Ultra-Late Relapse with a Single Cerebellar Metastasis 10 Years after Complete Surgery for Stage IIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma)

Brain Metastasis of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer After Disease-Free Survival of 5 years: Case Series and Comprehensive Literature Review

BACKGROUND

In the treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a disease-free survival of 5 years is a criterion for cure. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with brain metastases of NSCLC after a disease-free survival of 5 years (late recurrent brain metastasis [LRBM]).

METHODS

We reviewed 1281 consecutive patients with brain metastasis of lung cancer at a single institute between November 2014 and December 2022. Relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed. Only peer-reviewed journals published in English were included.

RESULTS

Six patients (0.47%) showed LRBM. Three were male. The median age at lung cancer diagnosis was 45 years. The histological diagnosis of all patients was adenocarcinoma. Driver gene mutations were observed in five patients. The median latency period from lung cancer treatment to the development of brain metastasis was 13 years. All patients had no metastasis to any other organs and underwent craniotomies. The median follow-up duration after craniotomy was 3.5 years. No local intracranial recurrences were observed. Three patients had distant intracranial recurrences at 7, 2, and 0.6 years after craniotomy. Five patients survived for 8, 4, 3, 2, and 0.3 years after craniotomy. One patient experienced re-recurrence in the lung 4 years after craniotomy and died 3.7 years later. In our systematic review, only six studies described LRBM of NSCLC.

CONCLUSIONS

LRBM is rare in patients with NSCLC. In our institution, many of these patients harbored driver gene mutations, and achieved long-term survival with aggressive local therapy. Multicenter analysis is mandatory.

Association Between ALK Rearrangement and Ultra-Late Recurrence in Lung Cancer: Case Report and Pooled Analysis

Ultra-late recurrence, defined as recurrence occurring 10 years or longer after curative treatment, is uncommon for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To date, factors associated with ultra-late recurrence remain unknown. We report a case with ultra-late recurrence and reviewed the literature published during 2010-2023. This is a case of a 66-year-old woman, with a significant smoking history and a previous history of lung adenocarcinoma, who underwent surgery for a brain metastasis detected on imaging. The pathology confirmed lung adenocarcinoma with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion, a finding consistent with the initial lung surgery a decade ago. With receiving intrathecal topotecan, the patient has maintained stable disease 10 months post-surgery. Given the rarity of ultra-late recurrence of NSCLC, we also conducted a pooled analysis with the outcome of interest being a time to recurrence. Data from this case report was analyzed along with previously published 26 cases of ultra-late recurrence. Multivariable analysis indicated that the only factor significantly predicting time to recurrence was anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement.

Cancer progression and the invisible phase of metastatic colonization

Metastatic dissemination occurs very early in the malignant progression of a cancer but the clinical manifestation of metastases often takes years. In recent decades, 5-year survival of patients with many solid cancers has increased due to earlier detection, local disease control and adjuvant therapies. As a consequence, we are confronted with an increase in late relapses as more antiproliferative cancer therapies prolong disease courses, raising questions about how cancer cells survive, evolve or stop growing and finally expand during periods of clinical latency. I argue here that the understanding of early metastasis formation, particularly of the currently invisible phase of metastatic colonization, will be essential for the next stage in adjuvant therapy development that reliably prevents metachronous metastasis.

Ultra-late recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer over 10 years after curative resection

Purpose

Most postoperative recurrences of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop within 5 years after curative resection, with ultra-late recurrences developing over 10 years after the resection being rare. This study aimed to analyze the features of ultra-late recurrence in cases with NSCLC who had undergone curative resection.

Patients and methods

Among 1458 consecutive cases with NSCLC who underwent curative resection with systematic lymph node dissection during 1990–2006, 12 cases developed recurrence over 10 years after the resection. We defined the recurrence developing over 10 years after the resection as ultra-late recurrence and analyzed the factors related to it.

Results

Among the 1458 cases, recurrence developed in 476 (32.6%) cases. Of them, ultra-late recurrence developed in 12 (2.5%) cases. The ultra-late recurrence was histopathologically classified as adenocarcinoma in 11 cases and atypical carcinoid in 1 case. All cases were of invasive carcinoma. We compared ultra-late recurrence cases with non-recurrence cases and showed that none of the examined factors significantly influenced ultra-late recurrence; however, lymphatic invasion was close to significantly influencing it. There were two cases in which recurrence developed over 15 years after the resection; both cases were of adenocarcinoma with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement.

Conclusion

There is a possibility of ultra-late recurrence developing over 10 years after the resection of any invasive NSCLC. Lymphatic invasion is close to significantly influencing ultra-late recurrence. Furthermore, a long follow-up period may be required in cases with adenocarcinoma with ALK rearrangement because it has the possibility of recurrence over 15 years after the resection.

Complete Resection of Oligorecurrence of Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma 19 Years After Operation

Ultralate recurrence 10 years after curative resection for lung cancer is extremely rare. We report the rare case of an 80-year-old man who underwent complete resection of oligorecurrence of the ipsilateral chest wall 19 years after resection for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Transcutaneous computed tomographic-guided biopsy revealed histologic features identical with those of the previously resected NSCLC. When abnormal findings are present in patients with postoperative NSCLC, even though an extended period has passed after complete resection, the possibility of metastasis and recurrence must be considered. Moreover, surgical resection should be considered for oligorecurrence of NSCLC.