Comparison of cisplatin/etoposide versus carboplatin/etoposide concurrent chemoradiation therapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) in the elderly population (age >65 years) using national SEER-Medicare data

A retrospective study on the impact of radiotherapy on the survival outcomes of small cell lung cancer patients based on the SEER database

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients exhibit significant heterogeneity in tumor burden, physical condition, and responses to initial treatment. This diversity in treatment responses can result in varying treatment outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to explore the patient demographics associated with improved survival outcomes through radiotherapy. Based on the SEER database, we identified 42,824 SCLC patients enrolled between 2004 and 2015. These patients were stratified into radiotherapy (n = 20,360) and non-radiotherapy groups (n = 22,464). We controlled for confounding factors using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Subsequently, Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis was employed to evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on patients' overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cancer-specific mortality was further analyzed using competitive risk models. Cox analysis was also conducted to examine additional variables potentially affecting the survival of SCLC patients. We identified a total of 42,824 eligible patients, and following PSM, 13,329 patients were successfully matched in both the radiotherapy and non-radiotherapy groups. The KM analysis showed that the median OS was 9 months in the radiotherapy group and 6 months in the non-radiotherapy group. The median CSS was 10 months in the radiotherapy group and 7 months in the non-radiotherapy group. The 5-year OS and 10-year OS rates were 6.2% versus 1.6% in the radiotherapy group and 2.6% versus 0.8% in the non-radiotherapy group (P < 0.001). Competitive risk analysis showed that cancer-specific mortality was significantly higher in the non-radiotherapy group than in the radiotherapy group (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the radiotherapy group (relative non-radiotherapy group) showed a significant positive effect on survival outcomes (OS: HR 0.658 95% CI [0.642, 0.675] P < 0.001; CSS: HR 0.662 95% CI [0.645, 0.679], P < 0.001). In addition, age, gender, race, primary tumor site, T stage, N stage, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery were also considered as important predictors of SCLC outcome. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the radiotherapy group showed a significant survival advantage regardless of age, sex, race, primary tumor site, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery (P < 0.001). Radiotherapy may improve both OS and CSS in SCLC patients. Patients with SCLC may benefit from radiotherapy regardless of age, sex, race, primary tumor site, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery.

A practical nomogram for predicting early death in elderly small cell lung cancer patients: A SEER-based study

This study aimed to identify risk factors for early death in elderly small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients and develop nomogram prediction models for all-cause and cancer-specific early death to improve patient management. Data of elderly patients diagnosed with SCLC were extracted from the SEER database, then randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. Univariate and stepwise multivariable Logistic regression analyses were performed on the training cohort to identify independent risk factors for early death in these patients. Nomograms were developed based on these factors to predict the overall risk of early death. The efficacy of the nomograms was validated using various methods, including ROC analysis, calibration curves, DCA, NRI, and IDI. Among 2077 elderly SCLC patients, 773 died within 3 months, 713 due to cancer-specific causes. Older age, higher AJCC staging, brain metastases, and lack of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy increase the risk of all-cause early death, while higher AJCC staging, brain metastases, lung metastases, and lack of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy increase the risk of cancer-specific death (P < .05). These identified factors were used to construct 2 nomograms to predict the risk of early death. The ROC indicated that the nomograms performed well in predicting both all-cause early death (AUC = 0.823 in the training cohort and AUC = 0.843 in the validation cohort) and cancer-specific early death (AUC = 0.814 in the training cohort and AUC = 0.841 in the validation cohort). The results of calibration curves, DCAs, NRI and IDI also showed that the 2 sets of nomograms had good predictive power and clinical utility and were superior to the commonly used TNM staging system. The nomogram prediction models constructed in this study can effectively assist clinicians in predicting the risk of early death in elderly SCLC patients, and can also help physicians screen patients at higher risk and develop personalized treatment plans for them.

Systemic Therapy for Small-Cell Lung Cancer: ASCO-Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) Guideline

PURPOSE

To provide evidence-based recommendations to practicing clinicians on the management of patients with small-cell lung cancer.

METHODS

An Expert Panel of medical oncology, thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, pulmonary, community oncology, research methodology, and advocacy experts were convened to conduct a literature search, which included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials published from 1990 through 2022. Outcomes of interest included response rates, overall survival, disease-free survival or recurrence-free survival, and quality of life. Expert Panel members used available evidence and informal consensus to develop evidence-based guideline recommendations.

RESULTS

The literature search identified 95 relevant studies to inform the evidence base for this guideline.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Evidence-based recommendations were developed to address systemic therapy options, timing of therapy, treatment in patients who are older or with poor performance status, role of biomarkers, and use of myeloid-supporting agents in patients with small-cell lung cancer.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/thoracic-cancer-guidelines.

[Prevention, Diagnosis, Therapy, and Follow-up of Lung Cancer - Interdisciplinary Guideline of the German Respiratory Society and the German Cancer Society - Abridged Version]

The current S3 Lung Cancer Guidelines are edited with fundamental changes to the previous edition based on the dynamic influx of information to this field:The recommendations include de novo a mandatory case presentation for all patients with lung cancer in a multidisciplinary tumor board before initiation of treatment, furthermore CT-Screening for asymptomatic patients at risk (after federal approval), recommendations for incidental lung nodule management , molecular testing of all NSCLC independent of subtypes, EGFR-mutations in resectable early stage lung cancer in relapsed or recurrent disease, adjuvant TKI-therapy in the presence of common EGFR-mutations, adjuvant consolidation treatment with checkpoint inhibitors in resected lung cancer with PD-L1 ≥ 50%, obligatory evaluation of PD-L1-status, consolidation treatment with checkpoint inhibition after radiochemotherapy in patients with PD-L1-pos. tumor, adjuvant consolidation treatment with checkpoint inhibition in patients withPD-L1 ≥ 50% stage IIIA and treatment options in PD-L1 ≥ 50% tumors independent of PD-L1status and targeted therapy and treatment option immune chemotherapy in first line SCLC patients.Based on the current dynamic status of information in this field and the turnaround time required to implement new options, a transformation to a "living guideline" was proposed.

Real-world comparison of survival outcomes with cisplatin versus carboplatin in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

Limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) is potentially curable with concurrent chemoradiation (CRT). Cisplatin is the preferred platinum for the chemotherapy backbone in national guidelines. Unfortunately, many LS-SCLC patients are elderly, with comorbidities and poor performance status (PS), which preclude the use of cisplatin. Carboplatin may be a suitable alternative. This analysis evaluates the overall survival (OS) and time to next treatment (TTNT) in LS-SCLC patients receiving concurrent CRT by platinum use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included LS-SCLC patients in the Flatiron Health nationwide de-identified electronic health record-derived database who received CRT in 2013-2019 with follow-up through May 2020. TTNT and OS were compared using both unadjusted and inverse propensity-weighted Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

This study included patients treated with carboplatin (n = 600) or cisplatin (n = 572) in combination with etoposide and radiation. Cisplatin patients were younger, had a shorter time from diagnosis to radiation, and had less kidney disease. In an unadjusted analysis, median overall survival (mOS) was greater in the cisplatin group than the carboplatin group with mOS of 22.3 months vs. 19.2 months and Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.83 (p = 0.01). In the inverse propensity-weighted analysis, this difference was no longer significant (HR 0.93, p = 0.37). No differences were seen in TTNT.

CONCLUSION

When balancing on key clinical factors, we observed no statistical difference in OS or TTNT by platinum choice in real-world LS-SCLC patients treated with CRT.  Although observational, the results from this large data set are consistent with the hypothesis that either cisplatin or carboplatin is an appropriate therapy regardless of health status.

Prognostic factors for survival in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: An Italian real-world retrospective analysis of 244 patients treated over the last decade

BACKGROUND

Potential relationships with the prognosis of patients with extensive-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) have been investigated without valid results.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of real-world data of consecutive patients with ES-SCLC admitted to our Medical Thoracic Oncology Unit was carried out from 2010 to 2020, focusing on identification of prognostic factors. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to represent progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Univariable and multivariable Cox models were used to investigate prognostic factors.

RESULTS

The analysis included 244 patients. The median OS was 8 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8-10) and the median PFS was 5 months (95% CI: 5-6). The univariable analysis showed that factors associated with shorter OS were older age (p = 0.047), TNM stage 4 versus 3 (p < 0.001), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 1 and 2 versus 0 (p < 0.001), and >2 metastatic sites (p = 0.004). Mediastinal radiotherapy (RT) (p < 0.001), >1 irradiated site (p = 0.026), 3 and 4 chemotherapy (CT) lines versus 1 (p = 0.044 and 0.001, respectively), prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) (p < 0.001), and surgery (p = 0.001) correlated with longer OS. The multivariable analysis revealed statistically significant associations for TNM, ECOG PS 2 versus 0, number of CT lines, PCI, and surgery. A total of 23 patients (9.4%) survived ≥24 months, 39% of whom had received four CT lines and 48% had mediastinal RT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that tumor burden, PS, and mediastinal RT strongly correlate with outcome. With the addition of immunotherapy to CT, the identification of new biomarkers as predictive factors is urgently required.

One Cycle of Concurrent Chemotherapy vs. Two Cycles of Concurrent Chemotherapy With Radiation Therapy in Patients With Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background

The optimal number of concurrent chemotherapy cycles during thoracic radiotherapy (RT) in patients with limited stage-small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the number of concurrent chemotherapy cycles on prognosis of LS-SCLC.

Material and Methods

Patients with LS-SCLC treated with concurrent chemo-radiotherapy from May 2008 to December 2020 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The prescribed radiation dose was 60Gy administrated with conventional RT in 30 fractions within 6 weeks. The prognostic role of cycle number of chemotherapy administrated concurrently with RT were analyzed. All patients were followed up at one month after the treatment, then once every three months until two years after the treatment, and every six months thereafter. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to reduce confounding factors. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analysis was performed with Cox regression model.

Results

Among the 370 patients who received radical radiotherapy, 206 patients received concurrent chemo-radiotherapy and were included for the analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that stage and PCI were independent prognostic factors for OS. The median OS in patients who received one cycle and two cycles of chemotherapy concurrently with RT were 32.9 months and 31.6 months, respectively (P = 0.241). And the median PFS were 20.6 months and 18.4 months, respectively (P = 0.764). After PSM, no statistical differences in OS and PFS were observed between patients who received one cycle and those who received two cycles of concurrent chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Two cycles of concurrent chemotherapy during RT were not necessarily superior compared to one cycle in LS-SCLC. The optimal cycle number of concurrent chemotherapy during RT needs to be further studied.

Current Treatment Strategies and Future Directions for Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinomas: A Review

Importance

Patients with extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas (EPNECs) receive essentially the same treatment as those with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) despite differences in origin, clinical course, and survival. This SCLC-based approach is attributable to the rarity of EPNECs, which impedes the use of randomized clinical trials. However, neuroendocrine carcinomas are becoming more common because of the increasing use of systemic cancer therapy for adenocarcinomas. This treatment can transdifferentiate certain adenocarcinomas into neuroendocrine carcinomas. In addition, the treatment landscape for SCLC is slowly changing, potentially impacting the treatment paradigms for EPNECs.

Observations

New information on tumorigenesis of EPNECs from different origins, either as a primary malignant tumor or after neuroendocrine differentiation from adenocarcinomas, demonstrates their biological similarity. Activated molecular pathways that appear to underlie the development of EPNECs are potentially targetable, and some of these targets, such as poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase, Wee1, and Aurora A kinase, are currently under investigation. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) already constituted a new treatment modality for patients with SCLC and produced some promising results in patients with EPNECs.

Conclusions and Relevance

Although only moderately effective, the introduction of ICIs signifies the first new option in systemic treatment of SCLC in decades. To prove the value of ICIs and other new drugs for patients with EPNECs, these patients should be included in clinical trials independent of the primary tumor site. Furthermore, to optimize clinical decision-making for patients with EPNECs, experts from the neuroendocrine tumor board should collaborate with members from tumor site-specific boards, which will require patient referral to a center with EPNEC expertise.

Predictors of chemoradiotherapy versus single modality therapy and overall survival among patients with unresectable, stage III non-small cell lung cancer

Introduction

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) was the standard of care for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prior to the PACIFIC trial, however, patients also received single modality therapy. This study identified predictors of therapy and differences in overall survival (OS).

Methods

This retrospective study included stage III NSCLC patients aged ≥65 years, with ≥1 claim for systemic therapy (ST) or radiotherapy (RT) within 90 days of diagnosis, identified in SEER-Medicare data (2009–2014). Patients who had overlapping claims for chemotherapy and RT ≤90 days from start of therapy were classified as having received cCRT. Patients who received sequential CRT or surgical resection of tumor were excluded. Predictors of cCRT were analyzed using logistic regression. OS was compared between therapies using adjusted Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Of 3,799 patients identified, 21.7% received ST; 26.3% received RT; and 52.0% received cCRT. cCRT patients tended to be younger (p <0.001), White (p = 0.002), and have a good predicted performance status (p<0.001). Patients who saw all three specialist types (medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and surgeon) had increased odds of receiving cCRT (p<0.001). ST and RT patients had higher mortality risk versus cCRT patients (hazard ratio [95% CI]: ST: 1.38 [1.26–1.51]; RT: 1.75 [1.61, 1.91]); p<0.001).

Conclusions

Several factors contributed to treatment selection, including patient age and health status, and whether the patient received multidisciplinary care. Given the survival benefit of receiving cCRT over single-modality therapy, physicians should discuss treatment within a multidisciplinary team, and be encouraged to pursue cCRT for patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Compliance and Outcome of Elderly Patients Treated in the Concurrent Once-Daily Versus Twice-Daily Radiotherapy (CONVERT) Trial

Introduction

There is a lack of data on the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in elderly, limited-stage, patients with SCLC.

Methods

We compared outcomes of patients 70 years of age or older versus younger patients within the Concurrent Once-daily Versus twice-daily RadioTherapy (CONVERT) trial. Patients were randomized to receive 45 Gy/30 twice-daily fractions/19 days or 66 Gy/33 once-daily fractions/45 days concurrently with platinum-based chemotherapy. Overall survival and progression-free survival were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methodology and Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results

Of 547 patients randomized between April 2008 and November 2013, 57 did not receive protocol treatment and were excluded. Of the 490 patients included, 67 (14%) were 70 years of age or older (median age: 73 years; range: 70–82). Fewer older patients received the optimal number of radiotherapy fractions (73% versus 85%; p = 0.03); however, chemotherapy compliance was similar in both groups (p = 0.24). Neutropenia grade 3/4 occurred more frequently in the elderly (84% versus 70%; p = 0.02) but rates of neutropenic sepsis (4% versus 7%; p = 0.07) and death (3% versus 1.4%; p = 0.67) were similar in both groups. With a median follow-up of 46 months; median survival in the elderly versus younger groups was 29 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21–39) versus 30 months (95% CI: 26–35), respectively; (hazard ratio: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.84–1.59; p = 0.38). Median time to progression in the elderly versus younger groups was 18 months (95% CI: 13–31) versus 16 months (95% CI: 14–19), respectively (hazard ratio: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.76–1.41; p = 0.81).

Conclusions

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with modern radiotherapy techniques should be a treatment option for fit, older patients.

Current Treatments for Surgically Resectable, Limited-Stage, and Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

The prevalence of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has declined in the U.S. as the prevalence of tobacco use has declined. However, a significant number of people in the U.S. are current or former smokers and are at risk of developing SCLC. Routine histological or cytological evaluation can reliably make the diagnosis of SCLC, and immunohistochemistry stains (thyroid transcription factor-1, chromogranin, synaptophysin, and CD56) can be used if there is uncertainty about the diagnosis. Rarely do patients present with SCLC amendable to surgical resection, and evaluation requires a meticulous workup for extra-thoracic metastases and invasive staging of the mediastinum. Resected patients require adjuvant chemotherapy and/or thoracic radiation therapy (TRT), and prophylactic cranial radiation (PCI) should be considered depending on the stage. For limited-stage disease, concurrent platinum-etoposide and TRT followed by PCI is the standard. Thoracic radiation therapy should be started early in treatment, and can be given twice daily to 45 Gy or once daily to 60-70 Gy. For extensive-stage disease, platinum-etoposide remains the standard first-line therapy, and the standard second-line therapy is topotecan. Preliminary studies have demonstrated the activity of immunotherapy, and the response rate is approximately 10-30% with some durable responses observed. Rovalpituzumab tesirine, an antibody drug conjugate, has shown promising activity in patients with high delta-like protein 3 tumor expression (approximately 70% of patients with SCLC). The emergence of these and other promising agents has rekindled interest in drug development in SCLC. Several ongoing trials are investigating novel agents in the first-line, maintenance, and second-line settings.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This review will provide an update on the standard therapies for surgically resected limited-stage small cell lung cancer and extensive-stage small cell lung cancer that have been investigated in recent clinical trials.

Survival changes in patients with small cell lung cancer and disparities between different sexes, socioeconomic statuses and ages

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), as a proportion, makes up only 15–17% of lung cancer cases. The development of treatments for SCLC has remained stagnant for decades, and SCLC is expected to persist as a threat to human health. To date, no publications based on large populations have been reported. We calculated survival changes in patients with SCLC during each decade between 1983 and 2012 to determine the roles of race, sex, age, and socioeconomic status (SES) on survival rates based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries. In total, 106,296 patients with SCLC were identified, with the overall incidence per 100,000 decreasing each decade from 9.6 to 7.8 to 5.8. The median survival for SCLC remained 7 months, and the 12-month relative survival rates (RSRs) remained relatively stable at 32.9%, 33.2% and 33.2% during each decade. The 5-year RSRs significantly improved from 4.9% to 5.9% to 6.4% during each decade, but remained extremely low. In addition, a narrowing of the survival gaps among SES groups and stable survival gaps between sexes were observed. Although the incidence of SCLC decreased during each decade, the overall survival remained relatively stable, highlighting the urgency of developing novel treatments and the importance of prevention and early detection.