Long-term Local Control and Overall Survival After Radiotherapy in Oligoprogressive Patients During Treatment With Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background/aim: Recent studies described the safety and clinical utility of combined anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (anti-PD1) checkpoint inhibition with radiotherapy. However, long-term follow-up data are lacking. Abscopal effects have been hypothesized, though clinical proof is still scarce.

Improving survival prediction of oesophageal cancer patients treated with external beam radiotherapy for dysphagia.

Introduction: The recent POLDER trial investigated the effects of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) on dysphagia caused by incurable oesophageal cancer. An estimated life expectancy of minimally three months was required for inclusion. However, nearly one-third of the included patients died within three months.

Prediction of Microscopic Metastases in Patients with Metachronous Oligo-Metastases after Curative Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Microsimulation Study.

Metachronous oligo-metastatic disease is variably defined as one to five metastases detected after a disease-free interval and treatment of the primary tumour with curative intent. Oligo-metastases in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are often treated with curative intent. However additional metastases are often detected later in time, and the 5-year survival is low.

Cost-Effectiveness of Surveillance Scanning Strategies after Curative Treatment of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: After curative treatment of primary non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), patients undergo intensive surveillance with the aim to detect recurrences from the primary tumor or metachronous second primary lung cancer as early as possible and improve overall survival. However, the benefit of surveillance is debated. Available evidence is of low quality and conflicting.

Patient-reported outcomes after external beam radiotherapy versus brachytherapy for palliation of dysphagia in esophageal cancer: A matched comparison of two prospective trials.

Background And Purpose: A matched comparison of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) versus brachytherapy recently demonstrated that EBRT appears at least as effective for palliating dysphagia in patients with incurable esophageal cancer. The aim of this analysis was to compare patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after EBRT versus brachytherapy.

Materials And Methods: In a multicenter prospective cohort study, patients with incurable esophageal cancer requiring palliation of dysphagia were included to undergo EBRT (20 Gy in 5 fractions).

Short-Course External Beam Radiotherapy Versus Brachytherapy for Palliation of Dysphagia in Esophageal Cancer: A Matched Comparison of Two Prospective Trials.

Introduction: Short-course external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and intraluminal brachytherapy are both accepted treatments for the palliation of dysphagia in patients with incurable esophageal cancer. We compared the effects of both treatments from two prospective studies.

Methods: We performed a multicenter prospective cohort study of patients with metastasized or otherwise incurable esophageal cancer requiring palliation of dysphagia from September 2016 to March 2019.

Cost-effectiveness of stereotactic body radiation therapy versus video assisted thoracic surgery in medically operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer: A modeling study.

Objectives: Stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be treated with either Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) or Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) resection. To support decision making, not only the impact on survival needs to be taken into account, but also on quality of life, costs and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, we performed a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing SBRT to VATS resection with respect to quality adjusted life years (QALY) lived and costs in operable stage I NSCLC.

Health-related quality of life after prophylactic cranial irradiation for stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients: Results from the NVALT-11/DLCRG-02 phase III study.

Background And Purpose: The NVALT-11/DLCRG-02 phase III trial (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01282437) showed that, after standard curative intent treatment, prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) decreased the incidence of symptomatic brain metastases (BM) in stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients compared to observation. In this study we assessed the impact of PCI on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Patient-reported Outcomes After the Treatment of Early Stage Non-small-cell Lung Cancer With Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Compared With Surgery.

Introduction: As there is increasing evidence for comparable survival after either stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or surgery for patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treatment impact on the quality of life (QoL) is essential for well-informed decision-making. Our previous work evaluated health utility between surgery and SBRT in stage I NSCLC. The aim of this secondary analysis is to directly compare QoL in the first year after SBRT and surgery.

Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation Versus Observation in Radically Treated Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Phase III NVALT-11/DLCRG-02 Study.

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) reduces the incidence of symptomatic brain metastases in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with curative intention. Patients and Methods Patients with stage III NSCLC-staged with a contrast-enhanced brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging-were randomly assigned to either observation or PCI after concurrent/sequential chemoradiotherapy with or without surgery. The primary end point-development of symptomatic brain metastases at 24 months-was defined as one or a combination of key symptoms that suggest brain metastases-signs of increased intracranial pressure, headache, nausea and vomiting, cognitive or affective disturbances, seizures, and focal neurologic symptoms-and magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography demonstrating the existence of brain metastasis.

Differences in Longitudinal Health Utility between Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Surgery in Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: There is an ongoing debate on the optimal treatment for stage I NSCLC, with increasing evidence for comparable health outcomes after surgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). For clinical decision making, the experienced quality of life, summarized as health utility, is of importance to choosing between treatments. In this study, we evaluated differences in longitudinal health utility in stage I NSCLC in the first year after surgical resection versus after SBRT before any recurrence of disease.

Post-treatment Surveillance for Stage I and II Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Impact on Clinical Outcome.

Background/aim: Patients treated for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) need post-treatment surveillance for detecting recurrence of disease. The aim of this study was to provide evidence for the appropriate follow-up.

Patients And Methods: The overall survival (OS), 1- and 3-year survival and progression-free survival (PFS) were retrospectively compared between two imaging modality groups.

Feasibility of Concomitant Chemoradiotherapy in Daily Practice for Patients with NSCLC Stage III.

Background: In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), approximately 25% have locally advanced disease. For patients with irresectable (N2-3 or T4) or inoperable disease, treatment consists of chemoradiotherapy. Concomitant chemoradiotherapy improves survival compared to sequential chemoradiotherapy in these patients.

Changes in Pulmonary Function After Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and After Surgery for Stage I and II Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, a Description of Two Cohorts.

Aim: To evaluate changes in pulmonary function tests (PFTs) at different follow-up durations after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and surgery in stage I and II non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Differences between pre-treatment- and follow-up PFTs were analyzed in 93 patients treated with surgery and 30 patients treated with SBRT for NSCLC. Follow-up durations were categorized into: early (0-9 months), middle (10-21 months) and late (≥22 months).

Clinical Outcomes in Early-stage NSCLC Treated with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Versus Surgical Resection.

Background: Surgical resection is the treatment of first choice for patients with stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been shown to be a good alternative treatment.

Patients And Methods: Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and recurrence rates were compared between patients with stage I-II NSCLC treated with SBRT (n=53) and those treated with surgical resection (n=175).

Fatal bilateral pneumonitis after locoregional thoracic chemoradiation in a transplanted patient under immunosuppressive therapy.

Background: After thoracic radiotherapy a pneumonitis may occur, mostly confined to the irradiated volume of the lung. In general, it resolves spontaneously without long-term effects.

Case Report: A 68-year-old man was diagnosed with a stage IIIA adenocarcinoma of the lung and was treated with sequential chemoradiation.

Use of thoracic radiotherapy for extensive stage small-cell lung cancer: a phase 3 randomised controlled trial.

Background: Most patients with extensive stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) who undergo chemotherapy, and prophylactic cranial irradiation, have persistent intrathoracic disease. We assessed thoracic radiotherapy for treatment of this patient group.

Methods: We did this phase 3 randomised controlled trial at 42 hospitals: 16 in Netherlands, 22 in the UK, three in Norway, and one in Belgium.

Weekly chemoradiation (docetaxel/cisplatin) followed by surgery in stage III NSCLC; a multicentre phase II study.

Background: This prospective study analyzed the feasibility and efficacy of weekly concurrent chemoradiation (docetaxel/cisplatin) followed by surgery. The primary endpoint was radiological response.

Patients And Methods: Six chemotherapy (docetaxel/cisplatin) cycles were administered on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and 36 with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy in fractions of 1.

Concurrent versus sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy in limited disease small cell lung cancer: a retrospective comparative study.

Background: Patients with limited-disease small cell lung cancer are treated with chemotherapy and chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy. Treatment schemes with curative intention include sequential or concurrent chemoradiotherapy, both combined with prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). It is unclear which scheme is superior.

[Treatment of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: concurrent high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy].

The treatment of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage III) has changed significantly in the past few years. Patients with a non-resectable stage IIIA/B tumour are given combined treatment consisting ofchemotherapy and radiotherapy. These can be administered sequentially or concurrently.

Sequencing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery in combined modality treatment of stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Purpose Of Review: Combined modality treatment is nowadays the standard of care in stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer, but the overall survival is still poor. Therefore, the challenge for clinicians is to optimize the combination of the treatment modalities. The review will focus on bimodality and trimodality approaches in stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Sequential versus concurrent chemo-radiotherapy in inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Aim: To define the best sequence of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for inoperable stage III non-small cell lung (NSCL) tumours.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review was performed on the clinical results of radiotherapy, combined or not with chemotherapy, for inoperable NSCL cancer stage III. The mean median survival time (MST) and mean overall survival (OS) percentages were derived for radiotherapy only, for sequential and for concurrent chemo-radiotherapy.

Gemcitabine as a radiosensitizer in undifferentiated tumors.

Background: Gemcitabine (dFdC) may cause radiosensitization by specific interference with homologous recombination-mediated DNA double-strand break repair. The radiosensitizing effect of dFdC might be less in normal healthy tissue and more restricted to undifferentiated tumor cells, making it a tumor-selective radiosensitizer. Whether dFdC acts as a radiosensitizer in undifferentiated and well-differentiated rat tumors and on rat foot skin was tested.

Tumour control probability of stage III inoperable non-small cell lung tumours after sequential chemo-radiotherapy.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the duration of waiting time between the end of induction chemotherapy and the start of radiotherapy on tumour control probability (TCP).

Patients And Methods: Twenty-three patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) received induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. The mean waiting period between the end of induction chemotherapy and the start of radiotherapy was 80 days; in this period, the median tumour volume increased by a factor of about 6.