Docetaxel and concurrent radiotherapy after two cycles of induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and vinorelbine in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. A phase II trial conducted by the Groupe Francais de Pneumo-Cancerologie (GFPC)

Comparison of post-chemoradiotherapy pneumonitis between Asian and non-Asian patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Pneumonitis is a common complication for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). It remains unclear whether there is ethnic difference in the incidence of post-CRT pneumonitis.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies from January 1, 2000 to April 30, 2023. The outcomes of interest were incidence rates of pneumonitis. The random-effect model was used for statistical analysis. This meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023416490).

Findings

A total of 248 studies involving 28,267 patients were included. Among studies of CRT without immunotherapy, the pooled rates of pneumonitis for Asian patients were significantly higher than that for non-Asian patients (all grade: 66.8%, 95% CI: 59.2%-73.9% vs. 28.1%, 95% CI: 20.4%-36.4%; P < 0.0001; grade ≥2: 25.1%, 95% CI: 22.9%-27.3% vs. 14.9%, 95% CI: 12.0%-18.0%; P < 0.0001; grade ≥3: 6.5%, 95% CI: 5.6%-7.3% vs. 4.6%, 95% CI: 3.4%-5.9%; P = 0.015; grade 5: 0.6%, 95% CI: 0.3%-0.9% vs. 0.1%, 95% CI: 0.0%-0.2%; P < 0.0001). Regarding studies of CRT plus immunotherapy, Asian patients had higher rates of all-grade (74.8%, 95% CI: 63.7%-84.5% vs. 34.3%, 95% CI: 28.7%-40.2%; P < 0.0001) and grade ≥2 (34.0%, 95% CI: 30.7%-37.3% vs. 24.6%, 95% CI: 19.9%-29.3%; P = 0.001) pneumonitis than non-Asian patients, but with no significant differences in the rates of grade ≥3 and grade 5 pneumonitis. Results from subgroup analyses were generally similar to that from the all studies. In addition, the pooled median/mean of lung volume receiving ≥20 Gy and mean lung dose were relatively low in Asian studies compared to that in non-Asian studies.

Interpretation

Asian patients are likely to have a higher incidence of pneumonitis than non-Asian patients, which appears to be due to the poor tolerance of lung to radiation. Nevertheless, these findings are based on observational studies and with significant heterogeneity, and need to be validated in future large prospective studies focusing on the subject.

Funding

None.

Radiotherapy in Italy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Patterns of Care Survey

Aims and Background

Surveys in clinical practice are useful to find how current clinical approaches follow recommendations from evidence-based medicine, to stimulate discussion in a multidisciplinary team, and to hypothesize collaborative multi-centric trials. To assess management strategies for the use of radiotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer in Italy, in 2009, the Italian Society of Radiation Oncology Lung Cancer Study Group proposed the survey to all Italian radiation oncology institutions. Results were compared with literature data and international reports.

Study Design

Questionnaires on patterns of care of non-small cell lung cancer were sent to radiation oncology centers active at June 2009 and evaluated data recorded in 2008.

Results

A total of 65 of 143 Italian centers responded to the questionnaire. The responding centers reflect the distribution of radiotherapy centers throughout the country. Of the treated patients, 55.2% were stage III, and most cases had a good performance status. FDG-PET was routinely used by 51% of centers for diagnostic and contouring phases. Postoperative radiotherapy was prescribed to pN1 and pN2 patients in 42.2% and 98.5%, respectively. The possible use of neo-adjuvant concomitant chemoradiation was declared by 70% of responders. A sequential chemoradiation approach was actually used in 43.6% of cases, induction chemotherapy followed by concomitant radiochemotherapy in 42.4%, and upfront concomitant radiochemotherapy in only 14%. In 53% of the institutions, patients have a clinical examination by a radiation oncologist only after the beginning of chemotherapy and in 82.4% of cases they have already received 2–4 cycles of chemotherapy. Most of the institutions exclude elective nodal irradiation from routine application. Total dose and fractionation in adjuvant, neoadjuvant, curative and palliative settings confirm literature data. There were significant differences in treatment planning constraints applied for lung, esophageal and cardiac tissues. Of the responding centers, 41% had stereotactic therapy for primary inoperable lung cancer and for metastatic lesions.

Conclusions

In Italy, daily practice differs in some ways from the evidence supported by the results of meta-analyses/clinical trials as regards concurrent chemoradiation approaches. It could be postulated that there is an urgent need for groups that collaborate with the other societies involved in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in order to offer the best therapy to our patients.

A phase II study of cisplatin with intravenous and oral vinorelbine as induction chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy with oral vinorelbine and cisplatin for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Concomitant platinum-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CT-RT) is the recommended treatment for unresectable locally advanced stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We conducted a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fractionated oral vinorelbine with cisplatin as induction CT followed by CT-RT.

Methods

Patients with stage III NSCLC received 2 induction cycles of intravenous vinorelbine 25 mg/m² and cisplatin 80 mg/m² on day 1 and oral vinorelbine 60 mg/m² on day 8. Responding patients received 2 more cycles of cisplatin 80 mg/m² on day 1 and oral vinorelbine 20 mg on days 1, 3 and 5 concomitantly with radiotherapy 2 Gy daily, 5 days/week for a total of 66 Gy.

Results

Seventy patients, median age 61 years, were enrolled. Overall response rate (ORR) was 50.0%; Disease Control Rate was 81.42%. Median PFS was 14.58 months [95% CI, 10.97-18.75]. Median OS was 17.08 months [95% CI, 13.57-29.57]. One-year and 2-year survival rates were 68.6% [95% CI, 57.7-79.4] and 37%. One patient had a grade 3 pulmonary radiation injury and 26.5% had graded 1/2 esophagitis.

Conclusion

In non-operable IIIA-IIIB NSCLC, the combination oral vinorelbine (fractionated fixed dose) plus cisplatin, during concomitant CT-RT, could offer a well-tolerated option, with comparable activity to I.V. vinorelbine-based chemoradiotherapy regimens.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01839032

Docetaxel-induced interstitial pneumonitis following non-small-cell lung cancer treatment

Interstitial pneumonitis has been described infrequently following administration of docetaxel, used alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents or concurrent irradiation, for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This toxicity is of special relevance in NSCLC, as clinical severity and differential diagnosis may be especially challenging. It seems to be due to type I and type IV hypersensitivity reactions to the drug. Clinical and radiographic features are nonspecific and diagnosis is made by exclusion. The rate of grade III-IV docetaxel-induced pneumonitis, ranging from 7 to 47%, depends on several factors, including total dose, chemotherapy schedule and especially concomitant docetaxel treatment with gemcitabine and radiotherapy. Although the usual outcome is cure, it sometimes eventually progresses to pulmonary fibrosis despite steroid treatment. This toxicity must be taken into account when planning treatment strategies for NSCLC in order to reduce its rate and to achieve prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Accelerated high-dose radiotherapy alone or combined with either concomitant or sequential chemotherapy; treatments of choice in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Results of high-dose chemo-radiotherapy (CRT), using the treatment schedules of EORTC study 08972/22973 or radiotherapy (RT) alone were analyzed among all patients (pts) with Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) treated with curative intent in our department from 1995-2004.

MATERIAL

Included are 131 pts with medically inoperable or with irresectable NSCLC (TNM stage I:15 pts, IIB:15 pts, IIIA:57 pts, IIIB:43 pts, X:1 pt).

TREATMENT

Group I: Concomitant CRT: 66 Gy/2.75 Gy/24 fractions (fx)/33 days combined with daily administration of cisplatin 6 mg/m(2): 56 pts (standard).Group II: Sequential CRT: two courses of a 21-day schedule of chemotherapy (gemcitabin 1250 mg/m(2) d1, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 d2) followed by 66 Gy/2.75 Gy/24 fx/33 days without daily cisplatin: 26 pts.Group III: RT: 66 Gy/2.75 Gy/24 fx/33 days or 60 Gy/3 Gy/20 fx/26 days: 49 pts.

RESULTS

The 1, 2, and 5 year actuarial overall survival (OS) were 46%, 24%, and 15%, respectively.At multivariate analysis the only factor with a significantly positive influence on OS was treatment with chemo-radiation (P = 0.024) (1-, 2-, and 5-yr OS 56%, 30% and 22% respectively). The incidence of local recurrence was 36%, the incidence of distant metastases 46%.Late complications grade 3 were seen in 21 pts and grade 4 in 4 patients. One patient had a lethal complication (oesophageal). For 32 patients insufficient data were available to assess late complications.

CONCLUSION

In this study we were able to reproduce the results of EORTC trial 08972/22973 in a non-selected patient population outside of the setting of a randomised trial. Radiotherapy (66 Gy/24 fx/33 days) combined with either concomitant daily low dose cisplatin or with two neo-adjuvant courses of gemcitabin and cisplatin are effective treatments for patients with locally advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. The concomitant schedule is also suitable for elderly people with co-morbidity.

The role of docetaxel in N2 locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are a heterogeneous group often treated with multimodality therapy. Docetaxel has an established role in the treatment of advanced-stage NSCLC and has demonstrated promising activity in the locally advanced setting. Herein, we review the available data on the role of docetaxel in locally advanced NSCLC. The phase I/II data regarding the use of docetaxel concomitantly with radiation as a single agent or combined with platinum compounds are reviewed. In addition, we discuss the role of docetaxel induction therapy before surgery or definitive radiation therapy. Additionally, we address the role of docetaxel in consolidation therapy in patients with locally advanced NSCLC.