285-16.715; P =0.099]. Median OS was 15.0 and 45.0 months, respectively (95% CI, 18.972-39.028; P=0.001). Cox regression analysis revealed that group (local residual vs. disseminated pT4-M1a) was the only independent prognostic factor (P=0.044) for OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Accidental invisible intrathoracic disseminated pT4-M1a may be a distinct lung cancer subtype with a favorable prognosis. The prolonged PFS and OS might reflect the natural history of this distinct subtype, together with a favorable response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI). For asymptomatic and slow-growing accidental pT4-M1a disease, the role of a wait-and-see strategy and the appropriate timing of systemic treatment require further investigation.

Preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer with malignant pleural effusion and/or pleural nodules: Ten-year results of a prematurely terminated single institute phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Malignant pleural effusion and/or pleural nodules are a final stage of disease extension of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is currently classified as M1a-Stage IV disease. The role of surgery, especially extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for local disease control and its impact on the survival of patients remains uncertain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This single institute phase II trial was performed from March 1997 to March July 2004 to assess the effects of induction concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using a pro-drug of 5-FU, uracil-tegafur (UFT(®), Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan), plus cisplatin concurrently with 40 Gy hemithorax radiation followed by EPP. Intraoperative hypotonic cisplatin treatment in the pleural cavity before resection of the pericardium and diaphragm was performed. The primary endpoint of this study was the overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoint was the disease-free survival (DFS), safety, response to the induction CRT, local disease control period in the affected thorax and the type of disease recurrence.

RESULTS

This trial was prematurely terminated because of the slow registration pace. During the study period, 11 patients were enrolled. There were five males and six females, with a median age of 55 (36-64) years. All patients had adenocarcinoma. All patients received the planned induction CRT. Five patients achieved a partial response and five achieved stable disease, and one patient could not be evaluated. One patient underwent exploratory thoracotomy due to unresectable chest wall invasion, and nine patients (81.8%) underwent EPP. No perioperative deaths were encountered. The median follow-up time was matured at 32.1 (range 15.0-100) months. The one-, three- and five-year DFS rates were 77.8% (95%CI: 50.6-100%), 11.1% and 11.1% (95%CI: 95%CI: 0-31.7%), respectively. The one-, three- and five-year OS rates were 100.0%, 33.3% (95%CI: 2.5-64.1%) and 22.2% (95%CI: 0.0-49.4%), respectively. Recurrence developed in eight of nine patients who underwent EPP (88.9%). All first recurrent sites were distant regions, and no ipsilateral local recurrence was identified.

CONCLUSION

The trimodality treatment used in this trial appears to be a choice of treatment for highly selected patients. However, the impact on the survival of NSCLC patients with malignant pleural effusion and/or pleural nodules still remains uncertain given the small number of patients enrolled in the study.

Role of surgery in multi-modality treatment for carcinomatous pleuritis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of surgery in the treatment of the patients with non-small cell lung cancer with pleural dissemination.

METHODS

The clinical records of 25 patients (mean age 69 years) diagnosed with carcinomatous pleuritis during a thoracotomy by pathological examination and followed by surgery between 1994 and 2012 were reviewed. The treatment modality, including surgery, the clinicopathologic characteristics and 5-year survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 16 adenocarcinomas, 6 squamous cell carcinomas and 3 large cell carcinomas. Surgery included resection of the main tumor by partial resection in 10 cases, segmentectomy in 2 cases, lobar resection in 12 cases and bilobectomy in 1 case. Intrathoracic irrigation was performed in 20 cases. The pathological N status was N0/N1/N2/Nx: 10/6/7/2. Fifteen patients received adjuvant therapy. The overall 5-year survival rate was 22.2 %. The 5-year survival rates of the N0, N1 and N2 groups were 36.0, 16.7 and 14.3 %, respectively (p = 0.0068). Nine patients lived more than 3 years including 5 in N0, 3 in N1 and 1 in N2.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery should not be excluded from the multi-modality treatment of patients with carcinomatous pleuritis because there are some patients who could benefit from surgery especially if they are in N0 status.

Outcome of platinum-based chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with pleural dissemination detected during surgery

Pleural dissemination detected by computed tomography (CT) is considered to be unfavorable for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the prognosis of NSCLC patients who are diagnosed with pleural dissemination at the time of surgery has yet to be adequately elucidated. To assess the outcomes of platinum-based chemotherapy in NSCLC patients in whom pleural dissemination was detected during exploratory thoracotomy with or without a videoscope, the clinical records of NSCLC patients who were admitted to Shizuoka Cancer Center between September, 2002 and April, 2009 were reviewed. A total of 19 patients were included in this study, 12 males and 7 females, with a median age of 65 years. All patients were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma and 6 were epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation-positive. The median number of treatment cycles of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy was 4 (range, 1-6 cycles) and the objective response rate was 21% [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.5-43]. The median progression-free and overall survival were 10.4 (95% CI: 6.3-18.4) and 50.5 months (95% CI: 32.5-98.0), respectively. Of the 18 patients with reported disease progression, 9 (50%) developed locoregional tumor progression. In conclusion, NSCLC patients in whom pleural dissemination is detected during surgery tend to have a favorable prognosis for survival. Systemic chemotherapy and additional local treatment may improve their clinical outcomes.

Pulmonary resection for lung cancer with malignant pleural disease first detected at thoracotomy

OBJECTIVES

The prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with malignant pleural disease (MPD), characterized by malignant pleural effusion and/or malignant pleural nodules, is reported to be poor, and patients with MPD are generally not subjected to surgery. However, whether or not the primary tumor should be resected, when MPD is first detected at thoracotomy, is controversial.

METHODS

The clinical records of 1623 consecutive NSCLC patients, who underwent surgery between 1990 and 2007, were retrospectively reviewed. A hundred patients (6.2%) were classified with pathological stage IV disease according to the seventh edition of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) staging system. There were 73 patients with MPD, which included 32 with effusion without nodules (MPE) and 41 with nodules with or without effusion (MPN). Intra- or postoperative pleural chemotherapy was administered to 37 MPD patients.

RESULTS

The median survival time, the 3-year survival rate and the 5-year survival rate for MPD patients were 25.9 months, 41.4%, and 23.7%, respectively, which are better outcomes than those for M1b patients (8.7 months, 18% and 18%, respectively) (log-lank test: p=0.014). Among MPD patients, N0-1 disease was determined to be a favorable prognostic factor (p=0.01). MPD status (MPE or MPN) was not prognostically significant (p=0.40). MPE patients with N0-1 disease had a significantly better prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of 63.6% compared to MPE patients with N2-3 disease (p=0.003). Twenty-seven percent of MPN patients with N0-1 disease achieved 5-year survival, whereas none of the MPD patients with N2-3 disease survived longer than 5 years after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The prognosis of patients with surgically detected MPD, who underwent resection, was better than that of M1b patients. MPE patients with N0-1 disease may be candidates for resection.

Surgery for metastatic pleural extension of non-small-cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

Malignant cells in the pleural fluid or pleural metastases are now classified stage IV in lung cancer and alter the treatment. Our purpose was to question the role of surgery in such patients.

METHODS

The clinical records of 4668 patients, who underwent lung cancer surgery, were reviewed. In some, an undiagnosed pleural malignant disease (M1a) was discovered during thoracotomy. When feasible, selected patients underwent complete surgical resection of the primary tumor and pleural nodules. We analyzed the epidemiology, pathology, and prognosis characteristics of that group (study group), as compared with the population undergoing pulmonary resection in a curative attempt (overall population) or exploratory thoracotomy in case of unexpected disseminated carcinomatous pleuritis (control group).

RESULTS

The study group included 32 patients (25 males), mean age 59 ± 8.8 years, who underwent pneumonectomy (n = 9) or lobectomy (n = 23), associated with mediastinal lymph nodes dissection and surgical resection of associated pleural nodules. There were 21 adenocarcinomas, seven squamous cell carcinomas, two undifferentiated large cell carcinomas, and two miscellaneous tumors. Pathological node (pN) was: N0 in 10 patients (31.3%), N1 in four (12.5%), and N2 in 18 (56.3%). Five-year survival rate was 16% after resection, and 21% if the resection was a lobectomy.

CONCLUSION

Complete surgical resection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) associated with limited metastatic pleural involvement is associated with long-term survival in 16% of the cases. A review of the published data, together with the results of this series, may justify the inclusion of surgery in multimodality treatment of NSCLC patients with metastatic pleural extension.

Operative results of clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Clinical stage (c-stage) I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is generally indicated for surgery, however, surgical exploration sometimes reveals advanced disease, thus resulting in incomplete resection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 645 consecutive patients were investigated in which 347 were diagnosed to have c-stage IA in 347 and 298 were diagnosed to have IB disease. All cases underwent operation and were investigated for resectability and the cause of an incomplete resection.

RESULTS

The c-Stage IA patients included 16.6% of T3/4 and 10.4% of N2 whereas clinical stage IB patients included 14.4% of T3/4 and 18.8% of N2/3. A complete resection was performed in 594 patients (91%). In 347 c-stage IA patients, the complete resection rates were 93% in adenocarcinomas (235/252), 100% in squamous cell carcinomas (76/76), and 89% in others (17/19). In 298 c-stage IB patients, the complete resection rates were 86% in adenocarcinomas (141/164), 90% in squamous cell carcinomas (90/100), and 94% in others (31/33). The 5-year survival rates of the c-stage IA and IB patients who underwent a complete resection were 66.4 and 48.3%, respectively. However, the same rates were 18.4 and 14.7% for c-stage IA and IB patients who underwent an incomplete resection. The reasons for an incomplete resection in 54 patients were malignant pleurisy in 38 (70.4%), extranodal invasion of mediastinal nodal metastasis in ten (19%), an incomplete bronchial margin in three (5.6%), and ipsilateral pulmonary metastases in two (3.7%), and ipsilateral adrenal metastasis in one (1.3%). In 13% of the c-stage IB adenocarcinomas, pleural metastasis was discovered during thoracotomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Pleural dissemination was the most frequent cause of an incomplete resection, and its prevalence was high in c-stage IB adenocarcinomas.