Squamous Cell Lung Cancer Associated With Systemic Sclerosis

Peripheral-type small cell lung cancer is associated with better survival and higher frequency of interstitial lung disease

OBJECTIVES

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) can be subgrouped into central and peripheral types according to the location of the primary lesion. However, the clinical differences between these two types remain unclear. This study compared their clinical features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data on 231 patients with pathologically diagnosed SCLC were retrospectively subgrouped into central or peripheral types. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), treatments, responses to first-line therapy, and frequency of interstitial lung disease (ILD) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Of the 231 patients, 101 (44%) had central-type and 130 (56%) had peripheral-type SCLC. Peripheral-type SCLC was associated with a better performance status, higher frequency of ILD, and higher rate of limited disease stage. Patients with peripheral-type SCLC had a significantly longer OS than did those with central-type SCLC (median, 502 vs 370days, respectively; p=0.0186). Tumor location was not associated with PFS. PFS was poorer in patients with than without ILD (median, 143 vs 213days, respectively; p=0.0038), as was OS (median, 245 vs 545days, respectively; p=0.0014). Among patients without ILD, OS was longer in those with peripheral- than central-type tumors (median, 662 vs 421days, respectively; p=0.0074). Surgical resection was more often chosen for peripheral-type tumors, and this was one reason for the prolonged survival. There was no difference in the response to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy between central- and peripheral-type SCLC. Multivariate analysis by a Cox proportional hazards model showed that male sex, a poor performance status, extensive disease, the presence of ILD, an elevated serum neuron-specific enolase concentration, and central-type SCLC were poor prognostic factors for OS.

CONCLUSION

Peripheral-type SCLC is associated with better OS and a higher frequency of ILD than is central-type SCLC. The presence of ILD is a poor prognostic factor for both PFS and OS.

Impact of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on advanced non-small cell lung cancer survival

Purpose

The clinical features of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) have not fully been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of these patients, particularly with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods

Data on 218 patients with pathologically confirmed diagnoses of NSCLC who had been treated with chemotherapy and/or molecular targeted therapy were retrospectively analyzed for progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), responses to first-line therapy, and incidence of acute exacerbations (AEs).

Results

Fifty-three of the 218 patients were diagnosed with ILD, and 34 of them with IPF. The frequency of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation was significantly lower in ILD and IPF patients than in non-ILD patients (2 or 0 vs. 32 %, respectively). Median PFS and OS were significantly shorter in both ILD and IPF patients than in non-ILD patients (118, 92, and 196 days for PFS, and 267, 223, and 539 days for OS, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that poor performance status, absence of EGFR mutation, and presence of IPF were poor prognostic factors for PFS and OS. Disease control rate (DCR) was significantly lower in ILD and IPF patients than in non-ILD patients regardless of the presence of EGFR mutation (67 or 53 vs. 85 %, respectively). The incidence of AEs of ILD was significantly higher during chemotherapy with docetaxel-containing regimens (seven of 38; 18.4 %).

Conclusions

Both IPF and ILD were associated with lower EGFR positivity, lower DCR, and shorter PFS and OS in advanced NSCLC patients.