Small cell lung cancer associated with systemic sclerosis

A retrospective study on the impact of radiotherapy on the survival outcomes of small cell lung cancer patients based on the SEER database

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients exhibit significant heterogeneity in tumor burden, physical condition, and responses to initial treatment. This diversity in treatment responses can result in varying treatment outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to explore the patient demographics associated with improved survival outcomes through radiotherapy. Based on the SEER database, we identified 42,824 SCLC patients enrolled between 2004 and 2015. These patients were stratified into radiotherapy (n = 20,360) and non-radiotherapy groups (n = 22,464). We controlled for confounding factors using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Subsequently, Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis was employed to evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on patients' overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cancer-specific mortality was further analyzed using competitive risk models. Cox analysis was also conducted to examine additional variables potentially affecting the survival of SCLC patients. We identified a total of 42,824 eligible patients, and following PSM, 13,329 patients were successfully matched in both the radiotherapy and non-radiotherapy groups. The KM analysis showed that the median OS was 9 months in the radiotherapy group and 6 months in the non-radiotherapy group. The median CSS was 10 months in the radiotherapy group and 7 months in the non-radiotherapy group. The 5-year OS and 10-year OS rates were 6.2% versus 1.6% in the radiotherapy group and 2.6% versus 0.8% in the non-radiotherapy group (P < 0.001). Competitive risk analysis showed that cancer-specific mortality was significantly higher in the non-radiotherapy group than in the radiotherapy group (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the radiotherapy group (relative non-radiotherapy group) showed a significant positive effect on survival outcomes (OS: HR 0.658 95% CI [0.642, 0.675] P < 0.001; CSS: HR 0.662 95% CI [0.645, 0.679], P < 0.001). In addition, age, gender, race, primary tumor site, T stage, N stage, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery were also considered as important predictors of SCLC outcome. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the radiotherapy group showed a significant survival advantage regardless of age, sex, race, primary tumor site, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery (P < 0.001). Radiotherapy may improve both OS and CSS in SCLC patients. Patients with SCLC may benefit from radiotherapy regardless of age, sex, race, primary tumor site, M stage, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Intriguing Relationships Between Cancer and Systemic Sclerosis: Role of the Immune System and Other Contributors

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disorder, characterized by multisystem involvement, vasculopathy, and fibrosis. An increased risk of malignancy is observed in SSc (including breast and lung cancers), and in a subgroup of patients with specific autoantibodies (i.e., anti-RNA polymerase III and related autoantibodies), SSc could be a paraneoplastic syndrome and might be directly related to an immune response against cancer. Herein, we reviewed the literature, focusing on the most recent articles, and shed light onto the potential relationship between cancer and scleroderma regarding temporal and immunological dimensions.

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.

Small Cell Lung Cancer in a 20-year-old Non-Smoking Man with Systemic Sclerosis

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a neuroendocrine tumor, and the median age of onset is about 70 years old. A 20-year-old non-smoking man with known systemic sclerosis presented with discomfort in his left chest. Chest X-ray showed a mass shadow in the left upper zone. A transbronchial lung biopsy revealed small cell carcinoma, and imaging studies reached the diagnosis of extensive disease small cell lung cancer. He had concurrent interstitial lung disease with a non-specific interstitial pneumonia pattern and anti-Scl-70 antibodies. He died eight months after the diagnosis during fifth-line chemotherapy. We herein report the youngest case to date of SCLC with systemic sclerosis.

Squamous Cell Lung Cancer Associated With Systemic Sclerosis

We here describe a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer (SqLC) with underlying interstitial lung disease (ILD) 14 years after a diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). We reviewed the literature and collected 21 well-documented cases with SqLC associated with SSc including the present case. Several characteristics of SqLC associated with SSc have been found. First, the average age at diagnosis of SqLC is 57 years, which is much younger than that reported for patients without SSc. Second, SqLC could occur even in never or light smokers, although SqLC usually has a strong association with smoking history. Third, two-thirds of the available cases have ILD. In addition, SqLC developed in the area of ILD in most cases with ILD. Fourth, SqLC generally occurs after a long period from the diagnosis of SSc; the average of this interval reaches 12 years. It would be helpful to know these features so that physicians follow up and treat SSc patients adequately.

Lung cancer and interstitial lung diseases: a systematic review

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) represent a heterogeneous group of more than two hundred diseases of either known or unknown etiology with different pathogenesis and prognosis. Lung cancer, which is the major cause of cancer death in the developed countries, is mainly attributed to cigarette smoking and exposure to inhaled carcinogens. Different studies suggest a link between ILDs and lung cancer, through different pathogenetic mechanisms, such as inflammation, coagulation, dysregulated apoptosis, focal hypoxia, activation, and accumulation of myofibroblasts as well as extracellular matrix accumulation. This paper reviews current evidence on the association between lung cancer and interstitial lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and pneumoconiosis.

Incidence of cancer among patients with systemic sclerosis in Korea: results from a single centre

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether the incidence of cancer has increased among patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) in Korea.

METHODS

The study subjects consisted of 112 patients who had been consecutively evaluated for at least 6 months between 1990 and 2007. We retrospectively reviewed their medical records, investigated the incidence rate of cancer and compared it with that of the Korea National Cancer Centre database.

RESULTS

Nine out of 112 patients developed cancer (four males and five females). The average age at diagnosis of cancer was 56.4 years and the mean disease duration was 8.9 years. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for SSc patients was 4.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3-6.1], 3.7 for women (95% CI 1.2-6.2) and 6.4 for men (95% CI 1.6-11.2). Lung cancer was the most common cancer (n = 4), followed by oesophagus (n = 1), stomach (n = 1), liver (n = 1), pancreas (n = 1), and squamous cell carcinoma of unknown origin (n = 1). All patients who developed lung cancer were female and non-small cell carcinoma in origin. The SIR of lung cancer in female patients was 23.0 (95% CI 6.0-40.0). Two out of four lung cancer patients had concomitant interstitial lung disease (ILD); all were non-smokers. Treatment agents, autoantibodies, smoking, and lung involvement were not significantly different between SSc patients with or without cancer.

CONCLUSION

The SIR of cancer was significantly higher in SSc patients, and especially in those who were male, than in the general population. Lung cancer was the most common cancer. Active surveillance for the detection of cancer should be performed in all SSc patients.

Rheumatic disorders as paraneoplastic syndromes

The long-established observation that some rheumatologic disorders (RDs) are associated with--or precede--the clinical manifestations of a variety of solid and hematological tumors represents an important clue for the early diagnosis and effective treatment of the cancers. Inflammatory myopathies, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and some atypical vasculitides are the most frequently reported paraneoplastic RDs, although paraneoplastic scleroderma- and lupus-like syndromes, erythema nodosum, and Raynaud's syndrome have also been observed. Generally, the clinical course of a paraneoplastic RD parallels that of the cancer, and surgical removal of the tumor or its medical treatment usually results in a marked regression of the clinical manifestations of the RD. Most paraneoplastic RDs are difficultly distinguishable from idiopathic RDs. Even so, some atypical features of the clinical presentation raise the suspicion of an underlying tumor. This review summarizes current hypotheses for the pathogenesis that leads a tumor to present as an RD and discusses the clinical features that help distinguish paraneoplastic from idiopathic RDs.