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The rationale for concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy in small cell lung cancer. Dr Hannah Lord Ninewells Dundee 17th Sept 2010. Small Cell . 20% of all lung cancer Associated with smoking Rapid doubling time Falling incidence in many parts of UK, not in Scotland
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The rationale for concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy in small cell lung cancer Dr Hannah Lord Ninewells Dundee 17th Sept 2010
Small Cell • 20% of all lung cancer • Associated with smoking • Rapid doubling time • Falling incidence in many parts of UK, not in Scotland • A systemic disease, even when staged as “localised.” As such, systemic treatment is vital.
The History • In 1969, 5 year survival: 1% with surgery 4% with radiotherapy • In 1970s, advent of platinum based chemotherapy. • Led to 4-5 fold improvement in response rates
Small Cell • With chemo, excellent responses, but early and frequent relapse. • Need to build on the improvement.
XRT • XRT already well known as effective. • XRT potentiates the effect of chemotherapy • XRT has non over-lapping toxicities with chemotherapy • XRT has different mode of action and may deal with potentially chemoresistant disease
Evidence For XRT • 13 randomised controlled trials have investigated the role of XRT • Pignon(1) 1992 meta-analysis (and Warde(2) 1993) • 2103 patients with LD • 433 had ED • Pignon JP et al, N Engl J Med 1992; 327:1618-1624 December 3, 1992 • Warde P et al “Does thoracic irradiation improve survival and local control in limited stage small cell carcinoma of the lung?” JCO 1992;10:890-895
3 year survival improved from 8.9% to 14.3% (5% improvement) • HR = 0.86 = 14% reduced risk of death • No difference if LD / ED or timing of XRT
Role of XRT • Value of XRT proven. • Principles of radiotherapy are to give the treatment in as short a time as possible for maximum effectiveness • Minimise re-growth of tumour, which is known to have a rapid doubling time
XRT • Concurrent treatment: i) To reduce overall treatment time (repopulation of tumour) ii) To allow 2 modalities to potentiate one another ii) ? to improve outcomes
How to determine timing of XRT? • Randomised controlled trials • 8 looking at timing of XRT • 3 positive • 5 negative
Trial 1: NCIC study (3) 1993 • Randomised controlled trial in Canada • 308 pts • XRT commencing at cycle 2 (week 3) vs. cycle 6 (week 15) • 40Gy in 15 fractions given 3. N Murray et al Importance of timing for thoracic irradiation in the combined modality treatment of limited-stage small-cell lung cancer. JCO Vol 11 336-344, 1993 The National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group
Trial 2: Jeremic(4) • Yugoslavian study 1997 • 107 patients • 4 xCarboEtop and 4 xCisEtop (carbo with XRT) • 54Gy in 1.5Gy / fraction given bd • XRT weeks 1-4 (early) or weeks 6-9 (late) 4. Jeremic et al “Initial versus delayed accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy in limited small-cell lung cancer: a randomized study” JCO Vol 15, 893-900, 1997
Trials 3: Takada (5) • Japanese study 2006 • 231 patients • 4 x EP with 45Gy in 1.5Gy fractions given bd • XRT started d2 cycle 1 vs. after cycle 4 ( sequential rather than late) 5. Takada M, Fukuoka M, Kawahara M, et al: Phase III study of concurrent versus sequential thoracic radiotherapy in combination with cisplatin and etoposide for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer: Results of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study 9104. J ClinOncol 20: 3054-3060, 2002
Results P= 0.097 not significant due to small sample size
Costs of XRT • Increased haematolgical toxicity • Similar oesophagitis ( 9% vs 4%) • 1% incraese in treatment related deaths • Well tolerated overall
Negative trials 1: Perry (6) • US Study 1987 • 399 patients: chemo, vs. chemo + early XRT, vs. chemo + late XRT • Results: • XRT group as a whole did better that chemo alone group • But no benefit from early vs delayed XRT 6. Perry MC et al Chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy in limited small cell lung carcinoma of the lung NEJM 1987;316:912-918
Negative trials 2: Spiro • A London based trial (7) published 2005, replicated the NCIC study. • 3 cycles of CAV followed by 3 cycles of EP • XRT with first course of EP (4th cycle of chemo) vs. XRT with last course (6th) of chemo • Failed to demonstrate a survival advantage from early XRT with chemo. 7. Spiro SG et al JCO Vol 24 No 24 2006: pp. 3823-3830 2006 Early Compared With Late Radiotherapy in Combined Modality Treatment for Limited Disease Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A London Lung Cancer Group Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial and Meta-Analysis
Negative trials 3-5 • Work et al, James et al, Gregor et al, all negative. • No advantage shown to early XRT
What do we do? A meta-analysis!
Meta-analysis 2004 (6) • Looked at 7 studies (Spiro not published at that time - 2006) • 1524 patients 6. B. Fried et al Systematic Review Evaluating the Timing of Thoracic Radiation Therapy in Combined Modality Therapy for Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer JCO Vol 22, No 23 , 2004: pp. 4837-4845 2004 American Society of Clinical Oncology.DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2004.01.178
Meta-analysis Summary • A small but significant improvement in 2-year OS for ERT versus LRT • Similar to the benefit of adding RT to chemotherapy, or to addition or prophylactic cranial irradiation.
Cautions: • Studies using platinum-based chemotherapy had 2 year OS RRs of 1.30 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.53; P 0.002) favouring early XRT. 3 year OS RRs of 1.35 (95% CI, 1.07 to 1.70; P 0.01) BUT: • Studies using once-daily fractionation showed no difference in 2- and 3-year OS for early vs. late XRT. • Studies using non-platinum-based chemotherapy regimens had non-significant differences in OS.
Cochrane Review • OS at 2 and 5 years: not significantly different for early vs late XRT. • However, if removed 1 trail, which did not use platinum, survival advantage at 5 years for early vs. lateOR = 0.64 p=0.02 • If XRT was given within < 30 days: 5 year survival was even betterOR=0.56 p = 0.02
So…… • Radiotherapy adds to chemotherapy without doubt • Early appears to be superior to late, but this is more evident when given with platinum based chemo, and if given in hyperfractionated manner (i.e. bd) • Short overall treatment time is best
Future • Are you convinced? Or confused? • bdfractionation ? Do we move to this? CONVERT study ongoing to clarify this question in UK and Europe • Dose escalation – no proof that higher doses lead to better outcomes ( although common in N America - get paid / fraction)