Search

Objectives: Insights regarding utilization and survival of surgery and radiotherapy (stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or conventional radiotherapy (RT)) are lacking for older patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical practice.Methods: Data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry were retrieved for patients >= 65 years with clinical stage I-II NSCLC in 2010-2015. Descriptive analyses, overall survival (OS), and cox regression were stratified for stage I (n = 8742) and II (n = 3439) and compared age groups (65-74 years vs >= 75 years).Results: Patients aged 65-74 underwent surgery significantly more often compared to those aged >= 75 (stage I 55% vs 27%; stage II: 65% vs 35%), and received SBRT less often (I: 29% vs 42%; II: 5% vs 11%), conventional RT less often (I: 6% vs 11%; II 10% vs 24%) and best supportive care alone less often (BSC, I: 8% vs 19%; II: 9% vs 25%). One-year OS was significantly higher in patients aged 65-74 compared to those aged >= 75 (I: 87% vs 78%; II: 74% vs 60%); as was five-year OS (I: 49% vs 31%; II: 36% vs 18%). After adjustment for gender, histology, stage, treatment, and comorbidity, hazard ratio (HR) of death was higher for patients aged >= 75 compared to those aged 65-74 (1: HR 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.5; II: HR 1.3 95%CI 1.1-1.7).Conclusion: Patients aged >= 75 with stage I-II NSCLC had poorer OS, underwent surgery less often, and received SBRT, conventional RT, and BSC more often than patients aged 65-74, In both stages, one-year OS within age groups was similar for surgery and SBRT. However, long-term OS adjusted for prognostic factors was superior for surgery compared to SBRT and remained poorer for those aged >= 75. Prospective research should focus on predictive characteristics for treatment selection and patient-centered outcomes. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purpose Tumor hypoxia, often found in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), implies an increased resistance to radiotherapy. Pretreatment assessment of tumor oxygenation is, therefore, warranted in these patients, as functional imaging of hypoxia could be used as a basis for dose painting. This study aimed at investigating the feasibility of using a method for calculating the dose required in hypoxic subvolumes segmented on F-18-HX4 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of NSCLC. Methods Positron emission tomography imaging data based on the hypoxia tracer F-18-HX4 of 19 NSCLC patients were included in the study. Normalized tracer uptake was converted to oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) and hypoxic target volumes (HTVs) were segmented using a threshold of 10 mmHg. Uniform doses required to overcome the hypoxic resistance in the target volumes were calculated based on a previously proposed method taking into account the effect of interfraction reoxygenation, for fractionation schedules ranging from extremely hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to conventionally fractionated radiotherapy. Results Gross target volumes ranged between 6.2 and 859.6 cm(3), and the hypoxic fraction <10 mmHg between 1.2% and 72.4%. The calculated doses for overcoming the resistance of cells in the HTVs were comparable to those currently prescribed in clinical practice as well as those previously tested in feasibility studies on dose escalation in NSCLC. Depending on the size of the HTV and the distribution of pO(2), HTV doses were calculated as 43.6-48.4 Gy for a three-fraction schedule, 51.7-57.6 Gy for five fractions, and 59.5-66.4 Gy for eight fractions. For patients in whom the HTV pO(2) distribution was more favorable, a lower dose was required despite a bigger volume. Tumor control probability was lower for single-fraction schedules, while higher levels of tumor control probability were found for schedules employing several fractions. Conclusions The method t

Objectives: Insights regarding utilization and survival of surgery and radiotherapy (stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or conventional radiotherapy (RT)) are lacking for older patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical practice.Methods: Data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry were retrieved for patients >= 65 years with clinical stage I-II NSCLC in 2010-2015. Descriptive analyses, overall survival (OS), and cox regression were stratified for stage I (n = 8742) and II (n = 3439) and compared age groups (65-74 years vs >= 75 years).Results: Patients aged 65-74 underwent surgery significantly more often compared to those aged >= 75 (stage I 55% vs 27%; stage II: 65% vs 35%), and received SBRT less often (I: 29% vs 42%; II: 5% vs 11%), conventional RT less often (I: 6% vs 11%; II 10% vs 24%) and best supportive care alone less often (BSC, I: 8% vs 19%; II: 9% vs 25%). One-year OS was significantly higher in patients aged 65-74 compared to those aged >= 75 (I: 87% vs 78%; II: 74% vs 60%); as was five-year OS (I: 49% vs 31%; II: 36% vs 18%). After adjustment for gender, histology, stage, treatment, and comorbidity, hazard ratio (HR) of death was higher for patients aged >= 75 compared to those aged 65-74 (1: HR 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.5; II: HR 1.3 95%CI 1.1-1.7).Conclusion: Patients aged >= 75 with stage I-II NSCLC had poorer OS, underwent surgery less often, and received SBRT, conventional RT, and BSC more often than patients aged 65-74, In both stages, one-year OS within age groups was similar for surgery and SBRT. However, long-term OS adjusted for prognostic factors was superior for surgery compared to SBRT and remained poorer for those aged >= 75. Prospective research should focus on predictive characteristics for treatment selection and patient-centered outcomes. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purpose Tumor hypoxia, often found in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), implies an increased resistance to radiotherapy. Pretreatment assessment of tumor oxygenation is, therefore, warranted in these patients, as functional imaging of hypoxia could be used as a basis for dose painting. This study aimed at investigating the feasibility of using a method for calculating the dose required in hypoxic subvolumes segmented on F-18-HX4 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of NSCLC. Methods Positron emission tomography imaging data based on the hypoxia tracer F-18-HX4 of 19 NSCLC patients were included in the study. Normalized tracer uptake was converted to oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) and hypoxic target volumes (HTVs) were segmented using a threshold of 10 mmHg. Uniform doses required to overcome the hypoxic resistance in the target volumes were calculated based on a previously proposed method taking into account the effect of interfraction reoxygenation, for fractionation schedules ranging from extremely hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to conventionally fractionated radiotherapy. Results Gross target volumes ranged between 6.2 and 859.6 cm(3), and the hypoxic fraction <10 mmHg between 1.2% and 72.4%. The calculated doses for overcoming the resistance of cells in the HTVs were comparable to those currently prescribed in clinical practice as well as those previously tested in feasibility studies on dose escalation in NSCLC. Depending on the size of the HTV and the distribution of pO(2), HTV doses were calculated as 43.6-48.4 Gy for a three-fraction schedule, 51.7-57.6 Gy for five fractions, and 59.5-66.4 Gy for eight fractions. For patients in whom the HTV pO(2) distribution was more favorable, a lower dose was required despite a bigger volume. Tumor control probability was lower for single-fraction schedules, while higher levels of tumor control probability were found for schedules employing several fractions. Conclusions The method t

Radiomics, the high-throughput mining of quantitative image features from standard-of-care medical imaging that enables data to be extracted and applied within clinical-decision support systems to improve diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive accuracy, is gaining importance in cancer research. Radiomic analysis exploits sophisticated image analysis tools and the rapid development and validation of medical imaging data that uses image-based signatures for precision diagnosis and treatment, providing a powerful tool in modern medicine. Herein, we describe the process of radiomics, its pitfalls, challenges, opportunities, and its capacity to improve clinical decision making, emphasizing the utility for patients with cancer. Currently, the field of radiomics lacks standardized evaluation of both the scientific integrity and the clinical relevance of the numerous published radiomics investigations resulting from the rapid growth of this area. Rigorous evaluation criteria and reporting guidelines need to be established in order for radiomics to mature as a discipline. Herein, we provide guidance for investigations to meet this urgent need in the field of radiomics.

Radiomics, the high-throughput mining of quantitative image features from standard-of-care medical imaging that enables data to be extracted and applied within clinical-decision support systems to improve diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive accuracy, is gaining importance in cancer research. Radiomic analysis exploits sophisticated image analysis tools and the rapid development and validation of medical imaging data that uses image-based signatures for precision diagnosis and treatment, providing a powerful tool in modern medicine. Herein, we describe the process of radiomics, its pitfalls, challenges, opportunities, and its capacity to improve clinical decision making, emphasizing the utility for patients with cancer. Currently, the field of radiomics lacks standardized evaluation of both the scientific integrity and the clinical relevance of the numerous published radiomics investigations resulting from the rapid growth of this area. Rigorous evaluation criteria and reporting guidelines need to be established in order for radiomics to mature as a discipline. Herein, we provide guidance for investigations to meet this urgent need in the field of radiomics.