Whole-brain radiotherapy with and without concurrent erlotinib in NSCLC with brain metastases: a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled phase III trial

Metastatic brain tumors: from development to cutting-edge treatment

Metastatic brain tumors, also called brain metastasis (BM), represent a challenging complication of advanced tumors. Tumors that commonly metastasize to the brain include lung cancer and breast cancer. In recent years, the prognosis for BM patients has improved, and significant advancements have been made in both clinical and preclinical research. This review focuses on BM originating from lung cancer and breast cancer. We briefly overview the history and epidemiology of BM, as well as the current diagnostic and treatment paradigms. Additionally, we summarize multiomics evidence on the mechanisms of tumor occurrence and development in the era of artificial intelligence and discuss the role of the tumor microenvironment. Preclinically, we introduce the establishment of BM models, detailed molecular mechanisms, and cutting-edge treatment methods. BM is primarily treated with a comprehensive approach, including local treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy. For lung cancer, targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown efficacy, while in breast cancer, monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates are effective in BM. Multiomics approaches assist in clinical diagnosis and treatment, revealing the complex mechanisms of BM. Moreover, preclinical agents often need to cross the blood-brain barrier to achieve high intracranial concentrations, including small-molecule inhibitors, nanoparticles, and peptide drugs. Addressing BM is imperative.

Analysis of linear accelerator-based fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in brain metastases: efficacy, safety, and dose tolerances

Objective

To assess the efficacy and safety of linear accelerator-based fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (LINAC-FSRT) in patients with brain metastases (BM).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 214 patients treated with LINAC-FSRT, categorized based on biologically effective dose (BED10, α/β = 10) into two groups (≤55 Gy, >55 Gy). Stratified analyses were conducted based on targeted therapy to compare survival outcomes. To examine brain tissue dose-tolerance volume, patients were divided into two groups: the standard Hypofractionated Treatment Effects in the Clinic (HyTEC) protocol group and an adjusted HyTEC protocol group where dose-volume restrictions exclude the planning target volume (PTV).

Results

Results as of December 2023 showed median intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) at 12.4 months, with median overall survival (OS) not reached and a one-year local control (LC) rate of 68.7%. Mild to moderate toxicity affected 17.3% of patients, while severe toxicity occurred in 2.8%. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that uncontrolled extracranial disease significantly reduced iPFS (HR = 2.692, 95%CI:1.880-3.853, P < 0.001) and OS (HR = 3.063, 95%CI:1.987-4.722, P < 0.001). BED10 >55 Gy (HR = 0.656, 95%CI:0.431-0.998, P = 0.049) improved OS, showing statistical significance (P = 0.037) without affecting iPFS or CNS toxicity (P = 0.127, P = 0.091). Stratified analysis highlighted nearly significant OS improvements with high-dose FSRT and targeted therapy (P = 0.054), while concurrent therapy markedly enhanced iPFS (P = 0.027). No significant differences were observed in intracranial local failure (ILF-which represents progression in previously treated areas during follow-up), one-year LC rates, iPFS, or OS between dose-volume groups. Adjusting HyTEC volume restrictions did not significantly increase CNS adverse reactions (P = 0.889).

Conclusions

LINAC-FSRT is safe and effective in BM. BED10>55 Gy notably enhances OS post-LINAC-FSRT and may benefit LC. High BED10 FSRT with targeted therapy likely boosts synergy, and concurrent targeted therapy significantly improves iPFS. Diminishing dose volume constraints at different fractions based on the HyTEC guidelines is feasible.

In-depth exploration of the focus issues of TKI combined with radiotherapy for EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastasis: a systematic analysis based on literature metrology, meta-analysis, and real-world observational data

BACKGROUND

There is a growing interest in utilizing a combination of brain radiotherapy (RT) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for patients diagnosed with brain metastases (BM) in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive lung adenocarcinoma (LAC). The current status of this treatment strategy remains a subject of debate.

METHODS

We initiated our study by conducting a comprehensive literature search using the SCI-expanded database of Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). We utilized the VOSPviewer software to analyze various aspects of the research, including the year of publication, authorship, keywords, and country.Subsequently, we performed an extensive and systematic literature search on popular online databases. Our primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS), both quantified by hazard ratios (HRs). Additionally, for data verification, we included data from patients in non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastasis who underwent therapeutic intervention at the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center of Sun Yat-sen University and the Radiotherapy Department of Hanzhong Central Hospital between August 2012 and November 2021.

RESULTS

The bibliometric analysis revealed an increasing trend in research focused on the combination of RT and TKIs for the management of lung cancer brain metastases over the previous decade. Then, nine studies consistent with the research direction were included for meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the OS (HR = 0.81, 95% confidence interval: 0.69-0.94; P = 0.007) and iPFS (HR = 0.71, 95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.82; P < 0.001) of the combination therapy were significantly prolonged. Finally, 168 EGFR-mutated BM advanced LAC patients in the real world were verified, and the median iPFS of the combination therapy (n = 88 and EGFR-TKIs alone (n = 80) were 16.0 and 9.0 months, respectively, (P < 0.001). The median OS was 29.0 and 27.0 months, respectively, with no dramatic difference (P = 0.188).

CONCLUSIONS

Research on EGFR-mutant LAC brain metastasis has turned towards exploring optimal treatment strategies for this condition. Our meta-analysis and real-world data analysis consistently demonstrate that combination therapy offers a substantial improvement in patient survival compared to EGFR-TKI monotherapy. Notably, among patients undergoing salvage radiotherapy (RT), our subgroup analysis reveals that those initially treated with third-generation TKIs experience more significant benefits than those treated with first- or second-generation TKIs.

Combined use of radiotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the management of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: A literature review

The approval of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as first-line agents has revolutionised treatment of patients diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring targetable mutations, adding substantial overall survival (OS) benefit, compared to chemotherapy. However, the efficacy of these agents is inevitably diminished at a point in the disease course, either because of cellular resistance-mechanisms or due to affected pharmacokinetics, like low-central nervous system penetration. The aim of this article is to review existing evidence on the combined use of EGFR (epidermal growth factor)- or ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase)-specific TKIs and radiotherapy (RT) in advanced NSCLC setting, as an attempt to delay or overcome TKI-resistance and thus, to expand the time period during which patients derive benefit from a given line of targeted therapy. At present, combining RT with EGFR- or ALK-TKIs in the management of advanced, oncodriver-mutated NSCLC has shown quite promising results, with regards to PFS and OS, rendering prolongation of the TKI-derived benefit feasible, with generally tolerable toxicity. Future studies to confirm the observed efficacy and clarify possible safety issues as well as the appropriate treatment sequence and target volumes are needed, especially in the rapidly-evolving era of newer-generation TKIs.

Executive summary of the American Radium Society appropriate use criteria for brain metastases in epidermal growth factor receptor mutated-mutated and ALK-fusion non-small cell lung cancer

The American Radium Society (ARS) Central Nervous System (CNS) committee reviewed literature on epidermal growth factor receptor mutated (EGFRm) and ALK-fusion (ALK+) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of brain metastases (BrMs) from non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) to generate appropriate use guidelines addressing use of TKIs in conjunction with or in lieu of radiotherapy (RT). The panel developed three key questions to guide systematic review: can radiotherapy be deferred in patients receiving EGFR or ALK TKIs at (1) diagnosis or (2) recurrence? Should TKI be administered concurrently with RT (3)? Two literature searches were performed (May 2019 and December 2023). The panel developed 8 model cases and voted on treatment options using a 9-point scale, with 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9 corresponding to usually not appropriate, may be appropriate, and usually appropriate (respectively), per the UCLA/RAND Appropriateness Method. Consensus was achieved in only 4 treatment scenarios, all consistent with existing ARS-AUC guidelines for multiple BrM. The panel did not reach consensus that RT can be appropriately deferred in patients with BrM receiving CNS penetrant ALK or EGFR TKIs, though median scores indicated deferral may be appropriate under most circumstances. Whole brain RT with concurrent TKI generated broad disagreement except in cases with 2-4 BrM, where it was considered usually not appropriate. We identified no definitive studies dictating optimal sequencing of TKIs and RT for EGFRm and ALK+ BrM. Until such studies are completed, the committee hopes these cases guide decision- making in this complex clinical space.

Efficacy and safety of EGFR-TKI combined with WBRT vs. WBRT alone in the treatment of brain metastases from NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The efficacy and safety of combining epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) for treating brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer patients remains to be determined.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), aiming to identify relevant clinical studies on the treatment of brain metastases originating from non-small cell lung cancer through the combination of EGFR-TKI and WBRT. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing Stata 17.0 software, covering clinical studies published until March 1, 2023.

Results

This analysis incorporated 23 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), involving a total of 2,025 patients. Of these, 1,011 were allocated to the group receiving both EGFR-TKI and WBRT, while 1,014 were assigned to the WBRT alone group. The findings reveal that the combination of EGFR-TKI and WBRT significantly improves the intracranial objective remission rate (RR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.42-1.74, p < 0.001), increases the intracranial disease control rate (RR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.23-1.37, p < 0.001), and enhances the 1-year survival rate (RR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.26-1.73, p < 0.001). Additionally, this combined treatment was associated with a significant survival advantage (RR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.26-1.73, p < 0.001) and a reduced incidence of adverse effects (RR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.51-0.83, p < 0.001), particularly with respect to nausea and vomiting (RR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37-0.81, p = 0.002) and myelosuppression (RR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.40-0.87, p = 0.008). However, no statistically significant differences were observed for diarrhea (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.82-1.62, p = 0.418), and skin rash (RR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.88-2.07, p = 0.164).

Conclusion

In contrast to WBRT alone, the combination of EGFR-TKI and WBRT significantly improves intracranial response, enhancing the objective response rate, disease control rate, and 1-year survival rate in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Moreover, aside from mild cases of rash and diarrhea, there is no statistically significant increase in the incidence of additional adverse effects. Based on the comprehensive evidence collected, the use of third-generation EGFR-TKI combined with WBRT is recommended as the preferred treatment for NSCLC patients with brain metastases, offering superior management of metastatic brain lesions.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#, CRD42023415566.

Recent advances progress of targeted drugs combined with radiotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a review

Targeted drug therapy plays an important role in the clinical application of non-small cell lung cancer, especially adenocarcinoma. However, for patients with advanced disease, drug resistance after targeted therapy, unclear target, and other reasons that cannot or do not want surgery, the combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunity, etc. is often used. The synergistic effect of targeted drugs and radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer has shown good clinical efficacy. This article reviews the clinical progress of targeted drug therapy combined with radiotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer in recent years, in order to provide new ideas for further clinical research of this treatment mode.

Combination of EGFR-Directed Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) with Radiotherapy in Brain Metastases from Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A 2010-2019 Retrospective Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION

Traditionally, brain metastases have been treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), whole-brain radiation (WBRT), and/or surgical resection. Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), over half of which carry EGFR mutations, are the leading cause of brain metastases. EGFR-directed tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have shown promise in NSCLC; but their utility in NSCLC brain metastases (NSCLCBM) remains unclear. This work sought to investigate whether combining EGFR-TKI with WBRT and/or SRS improves overall survival (OS) in NSCLCBM.

METHODS

A retrospective review of NSCLCBM patients diagnosed during 2010-2019 at a tertiary-care US center was performed and reported following the 'strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology' (STROBE) guidelines. Data regarding socio-demographic and histopathological characteristics, molecular attributes, treatment strategies, and clinical outcomes were collected. Concurrent therapy was defined as the combination of EGFR-TKI and radiotherapy given within 28 days of each other.

RESULTS

A total of 239 patients with EGFR mutations were included. Of these, 32 patients had been treated with WBRT only, 51 patients received SRS only, 36 patients received SRS and WBRT only, 18 were given EGFR-TKI and SRS, and 29 were given EGFR-TKI and WBRT. Median OS for the WBRT-only group was 3.23 months, for SRS + WBRT it was 3.17 months, for EGFR-TKI + WBRT 15.50 months, for SRS only 21.73 months, and for EGFR-TKI + SRS 23.63 months. Multivariable analysis demonstrated significantly higher OS in the SRS-only group (HR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.17-0.84, p = 0.017) compared to the WBRT reference group. There were no significant differences in overall survival for the SRS + WBRT combination cohort (HR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.60, 2.82, p = 0.50), EGFR-TKIs and WBRT combination cohort (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.41, 2.08, p = 0.85), or the EGFR-TKI + SRS cohort (HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.20, 1.09, p = 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

NSCLCBM patients treated with SRS had a significantly higher OS compared to patients treated with WBRT-only. While sample-size limitations and investigator-associated selection bias may limit the generalizability of these results, phase II/III clinicals trials are warranted to investigate synergistic efficacy of EGFR-TKI and SRS.

Brain Metastases: Is There Still a Role for Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy?

Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) has commonly been prescribed to palliate symptoms from brain metastases, to reduce the risk of local relapse after surgical resection, and to improve distant brain control after resection or radiosurgery. While targeting micrometastases throughout the brain can be considered advantageous, the simultaneous exposure of healthy brain tissue might cause adverse events. Attempts to mitigate the risk of neurocognitive decline after WBRT include the selective avoidance of the hippocampi, among others. Besides selective dose reduction, dose escalation to boost volumes, for example, simultaneous integrated boost, aiming at increased tumor control probability is technically feasible. While up-front radiotherapy for newly diagnosed brain metastases often employs radiosurgery or other techniques targeting visible lesions only, sequential (delayed) salvage treatment with WBRT might still become necessary. In addition, the presence of leptomeningeal tumors or very widespread parenchymatous brain metastases might prompt clinicians to prescribe early WBRT.

Treatments for brain metastases from EGFR/ALK-negative/unselected NSCLC: A network meta-analysis

More clinical evidence is needed regarding the relative priority of treatments for brain metastases (BMs) from EGFR/ALK-negative/unselected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched. Overall survival (OS), central nervous system progression-free survival (CNS-PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) were selected for Bayesian network meta-analyses. We included 25 eligible randomized control trials (RCTs) involving 3,054 patients, investigating nine kinds of treatments for newly diagnosed BMs and seven kinds of treatments for previously treated BMs. For newly diagnosed BMs, adding chemotherapy, EGFR-TKIs, and other innovative systemic agents (temozolomide, nitroglycerin, endostar, enzastaurin, and veliparib) to radiotherapy did not significantly prolong OS than radiotherapy alone; whereas radiotherapy + nitroglycerin showed significantly better CNS-PFS and ORR. Surgery could significantly prolong OS (hazard ratios [HR]: 0.52, 95% credible intervals: 0.41-0.67) and CNS-PFS (HR: 0.32, 95% confidence interval: 0.18-0.59) compared with radiotherapy alone. For previously treated BMs, pembrolizumab + chemotherapy, nivolumab + ipilimumab, and cemiplimab significantly prolonged OS than chemotherapy alone. Pembrolizumab + chemotherapy also showed better CNS-PFS and ORR than chemotherapy. In summary, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies, especially ICI-combined therapies, showed promising efficacies for previously treated BMs from EGFR/ALK-negative/unselected NSCLC. The value of surgery should also be emphasized. The result should be further confirmed by RCTs.

Research landscape and trends of lung cancer radiotherapy: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

radiotherapy is one of the major treatments for lung cancer and has been a hot research area for years. This bibliometric analysis aims to present the research trends on lung cancer radiotherapy.

METHOD

On August 31, 2022, the authors identified 9868 articles on lung cancer radiotherapy by the Web of Science (Science Citation Indexing Expanded database) and extracted their general information and the total number of citations. A bibliometric analysis was carried out to present the research landscape, demonstrate the research trends, and determine the most cited papers (top-papers) as well as top-journals on lung cancer radiotherapy. After that, the authors analyzed the recent research hotspots based on the latest publications in top-journals.

RESULTS

These 9868 papers were cited a total of 268,068 times. "Durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer" published in 2017 by Antonia et al.was the most cited article (2110 citations). Among the journals, New England Journal of Medicine was most influential. Moreover, J. Clin. Oncol. and Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. was both influential and productive. Corresponding authors represented the USA (2610 articles) and China mainland (2060 articles) took part in most publications and articles with corresponding authors from Netherlands were most cited (46.12 citations per paper). Chemoradiotherapy was the hottest research area, and stereotactic body radiotherapy has become a research hotspot since 2006. Radiotherapy plus immunotherapy has been highly focused since 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

This bibliometric analysis comprehensively and quantitatively presents the research trends and hotspots based on 9868 relevant articles, and further suggests future research directions. The researchers can benefit in selecting journals and in finding potential collaborators. This study can help researchers gain a comprehensive picture of the research landscape, historical development, and recent hotspots in lung cancer radiotherapy and can provide inspiration for future research.

Efficacy and Safety of EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Combined with Cranial Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases from Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction. Brain metastases (BMs) are common in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which leads to a poor prognosis. As the two most effective strategies available, the use of combination of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and radiotherapy (RT) is still controversial. This protocol proposes a methodology for carrying out a systematic review and meta-analysis that is aimed at (1) focusing on the efficacy and safety role of EGFR-TKIs combined with RT for BMs from NSCLC and (2) displaying the difference in efficacy of EGFR-TKIs owing to the sites and number of BMs, different types of RT, EGFR mutation status, and the subtypes of EGFR mutations by subgroup analysis. Methods and Analysis. Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang database, and VIP database will be searched from their inception until May 2022. Only randomized controlled trials evaluating the clinical efficacy and safety of EGFR-TKIs combined with RT on BMs of NSCLC will be included. Two reviewers will select the articles, assess the risk of bias, and extract data independently and in duplicate. The RoB 2 tool will be used to assess the quality of included studies. The meta-analysis of data synthesis will be performed with Stata 16. Publication bias will be assessed with the funnel plot method and the Egger test. Quality of the evidence will be evaluated by the GRADE system. Discussion. The approval of an ethical committee is not required. All the included trials will comply with the current ethical standards and the Declaration of Helsinki. Given the ongoing controversies regarding the optimal sequencing of the available and expanding treatment options for EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC with BMs, a synthesis of available, high-quality clinical research evidence is essential to advance our understanding in the treatment of this complex and common disease. This systematic review will evaluate available evidence, will try to provide optimized advice in the applications of EGFR-TKIs, and will be published in a high-quality journal. This study is registered with PROSPERO registration number CRD42021291509.

Re-examining popular screening measures in neuro-oncology: MMSE and RBANS

BACKGROUND

The Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) is routinely used in neuro-oncology clinics to rule out cognitive impairment. However, the MMSE is known to have poor sensitivity to mild cognitive impairment, raising concern regarding its continued use. More comprehensive cognitive screeners are available, such as the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and may be better able to assess for cognitive dysfunction.

METHODS

This retrospective cross-sectional study compared the relative rates of impairment using the MMSE-2 and RBANS in a sample of neuro-oncology patients (N = 81). A preliminary analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of the MMSE-2 to the level of cognitive impairment identified on the RBANS was conducted; in addition, we examined whether an adjustment of the MMSE-2 cut-off score improved consensus with a positive screening on the RBANS.

RESULTS

The MMSE-2 failed to identify over half of the patients with cognitive dysfunction that were identified on the RBANS. Further analysis showed limited sensitivity of the MMSE-2 to the level of impairment detected on the RBANS, and an adjustment of the cut-off score did not improve the sensitivity or specificity of the MMSE-2.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide caution for neuro-oncology clinics using the MMSE. If providers continue to rely on the MMSE to screen for cognitive impairment alone, they may fail to identify individuals with mild cognitive impairments.

Development and validation a radiomics nomogram for diagnosing occult brain metastases in patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma

Background

To develop and validate a radiomics model using computed tomography (CT) images acquired from the first diagnosis to estimate the status of occult brain metastases (BM) in patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma (LADC).

Methods

One hundred and ninety-three patients who were first diagnosed with stage IV LADC were enrolled and divided into a training cohort (n=135) and a validation cohort (n=58). Then, 725 radiomic features were extracted from contoured primary tumor volumes of LADCs. Intra- and interobserver reliabilities were calculated, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was applied for feature selection. Subsequently, a radiomics signature (Rad-Score) was built. To improve performance, a nomogram incorporating a radiomics signature and an independent clinical predictor was developed. Finally, the established signature and nomogram were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and precision-recall curves (PRC). Both empirical and α-binomial model-based ROCs and PRCs were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) and average precision (AP) of ROCs and PRCs were calculated and compared.

Results

A radiomics signature and Rad-Score were constructed using eight radiomic features, and these had significant correlations with occult BM status. A nomogram was developed by incorporating a Rad-Score and the primary tumor location. The nomogram yielded an optimal AUC of 0.911 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.903–0.919] and an AP of 0.885 (95% CI: 0.876–0.894) in the training cohort, and an AUC of 0.873 (95% CI: 0.866–0.80) and an AP of 0.827 (95% CI: 0.820–0.834) in the validation cohort using α-binomial model-based method. The calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram showed high agreement between the actual occult BM probability and predicted by the nomogram (P=0.427).

Conclusions

The nomogram incorporating a radiomics signature and a clinical risk factor achieved optimal performance after holistic assessment using unbiased indexes for diagnosing occult BM of patients who were first diagnosed with stage IV LADC.

Tumor metastasis: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic interventions

Cancer metastasis is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In contrast to numerous discoveries that reveal the detailed mechanisms leading to the formation of the primary tumor, the biological underpinnings of the metastatic disease remain poorly understood. Cancer metastasis is a complex process in which cancer cells escape from the primary tumor, settle, and grow at other parts of the body. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and anoikis resistance of tumor cells are the main forces to promote metastasis, and multiple components in the tumor microenvironment and their complicated crosstalk with cancer cells are closely involved in distant metastasis. In addition to the three cornerstones of tumor treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, novel treatment approaches including targeted therapy and immunotherapy have been established in patients with metastatic cancer. Although the cancer survival rate has been greatly improved over the years, it is still far from satisfactory. In this review, we provided an overview of the metastasis process, summarized the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the dissemination and distant metastasis of cancer cells, and reviewed the important advances in interventions for cancer metastasis.

Modern Radiation Therapy for the Management of Brain Metastases From Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Approaches and Future Directions

Brain metastases (BMs) represent the most frequent event during the course of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) disease. Recent advancements in the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures result in increased incidence and earlier diagnosis of BMs, with an emerging need to optimize the prognosis of these patients through the adoption of tailored treatment solutions. Nowadays a personalized and multidisciplinary approach should rely on several clinical and molecular factors like patient’s performance status, extent and location of brain involvement, extracranial disease control and the presence of any “druggable” molecular target. Radiation therapy (RT), in all its focal (radiosurgery and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy) or extended (whole brain radiotherapy) declinations, is a cornerstone of BMs management, either alone or combined with surgery and systemic therapies. Our review aims to provide an overview of the many modern RT solutions available for the treatment of BMs from NSCLC in the different clinical scenarios (single lesion, oligo and poly-metastasis, leptomeningeal carcinomatosis). This includes a detailed review of the current standard of care in each setting, with a presentation of the literature data and of the possible technical solutions to offer a “state-of-art” treatment to these patients. In addition to the validated treatment options, we will also discuss the future perspectives on emerging RT technical strategies (e.g., hippocampal avoidance whole brain RT, simultaneous integrated boost, radiosurgery for multiple lesions), and present the innovative and promising findings regarding the combination of novel targeted agents such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors with brain irradiation.

Central Nervous System Metastases

The proportion of patients developing central nervous system (CNS) metastasis is increasing. Most are identified once symptomatic. Surgical resection is indicated for solitary or symptomatic brain metastases, separation surgery for compressive radioresistant spinal metastases, and instrumentation for unstable spinal lesions. Surgical biopsies are performed when histological diagnoses are required. Stereotactic radiosurgery is an option for limited small brain metastases and radioresistant spinal metastases. Whole-brain radiotherapy is reserved for extensive brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease with approaches to reduce cognitive side effects. Radiosensitive and inoperable spinal metastases typically receive external beam radiotherapy. Systemic therapy is increasingly being utilized for CNS metastases.

Hype or hope - Can combination therapies with third-generation EGFR-TKIs help overcome acquired resistance and improve outcomes in EGFR-mutant advanced/metastatic NSCLC?

Three generations of epidermal growth factor receptor - tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have been developed for treating advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR-activating mutations, while a fourth generation is undergoing preclinical assessment. Although initially effective, acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs usually arises within a year due to the emergence of clones harboring multiple resistance mechanisms. Therefore, the combination of EGFR-TKIs with other therapeutic agents has emerged as a potential strategy to overcome resistance and improve clinical outcomes. However, results obtained so far are ambiguous and ideal therapies for patients who experience disease progression during treatment with EGFR-TKIs remain elusive. This review provides an updated landscape of EGFR-TKIs, along with a description of the mechanisms causing resistance to these drugs. Moreover, it discusses the current knowledge, limitations, and future perspective regarding the use of EGFR-TKIs in combination with other anticancer agents, supporting the need for bench-to-bedside approaches in selected populations.

CYP2C9 inhibits the invasion and migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via downregulation of HDAC

Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) is involved in the metabolism of cancer drugs and exogenous carcinogens. In our study, CYP2C9 was downregulated in multiple cohorts of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Until now, its role and epigenetic regulation of CYP2C9 repression in ESCC remain poorly understood. CYP2C9 repression in collected ESCC patient tumor tissues was demonstrated by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The histone acetylation level was carried out by the treatment of histone deacetylase inhibitor TSA and RNA interference. Epigenetic analysis revealed that the increased expression of CYP2C9 in KYSE-150 and TE1 cells was characterized by inhibition of HDAC8 and HDAC1, respectively. TSA decreased the levels of HDAC occupancy around CYP2C9 promoter region greatly. Overexpression of CYP2C9 reduced the invasion and migration of ESCC cells.