Toxicity and Outcomes in Patients With and Without Esophageal Stents in Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Overview of Radiation Therapy in the Management of Localized and Metastatic Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The goal is to describe the evolution of radiation therapy (RT) utilization in the management of localized and metastatic prostate cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

Long term data for a variety of hypofractionated definitive RT dose-fractionation schemes has matured, allowing patients and providers many standard-of-care options to choose from. Post-prostatectomy, adjuvant RT has largely been replaced by an early salvage approach. Multiparametric MRI and PSMA PET have enabled increasingly targeted RT delivery to the prostate and oligometastatic tumors. Areas of active investigation include determining the value of proton beam therapy and perirectal spacers, and optimally incorporate genomic tumor profiling and next generation hormonal therapies with RT in the curative setting. The use of radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer is rapidly evolving. In the coming years, there will be continued improvements in a variety of areas to enhance the value of RT in multidisciplinary prostate cancer management.

Assessment of urine colour using a wallet card: a randomised study of a novel patient self-care tool during chemoradiation for oesophageal cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiation for oesophageal cancer often experience dehydration from decreased fluid intake and increased losses. Despite frequent clinical visits during treatment, patients can still present with dehydration, suggesting the need for increased patient awareness and engagement around adverse event management at home. Evidence for benefits of self-monitoring may help motivate patients to engage proactively in their own care to improve their treatment experience.

METHODS

We performed a randomised single-centre study of a urine colour self-monitoring card (UCC) during chemoradiation therapy for oesophageal cancer, compared with standard dietitian counselling. Primary outcome was self-efficacy as determined by the Self-Management Resource Centre Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease Scale (SMCD). Secondary outcomes included Burge thirst scores, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System scores (ESAS), patient-initiated hydrations, creatinine rise and satisfaction with the UCC.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients were randomised. UCC use was not associated with improved SMCD or ESAS scores compared with standard counselling. The card was highly rated by patients as a welcome tool for self-monitoring.

CONCLUSIONS

No beneficial effect on self-efficacy or dehydration markers with UCC use was demonstrated. The study nonetheless drew attention to several factors potentially hindering its use for effective self-care: the unexpected severity of other symptoms consuming patients' attention, reduced sensitivity of urine colour due to chemotherapy, absence of active inquiry by the healthcare team and the inconvenient location of the UCC in wallet/purse. Urine colour monitoring in patients with oesophageal cancer to improve the patient experience during treatment warrants further study but supported by active healthcare provider inquiry, more accessible format of the card, and possibly home vital checks to increase its sensitivity in the clinical context.

Gene polymorphism and prediction of toxicity to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with gynecologic cancer

The relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at various loci and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in patients with gynecologic cancer receiving platinum-based chemotherapy (PPCT) remains unexplored. This research aimed to investigate the correlation between SNPs at several loci (e.g., GSTP1 rs1695, MTHFR rs1801133, XPC rs2228001, TP53 rs1042522, and ERCC1 rs3212986) and ADRs in patients with gynecologic cancer receiving PPCT. A total of 244 patients with gynecologic cancer who received first-line PPCT were included in this retrospective study. Blood fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect genotypes. Logistic regression, Pearson's Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used to explore the correlations between these SNPs and the occurrence of ADRs. The logistic regression results showed that different genotypes of the five genes had no statistical significance in the overall grade greater than or equal to 3 ADRs. The results of Pearson's Chi-square test showed the same results. On specific adverse reactions, we found that the rs1042522 GG genotype significantly increased the risk of grade greater than or equal to 3 leucopenia compared with the CG and the CC genotypes (p = 0.002). The rs1695 AG genotype showed higher correlation for grade greater than or equal to 3 neutropenia (p = 0.020). The rs2228001 CC genotype also had a higher risk for grade greater than or equal to 3 neutropenia (p = 0.003). This study found that whereas the overall grade greater than or equal to 3 adverse reactions in patients with gynecologic cancer receiving PPCT were not associated with SNPs, specific SNPs (rs1042522 GG, rs1695 AG, and rs2228001 CC) were linked to higher risks of leucopenia and neutropenia, indicating their potential as predictors of hematotoxicity in PPCT-treated patients with gynecologic cancer.

Pilot Study Evaluating Cross-Disciplinary Educational Material to Improve Patients' Knowledge of Palliative Radiation Therapy

Palliative radiation therapy (PRT) is underutilized, partially due to misconceptions about its risks, benefits, and indications. The objective of this pilot study was to determine if patients with metastatic cancer would gain knowledge from educational material describing PRT and perceive it as useful in their care. A one-page handout conveying information about the purpose, logistics, benefits, risks, and common indications for PRT was offered to patients undergoing treatment for incurable, metastatic solid tumors in one palliative care clinic and four medical oncology clinics. Participants read the handout, then completed a questionnaire assessing its perceived value. Seventy patients participated between June and December 2021. Sixty-five patients (93%) felt they learned from the handout (40% learned "lots"), and 69 (99%) felt the information was useful (53% "very useful"). Twenty-one patients (30%) were previously unaware that PRT can relieve symptoms, 55 (79%) were unaware that PRT can be delivered in five treatments or less, and 43 (61%) were unaware that PRT usually has few side effects. Sixteen patients (23%) felt they currently had symptoms not being treated well enough, and 34 (49%) felt they had symptoms that radiation might help with. Afterwards, most patients felt more comfortable bringing symptoms to a medical oncologist's (n = 57, 78%) or radiation oncologist's (n = 51, 70%) attention. Patient-directed educational material about PRT, provided outside of a radiation oncology department, was perceived by patients as improving their knowledge and adding value in their care, independent of prior exposure to a radiation oncologist.

Impact of radiotherapy on adverse events of self-expanding metallic stents in patients with esophageal cancer

Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are considered the treatment of choice for the palliation of dysphagia and fistulas in inoperable esophageal neoplasms. However, the safety of SEMSs in patients who received or who will be submitted to radiotherapy (RT) is uncertain. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of RT on adverse events (AEs) in patients with esophageal cancer with SEMSs. This is a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary cancer hospital from 2009 to 2018. We collected information regarding RT, the histological type of the tumor, the model of SEMSs and AEs after stent placement. Three hundred twenty-three patients with malignant stenosis or fistula were treated with SEMSs. The predominant histological type was squamous cell carcinoma (79.6%). A total of 282 partially covered and 41 fully covered SEMSs were inserted. Of the 323 patients, 182 did not received RT, 118 received RT before SEMS placement and 23 after. Comparing the group that received RT before stent insertion with the group that did not, the first one presented a higher frequency of severe pain (9/118 7.6% vs. 3/182 1.6%; P = 0.02). The group treated with RT after stent placement had a higher risk of global AEs (13/23 56.5% vs. 63/182 34.6%; P = 0.019), ingrowth/overgrowth (6/23 26.1% vs. 21/182 11.5%; P = 0.045) and gastroesophageal reflux (2/23 8.7% vs. 2/182 1.1%; P = 0.034). Treatment with RT before stent placement in patients with inoperable esophageal neoplasm prolongs survival and is associated with an increased risk of severe chest pain. Treatment with RT of patients with an esophageal stent increases the frequency of minor, not life-threatening AEs.

[Nutritional supportive care in the course of patients with esophagogastric cancers]

Supportive care plays a central role in the management of patients with esophagogastric cancers, at all disease stages. Malnutrition has a high prevalence in this population, reaching up to 60 % of the patients. Sarcopenia and cachexia are also common. These complications have negative impact on functional abilities, quality of life and overall survival. They impair anti-tumor treatments effectiveness and increase their toxicity. Early detection and management are needed, before reaching advanced stages, which are refractory to therapeutic interventions. Specific nutritional support is recommended, relying on different nutritional support tools (dietetic counseling, oral supplements, artificial nutrition), depending on the clinical situation. When artificial nutrition is recommended, enteral nutrition (nasogastric tube, gastrostomy or jejunostomy) should be preferred. When enteral nutrition is impossible or insufficient, parenteral nutrition could be necessary. For patients with advanced esophagogastric cancers, digestive prostheses and decompressive radiation therapy may have a symptomatic benefit on dysphagia. Adapted physical activity is also recommended at all stages of cancer care and ongoing clinical trials will help to specify its modalities and to optimize its place in the therapeutic strategy. Finally, psychosocial support could be useful. A combined approach of these different interventions on the nutritional, physical and psychological aspects is beneficial for patients with esophagogastric cancers. This multimodal and multidisciplinary approach applies to both the early stages of the disease, with prehabilitation and/or rehabilitation to reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality and the advanced stages, with a benefit on survival and quality of life, in parallel with anti-tumor treatments.

Characterization of Partially Covered Self-Expandable Metallic Stents for Esophageal Cancer Treatment: In Vivo Degradation

Partially covered self-expandable metallic esophageal stent (SEMS) placement is the most frequently applied palliative treatment in esophageal cancer. Structural characterization of explanted 16 nitinol-polyurethane SEMS (the group of 6 females, 10 males, age 40-80) was performed after their removal due to dysfunction. The adverse bulk changes in the polymer structure were identified using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and discussed in terms of melting point shift (9 °C), glass-transition shift (4 °C), differences in viscoelastic behavior, and systematic decrease of peaks intensities corresponding to C-H, C═O, and C-N polyurethane structural bonds. The scanning electron and confocal microscopic observations revealed all major types of surface degradation, i.e., surface cracks, peeling off of the polymer material, and surface etching. The changes in the hydrophobic polyurethane surfaces were also revealed by a significant decrease in wettability (74°) and the corresponding increase of the surface free energy (31 mJ/m²). To understand the in vivo degradation, the in vitro tests in simulated salivary and gastric fluids were performed, which mimic the environments of proximal and distal ends, respectively. It was concluded that the differences in the degradation of the proximal and distal ends of prostheses strongly depend on the physiological environment, in particular stomach content. Finally, the necessity of the in vivo tests for SEMS degradation is pointed out.

Esophageal metal stent for malignant obstruction after prior radiotherapy

The association between severe adverse events (SAEs) and prior radiotherapy or stent type remains controversial. Patients with esophageal or esophagogastric junctional cancer who underwent stent placement (2005–2019) were enrolled in this retrospective study conducted at a tertiary cancer institute in Japan. The exclusion criteria were follow-up period of < 1 month and insufficient data on stent type or cancer characteristics. We used Mann–Whitney’s U test for quantitative data and Fisher’s exact test for categorical data. Multivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression model. 107 stents were placed. Low radial-force stents (L group) were used in 51 procedures and high radial-force stents (H group) in 56 procedures. SAEs developed after nine procedures, the median interval from stent placement being 6 days (range, 1–141 days). SAEs occurred more frequently in the H (14%: 8/56) than in the L group (2%: 1/51) (P = 0.03). In patients who had undergone prior radiotherapy, SAEs were more frequent in the H (36%: 4/11) than in the L group (0%: 0/13) (P = 0.03). Re-obstruction and migration occurred after 16 and three procedures, respectively; these rates did not differ significantly between groups (P = 0.59, P = 1, respectively). Low radial-force stents may reduce the risk of SAEs after esophageal stenting.

Palliation of dysphagia in metastatic oesogastric cancers: An international multidisciplinary position

Malignant dysphagia is the most common symptom in advanced oesogastric cancers patients. Relief of dysphagia allows quality of life improvement, nutritional replenishment and potentially improves prognosis. Chemotherapy alone is effective and should be prioritised in patients with metastatic disease a good performance status, and its impact on dysphagia should be determined before further interventions are planned. Regarding local treatments, the insertion of a covered self-expandable metallic stent is the most commonly used alternative, as it allows for the rapid relief of severe dysphagia. Although several randomised trials have highlighted the role of oesophageal brachytherapy, this technique is often not easily accessible. Contemporary trials are ongoing to better define the role of external radiation therapy. While awaiting these results, external radiation therapy can be considered as a second-best option for patients with a life-expectancy > 3 months. It is important to offer nutritional support and to integrate quality of life measures in the palliative management of dysphagia. This multidisciplinary international position paper aims to propose a decision-making process and highlight randomised trials for the management of malignant dysphagia in metastatic oesogastric cancer patients.

Association between the National Cancer Screening Programme (NSCP) for gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer mortality

Background

The aim was to evaluate whether this gastric cancer-screening programme was effective in reducing oesophageal cancer mortality.

Methods

A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Korean National Cancer Screening Programme (NCSP) database. The study cohort comprised 16,969 oesophageal cancer patients who had been diagnosed in 2007–2014. We analysed the association between the history of NSCP for gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer mortality.

Results

Compared with never-screened subjects, ever-screened subjects had an overall HR for oesophageal cancer mortality of 0.647 (95% CI, 0.617–0.679). According to the time interval since screening, the HRs of death were 0.731 (95% CI, 0.667–0.801) for 6–11 months, 0.635 (95% CI, 0.594–0.679) for 12–23 months, 0.564 (95% CI, 0.522–0.610) for 24–35 months and 0.742 (95% CI, 0.679–0.810) for ≥36 months. According to the last screening modality, the HRs of death were 0.497 (95% CI, 0.464–0.531) for upper endoscopy, and 0.792 (95% CI, 0.749–0.838) for UGIS. Upper endoscopy reduced the mortality consistently in all age groups over 50 years, whereas UGIS could not.

Conclusion

The NCSP for gastric cancer was effective in reducing the mortality of oesophageal cancer, and upper endoscopy was superior to UGIS.

Nutritional Support of Cancer Patients without Oral Feeding: How to Select the Most Effective Technique?

BACKGROUND

Digestive tumours are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Many cancer patients cannot maintain oral feeding and develop malnutrition. The authors aim to: review the endoscopic, radiologic and surgical techniques for nutritional support in cancer patients; address the strategies for nutritional intervention according to the selected technique; and establish a decision-making algorithm to define the best approach in a specific tumour setting.

SUMMARY

This is a narrative non-systematic review based on an electronic search through the medical literature using PubMed and UpToDate. The impossibility of maintaining oral feeding is a major cause of malnutrition in head and neck (H&N) cancer, oesophageal tumours and malignant gastric outlet obstruction. Tube feeding, endoscopic stents and gastrojejunostomy are the three main nutritional options. Nasal tubes are indicated for short-term enteral feeding. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the gold standard when enteral nutrition is expected for more than 3-4 weeks, especially in H&N tumour and oesophageal cancer patients undergoing definite chemoradiotherapy. A gastropexy push system may be considered to avoid cancer seeding. Radiologic and surgical gastrostomy are alternatives when an endoscopic approach is not feasible. Postpyloric nutrition is indicated for patients intolerant to gastric feeding and may be achieved through nasoenteric tubes, PEG with jejunal extension, percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy and surgical jejunostomy. Oesophageal and enteric stents are palliative techniques that allow oral feeding and improve quality of life. Surgical or EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy is recommended when enteric stents fail or prolonged survival is expected. Nutritional intervention is dependent on the technique chosen. Institutional protocols and decision algorithms should be developed on a multidisciplinary basis to optimize nutritional care.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastroenterologists play a central role in the nutritional support of cancer patients performing endoscopic techniques that maintain oral or enteral feeding. The selection of the most effective technique must consider the cancer type, the oncologic therapeutic program, nutritional aims and expected patient survival.

Use of esophageal stents to relieve dysphagia during neoadjuvant therapy prior to esophageal resection: a systematic review

Esophageal cancer stenting offers symptomatic relief for patients suffering from dysphagia. There are limited data to support their use to relieve dysphagia and improve nutrition during neoadjuvant therapy with some concern that they may negatively impact oncological outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the impact of esophageal stents on outcomes prior to resection with curative intent. A literature search was performed using Embase, Medline, PubMed, PubMed Central, the Cochrane library for articles pertaining to esophageal stent use prior to or during neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in patients planned for curative esophagectomy. Data extracted included basic demographics, clinical, nutritional and oncologic outcomes. A total of 9 studies involving 465 patients were included. Esophageal stent use resulted in a significant improvement in mean dysphagia scores in the immediate post stent period but failed to demonstrate any positive changes in weight, body mass index (BMI) or albumin. Only 33% of stented patients ultimately progressed to potential curative surgical resection and stents were associated with reduced R0 resection rates and lower overall survival. This systematic review shows that, although esophageal stenting is associated with improvements in dysphagia during neoadjuvant therapy, their effect on improving patient nutritional status is less clear and they may be associated with poorer long-term oncological outcomes. Stents should be used with caution in patients who are being considered for potentially curative resection of esophageal malignancies and other strategies of nutritional supplementation should be considered.

Neoadjuvant cryotherapy improves dysphagia and may impact remission rates in advanced esophageal cancer

Background and study aims  Liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy (LNSC) can provide rapid dysphagia relief, and is postulated to stimulate a local antitumor immune response. The aim of this prospective pilot clinical trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LNSC when administered prior to chemoradiotherapy. Patients and methods  Treatment-naïve adult patients with dysphagia at the time of biopsy-proven squamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus were prospectively enrolled at two tertiary medical centers. Patients underwent a single session of LNSC. The primary outcome measure was change in dysphagia at 1 and 2 weeks post-cryotherapy. A secondary outcome measure was clinical complete response rate (CR) following chemoradiotherapy. Results  Twenty-five patients were screened, of whom 21 patients were eligible and enrolled. There were seven with metastatic and 14 with locally advanced cancer. The primary outcome of dysphagia improvement of ≥ 1 point occurred in 15/21 patients (71 %) at 1 week, and 10/20 patients (50 %) at 2 weeks. The median dysphagia score improved by 1 at 1 week ( P  = 0.0003), and 0.5 at 2 weeks ( P  = 0.02). Six of nine patients (67 %) with locally advanced cancer who completed chemoradiation did not have residual tumor cells on mucosal biopsy, and five of nine patients (56 %) had a clinical CR. There were no serious cryotherapy-related complications. Conclusions  LNSC provided safe and effective palliation for esophageal cancer patients who presented with dysphagia at index diagnosis. Its combination with chemoradiotherapy did not lead to any serious toxicity. Our study provides a scientific rationale for pursuing larger clinical trials addressing synergistic effects of combining LNSC with chemoradiation.

A targeted needs assessment to improve referral patterns for palliative radiation therapy

Radiation therapy (RT) can effectively palliate a variety of symptoms in patients with metastatic cancer, using relatively low doses that infrequently cause major side effects. However, palliative radiation is often underutilized and sub-optimally implemented. In this study, we surveyed the Society of Palliative Radiation Oncology (SPRO) membership to identify barriers to appropriate referral for palliative RT that they encounter in their practice, and identify specific groups of physicians who radiation oncologists believed would benefit most from further education on when to refer patients. A total of 28 radiation oncologists responded to the survey with a response rate of 20.5%. On average, participants felt that referrals for palliative RT were inappropriately delayed 46.5% [standard deviation (STD) 20.2%] of the time. The most common barrier to referral for medical oncologists was thought to be potential interference with systemic therapy (33%); for primary care physicians and surgeons it was a lack of knowledge about the benefit (42%), and for palliative care physicians it was concern for patient convenience (25%). For brain metastases and spinal cord compression radiation oncology was felt to be part of the initial referral sequence more than 50% of the time, but less so for thoracic airway obstruction/bleeding (38%), esophageal obstruction (16%), or urinary obstruction/bleeding (8%), where another subspecialist was more often consulted first. Primary care, geriatric medicine, and emergency medicine were considered among the least knowledgeable specialties about palliative radiation. These hypothesis-generating findings can guide approaches to improve referral patterns for this important aspect of supportive care.

Esophageal Metal Stents with Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer: Safe or Not?

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to review the risks and benefits of concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) with esophageal self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) for the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between January 2014 and December 2016, the data from 46 locally advanced esophageal cancer patients who received CCRT at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Eight patients who received CCRT concomitant with SEMS placement (SEMS plus CCRT group) and thirty-eight patients who received CCRT without SEMS placement (CCRT group) were identified. The risk of developing esophageal fistula and the overall survival of the two groups were analyzed.

RESULTS

The rate of esophageal fistula formation during or after CCRT was 87.5% in the SEMS plus CCRT group and 2.6% in the CCRT group. The median doses of radiotherapy in the SEMS plus CCRT group and the CCRT group were 47.5 Gy and 50 Gy, respectively. SEMS combined with CCRT was associated with a greater risk of esophageal fistula formation than CCRT alone (hazard ratio [HR], 72.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.62-606.12; p < .001). The median overall survival times in the SEMS plus CCRT and CCRT groups were 6 months and 16 months, respectively. Overall survival was significantly worse in the SEMS plus CCRT group than in the CCRT group (HR, 5.72; 95% CI, 2.15-15.21; p < .001).

CONCLUSION

CCRT concomitant with SEMS for locally advanced esophageal cancer results in earlier life-threatening morbidity and a higher mortality rate than treatment with CCRT alone. Further prospective and randomized studies are warranted to confirm these observations.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Patients treated with SEMS placement followed by CCRT had higher risk of esophageal fistula formation and inferior overall survival rate compared with patients treated with CCRT alone. SEMS placement should be performed cautiously in patients who are scheduled to receive CCRT with curative intent.