Preoperative versus postoperative chemotherapy in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer: systematic review and indirect comparison meta-analysis of randomized trials. J Thorac Oncol. 2009;4:1380-1388. [PMID: 19861907 DOI: 10.1097/jto.0b013e3181b9ecca]

Immune checkpoint inhibition in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors significantly advanced outcomes in both metastatic and locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Despite these advancements, the 5-year survival rate remains suboptimal. Even in early-stage disease a significant portion of patients relapse and die from metastatic progression. The integration of immunotherapy in the management of early-stage NSCLC demonstrated promising results, supported by a plethora of positive clinical trials conducted in recent years. Nonetheless, numerous questions persist. In this manuscript we comprehensively review the currently available data on adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and perioperative treatment strategies. We also address the challenges inherent to these approaches from different stakeholders' perspective.

Advancing neoadjuvant therapies in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: implications for novel treatment strategies and biomarker discovery

The delivery of neoadjuvant and perioperative therapies for non-small cell lung cancer has been radically altered by significant advances and by the incorporation of targeted therapies as well as immune checkpoint inhibitors alone or alongside conventional chemotherapy. This evolution has been particularly notable in the incorporation of immunotherapy and targeted therapy into the treatment of resectable NSCLC, where recent FDA approvals of drugs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, in combination with platinum doublet chemotherapy, have led to considerable improvements in pathological complete response rates and the potential for enhanced long-term survival outcomes. This review emphasizes the growing importance of biomarkers in optimizing treatment selection and explores the impact of emerging studies that challenge existing treatment paradigms and investigate novel therapeutic combinations poised to redefine standard of care practices. Furthermore, the discussion extends to the unmet needs within perioperative treatment assessment and prognostication, highlighting the prospective value of biomarkers in evaluating treatment responses and prognosis.

A current comprehensive role of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: A narrative review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to review the efficacy, safety, and evidence for current use and potential future uses of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the management of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

DATA SOURCES

A literature review was carried out through PubMed to identify completed and ongoing clinical trials evaluating the use, efficacy, and safety of ICIs in the management of resectable NSCLC.

DATA SUMMARY

To date, four phase 3 trials have emerged that have changed our treatment practice concerning the utilization of ICIs during the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings. The IMpower010 and KEYNOTE-091 trials examined the application of adjuvant atezolizumab and pembrolizumab, respectively, following surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. In the CheckMate 816 trial, the combination of nivolumab and chemotherapy as a neoadjuvant therapy received approval for patients with resectable NSCLC. Also, for patients with resectable NSCLC, the use of a pembrolizumab and chemotherapy combination as a perioperative therapy received approval based on the results of the KEYNOTE-671 trial. Apart from these trials, there are numerous phase 2 and phase 3 trials, some of which have been published while others are still in progress.

CONCLUSION

Despite the promising outcomes from these trials there remain several unanswered questions. In this review, we will assess clinical trials involving adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and perioperative ICIs, aiming to address the unresolved questions related to these therapeutic approaches.

A randomised phase II study of extended pleurectomy/decortication preceded or followed by chemotherapy in patients with early-stage pleural mesothelioma: EORTC 1205

BACKGROUND

The role of surgery in pleural mesothelioma remains controversial. It may be appropriate in highly selected patients as part of a multimodality treatment including chemotherapy. Recent years have seen a shift from extrapleural pleuropneumonectomy toward extended pleurectomy/decortication. The most optimal sequence of surgery and chemotherapy remains unknown.

METHODS

EORTC-1205-LCG was a multicentric, noncomparative phase 2 trial, 1:1 randomising between immediate (arm A) and deferred surgery (arm B), followed or preceded by chemotherapy. Eligible patients (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0-1) had treatment-naïve, borderline resectable T1-3 N0-1 M0 mesothelioma of any histology. Primary outcome was rate of success at 20 weeks, a composite end-point including 1) successfully completing both treatments within 20 weeks; 2) being alive with no signs of progressive disease; and 3) no residual grade 3-4 toxicity. Secondary end-points were toxicity, overall survival, progression-free survival and process indicators of surgical quality.

FINDINGS

69 patients were included in this trial. 56 (81%) patients completed three cycles of chemotherapy and 58 (84%) patients underwent surgery. Of the 64 patients in the primary analysis, 21 out of 30 patients in arm A (70.0%; 80% CI 56.8-81.0%) and 17 out of 34 patients (50.0%; 80% CI 37.8-62.2%) in arm B reached the statistical end-point for rate of success. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 10.8 (95% CI 8.5-17.2) months and 27.1 (95% CI 22.6-64.3) months in arm A, and 8.0 (95% CI 7.2-21.9) months and 33.8 (95% CI 23.8-44.6) months in arm B. Macroscopic complete resection was obtained in 82.8% of patients. 30- and 90-day mortality were both 1.7%. No new safety signals were found, but treatment-related morbidity was high.

INTERPRETATION

EORTC 1205 did not succeed in selecting a preferred sequence of pre- or post-operative chemotherapy. Either procedure is feasible with a low mortality, albeit consistent morbidity. A shared informed decision between surgeon and patient remains essential.

Pathological response in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Surrogate endpoints for overall survival in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy are needed to provide earlier treatment outcome indicators and accelerate drug approval. This study's main objectives were to investigate the association among pathological complete response, major pathological response, event-free survival and overall survival and to determine whether treatment effects on pathological complete response and event-free survival correlate with treatment effects on overall survival.

METHODS

A comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted to identify neoadjuvant studies in resectable non-small cell lung cancer. Analysis at the patient level using frequentist and Bayesian random effects (hazard ratio [HR] for overall survival or event-free survival by pathological complete response or major pathological response status, yes vs no) and at the trial level using weighted least squares regressions (hazard ratio for overall survival or event-free survival vs pathological complete response, by treatment arm) were performed.

RESULTS

In both meta-analyses, pathological complete response yielded favorable overall survival compared with no pathological complete response (frequentist, 20 studies and 6530 patients: HR = 0.49, 95% confidence interval = 0.42 to 0.57; Bayesian, 19 studies and 5988 patients: HR = 0.48, 95% probability interval = 0.43 to 0.55) and similarly for major pathological response (frequentist, 12 studies and 1193 patients: HR = 0.36, 95% confidence interval = 0.29 to 0.44; Bayesian, 11 studies and 1018 patients: HR = 0.33, 95% probability interval = 0.26 to 0.42). Across subgroups, estimates consistently showed better overall survival or event-free survival in pathological complete response or major pathological response compared with no pathological complete response or no major pathological response. Trial-level analyses showed a moderate to strong correlation between event-free survival and overall survival hazard ratios (R2 = 0.7159) but did not show a correlation between treatment effects on pathological complete response and overall survival or event-free survival.

CONCLUSION

There was a strong and consistent association between pathological response and survival and a moderate to strong correlation between event-free survival and overall survival following neoadjuvant therapy for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Immunotherapy in Resectable NSCLC

Non-small cell lung cancer, even when diagnosed in early stages, has been linked with poor survival rates and distant recurrence patterns. Novel therapeutic approaches harnessing the immune system have been implemented in early stages, following the designated steps of advanced NSCLC treatment strategies. Immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) regimens as monotherapy, combinational, or alongside chemotherapy have been intensely investigated as adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and, more recently, perioperative therapeutic strategies, representing pivotal milestones in the evolution of early lung cancer management while holding great potential for the future. The subject of current ongoing research is optimizing treatment outcomes for patient subsets with different needs and identifying biomarkers that could be predictive of response while translating the trials' endpoints to survival rates. The aim of this review is to discuss all current treatment options with the pros and cons of each, persistent challenges, and future perspectives on immunotherapy as illuminating the path to a new era for resectable NSCLC.

New systemic treatment paradigms in resectable non-small cell lung cancer and variations in patient access across Europe

The treatment landscape of resectable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is set to change significantly due to encouraging results from randomized trials evaluating neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy, as well as adjuvant targeted therapy. As of January 2024, marketing authorization has been granted for four new indications in Europe, and regulatory approvals for other study regimens are expected. Because cost-effectiveness and reimbursement criteria for novel treatments often differ between European countries, access to emerging developments may lead to inequalities due to variations in recommended and available lung cancer care throughout Europe. This Series paper (i) highlights the clinical studies reshaping the treatment landscape in resectable early-stage NSCLC, (ii) compares and contrasts approaches taken by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for drug approval to that taken by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and (iii) evaluates the differences in access to emerging treatments from an availability perspective across European countries.

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.

Evaluation of the efficacy and surgical-related safety of neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy in advanced resectable none small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Background

The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has brought about a paradigm shift in the treatment landscape of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the promising long-term survival outcomes and optimization of pathological complete response (cPR) demonstrated by various studies such as Impower010 and Checkmate-816, the effectiveness of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in advanced resectable NSCLC remains a subject of debate. Although previous research has explored the connection between the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy and surgical-related safety, limited studies have specifically investigated the surgical-related safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Therefore, our study aims to assess the efficacy and surgical-related safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in advanced resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Method

We conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of 93 patients with stage IIIA-IIIC NSCLC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection. Among them, 53 patients received neoadjuvant immunotherapy, 18 patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy while the remaining 22 underwent neoadjuvant targeted therapy. The patients were separated into further groups according to their pathological type. Data analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test.

Results

All patients were categorized into six distinct groups. Notably, the neoadjuvant immunotherapy squamous carcinoma group exhibited a favorable edge over the neoadjuvant targeted squamous carcinoma group concerning the duration of drainage tube indwelling and the extent of lymph node dissection. Furthermore, the neoadjuvant immunotherapy adenocarcinoma group outperformed neoadjuvant targeted therapy adenocarcinoma counterpart in terms of achieving complete pathological response (cPR). Simultaneously, the neoadjuvant immunotherapy adenocarcinoma group surpassed the neoadjuvant chemotherapy adenocarcinoma group in the incidence of hydrothorax. Nevertheless, no statistically significant disparities were noted between the neoadjuvant immunotherapy squamous carcinoma group and the neoadjuvant chemotherapy carcinoma group.

Conclusion

Regarding surgical outcomes, neoadjuvant immunotherapy conferred notable advantages compared to conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy and neoadjuvant targeted therapy for patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. In the case of squamous carcinoma, neoadjuvant immunotherapy exhibited superiority over neoadjuvant targeted therapy, although additional evidence is required to conclusively establish its precedence over neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Neoadjuvant therapy in non-small cell lung cancer: basis, promise, and challenges

Introduction

Survival rates for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain poor despite the decade-long established standard of surgical resection and systemic adjuvant therapy. Realizing this, researchers are exploring novel therapeutic targets and deploying neoadjuvant therapies to predict and improve clinical and pathological outcomes in lung cancer patients. Neoadjuvant therapy is also increasingly being used to downstage disease to allow for resection with a curative intent. In this review, we aim to summarize the current and developing landscape of using neoadjuvant therapy in the management of NSCLC.

Methods

The PubMed.gov and the ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched on 15 January 2023, to identify published research studies and trials relevant to this review. One hundred and seven published articles and seventeen ongoing clinical trials were selected, and relevant findings and information was reviewed.

Results & Discussion

Neoadjuvant therapy, proven through clinical trials and meta-analyses, exhibits safety and efficacy comparable to or sometimes surpassing adjuvant therapy. By attacking micro-metastases early and reducing tumor burden, it allows for effective downstaging of disease, allowing for curative surgical resection attempts. Research into neoadjuvant therapy has necessitated the development of surrogate endpoints such as major pathologic response (MPR) and pathologic complete response (pCR) allowing for shorter duration clinical trials. Novel chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy agents are being tested at a furious rate, paving the way for a future of personalized systemic therapy in NSCLC. However, challenges remain that prevent further mainstream adoption of preoperative (Neoadjuvant) therapy. These include the risk of delaying curative surgical resection in scenarios of adverse events or treatment resistance. Also, the predictive value of surrogate markers of disease cure still needs robust verification. Finally, the body of published data is still limited compared to adjuvant therapy. Addressing these concerns with more large scale randomized controlled trials is needed.

Upfront surgery for N2 NSCLC: a large retrospective multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

The optimal sequence and combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain undefined. The aim of our study was to compare two treatment options for N2 NSCLC-induction therapy with subsequent surgery versus upfront surgery with adjuvant treatment.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 405 patients with N2 disease in two centers, between January 2010 and December 2016. They were divided into two groups: the Induction Group, composed of patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the Upfront surgery Group, composed of patients who underwent surgery as first-line therapy. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was performed, and 52 patients were included in each group. Primary endpoints were: recurrence, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

RESULTS

After the PSM, no differences were observed in general characteristics, perioperative results, rates and severity of complications, and histopathology results. Seventeen patients (32.7%) of the induction group and 21 (40.4%) of the upfront surgery group had mediastinal lymph nodal involvement with skipping (p = 0.415). Recurrence rate was not different between the two groups (57.7% vs 50.0%, p = 0.478). No differences were observed in terms of OS (40.98 ± 35.78 vs 37.0 ± 40.69 months, p = 0.246) and DFS (29.67 ± 36.01 vs 27.96 ± 40.08 months, p = 0.697). The multivariable analysis identified the pT stage and skipping lymph node metastasis as independent predictive factors for OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Upfront surgery followed by adjuvant therapy does not appear inferior in terms of recurrence, OS and DFS, compared to induction chemotherapy with subsequent surgery.

Long-Term Outcomes of Selected Patients with IIIA-N2 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Upfront Surgical Resection

BACKGROUND

Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a diverse group that requires multimodality treatment. The aim of this study was to report the long-term outcomes for patients with IIIA-N2 disease.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of cases with IIIA-N2 (T1-2N2) NSCLC who underwent upfront surgery. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard analyses were used to assess the impact of various variables on survival.

RESULTS

A total of 475 patients were ultimately included. With a median follow-up time of 108 months, the 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were 42.2% and 27.7%, respectively. R0 resection was found to be associated with improved progression-free survival (PFS) and OS compared with R1/R2 resection (p = 0.041 for PFS; p = 0.015 for OS). Patients with single-station N2 disease demonstrated significantly better PFS and OS than those with multiple-station N2 disease (p < 0.001 for PFS; p = 0.002 for OS). Following surgical resection, adjuvant therapy was significantly correlated with prolonged PFS and OS compared with those patients without any treatment. However, there was no significant difference in PFS and OS between chemotherapy and radiochemotherapy (p = 0.915 for PFS; p = 0.287 for OS). Patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion had significantly improved OS compared with those with L858R (p = 0.040).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows promising long-term outcomes for selected patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC treated with upfront surgery followed by adjuvant therapy, especially those with R0 resection and single-station N2. This study sheds light on the potential management and treatment options for this challenging population.

A real-world study comparing perioperative chemotherapy and EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for treatment of resected stage III EGFR-mutant adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The patient population with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is heterogeneous, with varying staging characteristics and diverse treatment options. Despite the potential practice-changing implications of randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of perioperative epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), concerns have been raised due to conflicting overall survival (OS) results. Few real-world studies have examined the survival outcomes of patients with resected EGFR-mutant stage III adenocarcinoma receiving perioperative chemotherapy and EGFR-TKIs.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational study, we enrolled patients with resected stage III adenocarcinoma with EGFR mutations between January 2011 and December 2021. Patients were classified into two groups: perioperative chemotherapy and perioperative EGFR-TKIs. Outcomes and prognostic factors were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

RESULTS

Eighty-four patients were enrolled in the analysis. Perioperative EGFR-TKIs led to longer progression-free survival (PFS) than chemotherapy (38.6 versus 14.2 months; p = 0.019). However, only pathological risk factors predicted poor PFS in multivariate analysis. Patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy had longer OS than those receiving EGFR-TKIs (111.3 versus 50.2 months; p = 0.052). Multivariate analysis identified perioperative treatment with EGFR-TKIs as an independent predictor of poor OS (HR: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.22-11.54).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that chemotherapy should be considered in the perioperative setting for high-risk patients, when taking pathological risk factors into consideration, and that optimized sequencing of EGFR-TKIs might be the most critical determinant of OS.

Neoadjuvant Versus Adjuvant Systemic Therapy for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Changing Landscape Due to Immunotherapy

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. One-third of NSCLC patients present with surgically resectable, non-metastatic disease; however, many of these patients will recur despite curative surgery and adjuvant therapy. The recent publication of randomized trials incorporating immune check-point inhibitors (ICI) to the standard neo-adjuvant and adjuvant treatment regimens has reported improved survival with manageable toxicity profiles. The IMpower 010 studied the use of adjuvant atezolizumab after standard surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. They demonstrated an improvement in 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) prompting a change in treatment guidelines. The Checkmate 816 and NADIM II studies evaluated the addition of pembrolizumab and nivolumab, respectively, to standard neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The results from both trials showed an improvement in 2-year event-free survival (EFS) and 2-year PFS (PFS), respectively. In this review, we summarize the prior data regarding adjuvant and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in NSCLC and elaborate on results from the newer trials incorporating ICIs. We briefly discuss the pros and cons of each treatment approach along with areas that need further clarity to inform clinical practice and future directions for research in this disease.

Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in resectable non-small cell lung cancer

Only a minority of lung cancers are resectable at diagnosis, and many of these will eventually relapse. Adjuvant chemotherapy in this setting has a modest survival advantage, and there is significant need for new approaches to improve cure rates. Checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy has transformed the prognosis for advanced lung cancer, and is increasingly being used in the neoadjuvant setting alone, or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy. While this has demonstrated convincing improvements in event-free survival and pathologic response, questions remain over optimal duration of therapy, predictive and prognostic biomarkers, response assessment and combination with other modalities. In addition, these results must be considered in the context of recent positive studies of adjuvant immunotherapy. Here, we summarise preclinical context and clinical trials in this space, discuss areas of controversy and pitfalls, and consider future challenges.

Real-world relationship of early end points to survival end points in patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer

Aim: Pathologic response has been shown to be a promising surrogate for survival in non-small-cell lung cancer. We examined the real-world relationship between these end  points in patients with resectable stage IB-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (CT/CRT). Methods: Electronic health records/medical charts were analyzed. Overall and event-free survival (OS/EFS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier stratified by pathologic response. Associations between the end  points were assessed by Cox analyses. Results: A total of 425 patients were selected for the study; 147 and 278 received CT and CRT, respectively. Pathologic complete response (pCR) was associated with longer OS (adjusted HR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.29-0.85) and EFS (adjusted HR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.28-0.68) versus no pCR, and EFS was associated with OS (HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.69). Conclusion: In patients receiving neoadjuvant CT/CRT, pCR and EFS were associated with improved survival in this real-world dataset.

Perioperative Therapy for Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Weighing Options for the Present and Future

Anatomic surgical resection followed by cisplatin-based platinum-doublet adjuvant chemotherapy has been a long-standing standard of care for patients with early-stage, resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). More recently, incorporating of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in the perioperative setting has demonstrated improved disease-free or event-free survival in biomarker-defined subsets of patients. This article summarizes the results of major trials that led to approvals beyond chemotherapy in the perioperative setting. Alongside adjuvant osimertinib as a favored strategy for patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, there are competing potential standards of care for integrating immunotherapy in the neoadjuvant versus adjuvant setting, with advantages and disadvantages for each strategy. Emerging data in the coming years will provide further insight that may potentially lead to a combination of neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment for many patients. Future trials should focus on clarifying the benefit of each component of treatment, defining an optimal treatment duration, and incorporating minimal residual disease to optimize treatment decisions.

Multimodality therapy for lung cancer invading the chest wall: A study of the French EPITHOR database

OBJECTIVES

According to a nation-based study, we intend to report the data of the patients operated on for lung cancer invading the chest wall, taking into consideration the completion of induction chemotherapy (Ind_CT), induction radiochemotherapy (Ind_RCT) or no induction therapy (0_Ind).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients with a primary lung cancer invading the chest wall who underwent radical resection from 2004 to 2019 were included. Superior sulcus tumors were excluded.

RESULTS

Overall, 688 patients were included: 522 operated without induction therapy, 101 with Ind_CT and 65 with Ind_RCT. Postoperative 90-day mortality was 10.7% in the 0_Ind group, 5.0% in the Ind_CT group, 7.7% in the Ind_RCT group (p = 0.17). Incomplete resection rate was 14.0% in the 0_Ind group, 6.9% in the Ind_CT group, 6.2% in the Ind_RCT group (p = 0.04). In the 0_Ind group, 70% of the patients received adjuvant therapies. Overall survival (OS) analysis disclosed the best long-term outcomes in the Ind_RCT group (5-year OS probability: 56.5% versus 40.0% and 40.5% for 0_Ind and Ind_CT groups, respectively; p = 0.035). At multivariable analysis, Ind_RCT (HR = 0.571; p = 0.008), age > 60 years old (HR = 1,373; p = 0.005), male sex (HR = 1.710; p < 0.001), pneumonectomy (HR = 1.368; p = 0.025), pN2 status (HR = 1.981; p < 0.001), ≥3 resected ribs (HR = 1.329; p = 0.019), incomplete resection (HR = 2.284; p < 0.001) and lack of adjuvant therapy (HR = 1.959; p < 0.001) were associated with OS. Ind_CT was not associated with survival (HR = 0.848; p = 0.257).

CONCLUSION

Induction chemoradiation therapy seems to improve survival. Therefore, the present results should be confirmed by a prospective randomized trial testing the benefit of induction radiochemotherapy for NSCLC invading the chest wall.

The Evolving Role for Systemic Therapy in Resectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

During the last 2 decades, the understanding of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has evolved from a purely histologic classification system to a more complex model synthesizing clinical, histologic, and molecular data. Biomarker-driven targeted therapies have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring specific driver alterations in EGFR, HER2, KRAS, BRAF, MET, ALK, ROS1, RET, and NTRK. Novel immuno-oncology agents have contributed to improvements in NSCLC-related survival at the population-level. However, only in recent years has this nuanced understanding of NSCLC permeated into the systemic management of patients with resectable tumors.

Reaching multidisciplinary consensus on the management of non-bulky/non-infiltrative stage IIIA N2 non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

The optimal management of patients with non-bulky/non-infiltrative stage IIIA N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. In this modified Delphi study from France, we aimed to generate agreement through multidisciplinary decision-making on the clinical management of patients with non-bulky/non-infiltrative N2 NSCLC.

METHODS

An expert panel of 30 physicians from different specialities completed two Delphi rounds of a 76-item questionnaire, pertaining to: pathological confirmation of N2 disease; initial treatment approach; treatment approach in case of disease progression/stability following neoadjuvant chemotherapy; treatment approach taking into account various patient and tumour characteristics. Each questionnaire item was scored using a 9-point Likert scale. Consensus in agreement was achieved if ≥ 80 % of responses to a questionnaire item were scored between 7 and 9 and if the median value of the score to the item was ≥ 7.

RESULTS

Regarding the pathologic confirmation of N2 disease, agreement (up to 100 %) was reached on endobronchial ultrasound/endoscopic ultrasound as the preferred method of initial mediastinal staging for paratracheal lymph nodes. There was also panellist agreement (up to 93 %) on the adoption as first-line treatment of surgery and (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with single-station disease, and of concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant immunotherapy in those with multi-station N2 disease. Panellists further agreed on the use of a non-surgical strategy, i.e., concurrent chemoradiotherapy with adjuvant immunotherapy, in patients with single-station N2 disease in case of: involvement of ≥ 2 mediastinal lymph nodes; disease progression following neoadjuvant chemotherapy; compromised cardiopulmonary function if compatible with radiotherapy; anticipated right pneumonectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

This Delphi study reinforces the importance of multidisciplinary discussions leading to the best individual approach to the clinical management of patients with non-bulky/non-infiltrative N2 NSCLC, a challenging heterogeneous population.

Evolving Therapeutic Scenario of Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death with an incidence that continues to increase in both sexes and all ages. However, 80% to 90% of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the remaining 10% to 20% are small cell lung cancer. Adenocarcinoma is the most common histologic subtype of lung cancer worldwide. More frequently, lung cancer diagnosis is made in advanced stages. Stage III NSCLC refers to locoregionally advanced disease without metastases and represents about 30% NSCLC cases. Despite the absence of metastases at diagnosis, the outcome is generally poor. Stage III comprises a heterogeneous group and optimal management requires the input of a multidisciplinary team. All modalities of oncologic treatment are involved: surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and more recently, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. We will discuss the different therapeutic options in stage III NSCLC, both in operable and inoperable scenarios, and the role of immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

A novel nomogram to predict lymph node metastasis in cT1 non-small-cell lung cancer based on PET/CT and peripheral blood cell parameters

BACKGROUND

Accurately evaluating the lymph node status preoperatively is critical in determining the appropriate treatment plan for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This study aimed to construct a novel nomogram to predict the probability of lymph node metastasis in clinical T1 stage patients based on non-invasive and easily accessible indicators.

METHODS

From October 2019 to June 2022, the data of 84 consecutive cT1 NSCLC patients who had undergone PET/CT examination within 30 days before surgery were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors of lymph node metastasis. A nomogram based on these predictors was constructed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the calibration curve was used for assessment. Besides, the model was confirmed by bootstrap resampling.

RESULTS

Four predictors (tumor SUVmax value, lymph node SUVmax value, consolidation tumor ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio) were identified and entered into the nomogram. The model indicated certain discrimination, with an area under ROC curve of 0.921(95%CI 0.866-0.977). The calibration curve showed good concordance between the predicted and actual possibility of lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

This nomogram was practical and effective in predicting lymph node metastasis for patients with cT1 NSCLC. It could provide treatment recommendations to clinicians.

A Delphi consensus panel about clinical management of early-stage EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Spain: a Delphi consensus panel study

PURPOSE

This Delphi panel study assessed the level of consensus between medical oncologists on the clinical management of patients with early-stage EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

A modified two-round Delphi approach was used. A scientific committee comprised of medical oncologists developed an online questionnaire. Delphi panel experts rated their level of agreement with each questionnaire statement on a 9-point Likert scale. The questionnaire included 36 statements from 3 domains (clinical management of early-stage NSCLC: 15 statements; role of adjuvant therapy in early-stage NSCLC: 9 statements; and role of adjuvant therapy in early-stage NSCLC with sensitizing EGFR mutation: 12 statements).

RESULTS

In round 1, consensus was reached for 24/36 statements (66.7%). Nine statements that did not achieve consensus after the first round were evaluated in round 2, and none of them reached consensus. Overall, 84.4% of the panelists agreed that EGFR mutation testing should be done after surgery. Consensus was not achieved on whether the implementation of EGFR mutation testing in resected early-stage NSCLC could limit the use of adjuvant osimertinib. The panelists recognized the rationale for the use of osimertinib in the adjuvant scenario (88%) and 72% agreed that it may change the treatment paradigm in stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Consensus was not reached on the inconvenience of prolonged duration of osimertinib.

CONCLUSIONS

This Delphi study provides valuable insights into relevant questions in the management of early-stage EGFR-mutated NSCLC. However, specific issues remain unresolved. The expert consensus emphasizes the role of adjuvant treatment with osimertinib in this scenario.

Systematic review of the perioperative immunotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: evidence mapping and synthesis

Objectives

This study aimed to use evidence mapping to provide an overview of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as perioperative treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to identify areas of this field where future research is most urgently needed.

Methods

Multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched to identify clinical trials published up to November 2021 that examined the effect of perioperative ICIs for perioperative treatment of NSCLC. Study design, sample size, patient characteristics, therapeutic regimens, clinical stages, short-term and long-term therapeutic outcomes, surgery associated parameters, and therapeutic safety were examined.

Results

We included 66 trials (3564 patients) and used evidence mapping to characterize the available data. For surgery associated outcomes, sixty-two studies (2480 patients) provided complete information regarding the use of surgery after neoadjuvant immunotherapy and data on R0 resection were available in 42 studies (1680 patients); for short-term clinical outcomes, 57 studies (1842 patients) evaluated pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant immunotherapy and most of included studies achieved pCR in the range of 30 to 40%; for long-term clinical outcomes, 15 studies (1932 patients) reported DFS, with a median range of 17.9-53.6 months; and only a few studies reported the safety profiles of perioperative immunotherapies.

Conclusion

Our evidence mapping systematically summarized the results of all clinical trials and studies that examined ICIs as perioperative treatments for NSCLC. The results indicated more studies that evaluate long-term patient outcomes are needed to provide a stronger foundation for the use of these treatments.

Moving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors to Early Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Since prognosis of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains dismal for common relapses after curative surgery, considerable efforts are currently focused on bringing immunotherapy into neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings. Previously, perioperative chemotherapy showed only a modest but significative improvement in overall survival. The presence of broad tumor neoantigens load at primary tumor prior to surgery as well as the known immunosuppressive status following resection represent the main rationale for immunotherapy in early disease. Several trials have been conducted in recent years, leading to atezolizumab and nivolumab approval in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting, respectively, and perioperative immunotherapy in NSCLC remains a field of active clinical and preclinical investigation. Unanswered questions in perioperative therapy in NSCLC include the optimal sequence and timing of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, the potential of combination strategies, the role of predictive biomarkers for patient selection and the choice of useful endpoints in clinical investigation.

A Phase 1 Study of Concurrent Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab Plus Chemoradiation Followed by Consolidation Pembrolizumab in Patients With Resectable Stage IIIA NSCLC

Introduction

Evidence supports the addition of immunotherapy to definitive chemoradiation for unresectable stage IIIA NSCLC. Adding pembrolizumab to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with resectable stage IIIA NSCLC requires study for safety and feasibility.

Methods

Patients with resectable stage IIIA NSCLC received neoadjuvant cisplatin, etoposide, and pembrolizumab concurrently with thoracic radiotherapy of 45 Gy in 25 fractions. Patients without progression underwent resection followed by 6 months of consolidation pembrolizumab. Safety and feasibility were defined as less than or equal to 30% grade 3 or higher pulmonary toxicity or any grade 4 or 5 nonhematologic toxicity. A total of 10 patients were to be enrolled initially. If less than or equal to two patients had events, another 10 were to be enrolled.

Results

The study closed after enrolling nine patients. The median age was 66 (range: 49–76) years. A total of 67% were female. Median follow-up was 38.3 months. Serious adverse events occurred in seven patients, including two grade 5 events: one sudden cardiac arrest in the neoadjuvant phase and one fatal pneumocystis pneumonia after resection. Eight patients were assessable for response. The overall response rate was 67%. Six underwent complete resection. Four achieved pathologic complete response, whereas one additional patient had complete nodal clearance. Median progression-free survival has not been reached. The 3-year overall survival was 64%.

Conclusions

Adding pembrolizumab to neoadjuvant concurrent cisplatin, etoposide, and radiotherapy in resectable stage IIIA NSCLC resulted in an encouraging pathologic complete response rate. Higher-than-expected toxicities necessitated trial closure after meeting the rule for infeasibility. The relationship of grade 5 events to the addition of pembrolizumab is unclear.

Treatment Sequencing in Resectable Lung Cancer: The Good and the Bad of Adjuvant Versus Neoadjuvant Therapy

The treatment scenario for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer has changed dramatically with the incorporation of immunotherapy. The introduction of immunotherapy into treatment algorithms has yielded improved clinical outcomes in several phase II and III trials in both adjuvant (Impower010 and PEARLS) and neoadjuvant settings (JHU/MSK, LCMC3, NEOSTAR, Columbia/MGH, NADIM, and CheckMate-816), leading to new U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals in this sense. Different treatment options are now available for patients, making the optimal treatment scenario a matter of intense debate. In this review, we summarize the main results concerning treatment sequencing in resectable non-small cell lung cancer from the past 30 years in the preimmunotherapy era, focusing on recent advances after incorporation of immunotherapy. Finally, the utility of several parameters (PD-L1, tumor mutational burden, radiomics, circulating tumor DNA, T-cell receptor, and immune populations) as predictive biomarkers for therapy personalization is discussed.

Osimertinib as Neoadjuvant Therapy for Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Series

Background: Evidence of osimertinib as neoadjuvant therapy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are currently lacking. This case series study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of neoadjuvant osimertinib therapy followed by surgery for resectable NSCLC.

Materials and methods: Patients with resectable NSCLC with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation who received osimertinib as neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery at our center were included. Demographic features, radiologic and pathological assessment of response, surgery-related details and complications, toxicity profiles, and prognostic outcomes were extracted.

Results: A total of 13 patients were included in this study. The median age at the time of surgical resection was 57 years (interquartile range: 52–64 years), and eight (61.5%) patients were female. The objective response rate (ORR) was 69.2% (9/13), and the complete resection rate was 100%. The rates of pathologic downstaging and lymph node downstaging were 100% (13/13) and 66.7% (6/9), respectively. There were no perioperative deaths and only three (23.1%) patients had postoperative complications. Seven (53.8%) and 13 (100%) patients experienced grade 1 treatment-related adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities, respectively. No patients experienced drug withdrawal or surgical delays due to the adverse events. No patients showed grade 2 or worse toxicity profiles. One patient was lost to follow-up. The other 12 patients were alive and free of disease recurrence with a median follow-up time of 9.5 months.

Conclusion: Neoadjuvant osimertinib therapy seemed to be safe and feasible for resectable EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Future large prospective studies are warranted to confirm whether osimertinib as neoadjuvant therapy outperforms standard tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or chemotherapy for resectable EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

A risk model to predict the delivery of adjuvant chemotherapy following lung resection in patients with pathologically positive lymph nodes

To investigate factors associated with the ability to receive adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pathological N1 and N2 stage after anatomic lung resections for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Multicenter retrospective analysis on 707 consecutive patients found pathologic N1 (pN1) or N2 (pN2) disease following anatomic lung resections for NSCLC (2014-2019). Multiple imputation logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with adjuvant chemotherapy and to develop a model to predict the probability of starting this treatment. The model was externally validated in a population of 253 patients. In the derivation set, 442 patients were pN1 and 265 pN2. 58% received at least one cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy. The variables significantly associated with the probability of starting chemotherapy after multivariable regression analysis were: younger age (p<0.0001), Body Mass Index (BMI) (p=0.031), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) (p=0.037), better performance status (PS) (p<0.0001), absence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (p=0.016), resection lesser than pneumonectomy (p=0.010). The logit of the prediction model was: 6.58 -0.112 x age +0.039 x BMI +0.009 x FEV1 -0.650 x PS -1.388 x CKD -0.550 x pneumonectomy. The predicted rate of adjuvant chemotherapy in the validation set was 59.2 and similar to the observed one (59%, p=0.87) confirming the model performance in external setting. This study identified several factors associated with the probability of initiating adjuvant chemotherapy after lung resection in node-positive patients. This information can be used during preoperative multidisciplinary meetings and patients counseling to support decision-making process regarding the timing of systemic treatment.

Effect of Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Survival of Patients With 8th Edition Stage IB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with 8th edition stage IB (tumor size ≤4 cm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear.

METHODS

We identified 9757 eligible patients (non-chemotherapy group: n=8303; chemotherapy group: n=1454) between 2004 and 2016 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Log-rank test was used to compare overall survival (OS) between the chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy groups. Cox regression model was applied to investigate the independent prognosis factors of all surgically treated stage IB patients, and then the nomogram was constructed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to reduce the confounding bias, and subgroup analyses of the matched cohort were also performed. Finally, we reviewed 184 patients with stage IB NSCLC from July 2008 to December 2016 in Jinling Hospital as a validation cohort, and compared disease-free survival (DFS) and OS between the two groups.

RESULTS

In the SEER database cohort, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved OS in both unmatched and matched (1417 pairs) cohorts (all P <0.05). The survival benefit (both OS and DFS) was confirmed in the validation cohort (P <0.05). Multivariate analysis showed age, race, sex, marital status, histology, tumor location, tumor size, differentiation, surgical method, lymph nodes (LNs) examined, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were prognostic factors for resected stage IB NSCLC (all P <0.05). The concordance index and calibration curves demonstrated good prediction effect. Subgroup analyses showed patients with the following characteristics benefited from chemotherapy: old age, poor differentiation to undifferentiation, 0-15 LNs examined, visceral pleural invasion (VPI), lobectomy and no radiotherapy (all P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant chemotherapy is associated with improved survival in 8th edition stage IB NSCLC patients, especially in those with old age, poorly differentiated to undifferentiated tumors, 0-15 LNs examined, VPI, lobotomy and no radiotherapy. Further prospective trials are needed to confirm these conclusions. Besides, the nomogram provides relatively accurate prediction for the prognosis of resected stage IB NSCLC patients.

Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Immunotherapy in Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer, Past, Present, and Future

Lung cancer is worldwide the most common malignancy. Standard of care treatments for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) include surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. However, these patients continue to have poor prognosis due to systemic or local relapse. Immunotherapy has been considered as a novel approach to improve survival in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Since immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed the treatment of advanced NSCLC, there is a growing interest in the role of immunotherapy in early-stage NSCLC. In this review, we summarize reported and ongoing clinical trials of immunotherapy in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings. We also highlight unaddressed issues in this field of research, such as the predictive markers, the optimal combination therapy, and the need for adjuvant immunotherapy. More studies are needed to optimize the treatment regimen of immunotherapy in patients with early-stage NSCLC.

Safety of Surgery after Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapies in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review

New drugs, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy, have changed the prognosis in a subset of patients with advanced lung cancer, and are now actively investigated in a number of trials with neoadjuvant and adjuvant regimens. However, no phase III randomized studies were published yet. The current narrative review proves that targeted therapies are safe in neoadjuvant approach. Unsurprisingly, administration of therapy is related to an acceptable toxicity profile. Severe adverse events’ rate that rarely compromises outcomes of patients with advanced lung cancer is not that commonly accepted in early lung cancer as it may lead to missing the chance of curative surgery. Among those complications, the most important factors that may limit the use of targeted therapies are severe respiratory adverse events precluding the resection occurring after treatment with some anaplastic lymphoma kinase and rarely after epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. At this point, in the presented literature assessing the feasibility of neoadjuvant therapies with anaplastic lymphoma kinase and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, we did not find any unexpected intraoperative events that would be of special interest to a thoracic surgeon. Moreover, the postoperative course was associated with typical rate of complications.

Design and Rationale for a Phase III, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Neoadjuvant Durvalumab + Chemotherapy Followed by Adjuvant Durvalumab for the Treatment of Patients With Resectable Stages II and III non-small-cell Lung Cancer: The AEGEAN Trial

For patients with resectable, early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgery is the primary treatment; however, 5-year survival rates remain poor. Postoperative adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy is associated with a statistically significant but modest improvement in survival of ∼5% at 5 years and is widely accepted as standard of care in patients with resectable, Stage II-III NSCLC. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been associated with similar improvements in overall survival to adjuvant therapy in this setting. Durvalumab, a high-affinity PD-L1 inhibitor, has become the standard of care for patients with unresectable, Stage III NSCLC following chemoradiotherapy based on improved progression-free and overall survival in the phase III PACIFIC trial. AEGEAN is a phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled, international study that will assess pathological and clinical outcomes of durvalumab plus chemotherapy prior to surgery, followed by durvalumab monotherapy after surgery in adults with resectable, Stage II-III NSCLC. Approximately 800 patients will be randomized (1:1) to receive durvalumab or placebo every 3 weeks (q3w) alongside platinum-based chemotherapy (≤4 cycles) prior to surgery, followed by durvalumab or placebo monotherapy q4w, for an additional 12 cycles post surgery, stratified by disease stage (IASLC 8th Edition, Stage II vs. Stage III) and PD-L1 tumor cell expression levels (<1% vs. ≥1%). Primary endpoints include pathological complete response and event-free survival for patients with wild-type EGFR and ALK. Key secondary efficacy endpoints include major pathologic response, disease-free survival and overall survival.

Immunotherapeutic Advances for NSCLC

Immunotherapy with antibodies against PD-1 or PD-L1, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, has revolutionized treatment paradigms of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients without oncogenic driver alterations. These agents, namely immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have also widely demonstrated a remarkable efficacy in locally advanced as well as in early-stage NSCLC. Assessment of tumor PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry has entered into routine clinical practice to select patients for immunotherapy, even though its predictive role has long been debated. Despite improved survival outcomes over standard chemotherapy, treatment with ICIs is associated with initial low response rate, with a significant proportion of patients not responding to these agents. Hence, novel appealing predictive biomarkers, such as those related to tumor cell signaling pathways, metabolism or the tumor microenvironment, have emerged as potentially useful to select those patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Moreover, most patients ultimately develop acquired resistance to ICI treatment over time and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to overcome or delay resistance. Herein, we provide an overview on recent advances in immunotherapy in NSCLC, focusing on updated results from studies on ICIs in different disease settings and at different lines of treatment. We further describe currently emerging predictive biomarkers, beyond PD-L1, to optimize patient selection and novel strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Moving Immunotherapy Into Early-Stage Lung Cancer

Blockade of the programmed cell death 1 immune inhibitory pathway has revolutionized the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer and led to significant improvements in overall survival. In contrast, early-stage surgically resectable lung cancer has had few treatment advances in many years and continues to be associated with a high risk of relapse despite apparent curative resection. In this review, we discuss the many ongoing efforts to incorporate programmed cell death 1 pathway blockade into the treatment paradigm for surgically resectable lung cancer both as adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy. We review the early-phase results from neoadjuvant clinical trials, the landscape of phase III trials that are ongoing, and look to the future of immune checkpoint blockade as a potential curative therapy for surgically resectable lung cancer.

Prognostic relevance of pleural invasion for resected NSCLC patients undergoing adjuvant treatments: A propensity score-matched analysis of SEER database

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant chemotherapy demonstrated a clear benefit in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with nodal disease (stages II-III), and a minimal benefit in tumors >4 cm (stage II, TNM 8th edition). Pleural invasion (PL), classified as visceral pleural invasion (VPI, which includes PL1 and PL2, and parietal pleural invasion (PL3), is an established negative prognostic factor. However, whether PL should influence the decisional algorithm of postoperative chemotherapy is controversial.

METHODS

A survival analysis of NSCLC patients who underwent radical surgery between 2010 and 2015 included in the SEER database was performed. Tumor stage and size, number of examined and positive nodes, histology, PL, and treatment data were extracted. Propensity score matching was performed. The benefit of chemotherapy was analyzed in two subgroups: standard of care (SOC), including patients with positive nodes or tumors ≥ 4 cm; non-SOC, including patients with tumors < 4 cm and negative nodes.

RESULTS

Records of 30,858 patients were extracted. 11,708 patients were included in the propensity score-matched analysis. In the SOC subgroup, including 8089 patients, all pleural invasion degrees were associated with progressively increased risk for death and shorter overall survival (OS), independently from chemotherapy administration. However, chemotherapy significantly improved the median OS regardless of the extent of PL. In the non-SOC subgroup, including 3619 patients, only PL3 was associated with increased mortality. The administration of chemotherapy did not improve survival outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Chemotherapy should be strongly recommended in patients in the SOC-subgroup with pleural invasion. VPI is not associated with unfavorable prognosis in the non-SOC subgroup.

Adjuvant therapy of operable nonsmall cell lung cancer: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The current status of postoperative adjuvant therapy for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is reviewed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cisplatin-based postoperative chemotherapy is a current standard of care for patients with stage II-III NSCLC who underwent complete resection. However, its benefit is limited. In these 20 years, the introduction of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors has dramatically changed the treatment of metastatic lung cancer. The accumulated knowledge is now being applied in the adjuvant setting and many clinical trials are underway. Recently, postoperative osimertinib was shown to greatly prolong disease-free survival of patients with resected, stage II/IIIA NSCLC with EGFR mutation with an unprecedented hazard ratio of 0.17 in ADAURA study. Furthermore, initial results of adjuvant studies of immune checkpoint inhibitors are expected to be reported shortly.

SUMMARY

As lung cancer is inherently prone to metastasize even though it looks in its earlier stage, it is essential to develop a newer generation of adjuvant therapies to improve patient outcomes. To this end, international and multidisciplinary collaboration is key to establish a new standard of care. It is anticipated that the treatment algorithm of early-stage lung cancer will be completely revised in 5 years using a more individualized approach.

Dose-dense Paclitaxel and Carboplatin as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage IIB/IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer - A Phase II trial

AIMS

The approach to potentially resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. There is a benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), but the ideal regimen is unknown. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of dose-dense NACT in potentially resectable NSCLC in this phase II trial.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Paclitaxel at 80 mg/m² on days 1, 8 and 15 with AUC-6 carboplatin on day 1, 3 weekly for four cycles was evaluated as NACT. Patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, stage IIB and IIIA (with only non-bulky N2 nodes) were included. The primary end point was the objective response rate. Secondary end points included toxicity, progression-free survival, recurrence-free survival, complete resection rate and overall survival. The relative dose intensity (RDI) was calculated to define tolerability (CTRI/2016/05/006916).

RESULTS

In total, 37 patients were enrolled (median age 55 years). Most (78.8%) were smokers. Most patients had adenocarcinoma (57.6%) and stage IIIA disease (81.0%) according to the seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system. Seventy-eight per cent of patients completed four cycles. The objective response rate was 75.6% with a complete response in 10.8%. The mean RDI of paclitaxel was 88.61%, with 68.0% of patients able to maintain an RDI ≥85.0%. In total, 187 toxicity events were recorded (120 grade 1, 64 grade 2 and three grade 3 events). Common toxicities were peripheral neuropathy (20.3%), myalgia (19.8%), nausea (15.7%) and neutropenia (10.2%). There were no treatment-related deaths. Seventeen patients underwent surgery (lobectomy 82.4%). After a median follow-up of 47 months (95% confidence interval 27-50.7 months), the median progression-free survival was 9.6 months (7.4-17.4) and overall survival was 29.2 months (16.0-37.2).

CONCLUSION

Dose-dense paclitaxel-carboplatin is feasible, safe and efficacious and should be evaluated further in potentially resectable NSCLC.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemotherapy for cT2-4N0-1 non-small cell lung cancer patients during initial treatment phase

Objective

The choice between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) remains controversial in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There is no significant difference in NAC and AC’s effectiveness. We investigate the cost-effectiveness of NAC versus AC for NSCLC.

Method

A decision tree model was designed from a payer perspective to compare NAC and AC treatments for NSCLC patients. Parameters included overall survival (OS), surgical complications, chemotherapy adverse events (AEs), treatment initiation probability, treatment time frame, treatment cost, and quality of life (QOL). Sensitivity analyses were performed to characterize model uncertainty in the base cases.

Result

AC treatment strategy produced a cost saving of ¥3064.90 and incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) of 0.10 years per patient with the same OS. NAC would be cost-effective at a ¥35,446/QALY threshold if the median OS of NAC were 2.3 months more than AC. The model was robust enough to handle variations to all input parameters except OS. In the probability sensitivity analysis, AC remained dominant in 54.4% of simulations.

Conclusion

The model cost-effectiveness analysis indicates that with operable NSCLC, AC treatment is more cost-effective to NAC. If NAC provides a longer survival advantage, this treatment strategy may be cost-effective. The OS is the main factor that influences cost-effectiveness and should be considered in therapeutic regimes.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12962-021-00280-w.

Morbidity and mortality of lobectomy or pneumonectomy after neoadjuvant treatment: an analysis from the ESTS database

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the postoperative complications and 30-day mortality rates associated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before major anatomic lung resections registered in the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) database.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis on 52 982 anatomic lung resections registered in the ESTS database (July 2007-31 December 2017) (6587 pneumonectomies and 46 395 lobectomies); 5143 patients received neoadjuvant treatment (9.7%) (3993 chemotherapy alone and 1150 chemoradiotherapy). To adjust for possible confounders, a propensity case-matched analysis was performed. The postoperative outcomes (morbidity and 30-day mortality) of matched patients with and without induction treatment were compared.

RESULTS

8.2% of all patients undergoing lobectomies and 20% of all patients undergoing pneumonectomies received induction treatment. Lobectomy analysis: propensity score analysis yielded 3824 pairs of patients with and without induction treatment. The incidence of cardiopulmonary complications was higher in the neoadjuvant group (626 patients, 16% vs 446 patients, 12%, P < 0.001), but 30-day mortality rates were similar (71 patients, 1.9% vs 75 patients, 2.0%, P = 0.73). The incidence of bronchopleural fistula and prolonged air leak >5 days were similar between the 2 groups (neoadjuvant: 0.5% vs 0.4%, P = 0.87; 9.2% vs 9.9%, P = 0.27). Pneumonectomy analysis: propensity score analysis yielded 1312 pairs of patients with and without induction treatment. The incidence of cardiopulmonary complications was higher in the treated patients compared to those without neoadjuvant treatment (neoadjuvant 275 cases, 21% vs 18%, P = 0.030). However, the 30-day mortality was similar between the matched groups (neoadjuvant 68 cases, 5.2% vs 5.3%, P = 0.86). Finally, the incidence of bronchopleural fistula was also similar between the 2 groups (neoadjuvant 1.8% vs 1.4%, P = 0.44).

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is not associated with an increased perioperative risk after either lobectomy or pneumonectomy, warranting a more liberal use of this approach for patients with locally advanced operable lung cancer.

Dramatic response to pembrolizumab with chemotherapy followed by salvage surgery in a lung cancer patient

Immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy have been shown to exhibit remarkable efficacy for advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma and are under investigation as an induction therapy. However, the significance of preoperative therapy with pembrolizumab + chemotherapy for surgically resectable non-small-cell lung carcinoma still remains unclear. Here, we report a case of stage IIIB non-small-cell lung carcinoma that underwent salvage surgery after three cycles of pembrolizumab + carboplatin + nab-paclitaxel. Computed tomography revealed the remarkable decrease in tumor volume by 81%. A pathological examination showed that viable neoplastic cells were observed in <1% of the total tumorous lesion suggesting near pathological complete response. This case suggests that this regimen might be a good option as induction therapy for non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer: right drugs, right patient, right time?

Standard curative treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) involves surgery in combination with postoperative (adjuvant) platinum-based chemotherapy where indicated. Preoperative (neoadjuvant) therapies offer certain theoretical benefits compared with adjuvant approaches, including the ability to assess on-treatment response, reduce the tumor bulk prior to surgery, and enhance tolerability in the preoperative setting. Indeed, the use of neoadjuvant therapies are well established in other cancers such as breast and rectal cancers to debulk the tumor and guide ongoing therapy, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy has similar efficacy but less toxicity in NSCLC. More recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) targeting programmed death-1 (PD1)/PD1-ligand 1 (PD-L1) have transformed the treatment of advanced NSCLC; the unique mechanisms of action of ICI offer additional rationale for assessment in the neoadjuvant setting. Preclinical studies in mouse cancer models support the proof of concept of neoadjuvant ICI (NAICI) through improvement of T-cell effector function and long-term memory induction. Preliminary early-phase human trial data support the proposition that NAICI in NSCLC may provide an feasible and potentially efficacious future treatment strategy and large, randomized phase III trials are currently recruiting to assess this approach. However, outstanding issues include defining optimal treatment combinations which balance high efficacy with acceptable toxicity, validating biomarkers to aid in patient selection, and avoiding potential pitfalls such as missing a window for successful surgery, that is, choosing the right drugs, for the right patient, at the right time. Predictive biomarkers to direct selection of therapy are required, and the validation of major pathological response (MPR) as a surrogate for survival will be important in the uptake of the neoadjuvant approach.

Treatment strategies for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer in elderly patients: Translating scientific evidence into clinical practice

Treatment of locally advanced NSCLC (LA-NSCLC) is focused on multimodal strategy, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy (in combination or as alternative treatments), followed by surgery in selected cases. Recently, durvalumab consolidation after definitive chemo-radiation has shown a meaningful overall survival benefit. However, it is important to note that elderly patients represent a high proportion of NSCLC population and frailty and comorbidities can significantly limit treatment options. Indeed, elderly patients are under-represented in clinical trials and data to drive treatment selection in this category of patients are scanty. Available data, main issues and controversies on multimodal treatment in elderly LA-NSCLC patients will be reviewed in this paper.

Effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the survival outcomes of patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE

To determine the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) versus primary surgery on survival outcomes for resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using an approach based on a meta-analysis.

METHODS

The PubMed, EmBase, Cochrane library, and CNKI databases were systematically browsed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which met a set of predetermined inclusion criteria throughout January 2020. Hazard ratios (HRs) were applied for the pooled overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) values, and the pooled survival rates at 1-year and 3-year were used as the relative risk (RR). All the pooled effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model.

RESULTS

Nineteen RCTs contained a total of 4372 NSCLC at I-III stages was selected for final meta-analysis. We noted NACT was significantly associated with an improvement in OS (HR: 0.87; 95%CI: 0.81-0.94; P < 0.001) and PFS (HR: 0.86; 95%CI: 0.78-0.96; P = 0.005). Moreover, the survival rate at 1-year (RR: 1.07; 95%CI: 1.02-1.12; P = 0.007) and 3-year (RR: 1.16; 95%CI: 1.06-1.27; P = 0.001) in the NACT group was significantly higher than the survival rate for the primary surgery group. Finally, the treatment effects of NACT versus primary surgery on survival outcomes might be different when stratified by the mean age of patients and the tumor stages.

CONCLUSIONS

NACT could improve survival outcomes for patients with resectable NSCLC, suggesting its suitable future applicability for clinical practice. However, large-scale RCT should be conducted to assess the chemotherapy regimen on the prognosis of resectable NSCLC.

New Perspectives in Different Gene Expression Profiles for Early and Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stem Cells

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, causing over 1.7 million deaths in 2018. Thus far, no effective treatments against lung cancer for advanced stages have been found. For early stages, although surgery is considered the gold standard treatment, 30-55% of patients develop recurrence within the first 5 years of surgery. Our aim is to assess whether cancer stem cells (CSC) display overexpression of a pool of genes that were previously identified for adenocarcinoma recurrence in patients with early and locally advanced stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out by harvesting surgical tumor specimens obtained from patients harboring early (I-II) and locally advanced (IIIA) stages of NSCLC. For each patient, cell sorting was performed to identify and isolate the ALDHhigh (CSC) and ALDHlow (cancer cells) populations. The mRNA expressions of 31 recurrence-related genes (target genes) in both ALDHhigh and ALDHlow populations were then assessed and compared.

RESULTS

Surgical specimens were obtained from 22 patients harboring NSCLC. Sixteen (51.6%) out of 31 recurrence-related genes were significantly overexpressed in ALDHhigh cells in the early stages and 9 (29.0%) were overexpressed in the locally advanced stages of NSCLC. Overall, the relative mRNA expressions for these recurrence-related genes were higher in early-stage patients. The average fold change, considering all 31 recurrence-related genes together, was 4.5 (95% CI = 3.1-6.3) in early-stage patients and 1.6 (95% CI = 1.2-2.2) in locally advanced-stage patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study represents the first attempt toward identifying genes associated with recurrence that are overexpressed in cancer stem cells in patients with early and locally advanced stages of NSCLC. This finding may contribute to the identification of new target therapies tailored for NSCLC stages.

Current state and prospect of the perioperative strategy for non-small cell lung cancer

This paper provides an overview of perioperative treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including the current widespread use of cytotoxic anticancer agents, promising molecular targeted agents, and immuno-checkpoint inhibitors. Multiple clinical trials have confirmed that postoperative chemotherapy with cytotoxic anticancer agents should be given for stage IIB to III (according to the 8th edition of the TNM classification for NSCLC) if possible, and preoperative treatment also is recommended for patients with N2 or higher stage. However, advances in concurrent chemoradiotherapy are expected to change the significance of neoadjuvant therapy. Perioperative treatment with molecular targeted agents appears to extend disease-free survival, but there is currently no evidence that it can extend overall survival. Perioperative treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors requires further evidence but is likely to be effective. Although perioperative treatment of NSCLC could be costly it continues to evolve in hopes of a cure.

[Perioperative treatment for resected non-small cell lung cancer: Which option in 2020?]

Surgery is the ultimate curative treatment for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the prognosis for operated patients remains disappointing. Multiple randomized studies have shown that administering perioperative chemotherapy improves the prognosis and increases the cure rate by around 3-5%. The purpose of this article is to take stock of the role of perioperative treatments for NSCLC, which can be completely resected. Six questions were evaluated: 1) What is the place of (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy in 2020, among others in the early stages (IB)? 2) Can new chemotherapy agents be combined with a platinum derivative? 3) What is the place of radiochemotherapy for resectable NSCLC? 4) Is there a place for postoperative radiotherapy (PORT)? 5) Is there a place for targeted therapies for resectable NSCLC? 6) What is the place of immunotherapies in the perioperative period?