Postoperative radiotherapy is associated with better survival in non-small cell lung cancer with involved N2 lymph nodes: results of an analysis of the National Cancer Data Base

Is postoperative radiotherapy effective in patients with completely resected pathologic stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer? High-risk populations should consider it

Background and purpose

We aimed to assess the benefits of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in completely resected patients with pathologic stage IIIA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a high risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR).

Materials and methods

A prospective, randomized trial was conducted starting in July 2016 to explore the optimal timing of PORT in high-LRR-risk patients with completely resected IIIA(N2) NSCLC (NCT02974426). Patients were identified as high-LRR-risk patients via the prognostic index (PI) model and were randomly assigned to PORT-first or PORT-last treatment. To evaluate PORT for high-LRR-risk patients, all patients in this trial constituted the PORT cohort, whereas high-LRR-risk patients without PORT were selected from a retrospective cohort as the non-PORT cohort. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analyses were conducted to compare overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS).

Results

Between 2016 and 2022, 132 patients were included in the trial, with a median follow-up of 49.3 months. The 3-year OS rate was 83.2 %, and the 3-year DFS rate was 35.0 %. Among these patients, 122 patients (92 %) received planned PORT. For 132 intention-to-treat patients, PSM analysis with the non-PORT cohort (n = 307) resulted in 130 matched pairs. The results revealed that PORT improved LRFS (3-year LRFS, 77.6 % vs. 57.3 %; p = 0.00014), DFS (3-year DFS, 35.2 % vs. 28.6 %; p = 0.038), and OS (3-year OS, 83.0 % vs. 60.7 %; p = 0.00017), with no difference in DMFS (p = 0.17).

Conclusion

PORT could increase local control, DFS, and OS in high-LRR-risk patients with completely resected IIIA(N2) NSCLC. Future research should utilize multidimensional data to pinpoint more precise subgroups benefiting from PORT, with prospective trials validating these findings.

The efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy in resected pⅢA-N2 EGFR mutant and wild-type lung adenocarcinoma

The resected pⅢA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who could benefit from postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) are not well-defined. The study explored the role of PORT on EGFR mutant and wild-type NSCLC patients. We retrospectively searched for resected pIIIA-N2 lung adenocarcinoma patients who underwent EGFR mutation testing. 80 patients with EGFR wild-type and 85 patients with EGFR mutation were included. 62 patients received PORT. In overall population, the median disease-free survival (DFS) was improved in PORT arm compared to non-PORT arm (22.9 vs. 16.1 months; p = 0.036), along with higher 2-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rate (88.3% vs. 69.3%; p = 0.004). In EGFR wild-type patients, PORT was associated with a longer median DFS (23.3 vs. 17.2 months; p = 0.044), and a higher 2-year LRFS rate (86.8% vs. 61.9%; p = 0.012). In EGFR mutant patients, PORT was not significantly correlated with improved survival outcomes. EGFR wild-type may a biomarker to identify the cohort that benefits from PORT.

Quality control of postoperative radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer: A study of mediastinal shift

PURPOSE

This study aimed to assess the shifting patterns of the mediastinum, including the target volume and the isocenter point during the postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) process of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to observe the occurrence of radiation injury. Additionally, we investigated the significance of mid-term assessment during the implementation of the PORT process.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We established coordinate axes based on bone anatomy and measured the mediastinum's three-dimensional direction and the shift of the isocenter point's shift in the PORT process. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, and the Chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

In this study, the analysis of patients revealed that the shift of anterior and posterior mediastinum (X), left and right mediastinum (Y), upper and lower mediastinum (Z), anterior and posterior isocenter point (Xi), and the left and right isocenter points (Yi) in the PORT process were 0.04-0.53, 0.00-0.84, 0.00-1.27, 0.01-0.86, and 0.00-0.66cm, respectively. The shift distance of the mediastinum was Z>Y>X, and the shift distance of the isocenter point was Xi>Yi. According to the ROC curve, the cut-off values were 0.263, 0.352, 0.405, 0.238, and 0.258, respectively, which were more significant than the cut-off values in 25 cases (25%), 30 cases (30%), 30 cases (30%), 17 cases (17%), and 15 cases (15%). In addition, there was a significant difference in the shift of the mediastinum and the isocenter point (all P=0.00). Kruskal-Wallis test showed no statistically significant difference between mediastinal shift and resection site in X, Y, and Z directions (P=0.355, P=0.239, P=0.256), surgical method (P=0.241, P=0.110, P=0.064). There was no significant difference in the incidence of RE and RP in PORT patients (P>0.05). No III-IV RP occurred. However, the incidence of ≥ grade III RE in the modified plan cases after M-S was significantly lower than in the original PORT patients, 0% and 7%, respectively (P=0.000).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study provides evidence that mediastinal shift is a potential complication during the PORT process for patients with N2 stage or R1-2 resection following radical resection of NSCLC. This shift affects about 20-30% of patients, manifesting as actual radiation damage to normal tissue and reducing the local control rate. Therefore, mid-term repositioning of the PORT and revision of the target volume and radiation therapy plan can aid in maintaining QA and QC during the treatment of NSCLC patients and may result in improved patient outcomes.

Management of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: State of the art and future directions

Lung cancer is the second most common and the deadliest type of cancer worldwide. Clinically, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common pathological type of lung cancer; approximately one-third of affected patients have locally advanced NSCLC (LA-NSCLC, stage III NSCLC) at diagnosis. Because of its heterogeneity, LA-NSCLC often requires multidisciplinary assessment. Moreover, the prognosis of affected patients is much below satisfaction, and the efficacy of traditional therapeutic strategies has reached a plateau. With the emergence of targeted therapies and immunotherapies, as well as the continuous development of novel radiotherapies, we have entered an era of novel treatment paradigm for LA-NSCLC. Here, we reviewed the landscape of relevant therapeutic modalities, including adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and perioperative targeted and immune strategies in patients with resectable LA-NSCLC with/without oncogenic alterations; as well as novel combinations of chemoradiation and immunotherapy/targeted therapy in unresectable LA-NSCLC. We addressed the unresolved challenges that remain in the field, and examined future directions to optimize clinical management and increase the cure rate of LA-NSCLC.

The additional radiotherapy to adjuvant chemotherapy improves the prognosis of stage III-N2 with highest mediastinal lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

The benefits of adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for heterogeneous pathological N2 (pN2) diseases remain unclear in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to investigate suitable pN2 patients for adjuvant CRT.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with pN2 NSCLC in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from January 2012 to December 2016. Included cases were subdivided as highest mediastinal lymph node (HM) (n = 732) metastasis and non-HM metastasis (n = 677) groups according to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). Furthermore, the Kaplan-Meier and Cox models were used to evaluate the prognostic benefits of adjuvant CRT in heterogeneous pN2 subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 1409 patients were enrolled in this study, with a median follow-up time of 63.8 months. Patients with HM involvement had worse prognoses (p < 0.001 for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS)). Furthermore, the survival improvement of adjuvant CRT was significant for these patients (p < 0.001 for RFS and p = 0.032 for OS), regardless of whether it was single (p < 0.001 for RFS and p = 0.029 for OS) or multiple pN2 (p < 0.001 for RFS and p = 0.026 for OS) diseases. According to multivariable cox analysis, the long-term RFS and OS in the cancerous HM group were independently predicted by pathological N stage (p = 0.002 for RFS and p < 0.001 for OS) and adjuvant CRT (p < 0.001 for RFS and p = 0.011 for OS).

CONCLUSION

Metastatic HM was associated with a worse prognosis in pN2 disease. Our analysis supported that adjuvant CRT significantly improved both RFS and OS for these patients.

Impact of pathological nodal staging and tumour differentiation on survival and postoperative radiotherapy in completely resected stage IIIA Non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Tumour differentiation is an important index for adjuvant therapy in many cancers; however, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an exception. Furthermore, postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is controversial in patients with NSCLC with N0-1 and N2 disease. We aimed to evaluate the impact of tumour-related factors on overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and distant control (DC) in patients with completely resected stage IIIA NSCLC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with stage IIIA non-metastatic NSCLC who underwent complete resection and adjuvant chemotherapy were identified from the Taiwan Cancer Registry (January 2007-December 2017). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with PORT. Survival and relapse outcomes were compared using log-rank tests and Cox regression analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed using propensity score-matched pairs.

RESULTS

In total, 1,897 patients were included and stratified according to PORT use (PORT vs. non-PORT). After adjusting for covariates, PORT was not found to be associated with improved survival outcomes. In patients with poorly differentiated tumours and N2 disease, absolute benefits for OS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.76), CSS (aHR 0.80), and DC (aHR 0.74) were observed. Multivariable hazard models of propensity score-matched pN2 disease and poorly differentiated tumour subgroups also showed significant survival benefit with PORT treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with poorly differentiated tumours and receiving PORT for pN2 disease showed a lower risk of distant recurrence and more favourable survival outcomes in stage IIIA NSCLC with R0 resection.

The impact of postoperative radiotherapy on the survival of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: A CONSORT-compliant analysis using the SEER database

BACKGROUND

Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is commonly used to treat patients with resected stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its effectiveness remains uncertain. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the impact of PORT on overall survival (OS) and evaluate its heterogeneity among subgroups of patients.

METHODS

A total of 6305 patients with resected stage III NSCLC were included in this study from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Propensity score matching was conducted to balance baseline characteristics between the patients who received PORT and those who did not. OS was used as the primary outcome. Subgroup analysis was performed to identify which patient subgroups might benefit more from PORT.

RESULTS

Overall, no significant difference was observed in OS between the 2 groups with or without propensity score matching. However, subgroup analysis demonstrated that PORT improved OS in patients with certain characteristics, including stage IIIA/N2, stage IIIB, squamous cell carcinoma, tumor grade III-IV, or lymph node ratio (LNR) > 1/3. Multivariate analysis showed that several variables were associated with adverse prognostic factors for OS, such as marital status (others), race (white), male gender, squamous cell carcinoma, elderly age, advanced stage, poor histological differentiation grade, high LNR, and not receiving chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

In patients with resected stage III NSCLC, PORT may not be beneficial for all patients. However, it may improve survival time in certain patient subgroups, such as those with stage IIIA/N2, stage IIIB, squamous cell carcinoma, tumor grade III to IV, or LNR > 1/3. These findings provide important information for clinical decision-making and future research regarding the use of PORT in patients with resected stage III NSCLC.

Treatment Decisions for Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Balancing Less With More?

For patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the outcomes for patients with resectable disease are historically poor compared with other solid organ malignancies. In recent years, there have been significant advances in multidisciplinary care, which have resulted in improved outcomes. Innovations in surgical oncology include the use of limited resection and minimally invasive techniques. Recent data in radiation oncology have suggested refinements in pre- and postoperative radiation therapy, resulting in optimization of techniques in the curative setting. Finally, the success of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies in the advanced setting has paved the way for inclusion in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings, resulting in recent regulatory approvals for four regimens (CheckMate-816, IMpower010, PEARLS, ADAURA). In this review, we will provide an overview of the seminal studies informing advancements in optimal surgical resection, radiation treatment, and systemic therapy for resectable NSCLC. We will summarize the key data on survival outcomes, biomarker analyses, and future directions for perioperative studies.

The Value of Radiotherapy in Patients With Resectable Stage IIIA Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in the Era of Individualized Treatment: A Population-Based Analysis

INTRODUCTION

No consensus has been achieved on the benefit of radiotherapy for resected stage IIIA NSCLC patients. The division of stage IIIA has changed significantly in 2017. This study aims to explore the effects of radiotherapy on the survival of patients with resectable stage IIIA NSCLC in the new era.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients diagnosed with NSCLC between 2010 and 2018 were identified in the 8th edition TNM classification from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. A nomogram was developed by integrating all independent predictors for lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS). The Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and subgroup analysis were applied to mitigate potential bias. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

A total of 2632 stage IIIA NSCLC patients were enrolled. The C-index of the nomogram for the prediction of LCSS was 0.636 (95% CI, 0.616-0.656). In the group of patients with N2 stage who featured more than 5 positive regional lymph nodes, compared with non-PORT, PORT did prolong postoperative survival time (50 vs. 31 months; P= .005). N2 patients with visceral pleural invasion (VPI), older (age >65), or had a larger tumor (size >3 cm) could also benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Treatment protocol for stage IIIA NSCLC patients should be individualized. Based on our findings, N2 patients with more than 5 positive regional lymph nodes, VPI, larger tumor size (greater than 3 cm), and older (age above 65) could benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. Further well-designed randomized trials are warranted.

Machine learning to refine prognostic and predictive nodal burden thresholds for post-operative radiotherapy in completely resected stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The role of post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) for completely resected N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversial in light of recent randomized data. We sought to utilize machine learning to identify a subset of patients who may still benefit from PORT based on extent of nodal involvement.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with completely resected N2 NSCLC were identified in the National Cancer Database. We trained a machine-learning based model of overall survival (OS). SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) values were used to identify prognostic and predictive thresholds of number of positive lymph nodes (LNs) involved and lymph node ratio (LNR). Cox proportional hazards regression was used for confirmatory analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 16,789 patients with completely resected N2 NSCLC were identified. Using the SHAP values, we identified thresholds of 3+ positive LNs and a LNR of 0.34+. On multivariate analysis, PORT was not significantly associated with OS (p=0.111). However, on subset analysis of patients with 3+ positive LNs, PORT improved OS (HR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.86-0.97; p=0.002). On a separate subset analysis in patients with a LNR of 0.34+, PORT improved OS (HR: 0.90; 95%CI: 0.85-0.96; p=0.001). Patients with 3+ positive lymph nodes had a 5-year OS of 38% with PORT compared to 31% without PORT. Patient with positive lymph node ratio 0.34+ had a 5-year OS of 38% with PORT compared to 29% without PORT.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a high lymph node burden or lymph node ratio may present a subpopulation of patients who could benefit from PORT. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use machine learning algorithms to address this question with a large national dataset. These findings address an important question in the field of thoracic oncology and warrant further investigation in prospective studies.

Toward Improved Outcomes for Patients With Lung Cancer Globally: The Essential Role of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine

PURPOSE

Key to achieving better population-based outcomes for patients with lung cancer is the improvement of medical imaging and nuclear medicine infrastructure globally. This paper aims to outline why and spark relevant health systems strengthening.

METHODS

The paper synthesizes the global lung cancer landscape, imaging referral guidelines (including resource-stratified ones), the reliance of TNM staging upon imaging, relevant multinational health technology assessments, and precisely how treatment selection and in turn patient outcomes hinge upon imaging findings. The final discussion presents data on current global gaps in both diagnostics (including imaging) and therapies and how, informed by such data, improved population-based outcomes are tangible through strategic planning.

RESULTS

Imaging findings are central to appropriate lung cancer patient management and can variably lead to life-prolonging interventions and/or to life-enhancing palliative measures. Early-stage lung cancer can be treated with curative intent but, unfortunately, most patients with lung cancer still present at advanced stages and many patients lack access to both diagnostics and therapies. Furthermore, half of lung cancer cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. The role of medical imaging and nuclear medicine in lung cancer management, as outlined herein, may help inform strategic planning.

CONCLUSION

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer worldwide. The essential role that medical imaging and nuclear medicine play in early diagnosis and disease staging cannot be overstated, pivotal in selecting the many patients for whom measurably improved outcomes are attainable. Prevention synergized with patient-centered, compassionate, high-quality lung cancer management provision mandate that strategic population-based planning, including universal health coverage strategies, should extend well beyond the scope of disease prevention to include both curative and noncurative treatment options for the millions afflicted with lung cancer.

A narrative review of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the principal studies investigating the role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to discuss the recent major breakthroughs deriving from the Lung ART trial, in order to provide a real-world scenario of the management of resected NSCLC patients.

BACKGROUND

Surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy remains the mainstay of adjuvant treatments for completely resected stage II and IIIA NSCLC. Less consistent is the employment of PORT, as no significant benefit was clearly identified from the previous published meta-analysis. Furthermore, the recent results of Lung ART trial questioned for the first time the efficacy of PORT for pathological N2 (pN2) NSCLC patients. Hence, the need to define if PORT still has a role for resected NSCLC and which subgroup of patients could benefit most from this treatment.

METHODS

A literature search of PubMed was performed to identify publications, including prospective and retrospective clinical studies, meta-analysis and systematic review of PORT for NSCLC. No limit concerning years of publication or publication status were applied. Only papers using the English language were selected. The ESMO 2020 and ESMO 2021 online resources were used to analyze the Lung ART trial results. The authors provide a narrative summary of the findings and implications of these studies and how they improve the clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

PORT was considered the standard of care for patients with completely resected pN2 NSCLC based on the results of an old meta-analysis that did not demonstrate a detrimental effect. The more recent randomized phase III Lung ART trial concluded that PORT could not anymore be recommended for pN2 NSCLC as a significant benefit in terms of 3 years disease-free survival (DFS) was not reached and an increased rate of radiotherapy related toxicity was observed. Retrospective studies suggest a possible role of PORT for incompletely resected NSCLC patients and those with an extranodal extension (ENE), but this issue needs to be reinforced from randomized prospective trials. The extensive publication of Lung ART trial is largely awaited to define if there is a role of PORT for resected NSCLC patients.

Indications and Parameters Around Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer

Patients with locally advanced resected non-small-cell lung cancer present a high risk of relapse. Although adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy has become the standard of care, the role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) has been controversial for years. In patients with incomplete resection, PORT should be proposed, on the basis of a strong consensus, despite the absence of randomized evidence. In patients with completely resected (R0) non-small-cell lung cancer, a meta-analysis showed poorer outcomes after PORT in the absence of mediastinal involvement (pN0 and pN1). In patients with pN2, the role of PORT was less clear and required further research. The meta-analysis included trials using older radiation techniques and poorer quality of surgery according to today's standards, and selection of patients was not positron emission tomography-based. Newer retrospective and nonrandomized studies and subgroup analyses of randomized trials evaluating adjuvant chemotherapy suggested a survival benefit of PORT in patients with pN2 R0. Two recent randomized trials (Lung ART and PORT-C) evaluating conformal PORT versus no PORT retrieved no disease-free survival advantage for stage IIIA-N2 patients, even if mediastinal relapse was significantly decreased with PORT. PORT had no effect on survival, possibly given the high rate of distant relapse and risk of additional cardiopulmonary toxicity. Ongoing and future analyses are planned in Lung ART to identify patients for whom PORT could be recommended. Incorporation of newer systemic treatments (immune checkpoint inhibitors or targeted therapy in oncogene-addicted patients) is underway in the neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant setting. Better identification of patients at a high risk of disease recurrence, with analysis of circulating tumor DNA, on the basis of the detection of postsurgical minimal (or molecular) residual disease is warranted in future studies.

Case Report: A Novel Non-Reciprocal ALK Fusion: ALK-GCA and EML4-ALK Were Identified in Lung Adenocarcinoma, Which May Respond to Alectinib Adjuvant-Targeted Therapy

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) have favorable and impressive response to ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, ALK rearrangement had approximately 90 distinct fusion partners. Patients with different ALK fusions might have distinct responses to different-generation ALK-TKIs. In this case report, we identified a novel non-reciprocal ALK fusion: ALK-grancalcin (GCA) (A19: intragenic) and EML4-ALK (E20: A20) by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in a male lung adenocarcinoma patient who was staged as IIIB-N2 after surgery. After a multidisciplinary discussion, the patient received alectinib adjuvant targeted therapy and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT). He is currently in good condition, and disease-free survival (DFS) has been 20 months so far, which has been longer than the median survival time of IIIB NSCLC patients. Our study extended the spectrum of ALK fusion partners in ALK + NSCLC, and we reported a new ALK fusion: ALK-GCA and EML4-ALK and its sensitivity to alectinib firstly in lung cancer. It is vital for clinicians to detect fusion mutations of patients and report timely the newfound fusions and their response to guide treatment.

Postoperative radiotherapy versus no postoperative radiotherapy in patients with completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer and proven mediastinal N2 involvement (Lung ART): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

In patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the use of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) has been controversial since 1998, because of one meta-analysis showing a deleterious effect on survival in patients with pN0 and pN1, but with an unclear effect in patients with pN2 NSCLC. Because many changes have occurred in the management of patients with NSCLC, the role of three-dimensional (3D) conformal PORT warrants further investigation in patients with stage IIIAN2 NSCLC. The aim of this study was to establish whether PORT should be part of their standard treatment.

METHODS

Lung ART is an open-label, randomised, phase 3, superiority trial comparing mediastinal PORT to no PORT in patients with NSCLC with complete resection, nodal exploration, and cytologically or histologically proven N2 involvement. Previous neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed. Patients aged 18 years or older, with an WHO performance status of 0-2, were recruited from 64 hospitals and cancer centres in five countries (France, UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the PORT or no PORT (control) groups via a web randomisation system, and minimisation factors were the institution, administration of chemotherapy, number of mediastinal lymph node stations involved, histology, and use of pre-treatment PET scan. Patients received PORT at a dose of 54 Gy in 27 or 30 daily fractions, on five consecutive days a week. Three dimensional conformal radiotherapy was mandatory, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy was permitted in centres with expertise. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival, analysed by intention to treat at 3 years; patients from the PORT group who did not receive radiotherapy and patients from the control group with no follow-up were excluded from the safety analyses. This trial is now closed. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00410683.

FINDINGS

Between Aug 7, 2007, and July 17, 2018, 501 patients, predominantly staged with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET (456 [91%]; 232 (92%) in the PORT group and 224 (90%) in the control group), were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive PORT (252 patients) or no PORT (249 patients). At the cutoff date of May 31, 2019, median follow-up was 4·8 years (IQR 2·9-7·0). 3-year disease-free survival was 47% (95% CI 40-54) with PORT versus 44% (37-51) without PORT, and the median disease-free survival was 30·5 months (95% CI 24-49) in the PORT group and 22·8 months (17-37) in the control group (hazard ratio 0·86; 95% CI 0·68-1·08; p=0·18). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were pneumonitis (13 [5%] of 241 patients in the PORT group vs one [<1%] of 246 in the control group), lymphopenia (nine [4%] vs 0), and fatigue (six [3%] vs one [<1%]). Late-grade 3-4 cardiopulmonary toxicity was reported in 26 patients (11%) in the PORT group versus 12 (5%) in the control group. Two patients died from pneumonitis, partly related to radiotherapy and infection, and one patient died due to chemotherapy toxicity (sepsis) that was deemed to be treatment-related, all of whom were in the PORT group.

INTERPRETATION

Lung ART evaluated 3D conformal PORT after complete resection in patients who predominantly had been staged using (18F-FDG PET-CT and received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. 3-year disease-free survival was higher than expected in both groups, but PORT was not associated with an increased disease-free survival compared with no PORT. Conformal PORT cannot be recommended as the standard of care in patients with stage IIIAN2 NSCLC.

FUNDING

French National Cancer Institute, Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique from the French Health Ministry, Gustave Roussy, Cancer Research UK, Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research, and Innovation, Swiss Cancer Research Foundation, Swiss Cancer League.

The Prognostic Role of Blood Inflammatory Biomarkers and EGFR Mutation Status in Stage IIIA/N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Trimodality Therapy

Objectives

Various blood inflammatory biomarkers were associated with treatment response and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in previous studies. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the prognostic role of pretreatment blood inflammatory biomarkers and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients with trimodality therapy.

Methods

Completely resected stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients with adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) were assessed in this study. Cutoff values of blood inflammatory factors were calculated by the R package SurvivalROC of R software. SPSS Statistics software was used for survival analyses. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to compare the survival difference between every two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses of predictive factors were performed by Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results

The univariate analysis showed that T stage (p=0.007), EGFR mutation status (p=0.043), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) (p=0.067), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) (p=0.043) were significant prognostic factors of disease-free survival (DFS). In the multivariate analysis, T2 (HR=0. 885, 95% CI: 0.059-0.583, p=0.004), EGFR mutation-positive (HR=0.108, 95% CI: 0.023-0.498, p=0.004) and elevated pretreatment SII (HR=0.181, 95%CI: 0.046-0.709, p=0.014) were independently related to shorter DFS. High pretreatment neutrophil counts (HR=0.113, p=0.019) and high systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) (HR=0.123, p=0.025) were correlated with worse overall survival (OS) by the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, only high pretreatment SIRI was an independent predictor for poorer OS (HR=0.025, 95% CI: 0.001-0.467, p=0.014).

Conclusions

In conclusion, we identified that high pretreatment SII and SIRI were unfavorable prognostic factors in stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients treated with surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy and PORT. Patients with high pretreatment SII, high pretreatment SIRI, T2, and EGFR mutation-positive may need more forceful adjuvant treatment. Further prospective studies with large-scale are needed to validate our results and identify the proper cut-off values and optimum adjuvant treatment for distinct patient population.

BLM helicase inhibition synergizes with PARP inhibition to improve the radiosensitivity of olaparib resistant non-small cell lung cancer cells by inhibiting homologous recombination repair

Objective:

We aimed to investigate the radiosensitizing efficacy of the poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, olaparib, and the Bloom syndrome protein (BLM) helicase inhibitor, ML216, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

Methods:

Radiosensitization of NSCLC cells was assessed by colony formation and tumor growth assays. Mechanistically, the effects of ML216, olaparib, and radiation on cell and tumor proliferation, DNA damage, cell cycle, apoptosis, homologous recombination (HR) repair, and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair activity were determined.

Results:

Both olaparib and ML216 enhanced the radiosensitivities of olaparib-sensitive H460 and H1299 cells, which was seen as decreased surviving fractions and Rad51 foci, increased total DNA damage, and γH2AX and 53BP1 foci (P < 0.05). The expressions of HR repair proteins were remarkably decreased in olaparib-treated H460 and H1299 cells after irradiation (P < 0.05), while olaparib combined with ML216 exerted a synergistic radiosensitization effect on olaparib-resistant A549 cells. In addition to increases of double strand break (DSB) damage and decreases of Rad51 foci, olaparib combined with ML216 also increased pDNA-PKcs (S2056) foci, abrogated G2 cell cycle arrest, and induced apoptosis in A549 lung cancer after irradiation in vitro and in vivo (P < 0.05). Moreover, Western blot showed that olaparib combined with ML216 and irradiation inhibited HR repair, promoted NHEJ repair, and inactivated cell cycle checkpoint signals both in vitro and in vivo (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Taken together, these results showed the efficacy of PARP and BLM helicase inhibitors for radiosensitizing NSCLC cells, and supported the model that BLM inhibition sensitizes cells to PARP inhibitor-mediated radiosensitization, as well as providing the basis for the potential clinical development of this combination for tumors intrinsically resistant to PARP inhibitors and radiotherapy.

Postoperative radiotherapy in resected non-small cell lung cancer: The never-ending story

This manuscript collects in a joint and orderly manner the existing evidence at the present time about postoperative treatment with radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. It also systematically reviews the current evidence, the international recommendations in the most relevant guidelines, the most controversial aspects in clinical and pathological staging, the specific technical aspects of radiotherapy treatment, and also collects all the potential risk factors that have been postulated as significant in the prognosis of these patients, evaluating the possibility of segmenting a particularly sensitive subpopulation with a high risk of relapse on which an adjuvant treatment with radiotherapy could have an impact on their clinical evolution. Finally, currently active trials that aspire to provide more evidence on this topic are reviewed.

Management of Resectable Stage III-N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in the Age of Immunotherapy

Simple Summary

The treatment of resectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer with N2 lymph node involvement is usually multimodal and is generally based on neoadjuvant chemotherapy +/− radiotherapy followed by surgery, but the cure rate is still low. Immunotherapy based on anti-PD1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors has improved survival in advanced and stage III non-resectable NSCLC patients and is being studied in earlier stages to improve the cure rate of lung cancer. In this article, we review all therapeutic approaches to stage III-N2 NSCLC, analysing both completed and ongoing studies that evaluate the addition of immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Abstract

Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with N2 lymph node involvement is a heterogeneous group with different potential therapeutic approaches. Patients with potentially resectable III-N2 NSCLC are those who are considered to be able to receive a multimodality treatment that includes tumour resection after neoadjuvant therapy. Current treatment for these patients is based on neoadjuvant chemotherapy +/− radiotherapy followed by surgery and subsequent assessment for adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. In addition, some selected III-N2 patients could receive upfront surgery or pathologic N2 incidental involvement can be found a posteriori during analysis of the surgical specimen. The standard treatment for these patients is adjuvant chemotherapy and evaluation for complementary radiotherapy. Despite being a locally advanced stage, the cure rate for these patients continues to be low, with a broad improvement margin. The most immediate hope for improving survival data and curing these patients relies on integrating immunotherapy into perioperative treatment. Immunotherapy based on anti-PD1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors is already a standard treatment in stage III unresectable and advanced NSCLC. Data from the first phase II studies in monotherapy neoadjuvant therapy and, in particular, in combination with chemotherapy, are highly promising, with impressive improved and complete pathological response rates. Despite the lack of confirmatory data from phase III trials and long-term survival data, and in spite of various unresolved questions, immunotherapy will soon be incorporated into the armamentarium for treating stage III-N2 NSCLC. In this article, we review all therapeutic approaches to stage III-N2 NSCLC, analysing both completed and ongoing studies that evaluate the addition of immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Role of Postoperative Radiotherapy in the Management for Resected NSCLC - Decision Criteria in Clinical Routine Pre- and Post-LungART

BACKGROUND

The role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in stage III N2 NSCLC is controversial. We analyzed decision-making for PORT among European radiation oncology experts in lung cancer.

METHODS

Twenty-two experts were asked before and after presentation of the results of the LungART trial to describe their decision criteria for PORT in the management of pN+ NSCLC patients. Treatment strategies were subsequently converted into decision trees and analyzed.

RESULTS

Following decision criteria were identified: extracapsular nodal extension, incomplete lymph node resection, multistation lymph nodes, high nodal tumor load, poor response to induction chemotherapy, ineligibility to receive adjuvant chemotherapy, performance status, resection margin, lung function and cardiopulmonary comorbidities. The LungART results had impact on decision-making and reduced the number of recommendations for PORT. The only clear indication for PORT was a R1/2 resection. Six experts out of ten who initially recommended PORT for all R0 resected pN2 patients no longer used PORT routinely for these patients, while four still recommended PORT for all patients with pN2. Fourteen experts used PORT only for patients with risk factors, compared to eleven before the presentation of the LungART trial. Four experts stated that PORT was never recommended in R0 resected pN2 patients regardless of risk factors.

CONCLUSION

After presentation of the LungART trial results at ESMO 2020, 82% of our experts still used PORT for stage III pN2 NSCLC patients with risk factors. The recommendation for PORT decreased, especially for patients without risk factors. Cardiopulmonary comorbidities became more relevant in the decision-making for PORT.

Effects of postoperative radiotherapy on cardiovascular-pulmonary disease mortality in patients with stage IIIA-N2 resected NSCLC: analysis of the SEER database

Background

The role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in cardiovascular-pulmonary disease mortality in patients with stage IIIA-N2 resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains uncertain. The purpose of this population-based analysis was to explore the effect of PORT on cardiovascular-pulmonary disease mortality in these patients.

Methods

Patients aged ≥ 18 years with stage IIIA-N2 resected NSCLC were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015 and were grouped according to the use of PORT. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to account for differences in baseline characteristics between the Non-PORT and PORT groups. The cumulative risk for cardiovascular-pulmonary disease death was estimated using the cumulative incidence curve. Competing risk regression was used to run univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate risk factors.

Results

A total of 3981 patients were included in the study population. Among them, 1446 patients received PORT, and 2535 did not. A total of 1380 patients remained in each group after PSM, and the baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. The cumulative incidence of cardiovascular-pulmonary mortality was 10.93% in the Non-PORT group compared with 9.85% in the PORT group. There was no significant difference in the cumulative risk between the two groups (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.77–1.48, p = 0.703). Multivariate analysis indicated that PORT had no significant impact on increased risk, with an HR of 1.18 (p = 0.377).

Conclusions

No significant differences between the PORT and Non-PORT groups were found in cardiovascular-pulmonary-specific modalities in this study. Further studies are required to validate these results. This study highlights the importance of long-term surveillance for NSCLC patients.

Evolution of systemic therapy for stages I-III non-metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer

The treatment goal for patients with early-stage lung cancer is cure. Multidisciplinary discussions of surgical resectability and medical operability determine the modality of definitive local treatment (surgery or radiotherapy) and the associated systemic therapies to further improve the likelihood of cure. Trial evidence supports cisplatin-based adjuvant therapy either after surgical resection or concurrently with radiotherapy. Consensus guidelines support neoadjuvant chemotherapy in lieu of adjuvant chemotherapy and carboplatin-based regimens for patients who are ineligible for cisplatin. The incorporation of newer agents, now standard for patients with stage IV lung cancer, into the curative therapy paradigm has lagged owing to inefficient trial designs, the lengthy follow-up needed to assess survival end points and a developmental focus on the advanced-stage disease setting. Surrogate end points, such as pathological response, are being studied and might shorten trial durations. In 2018, the anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab was approved for patients with stage III lung cancer after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Since then, the study of targeted therapies and immunotherapies in patients with early-stage lung cancer has rapidly expanded. In this Review, we present the current considerations in the treatment of patients with early-stage lung cancer and explore the current and future state of clinical research to develop systemic therapies for non-metastatic lung cancer.

Evolution of systemic therapy for stages I-III non-metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer

The treatment goal for patients with early-stage lung cancer is cure. Multidisciplinary discussions of surgical resectability and medical operability determine the modality of definitive local treatment (surgery or radiotherapy) and the associated systemic therapies to further improve the likelihood of cure. Trial evidence supports cisplatin-based adjuvant therapy either after surgical resection or concurrently with radiotherapy. Consensus guidelines support neoadjuvant chemotherapy in lieu of adjuvant chemotherapy and carboplatin-based regimens for patients who are ineligible for cisplatin. The incorporation of newer agents, now standard for patients with stage IV lung cancer, into the curative therapy paradigm has lagged owing to inefficient trial designs, the lengthy follow-up needed to assess survival end points and a developmental focus on the advanced-stage disease setting. Surrogate end points, such as pathological response, are being studied and might shorten trial durations. In 2018, the anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab was approved for patients with stage III lung cancer after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Since then, the study of targeted therapies and immunotherapies in patients with early-stage lung cancer has rapidly expanded. In this Review, we present the current considerations in the treatment of patients with early-stage lung cancer and explore the current and future state of clinical research to develop systemic therapies for non-metastatic lung cancer.

The Prognostic Role of PORT and EGFR Mutation Status in Completely Resected Stage IIIA/N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Postoperative Chemotherapy

Background: The treatment choice for completely resected stage IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is still controversial now. Our study aims to identify potential prognostic factors in stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients with complete surgical resection and postoperative chemotherapy. Methods: In this study, we screened the stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients diagnosed in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2015 to 2019. Completely resected patients with postoperative chemotherapy (PCT) were enrolled. The univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify the prognostic factors. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to compare the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in the subgroup analyses. Results: 180 patients were collected, including 142 patients with PCT treatment alone and 38 patients with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) treatment. The median DFS was 17.8 months (95% CI: 16.5-19.1 months) and the median OS was 50.6 months (47.4-53.9 months) in all the patients. The median DFS of the PORT group was significantly longer than the PCT group (38.7 vs 16.7 months, p < 0.001). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive patients had a worse DFS compared with EGFR mutation-negative patients (16.8 vs 18.0 months, p = 0.032). Possible prognostic factors were evaluated through univariate COX regression analysis. The further multivariate COX regression analysis showed that patients with PORT (HR: 0.318, 95% CI: 0.185-0.547, p < 0.001), EGFR mutation-negative (HR: 0.678, 95% CI: 0.492-0.990, p = 0.044), T1 (HR: 0.661, 95% CI: 0.472-0.925, p = 0.016), and lobectomy (HR: 0.423, 95% CI: 0.191-0.935, p = 0.034), had better DFS. The only independent prognostic factor of OS was the type of surgery (p = 0.013). Conclusion: PORT might improve the DFS of stage IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients with complete surgical resection and PCT, but it cannot increase OS. Besides, EGFR mutation status, T stage, and type of surgery are possible independent prognostic factors for DFS, and type of surgery is associated with OS. These factors remain to be clarified in further studies.

Effects of Postoperative Radiotherapy on Survival of Patients With Stage IIIA Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Analysis of the SEER Database

BACKGROUND

The role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in patients with resected stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of PORT on survival of these patients.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥18 years with stage IIIA NSCLC were identified in the SEER database from 2010 through 2015. Cox regression analysis was used to identify independant prognostic factors in patients with stage IIIA NSCLC. Subgroup analysis of patients stratified by N stage was also performed. Overall survival and lung cancer-related death were compared among the different groups by using Kaplan-Meier analysis and competitive risk analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 5,168 patients (1,711 of whom received PORT) were included in the study. In multivariable analysis, PORT was an independent prognostic risk factor for patients with N1 stage (hazard ratio [HR], 1.416, 95% CI, 1.144-1.753; P=.001). PORT was a favorable prognostic factor for patients with stage IIIA, N2 disease with ≥6 positive lymph nodes (HR, 0.742; 95% CI, 0.587-0.938; P=.012). Median survival time of patients with stage IIIA, N2 disease with ≥6 positive lymph nodes who received postoperative chemotherapy combined with PORT was significantly longer compared with those who received postoperative chemotherapy alone (32 vs 25 months, respectively; P=.009). The competitive risk model revealed that 3- and 5-year lung cancer-related mortality rates increased by 8.99% and 16.92%, respectively, in patients with N1 disease who were treated with PORT, whereas the 3-year mortality rate decreased by 4.67% and the 5-year mortality rate by 10.08% in patients with N2 disease and ≥6 positive lymph nodes who were treated using PORT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results revealed that PORT significantly improved overall survival and decreased lung cancer-related mortality in patients with stage IIIA, N2 disease with ≥6 positive lymph node metastases. PORT was not recommended for patients with N0 and N1 disease.

Long-Term Survival Effect of the Interval between Postoperative Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy in Patients with Completely Resected Pathological N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Simple Summary

In patients with completely resected stage III pN2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), adjuvant chemotherapy of 4–6 cycles was recommended prior to post-operative radiotherapy (PORT). However, some were given concurrently or early-sequentially with PORT. The objectives of this study were to verify the benefit of adjuvant sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy (SCRT) relative to that of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in an Asian population and to identify the optimal timing of initiation of PORT as part of adjuvant SCRT. A longer interval (>104 days and <180 days) between the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and PORT was associated with improved OS compared with CCRT. No locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) difference related to the interval between the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and PORT was observed. In older patients (aged >60 years), the benefit of delayed PORT initiation was more significant. We suggest that PORT should be postponed in the completed-resected pN2 elderly patients.

Abstract

(1) Purpose: To investigate the effects of the time interval between initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy on survival outcomes in patients with completely resected stage IIIA pN2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); (2) Methods: Data on 2515 patients with completely resected stage IIIA pN2 NSCLC in 2007–2017 were extracted from the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database. The survival outcomes in patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy (SCRT) with either a short (SCRT1) or long (SCRT2) interval between treatments were estimated using Kaplan–Meier, Cox regression, and propensity score matching (PSM); (3) Results: Multivariate analyses of OS showed that SCRT2 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.64, p = 0.017) was associated with improved overall survival (OS). After PSM, the median OS periods were 64 and 75 months in the SCRT1 and SCRT2 groups, respectively, which differed significantly from that of 58 months in the CCRT group (p = 0.003). In elderly patients, SCRT2 significantly improved survival relative to CCRT before PSM (p = 0.024) and after PSM (p = 0.002); (4) Conclusions: A longer interval between initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT; SCRT2) improved OS relative to CCRT; the benefits were greater in elderly patients (age >60 years).

Postoperative Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced NSCLC: Implications for Shifting to Conformal, High-Risk Fields

BACKGROUND

To examine the effect of radiotherapy field size on survival outcomes and patterns of recurrence in patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 216 patients with T1-4 N1-2 NSCLC following surgery and PORT using whole mediastinum (WM) or high-risk (HR) nodal fields from 1998 to 2015. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards modeling for outcomes and logistic regression analysis for treatment toxicities.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 28 months (interquartile range [IQR] 13-75 months) and 38 months (IQR 19-73 months) for WM (n = 131) and HR (n = 84) groups, respectively. Overall survival (OS) was not significantly different between groups (median OS: HR 49 vs. WM 32 months; P = .08). There was no difference in progression-free survival (PFS), freedom from locoregional recurrence (LRR), or freedom from distant metastasis (P > .2 for all). Field size was not associated with OS, PFS, or LRR (P > .40 for all). LRR rates were 20% for HR and 26% for WM groups (P = .30). There was no significant difference in patterns of initial site of LRR between groups (P > .1). WM fields (OR 3.73, P = .001) and concurrent chemotherapy (odds ratio 3.62, P = .001) were associated with grade ≥2 toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Locoregional control and survival rates were similar between PORT groups; an improved toxicity profile was observed in the HR group. Results from an ongoing prospective randomized clinical trial will provide further insight into the consequences of HR PORT fields.

Adjuvant treatment in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant treatment for both small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer is a controversial topic. There are no published results from prospective studies that either confirm or reject the benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy, although the presentation of recent studies at a number of conferences questions whether there should be a change in the paradigm of adjuvant RT for lung cancer.

AIM

The main goal of this study is to review the most relevant publications on the topic, updating the state of the matter regarding adjuvant radiotherapy following lung surgery, and analyzing the role of chemotherapy in the process.

RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS

This review aims to assess the potential benefit of PORT in NSCLC and SCLC patients by looking at recent research. In doing so, it will be possible to determine which patients might benefit from it as adjuvant treatment after pulmonary resection.

Advances in multimodal treatment for stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIM

In Stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the accuracy of combined positron-emission tomography/computed tomography imaging (PET-CT), together with mediastinal staging techniques, has led to a wide range of challenging clinical scenarios in terms of therapeutic management. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation immunotherapy remains the standard of care. In patients with potentially-resectable disease, surgery plays an important role in multimodal therapy. The introduction of targeted therapies and immune-checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized multimodal treatment. In the present article, we review current treatment options and future trends in stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC.

RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS

This article provides insight into the current status of multimodal treatment for NSCLC to support decision-making in routine clinical practice.

Case Report: Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Crizotinib Targeted Therapy in Stage IIIA-N2 ALK-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

The treatment of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is challenging because there is no randomized controlled trial has been reported. The value of neoadjuvant and adjuvant targeted therapy remains unclear. Herein, we show that systemic treatment with ALK inhibitor crizotinib before surgery can provide the potential to cure the initially inoperable tumor. A 27-year-old man was diagnosed with a stage IIIAcT3N2M0 (7^thUICC/AJCC) upper left lung adenocarcinoma harboring EML4-ALK fusion gene. Clinically, the patient had a large primary lesion adjacent to the pericardium and regional lymph node metastasis at the ipsilateral mediastinum. Poor tumor response was observed after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin), and upon multidisciplinary discussion, the patient was started with 250 mg crizotinib twice daily. Successive clinical examinations showed a progressive reduction of the lesions. After 2 months of therapy, the patient was downstaged to cT2aN2M0, then video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed and the final histopathological stage was ypT2aN2M0. The treatment with crizotinib (250 mg, qd) was continued more than 30 months post surgery and stopped until intracranial oligometastasis. The patient’s overall survival (OS) time is 68 months at last follow-up. This case presented here supports the use of neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment with ALK inhibitors in ALK positive locally advanced NSCLC.

Mediastinal radiotherapy after adjuvant chemotherapy for resected non–small cell lung cancer with N2 lymphadenopathy: A novel meta-analysis

Introduction

Treatment for stage IIIA N2 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) typically involves a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, but the optimal sequencing is not determined. Local recurrence rates following surgery remain high, and the role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in N2 disease is unclear. This meta-analysis aims to determine whether PORT provides additional survival advantage beyond observation for patients with stage IIIA N2 disease who have undergone complete surgical resection and received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

All studies comparing adjuvant chemotherapy and PORT versus adjuvant chemotherapy alone after curative surgical resection for stage IIIA N2 NSCLC were included. Meta-analysis was performed using random effects modelling in accordance with MOOSE (Meta-Analyses and Systematic Reviews of Observational Studies) guidelines. Subgroup analysis, heterogeneity, and risk of bias were assessed, with meta-regression to determine the effects of patient and tumor characteristics on outcomes.

Results

Ten studies with a pooled dataset of 18,077 patients (5453 PORT, 12,624 no PORT) were included. PORT significantly improved both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) at 1 year (OS: hazard ratio [HR], 0.768; DFS: HR, 0.733), 3 years (OS: HR, 0.914; DFS: HR, 0.732), and 5 years (OS: HR, 0.898; DFS: HR, 0.735, all P < .0001). These effects were independent of specific patient or tumor characteristics.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a significant DFS and OS benefit from the addition of PORT following adjuvant chemotherapy. We advocate the consideration of PORT for such patients following specialist multidisciplinary assessment and comprehensive discussion of the benefits and risks of treatment.

Study of the predictors for radiation pneumonitis in patient with non-small cell lung cancer received radiotherapy after pneumonectomy

PURPOSE

To identify the valuable predictors of grade≥2 radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patient treated with radiotherapy after pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); and to construct a nomogram predicting the incidence of grade≥2 RP in such patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed 82 patients with NSCLC received radiotherapy after pneumonectomy from 2008 to 2018. The endpoint was grade≥2 RP. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were conducted to evaluate significant factors of grade≥2 RP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to establish optimal cutoff values and the nomogram was built to make the predictive model visualized. Descriptive analysis was performed on 5 patients with grade 3 RP.

RESULTS

A total of 22(26.8%) patients developed grade 2 RP and 5(6.1%) patients were grade 3 RP. V5, V10, V20, V30, MLD, PTV, and PTV/TLV were associated with the occurrence of grade≥2 RP in univariate analysis, while none of the clinical factors was significant; V5(OR,1.213;95%CI,1.099-1.339; P<0.001) and V20(OR,1.435;95%CI,1.166-1.765; P=0.001) were the independent significant predictors by multivariate analysis and were included in the nomogram. The ROC analysis for the cutoff values for predicting grade≥2 RP were V5>23% (AUC=0.819, sensitivity:0.701, specificity:0.832) and V20>8% (AUC=0.812, sensitivity:0.683, specificity:0.811). Additionally, grade≥3 RP did not occur when V5<30%, V20<13% and MLD<751.2cGy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that V5 and V20 were independent predictors for grade≥2 RP in NSCLC patients receiving radiotherapy after pneumonectomy. Grade 3 RP did not occur whenV5<30%, V20<13% and MLD<751.2cGy, respectively. In addition, patient underwent right pneumonectomy may have a lower tolerance to radiation compared to left pneumonectomy.

Local failure patterns after radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pN2 nonsmall-cell lung cancer: A retrospective analysis

Background

The patterns of local failure in stage pN2 nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy are controversial.

Methods

The sites of local failure were compared in subgroups of patients with relevant clinicopathologic features (e.g., location and size of primary lesions).

Results

Totally 75 patients with local failure after radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy for pN2 NSCLC were included in the analysis. Thirty-seven (49.3%) patients had distant metastasis. The median duration from surgical resection to local failure was 11 months (range: 3-45 months). Sites with ≥10% failure rate in all subgroups based on the location of the primary lesions included 4R, 7, the ipsilateral hilum, and the stump. Additional sites with ≥10% failure rate included 2R, 2L, 4L, and 5 for lesions in the left upper lobe; 4L and 5 for lesions in the left lower lobe; and 2R and 3P for lesions in the right upper-middle lobe. Squamous cell carcinoma affected the stump failure rate compared to adenocarcinoma (56.3% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.003). Tumor diameter ≥5 cm affected the stump failure rate compared to tumor diameter < 5 cm (44.0% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.016). Skip N2 metastasis affected the ipsilateral hilum failure rate compared to nonskip N2 metastasis (7.5% vs. 31.4%, P = 0.008).

Conclusions

For pN2 NSCLC patients undergoing radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy, different lung lobes had different high-risk failure sites. Left lung cancer is prone to bilateral mediastinal lymph nodes recurrence, while right lung cancer mainly recurs with ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes. Moreover, the local failure patterns are influenced by pathological type, tumor size, and skip N2 metastasis.

Risk factors of postoperative recurrence and potential candidate of adjuvant radiotherapy in lung adenosquamous carcinoma

Background

Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare and aggressive histologic subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Little is known about the prognostic significance of routine immunohistochemical (IHC) markers and clinical value of adjuvant radiotherapy in completely resected lung ASC.

Methods

Consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed lung ASC receiving curative resection from January 2007 to December 2017 at our center were retrospectively reviewed. The prognostic significance of 14 routine IHC markers and potential candidate of adjuvant radiotherapy were investigated.

Results

With a median follow up of 35 (range, 3.0–138) months, 95 out of the 176 enrolled patients had disease recurrence. The 1-, 3- and 5-year cumulative rate of recurrence was 25.8%, 55.8% and 63.1%, respectively. Using the Cox proportional hazard regression model, T stage, N stage, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), expression of CEA, expression of p53, but not EGFR mutations or expression of the other 12 IHC markers (CK20, CK5/6, PE10, ERCC1, Napsin A, RRM1, Ki67, CK7, P63, EGFR, HER2, TTF1), were significantly associated with postoperative recurrence. N stage, expression of CEA and LVI were identified as independent prognosticators of overall recurrence. Using competing risk methodology and distant recurrence chosen as a competing risk, T stage and N stage were identified as significant risk factors of loco-regional recurrence. Moreover, adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) (P=0.002) and was associated with non-significant longer overall survival (OS) (P=0.078) among 95 patients with either pathological T3–4 or N⁺ disease (collectively defined as pT_3–4/N⁺ disease).

Conclusions

This study provides the proof of concept for using routine IHC markers, along with common clinic-pathological parameters, in predicting postoperative recurrence and identifying potential candidate for adjuvant radiotherapy in completely resected lung ASC.

Radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer in the immunotherapy era: the opportunity and challenge-a narrative review

Immunotherapy has radically changed the clinical management of patients with cancer in recent years. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) reversing the immunosuppressive effects of the tumor microenvironment are one type of immunotherapy, several of which are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as first-line treatments for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, response rates to ICIs are around 19-47% among patients with advanced NSCLC. As a result, the development of combined ICI and radiotherapy has begun with the aim of strengthening patients' antitumor immunity. Radiotherapy with substantial technological improvements not only achieves local tumor control through the induction of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in irradiated regions, but also has the potential to mediate immunostimulatory effects that could result in tumor regression beyond irradiated regions. At present, numerous preclinical and clinical research are investigating the efficiency and safety of combining ICI with radiotherapy. The PACIFIC trial showed that combining chemoradiotherapy with ICI could improve clinical outcomes. In this review, we summarize the rationale for combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges of combination therapy, including the timing of radiotherapy, optimal dose and fractionations, radiotherapy target and target volume, acquired resistance, patient selection, and radioimmunotherapy toxicity.

Prognostic value of visceral pleural invasion in the stage pT1-2N2M0 non-small cell lung cancer: A study based on the SEER registry

BACKGROUND

Visceral pleural invasion (VPI) is considered an adverse prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the prognostic roles of VPI in Ⅲ/N2 NSCLC remain controversial. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of VPI in patients with postoperative stage pT_1-2N₂M₀ NSCLC.

METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we screened for patients with stage T1-2N2M0 NSCLC who received surgery from 2010 to 2015. To reduce baseline differences between Non-VPI group and VPI group, two-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) was performed. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify factors associated with survival. Overall survival (OS) was between the Non-VPI group and the VPI+ group by the Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

We identified 1374 postoperative NSCLC patients with stage pT_1-2N₂M₀. The majority of cases (N = 1047, 76.8%) are Non-VPI patients. The factors associated with VPI+ group included white race (P < 0.0001), and adenocarcinoma (P < 0.0001). When analyzed in the total study population, VPI status remained a significant independent predictor of worse OS compared with the Non-VPI group (HR, 1.343; 95% CI, 1.083-1.665 [P=0.007]). Besides, in a subgroup analysis by VPI status, the results showed that patients without treatment exhibited a higher risk level in the Non-VPI group (P<0.0001). However, we did not find statistically significant differences among treatments in the VPI+ group (P=0.199). Mean survival time was 49.5 months (95% CI: 45.7-53.3 months) for chemotherapy alone in the Non-VPI group, compared with 41.2 months (95% CI: 35.8-46.6 months) in VPI+ groups. In both the VPI group and the non-VPI group, there is no statistical difference between adjuvant chemotherapy combined with PORT and chemotherapy alone.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasizes that the presence of VPI is a poor prognostic factor, even in patients with Ⅲ/N2 NSCLC. As the study shows, chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival of patients with postoperative stage pT_1-2N₂M₀ NSCLC, especially for Non-VPI patients. However, the significance of PORT is still worth further exploration.

Supraclavicular Recurrence in Completely Resected (y)pN2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Implications for Postoperative Radiotherapy

Background: The clinical value and delineation of clinical target volume (CTV) of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in completely resected (y)pN2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain controversial. Investigations specifically focusing on the cumulative incidence and prognostic significance of initial disease recurrence at the supraclavicular region (SCR) in this disease population are seldom reported.

Methods: Consecutive patients with curatively resected (y)pN2 NSCLC who received adjuvant chemotherapy from January 2013 to December 2018 at our cancer center were retrospectively examined. Disease recurrence at the surgical margin, ipsilateral hilum, and/or mediastinum was defined as loco-regional recurrence (LRR). Disease recurrence beyond LRR and SCR, was defined as distant metastasis (DM). Overall survival (OS1 and OS2) were calculated from surgery and disease recurrence to death of any cause, in the entire cohort and in patients with recurrent disease, respectively.

Results: Among the 311 patients enrolled, PORT without elective supraclavicular nodal irradiation (ESRT) was performed in 94 patients and neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 31 patients. With a median follow-up of 26 months, 203 patients developed recurrent disease, including 27 SCRs, among which 16 were without DM and 22 involved the ipsilateral supraclavicular region. The 1, 3, and 5-year cumulative incidence of SCR were 6.53, 13.0, and 24.7%, respectively. Chosen DM as a competing event, cN2, ypN2, not receiving lobectomy, and negative expression of CK7 were significantly associated with SCR using the univariate competing risk analysis, while ypN2 was identified as the only independent risk factor of SCR (p = 0.012). PORT significantly reduced LRR (p = 0.031) and prolonged OS1 (p = 0.018), but didn't impact SCR (p = 0.254). Pattern of failure analyses indicated that the majority of LRRs developed within the actuarial or virtual CTV of PORT, and 15 of the 22 ipsilateral SCRs could be covered by the virtual CTV of proposed ESRT. In terms of OS2, patients who developed SCR but without DM had intermediate prognosis, compared with those who had DM (p = 0.009) and those who had only LRR (p = 0.048).

Conclusions: SCR is not uncommon and has important prognostic significance in completely resected (y)pN2 NSCLC. The clinical value of PORT and ESRT in such patients need to be further investigated.

The Role of Postoperative Radiation Therapy for pN2 Non-small-cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

The role for postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mediastinal lymph node (LN) involvement (pN2 disease) is controversial. We compared surgery alone with PORT among patients with pN2 NSCLC. We then performed subset analyses to better delineate patients that might benefit from PORT.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a propensity score (PS)-matched, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) analysis of patients with pN2 disease from 1989 to 2016 with surgery alone or PORT. Multiple imputation with chained equations was used for missing LN data.

RESULTS

A total of 8631 patients were included in this analysis; 4579 underwent surgery alone, and 4052 underwent PORT. Following PS matching and IPTW, there was no difference in overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.99; P = .76). However, PORT improved OS among a subset of patients with a LN positive to sampled ratio ≥ 50% (HR, 0.90; P = .01). Moreover, there was a trend towards improved OS among this subset, even with chemotherapy (HR, 0.91; P = .09).

CONCLUSION

PORT is not associated with an improvement or detriment in OS for all patients with pN2 NSCLC. However, patients with a positive to sampled LN ratio ≥ 50% may benefit, regardless of chemotherapy status. Nevertheless, PORT will remain the standard of care as we await the results of the ongoing LUNG ART trial.

Evaluation of Postoperative Radiotherapy Effect on Survival of Resected Stage III-N2 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Objective: The role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the effect of PORT on survival of resected stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC patients.

Methods: Resected stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC patients aged 18 years or older were identified from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database from 2010 to 2015. Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors including PORT associated with survival time. A subgroup analysis of patients stratified by number of lymph node metastases was also performed. Overall survival (OS) and overall mortality were compared among the different groups.

Results: A total of 3,445 patients were included in the study. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that PORT had no significant impact on survival of patients with <6 positive lymph node [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.012, P = 0.858, 95% CI: 0.886–1.156]. Postoperative chemotherapy (POCT) (HR = 0.605, P < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.468–0.783) and PORT (HR = 0.724, P = 0.007, 95% CI: 0.574–0.914) are both favorable prognostic factors for stage IIIA-N2 patients with ≥6 positive lymph nodes. In 2,735 patients who featured <6 number of positive regional lymph nodes, patients who received PORT had better survival and lower 3-years and 5-years overall mortality rate than patients who underwent surgery only (41 vs. 28 months, P < 0.015). There was no significant difference in the survival of postoperative patients who underwent POCT in view of whether received PORT (44 vs. 53 months, P = 0.176). A total of 710 patients who featured ≥6 number of positive regional lymph node metastasis were divided into two groups by PORT. PORT did not prolong survival for postoperative patients who did not receive chemotherapy (12 vs. 15 months, P = 0.632). PORT showed a significant advantage in influencing OS in patients who received PORT combined with POCT as compared with those who received POCT only (32 vs. 25 months, P = 0.006).

Conclusions: For IIIA-N2 patients with <6 lymph node metastases, use of PORT can be encouraged to improve survival. For patients with ≥6 positive lymph nodes, PORT combined with POCT significantly improved OS and decreased overall mortality.

Resectable IIIA-N2 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): In Search for the Proper Treatment

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer accounts for one third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of initial diagnosis and presents with a wide range of clinical and pathological heterogeneity. To date, the combined multimodality approach involving both local and systemic control is the gold standard for these patients, since occult distant micrometastatic disease should always be suspected. With the rapid increase in treatment options, the need for an interdisciplinary discussion involving oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and radiologists has become essential. Surgery should be recommended to patients with non-bulky, discrete, or single-level N2 involvement and be included in the multimodality treatment. Resectable stage IIIA patients have been the subject of a number of clinical trials and retrospective analysis, discussing the efficiency and survival benefits on patients treated with the available therapeutic approaches. However, most of them have some limitations due to their retrospective nature, lack of exact pretreatment staging, and the involvement of heterogeneous populations leading to the awareness that each patient should undergo a tailored therapy in light of the nature of his tumor, its extension and his performance status.

Patterns and risks of postoperative recurrence in completely resected EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer: prognostic significance of routine immunohistochemical markers

Background

Recent studies indicate that EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a heterogeneous disease with varying prognosis. In order to design an optimized surveillance strategy and identify potential candidates for adjuvant therapy, the patterns and risks of postoperative recurrence in completely resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC should be investigated, which are currently largely unknown.

Methods

Consecutive patients with curatively resected EGFR-positive NSCLC receiving standard adjuvant chemotherapy without EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), with or without adjuvant radiotherapy, from January 2007 to December 2017 in our cancer center, were retrospectively reviewed. Prognostic significance of ten routine immunohistochemical (IHC) markers were examined.

Results

After a median follow-up of 32 (range, 5-122) months, disease recurrence occurred in 197 (37.1%) of the 531 enrolled patients. The frequencies of thoracic recurrence, brain recurrence, bone recurrence, abdominal recurrence and neck recurrence, were 69.0%, 20.8%, 20.8%, 7.1% and 6.6%, respectively. Using the Cox regression model, tumor size, Ki67, CK20, and N stage were identified as independent predictors of overall recurrence. A nomogram predicting the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative rate of overall recurrence was then developed and internally validated, with a bias-corrected C-index of 0.723 (95% CI, 0.675 to 0.771) and a small extent of "over-fitting" (0.8%). Risk factors of site-specific recurrence were also discovered. Additionally, using competing risk analyses, N stage, lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and CK5/6 were found as independent predictors of loco-regional recurrence. Among patients with N2-positive disease (n=91), adjuvant radiotherapy tended to prolong disease free survival (DFS) (P=0.067), but not overall survival (OS) (P=0.271).

Conclusions

This study provides the proof of concept of using routine IHC markers, along with common clinical-pathological parameters, in predicting postoperative recurrence among completely resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Adjuvant radiotherapy may improve DFS, but hard to prolong OS in N2-positive EGFR-mutant NSCLC without further biomarker-guided patients' selection.

Deep Learning Improved Clinical Target Volume Contouring Quality and Efficiency for Postoperative Radiation Therapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: To investigate whether a deep learning-assisted contour (DLAC) could provide greater accuracy, inter-observer consistency, and efficiency compared with a manual contour (MC) of the clinical target volume (CTV) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving postoperative radiotherapy (PORT).

Materials and Methods: A deep dilated residual network was used to achieve the effective automatic contour of the CTV. Eleven junior physicians contoured CTVs on 19 patients by using both MC and DLAC methods independently. Compared with the ground truth, the accuracy of the contour was evaluated by using the Dice coefficient and mean distance to agreement (MDTA). The coefficient of variation (CV) and standard distance deviation (SDD) were rendered to measure the inter-observer variability or consistency. The time consumed for each of the two contouring methods was also compared.

Results: A total of 418 CTV sets were generated. DLAC improved contour accuracy when compared with MC and was associated with a larger Dice coefficient (mean ± SD: 0.75 ± 0.06 vs. 0.72 ± 0.07, p < 0.001) and smaller MDTA (mean ± SD: 2.97 ± 0.91 mm vs. 3.07 ± 0.98 mm, p < 0.001). The DLAC was also associated with decreased inter-observer variability, with a smaller CV (mean ± SD: 0.129 ± 0.040 vs. 0.183 ± 0.043, p < 0.001) and SDD (mean ± SD: 0.47 ± 0.22 mm vs. 0.72 ± 0.41 mm, p < 0.001). In addition, a value of 35% of time saving was provided by the DLAC (median: 14.81 min vs. 9.59 min, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Compared with MC, the DLAC is a promising strategy to obtain superior accuracy, consistency, and efficiency for the PORT-CTV in NSCLC.

Postoperative Radiotherapy for Resected Stage IIIA-N2 Non-small-cell Lung Cancer: A Population-Based Time-Trend Study

INTRODUCTION

The value of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversial with few studies focusing on whether PORT always plays a part in clinical practice and generates benefits to patients across different time periods. We investigated this issue using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database (SEER) and assessed the temporal trends spanning 27 years.

METHODS

Within SEER, we selected stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC patients who underwent a lobectomy or pneumonectomy and coded as receiving PORT or never receiving radiotherapy over three time periods: 1988 to 1996, 1997 to 2005, 2006 to 2014. For each period, survival analyses were performed and propensity score matching (PSM) was used in the potentially beneficial subgroup.

RESULTS

45.4% of 5568 eligible patients received PORT. The yearly PORT use rates varied largely from 27.8% to 74.4%. Overall survival (OS) was distinctly improved over the period. The application of PORT had a significant impact on survival only in period 1 and 3. In subgroup analysis, the OS benefit of PORT was significant in each period in patients with 50% or more lymph node ratio (LNR) both before (hazard ratios, and P values of 0.647, P = .002; 0.804, P = .008; 0.721, P < .001 for period 1, 2, 3, respectively) and after PSM (0.642, P = .006; 0.785, P = .004; 0.748, P = .003 for period 1, 2, 3, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The benefits of PORT are lasting and stable throughout the years in patients with LNR of 50% or more. This might provide a clue on proper patient selection for PORT application.

Systemic Inflammation-Immune Status Predicts Survival in Stage III-N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Systematic inflammation-immune status has been thought to play a crucial role in tumorigenesis and progress. This study evaluated the prognostic value of systematic inflammation-immune status in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer with pathological N2 nodal involvement (pN2-NSCLC).

METHODS

The relation between the preoperative systematic inflammation-immune score (SIS), defined as preoperative peripheral platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count, and prognosis was tested in a retrospective study of 660 consecutive patients with completed resected pN2-NSCLC and validated by a prospective study of 189 patients enrolled (NCT00880971).

RESULTS

SIS of 650 × 10⁹ was an optimal cutoff point to stratify the patients with pN2-NSCLC into high (>650 × 10⁹) and low (≤650 × 10⁹) SIS groups in the training cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the SIS was an independent predictor for overall survival, disease-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival. In the validation group, high SIS (>650 × 10⁹) predicted poor 5-year overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.418; P = .006), disease-free survival (HR, 1.542; P = .042), and distant metastasis-free survival (HR, 1.682; P = .024). In addition to the number of positive lymph nodes, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the SIS for outcomes was higher than the neutrophil count-to-lymphocyte count ratio, platelet count-to-lymphocyte count ratio, and other conventional clinicopathologic indices.

CONCLUSIONS

The preoperative SIS is a more sensitive survival predictor than most of the other conventional clinical indices and may aid in more accurately stratifying patients for risk assessment and treatment decision.