Predictors of relapse and evaluation of the role of postoperative radiation therapy in a modern series of patients with surgically resected stage III (N2) non–small cell lung cancer

Purpose: For patients with stage III (N2) non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with surgical resection, postoperative chemotherapy improves overall survival (OS), but the role of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk factors for local-regional recurrence and to evaluate the impact of PORT on local-regional control (LRC) and OS in a modern series of patients with surgically resected stage III (N2) NSCLC. Methods and materials: A retrospective review was performed of patients with Stage III (N2) NSCLC who underwent curative intent resection at our institution between February 1999 and January 2012. OS, LRC, and metastasis-free survival were estimated from the date of surgery using the Kaplan Meier method. Results: A total of 71 patients were included in the study. Patient median age was 63 years. Histology was adenocarcinoma in 69% of patients. Pretreatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography staging was performed for 90% of patients, and preoperative chemotherapy was administered in 23%. The rate of R0 resection was 96%. Forty-one patients (58%) received PORT and the median PORT dose was 50 Gy (range, 41.4-60 Gy). The median follow-up time for living patients was 5.0 years. Five-year OS for all patients was 66%. OS at 5 years for patients who received PORT compared with patients who did not receive PORT was 71% versus 60%, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.30-1.44; P = .28). LRC at 5 years for patients who received PORT compared with patients who did not receive PORT was 89% versus 76%, respectively (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.13-1.45; P = .17). Factors associated with decreased LRC were male sex (P = .011) and primary tumor (pT) stage (pT3/4 vs. pT1/2, P = .006). Metastasis-free survival at 5 years for patients who received PORT compared with those who did not receive PORT was 62% versus 63%, respectively (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.51-2.40; P = .86). Conclusions: In this modern series of patients with resected stage III (N2) NSCLC, patients who received PORT had higher rates of OS and LRC, but these differences were not statistically significant

Long-term Clinical Outcomes and Safety Profile of SBRT for Centrally Located NSCLC

Purpose: Previous studies suggest that stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is associated with higher toxicity rates for central lung tumors relative to peripheral tumors when using 3 fraction SBRT. The initial results from Radiation Therapy Oncology Group study 0813 suggest a safe toxicity profile of SBRT administered in 5 fractions for central non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We reviewed our institutional data to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SBRT for central NSCLC. Methods and materials: We reviewed our prospectively collected SBRT database for patients with central NSCLC who received SBRT between 2008 and 2014. The most frequent dose and fractionations were 50 Gy in 5 fractions (59%) and 48 Gy in 4 fraction (30%). Local control (LC), regional control, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. The National Cancer Institute Common Terminal Criteria for Adverse Events were used for toxicity grading. Results: A total of 110 central lung tumors in 103 patients were included. The median age was 74 years (range, 40-95 years), and the median follow-up time of living patients was 50 months. The mean tumor size was 20 mm (range, 5-70 mm). The 5 year rate of LC, regional control, and distant control was 89%, 77%, and 82%, respectively. The median and 5-year overall survival were 3.5 years and 35%, respectively. No treatment variables were associated with tumor control or other clinical outcomes. A single patient experienced grade 3 radiation pneumonitis (0.97%). The rate of late toxicity grade ≥3 was 9.7% (grade 3, 7.7%; grade 4, 0.97%; grade 5, 0.97%) and included pneumonitis (3.9%), bronchial necrosis (2.9%), myocardial dysfunction (1.9%), and worsening heart failure (0.97%). Conclusions: SBRT for central NSCLC provides high rates of LC. Despite excellent LC, patients remain at risk for regional and distant failure. The rate of grade 3 pneumonitis was consistent with that of prior reports. We observed low rates of grade 4-5 toxicity potentially attributable to SBRT. Our results contribute to the growing body of data in support of the safety of SBRT for central NSCLC

Clinicopathologic Factors and Their Association with Outcomes of Salivary Duct Carcinoma: A Multicenter Experience

Purpose: This series reports long-term clinical outcomes of patients with salivary duct carcinoma (SDC), which is associated with a poor prognosis. Methods and Materials: Eighty-nine patients with SDC were treated with curative intent from February 5, 1971, through September 15, 2018. Kaplan-Meier and competing risk analyses were used to estimate locoregional control, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS). Cox regression analyses of disease and treatment characteristics were performed to discover predictors of locoregional control, DMFS, and OS. Results: Median follow-up was 44.1 months (range, 0.23-356.67). The median age at diagnosis was 66 years (interquartile range, 57-75). Curative surgery followed by adjuvant radiation therapy was performed in 73 patients (82%). Chemotherapy was delivered in 26 patients (29.2%). The 5-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 27% and 44%, respectively, with death as a competing risk. Distant metastasis was associated with lymph node–positive disease (hazard ratio [HR], 3.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38-7.23; P = .006), stage IV disease (HR, 4.78; 95% CI, 1.14-20.11; P = .033), perineural invasion (HR, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.74-11.97; P = .002), and positive margins (HR, 9.06; 95% CI, 3.88-21.14; P < .001). Median OS was 4.84 years (95% CI, 3.54-7.02). The 5-year OS was 42%. Reduced OS was associated with lymphovascular space invasion (HR, 3.49; 95% CI, 1.2-10.1; P = .022), perineural invasion (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.06-3.97; P = .033), positive margins (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.3-5.6; P = .011), N2 disease (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.03-3.43; P = .04), and N3 disease (HR, 11.76; 95% CI, 3.19-43.3; P < .001). Conclusions: In this single-institution, multicenter retrospective study, the 5-year survival was 42% in patients with SDC. Lymphovascular space invasion, lymph node involvement, and higher staging at diagnosis were associated with lower DMFS and OS