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Background: Geriatric patients diagnosed with locally advanced lung cancer often cannot access appropriate treatment options due to the increasing prevalence of comorbidities and poor performance status. Although, curative and palliative treatment options substantially contribute to survival of patients in the early and advanced stages of lung cancer. The present study aims to investigate treatment response and treatment complications in geriatric patients receiving chemotherapy with the diagnosis of locally advanced lung cancer. Method: The study included outpatients admitted to our hospital between January 2016 and March 2021 who subsequently received chemoradiotherapy after being diagnosed with locally advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer. The patients were divided into two groups as patients aged 65 years and older and younger. The primary end-point of the study was the evaluation of treatment complications between the two groups. The secondary end-point of the study was the evaluation of treatment response, treatment interruption/discontinuation and hospitalization. Results: The study comprised a total of 132 patients, including 67 patients aged 65 years. In the comparison of treatment complications between the two groups, the number of patients developing complications, the treatment interruption/discontinuation and the rate of hospitalization was significantly higher in patients aged 65 years (p < 0.05). The most common reason for hospitalization was pneumonia, which occurred significantly higher in patients aged 65 years (p = 0.020). Conclusion: Although treatment responses are similar to elderly patients, treatment complications and hospitalizations are higher in elderly patients. Therefore, careful follow-up and symptom palliation are very important during the treatment process in these elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of volumetric lung image guidance using the spine or carina as a surrogate to target for image registration, as the best approach is not established.

Simple Summary: Salvage lung resection for lung cancer is a relatively new concept, and most of the operated patients present non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), salvage surgery is extremely rarely performed, in highly selected patients proved with limited disease after radical chemoradiation, as an alternative to second-line chemotherapy. From the published cases, it appeared that salvation surgery for SCLC presents postoperative morbidity similar to salvage surgery for NSCLC, no postoperative mortality, and a median estimated overall survival of 92% at 2 years and 66% at 5 years. Salvage lung resection for SCLC may be a reasonable treatment in very highly selected patients, offering good local control and a favorable survival outcome. (1) Background: Salvation surgery for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is exceptionally performed, and only a few cases are published. (2) Methods: There are 6 publications that present 17 cases of salvation surgery for SCLC—the salvation surgery was performed in the context of modern clearly established protocols for SCLC and after including SCLC in the TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) staging in 2010. (3) Results: After a median follow-up of 29 months, the estimated overall survival (OS) was 86 months. The median estimated 2-year survival was 92%, and the median estimated 5-year survival was 66%. (4) Conclusion: Salvage surgery for SCLC is a relatively new and extremely uncommon concept and represents an alternative to second-line chemotherapy. It is valuable because it may offer a reasonable treatment for selected patients, good local control, and a favorable survival outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer invading the spine, induction chemoradiotherapy combined with radical en bloc resection is the key to obtaining long-term survival. With time, our operative technique evolved to a two-step surgery as we experienced numerous perioperative complications during one step surgery. The aim of our study was to assess postoperative morbimortality and long-term survival of both techniques. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent en bloc resection for lung cancer invading the spine between October 2012 and June 2020. Every patient underwent induction therapy. Sixteen patients were included: nine patients were operated on with one step surgery, seven patients were operated on with two step interventions. Twenty-five percent of patients had major perioperative complications and 56.2% of patients had major post-operative complications. Patients in the “one step” group tended to have more perioperative complications whereas patients in the “two step” group tended to have more post-operative complications. Overall 3-year survival was 40% in the one-step and 86% in the two-step surgery group. Although our practice has been improved by two-step interventions, post-operative morbidity remains significant. As long term survivals are encouraging, this type of treatment should still be proposed for highly selected patients, in specialized centers.

T4 locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a heterogeneous group with a great variety of involved organs and is associated with a poor prognosis. However, appropriately selected patients benefit from surgical resection. The surgical indication must be carefully considered based on the risk–benefit between high surgical stress and expected prognosis, particularly in cases with probable aortic involvement. Here, we report a long‐term survival case of left upper lobe squamous cell carcinoma, in which lobectomy and combined distal aortic arch and left subclavian artery resection achieved a complete resection after induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Appropriate patient selection considering expected prognosis, induction CRT and complete resection under well‐planned cardiopulmonary bypass are essential to achieve a long‐term survival on T4 NSCLC with a probable aortic involvement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines did not give an explicit comparison of the efficacy between surgery and radiotherapy in treating Stage-III N2 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, leaving a paucity for clinical reference. Through this study, we try to locate the optimum treatment strategy including surgical type for these patients. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholars. The endpoints were overall survival (OS), mean OS, and progression-free survival (PFS). The treatments comprised radiotherapy, lobectomy, and pneumonectomy. Network meta-analysis was carried out for calculating the odds ratio (OR) for binary variants. All the analyses implemented Stata 17.0 MP. Results: Eight clinical trials reporting 1756 patients met the inclusion criteria. Radiotherapy and surgery were equivalent in improving patients' OS (OR = 0.842, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.645, 1.099]). The mean OS of patients were similar in terms of radiotherapy, lobectomy, and pneumonectomy. Besides, radiotherapy and surgery had equivalent effects in improving PFS (OR = 0.896, 95% CI: [0.718, 1.117]). Conclusions: Since lobectomy and pneumonectomy following neoadjuvant treatments had equivalent efficacy in prolonging OS for patients with stage-IIIA N2 NSCLC compared with definitive radiotherapy, young patients with favorable performance status (0) should try surgery to pursue better prognosis while elderly patients with unfavorable PS or radiosensitive pathology types should accept definitive radiotherapy. More high-quality clinical trials are needed to support our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Radiation treatment planning for advanced lung cancer can be technically challenging, as the delivery of doses of ≥60 Gy is often associated with significant risk of normal tissue toxicities. We aimed to examine the effect of the hybrid technique combining three-dimensional compared radiotherapy (3DCRT) with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) on target dose distribution and critical organ doses. METHODS: The treatment plans of nine patients treated with 3DCRT were replanned using hybrid technique. 3DCRT consisted of 3-5 fields using 6-18 MV energies and IMRT plans consisted of 7-10 fields using 6 MV energy. In hybrid plans, 60% of the prescribed dose were delivered with 3DCRT and 40% with IMRT beams. Prescribed dose was 66 Gy in 2 Gy fractions. RESULTS: Hybrid IMRT improved dose homogeneity in planning target volume (PTV). It was possible to reduce the hotspots that exceeded 107% of the prescribed dose with the hybrid technique compared to 3DCRT (p=0.028). Total and contralateral lung doses were found to be increased with hybrid technique. Hybrid IMRT decreased maximum esophagus and spinal cord doses. CONCLUSION: Hybrid IMRT improved dose homogeneity in PTV and decreased hot spots but increased lung doses. The lower maximum point doses of esophagus and spinal cord were achieved with hybrid technique. Reducing the number of fields and contribution of IMRT fields might increase the advantage of hybrid technique by reducing lung doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract T4 locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a heterogeneous group with a great variety of involved organs and is associated with a poor prognosis. However, appropriately selected patients benefit from surgical resection. The surgical indication must be carefully considered based on the risk–benefit between high surgical stress and expected prognosis, particularly in cases with probable aortic involvement. Here, we report a long‐term survival case of left upper lobe squamous cell carcinoma, in which lobectomy and combined distal aortic arch and left subclavian artery resection achieved a complete resection after induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Appropriate patient selection considering expected prognosis, induction CRT and complete resection under well‐planned cardiopulmonary bypass are essential to achieve a long‐term survival on T4 NSCLC with a probable aortic involvement

For patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer invading the spine, induction chemoradiotherapy combined with radical en bloc resection is the key to obtaining long-term survival. With time, our operative technique evolved to a two-step surgery as we experienced numerous perioperative complications during one step surgery. The aim of our study was to assess postoperative morbimortality and long-term survival of both techniques. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent en bloc resection for lung cancer invading the spine between October 2012 and June 2020. Every patient underwent induction therapy. Sixteen patients were included: nine patients were operated on with one step surgery, seven patients were operated on with two step interventions. Twenty-five percent of patients had major perioperative complications and 56.2% of patients had major post-operative complications. Patients in the "one step" group tended to have more perioperative complications whereas patients in the "two step" group tended to have more post-operative complications. Overall 3-year survival was 40% in the one-step and 86% in the two-step surgery group. Although our practice has been improved by two-step interventions, post-operative morbidity remains significant. As long term survivals are encouraging, this type of treatment should still be proposed for highly selected patients, in specialized centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than 10 years, there have been no significant improvements in treatment outcomes for patients with inoperable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. At the moment, the standard of treatment for this category of patients is concurrent chemoradiation therapy. At the same time, the 5-year overall survival rate varies in the range of 15–25%. This indicator contributes to the modernization of existing approaches, as well as the search for new ways in the treatment of patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer.One of the promising areas is the combination of chemoradiation therapy with immunotherapy. Thus, the use of Imfinzi (durvalumab, AstraZeneca) as a consolidation therapy in the Phase III clinical trial PACIFIC demonstrated a reduction in the risk of death by about one third in comparison with the standard approach.We present a clinical case study of a patient with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer who received treatment in the framework of concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by immunotherapy with durvalumab, continuing until now. The result of the therapy is the complete response to the specific treatment, recorded according to PET-CT.Thus, the use of immunotherapy as consolidation therapy represents a promising strategy for improving outcomes after concurrent chemoradiation therapy in patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: Several studies have found that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can alleviate acute radiation-induced esophagitis, inhibit pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis, and reduce the severity of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring the influence of EGCG on late radiation toxicity in the heart, esophagus, and lungs among patients with locally advanced lung cancer. Methods: The patients were divided into an EGCG group and a control group, the groups received EGCG and symptomatic treatment, respectively. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring Scheme was used to determine the late toxicity scores. Tumor responses were evaluated by chest computed tomography (CT), based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Results: We retrospectively analyzed 74 patients treated at our hospital from September 2012 to September 2016 (37 patients received EGCG and 37 received supportive treatment). The late toxicity scores of the EGCG group decreased compared to those of the control group. An obvious clinical significance was observed for the oral EGCG solution in the treatment and prevention of late cardiac, esophageal, and pulmonary toxicity. However, no significant difference was found (P ​> ​0.05). The tumor response rates were similar in the two groups. Moreover, there was no difference in progression-free survival (PFS) between the groups (P ​> ​0.05). Conclusion: Oral EGCG solution might alleviate radiation-induced late cardiac, esophageal, and pulmonary toxicity but has no significant effect on the tumor response rate and PFS following radiotherapy.

ECOG‐ACRIN EA5181 is a phase III prospective, randomized trial that randomizes patients undergoing chemo/radiation for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (LA‐NSCLC) to concomitant durvalumab or no additional therapy, with both arms receiving 1 year of consolidative durvalumab. Radiation dose escalation failed to improve overall survival in RTOG 0617. However, conventionally fractionated radiation to 60 Gy with concomitant chemotherapy is associated with a high risk of local failure (38%–46%). It is hoped that concomitant immunotherapy during chemo/radiation can help decrease the risk of local failure, thereby improving overall survival and progression‐free survival with acceptable toxicity. In this article, we review conventional chemo/radiation therapy for LA‐NSCLC, as well as the quickly evolving world of immunotherapy in the treatment of non‐small cell lung cancer and discuss the rationale and study design of EA5181. Implications for Practice: This article provides an up‐to‐date assessment of how immunotherapy is reshaping the landscape of metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and how the impact of this therapy is now rapidly moving into the treatment of patients with locally advanced NSCLC who are presenting for curative treatment. This article reviews the recent publications of chemo/radiation as well as those combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy and chemo/radiation, and provides a strategy for improving overall survival of patients with locally advanced NSCLC by using concomitant immunotherapy with standard concurrent chemo/radiation. This article reviews conventional chemo/radiation techniques for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the evolving field of immunotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC, focusing on the rationale and design of the ECOG‐ACRIN EA5181 study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. With to compare short- and long-term treatment outcomes of different carinal resection techniques in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and carina involvement. Materials and methods. We performed retrospective nonrandomized clinical trial with following groups of patients: patients underwent pneumonectomy with sleeve carinal resection (47 patients); patients underwent pneumonectomy with marginal and wedge carinal resection (18 patients). Statistical analysis was made using Statistic 6.0 program. Case-control analysis of the both groups was performed to evaluate short- and long-term treatment outcomes of different carinal resection techniques in patients with NSCLC and carina involvement. Results. Frequency of non-surgical and surgical complications was 27.7% and 18.5% correspondingly. Postoperative mortality was 8.5% in sleeve carinal resection group and 11.1% in marginal and wedge carinal resection group. Five-year survival rates were 32.6% in sleeve carinal resection group and 11.1% in marginal wedge carinal resection group.

The aim of the study: the aim of this study was to compare the immediate and long-term results of treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer with involvement of tracheal bifurcation, which were underwent pneumonectomy with resection of the tracheal bifurcation or radical chemo-radiation therapy (CRT). Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective non-randomized clinical study with following groups of patients: 1) 65 patients who underwent pneumonectomy with resection of the tracheal bifurcation; 2) 30 patients to whom CRT was performed. Evaluation of the effectiveness of immediate and long-term results was carried out by statistical processing using the Statistic 6.0 program. A case-control analysis was performed to compare two groups. The time of the operation, intra- and postoperative complications was estimated depending on the type of resection of the tracheal bifurcation. Results. The complication rate was 46.1% in the surgical group. In the CRT group complications developed in 13 (43.3%) patients. The overall 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rate in the group of patients with surgical treatment was 56.92, 31.7 and 26.1%, respectively. The median overall survival was 14.5 months. Indicators of 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival in the group of patients who underwent radical CRT were 31.6, 24.4, 16.2%.

Objectives: To assess the association between left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction and grade ≥2 radiation pneumonitis (RP) for locally advanced lung cancer patients receiving definitive radiotherapy.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out for 260 lung cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy between 2015 and 2017. RP was evaluated according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) toxicity criteria. Logistic regression analysis, 10-fold cross validation, and external validation were performed. The prediction model's discriminative performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and calibration of the model was assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and the calibration curve.Results: Within the first 6 months after radiotherapy, 70 patients (26.9%) developed grade ≥2 RP. Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before radiotherapy was detected in 53 patients (20.4%). The odds ratio (OR) of developing RP for patients with LVEF

Over the past few years, significant advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques as well as appropriate selection of patients have led to an improvement in the immediate and long-term treatment outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with involvement of tracheal bifurcation. In accordance with the current selection criteria, patients with contralateral lymph node metastases (lung root, aortic window, paratracheal area) require chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy with subsequent estimation of follow-up and treatment strategy. Surgeries with resection of tracheobronchial bifurcation are considered technically complicated, and they should be performed in carefully selected lung cancer patients and only in specialized centers with extensive experience. It allows the incidence of intra-and postoperative complications to be significantly reduced.

Patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a heterogenous group encompassing stage IIIA-IIIC disease, often have surgically unresectable cancer and are managed with concurrent chemoradiation. Since the establishment of platinum-based chemoradiation as standard of care for unresectable locally advanced NSCLC, various strategies including escalating radiation dose, targeted therapies, antiangiogenic agents, and induction or consolidation chemotherapy have failed to show improvement in outcomes. However, recently, use of consolidation immunotherapy with durvalumab following concurrent chemoradiation therapy has been associated with improvement in survival and has led to a paradigm shift. In this review, we will summarize results from trials of immunotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC and comment on ongoing trials and potential future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the association between left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction and grade ≥2 radiation pneumonitis (RP) for locally advanced lung cancer patients receiving definitive radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out for 260 lung cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy between 2015 and 2017. RP was evaluated according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) toxicity criteria. Logistic regression analysis, 10-fold cross validation, and external validation were performed. The prediction model's discriminative performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and calibration of the model was assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and the calibration curve. Results: Within the first 6 months after radiotherapy, 70 patients (26.9%) developed grade ≥2 RP. Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before radiotherapy was detected in 53 patients (20.4%). The odds ratio (OR) of developing RP for patients with LVEF <50% was 3.42 [ p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.85–6.32]. Multivariate analysis showed that forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), LVEF, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, chemotherapy, and mean lung dose (MLD) were significantly associated with grade ≥2 RP. The AUC of a model including the above five variables was 0.835 (95% CI, 0.778–0.891) on 10-fold cross validation and 0.742 (95% CI, 0.633–0.851) on the external validation set. The p -value for the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was 0.656 on 10-fold cross validation and 0.534 on the external validation set. Conclusion: LV systolic dysfunction is a possible independent risk factor for RP in locally advanced lung cancer patients receiving definitive radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is meagre for patients with clinical T3-4N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer (8th Edition of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)). This study retrospectively investigated clinical outcomes following SBRT for such patients. Among consecutive patients treated with SBRT, patients staged as cT3-4N0M0 by all criteria were examined, most of whom were unsuitable to chemoradiotherapy due to their fragile characters. Clinical outcomes were evaluated and factors associated with outcomes were investigated. Between 2005 and 2017, 70 eligible patients (T3: 58, T4: 12; median age 81 (63–93) years) were identified. Median follow-up duration was 28.6 (1.0–142.5) months. No adjuvant chemotherapy was administered. The 3-year local recurrence rates were 15.8% and 16.7% in T3 and T4 patients, respectively, and they were significantly lower in the high-dose group (3.1% vs 28.6%, P < 0.01). Multivariate analyses showed that the dose-volumetric factor was the significant factor for local recurrence. The 3-year regional and distant metastasis rates, cancer-specific mortality, and overall survival in T3 and T4 patients were 22.7% and 25.0%, 26.5% and 33.3%, 32.2% and 41.7%, and 39.5% and 41.7%, respectively. Only age was correlated with overall survival. Radiation pneumonitis ≥grade 3 and fatal hemoptysis occurred in 3 and 1 patients, respectively. SBRT for cT3-4N0M0 lung cancer patients achieved good local control. Survival was rather good considering that patients were usually frail, staged with clinical staging, and were not given adjuvant chemotherapy, and it may be comparable to surgery. To validate these outcomes following SBRT, a prospective study is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is one the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Symptomatic manifestations of the disease generally occur in the advanced-stage setting, and therefore an important number of patients have advanced or metastatic disease by the time they are diagnosed. This situation contributes to a poor prognosis in the treatment of lung cancer. Evidence-based clinical recommendations are of great value to support decision-making for daily practice, and thus improving health care quality and patient outcomes. Objectives. This Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) contains systematically-developed recommendations to support clinicians, patients and patientcarers, policy makers and other stakeholders in the diagnosis and management of patients with early, advanced and metastatic stages of non-small cell lung cancer. Materials and methods. This document was an initiative of the Mexican Society of Oncology (SMEO) in collaboration with Mexican Center of Clinical Excellence (Cenetec) according to International Standards. Such standards included those described by the IOM, NICE, SIGN and GI-N. An interdisciplinary Guideline Development Group (GDG) was put together which included medical oncologists, surgical oncologistsc, radiation therapists, and methodologists with expertise in critical appraisal, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines development. Results. 62 clinical questions were agreed among members of the GDG. With the evidence identified from systematic reviews, the GDG developed clinical recommendations using a Modified Delphi Panel technique. Patients’ representatives validated them. Conclusions. These Clinical Practice Guideline aims to support the shared decision-making process for patients with different stages of non-small cell lung cancer. Our goal is to improve health-care quality on these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little known about predictors of the effects of induction therapy in locally advanced lung cancer, including superior sulcus tumors. We analyzed whether intra-tumoral blood feeding could predict a pathologic complete response (pCR). Patients who underwent induction therapy followed by surgery for locally advanced lung cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The intra-tumoral blood feeding was defined by the CT value (HU, Hounsfield unit), which was calculated by subtracting the non-enhanced value from the contrast-enhanced value (divided into the early and delayed phase) at the maximum diameter of the tumor on dynamic CT. The cases were classified, according to the efficacy of induction therapy, into the pCR and residual tumor (pRT) group. There were 38 cases of T3 and 12 of T4; the induction therapy consisted of chemoradiotherapy in 39 patients, chemotherapy in 6, and radiotherapy in 5. A pCR was obtained in 15 (30%) patients. The mean CT values of the early and delayed phases in the pCR group were 14.8 and 30.7 HU, while those in the pRT were 15.3 and 32.2 HU, respectively. A logistic regression analysis revealed that a smaller tumor size (< 42 mm) was a non-significant predictor of a pCR (p = 0.09); the maximum standardized uptake value on FDG-PET and the CT values on the early and delayed phases of dynamic CT were not associated with the achievement of a pCR. In conclusion, intra-tumoral blood feeding of the locally advanced lung cancer did not predict the effects of induction therapy, whereas smaller sized tumors tended to show a better response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete anatomic lung resection remains the best curative option in patients with early-stage lung cancer. In some cases, extended lung resections are required to achieve R0 resection. Although diaphragmatic invasion and resection is a well-known condition in lung cancer, direct invasion of the diaphragm and liver in lung cancer is rare. We report a 66-year-old man with left-sided lung cancer. Preoperative evaluation revealed the risk of diaphragm invasion, but the liver invasion was detected intraoperatively. In addition to left pneumonectomy, left-sided partial liver and diaphragm resection was performed. At 24 months from the operation, the patient is alive without any disease progression. We believe that combined resection including lung, diaphragm, and liver may have survival benefits in selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy administered concomitantly to thoracic radiotherapy is the treatment recommended by the European guidelines for fit patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cisplatin may be combined with etoposide, vinorelbine or other vinca alkaloids, which act also as radiation sensitizers. Initially administered intravenously, vinorelbine is also available as oral formulation and is the only orally available microtubule-targeting agent. In addition, the oral formulation avoids the risk of extravasation and phlebitis. Areas covered: A literature search has been performed for articles reporting phase II-III trials aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of oral vinorelbine-based chemoradiotherapy in unresectable locally advanced NSCLC. Expert commentary: In a series of trials with various protocols published from 2008 to 2018, mostly phase II studies, oral vinorelbine demonstrated a significant activity in concomitant chemoradiotherapy for unresectable locally advanced NSCLC typically as part of combination schedules with cisplatin. Main toxicities were hematologic (neutropenia and anemia); non-hematological toxicities included esophagitis and gastro-duodenal adverse events. Large prospective phase III trials are needed to confirm the role of vinorelbine-based chemotherapy associated to thoracic radiotherapy in unresectable stage III NSCLC and more particularly trials with metronomic oral vinorelbine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Title: Phase II study of celecoxib with docetaxel chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by consolidation chemotherapy docetaxel plus cisplatin with maintenance celecoxib in inoperable stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer. Introduction: Concurrent CRT has been associated with improvement in absolute 5‐year survival by 10% and is the standard of care for inoperable stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer. Preclinical evidence suggests that cyclooxygenase‐2 inhibition may increase the efficacy of CRT. Methods: Patients were treated with CRT (weekly docetaxel at 30 mg/m2 over 6 weeks with concurrent external beam radiotherapy with 60 Gy in 30 fractions) followed by consolidation chemotherapy with docetaxel and cisplatin, each at 75 mg/m2 given 3 weekly for four cycles. Patients were to receive celecoxib 400 mg twice daily during treatment. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (30 Gy in 15 fractions) was offered if there was disease response. Results: Twenty‐four patients commenced CRT. Nineteen patients commenced consolidation therapy with 14 patients completing treatment. Twelve patients had treatment with celecoxib. In the total cohort, the median overall survival (mOS) was 21 months and progression‐free survival (PFS) was 16 months. Overall response rate was 59% and disease control rate was 82%. Three patient deaths occurred. Significant grade 3/4 toxicity included radiation pneumonitis (17%), febrile neutropenia (17%), infection/sepsis with or with neutropenia (25%) and esophagitis (12.5%). Retrospective analysis of celecoxib versus no celecoxib treatment showed favorable mOS 26.5 versus 17.5 months and PFS 22 versus 16 months, but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: The activity of this regimen has been demonstrated. Treatment‐related toxicity was substantial. The role of celecoxib in addition to CRT could not be demonstrated in this study because of the small number of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose Radiotherapy guidance based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently becoming a clinical reality. Fast 2d cine MRI sequences are expected to increase the precision of radiation delivery by facilitating tumour delineation during treatment. This study compares four auto-contouring algorithms for the task of delineating the primary tumour in six locally advanced (LA) lung cancer patients. Material and methods Twenty-two cine MRI sequences were acquired using either a balanced steady-state free precession or a spoiled gradient echo imaging technique. Contours derived by the auto-contouring algorithms were compared against manual reference contours. A selection of eight image data sets was also used to assess the inter-observer delineation uncertainty. Results Algorithmically derived contours agreed well with the manual reference contours (median Dice similarity index: ⩾ 0.91 ). Multi-template matching and deformable image registration performed significantly better than feature-driven registration and the pulse-coupled neural network (PCNN). Neither MRI sequence nor image orientation was a conclusive predictor for algorithmic performance. Motion significantly degraded the performance of the PCNN. The inter-observer variability was of the same order of magnitude as the algorithmic performance. Conclusion Auto-contouring of tumours on cine MRI is feasible in LA lung cancer patients. Despite large variations in implementation complexity, the different algorithms all have relatively similar performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose Differential baseline shifts between primary tumor and involved lymph nodes in locally advanced lung cancer patients compromise the accuracy of radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of an average anatomy model ( AAM) derived from repeat imaging and deformable registration to reduce these geometrical uncertainties. Methods and materials An in-house implementation of a B-Spline deformable image registration ( DIR) algorithm was first validated using three different validation approaches: (a) a circle method to test the consistency of the DIR, (b) fiducial marker target registration error, and (c) the recovery of a known deformation vector field ( DVF). Subsequently, AAM was generated by first averaging five DVFs resulting from cone beam CT ( CBCT) to planning CT ( pCT) DIR and second by applying the inverse of the average DVF to the pCT. The proposed method was evaluated on 15 locally advanced lung cancer patients receiving daily motion compensated CBCT and a repeat CT ( rCT) for adaptive radiotherapy. Reduction of systematic baseline shifts of the primary tumor were quantified for the fractions used to build the AAM as well as over the whole treatment and compared to the performance of the rCT. Results The deformable registration accuracy was ≤ 2 mm vector length for the first two validation methods and about 3 mm for the third method. The systematic baseline shifts over the five fractions prior to the rCT used to build the AAM reduced from 5.9 mm vector length relative to the pCT to 2.3 and 4.2 mm relative to the AAM and rCT, respectively. The overall systematic errors in the left-right, cranio-caudal, and anterior-posterior directions were [3.4, 3.8, 3.3] mm, [2.3, 2.9, 2.6] mm, and [2.3, 3.1, 2.7] mm for the pCT, AAM, and rCT, respectively. Conclusions The AAM mitigates systematic errors occurring during treatment due to differential baseline shifts between the primary tumor and involved lymph nodes similar to (or even better than) rCT. The superior performance of the AAM in terms of the systematic error derived from the initial fractions indicates that further analysis of the optimum intervention time is required. This model has the potential to be used as an efficient and accurate alternative for rCT in adaptive radiotherapy of locally advanced lung cancer patients, obviating the need for rescanning and recontouring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper management of stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) might result in a cure or patient long-term survival. Management should therefore be preceded by adequate and accurate diagnosis and staging, which will inform therapeutic decisions. A panel of oncologists, surgeons and pulmonologists in Lebanon convened to establish a set of recommendations to guide and unify clinical practice, in alignment with international standards of care. Whilst chest computerized tomography (CT) scanning remains a cornerstone in the discovery of a lung lesion, a positron-emission tomography (PET)/CT scan and a tumor biopsy allows for staging of the cancer and defining the resectability of the tumor(s). A multidisciplinary discussion meeting is currently widely advised for evaluating patients on a case-by-case basis, and should include at least the treating oncologist, a thoracic surgeon, a radiation oncologist and a pulmonologist, in addition to physicians from other specialties as needed. The standard of care for unresectable stage III NSCLC is concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by consolidation therapy with durvalumab, which should be initiated within 42 days of the last radiation dose; for resectable tumors, neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgical resection is recommended. This joint statement is based on the expertise of the physician panel, available literature and evidence governing the treatment, management and follow-up of patients with stage III NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consolidation immunotherapy after concurrent chemoradiation has improved five-year survival rates in unresectable, locally advanced lung cancer, but disease progression and treatment personalization remain challenges. New treatment approaches with concurrent immunotherapy and consolidative novel agents are being investigated and show promising efficacy data, but at the risk of additive toxicity. Patients with PD-L1 negative tumors, oncogenic driver mutations, intolerable toxicity, or limited performance status continue to require innovative therapies. This review summarizes historical data that galvanized new research efforts, as well as ongoing clinical trials that address the challenges of current therapeutic approaches for unresectable, locally advanced lung cancer., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pulmonary artery (PA) reconstruction has been accepted to avoid pneumonectomy in locally advanced lung cancer surgery because of its satisfactory outcomes with regard to long-term survival and its low postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Several techniques of PA reconstruction have been documented. However, the availability of PA reconstruction using an autologous pulmonary vein (PV) patch is unclear. Here, we present a patient who successfully underwent PA reconstruction using an autologous PV patch during resection of a lung adenocarcinoma (cT2aN1M0: stage IIB) in the left upper lobe with hilar extension and left main PA invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical treatment of locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer including single or multilevel N2 remains a matter of debate. Several trials demonstrate that selected patients benefit from surgery if R0 resection is achieved. We aimed to assess resectability and outcome of patients with locally advanced clinical T3/T4 (American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition) tumors after induction treatment followed by surgery in a pooled analysis of 3 prospective multicenter trials. A total of 197 patients with T3/T4 non–small cell lung cancer of 368 patients with stage III non–small cell lung cancer enrolled in the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research 16/96, 16/00, 16/01 trials were treated with induction chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery, including extended resections. Univariable and multivariable analyses were applied for analysis of outcome parameters. Patients' median age was 60 years, and 67% were male. A total of 38 of 197 patients were not resected for technical (81%) or medical (19%) reasons. A total of 159 resections including 36 extended resections were performed with an 80% R0 and 13.2% pathological complete response rate. The 30- and 90-day mortality were 3% and 7%, respectively, without a difference for extended resections. Morbidity was 32% with the majority (70%) of minor grading complications. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survivals for extended resections were 61% (95% confidence interval, 43-75), 44% (95% confidence interval, 27-59), and 29.5% (95% confidence interval, 13-48), respectively. R0 resection was associated with improved overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.41; P <.001), but pretreatment N2 extension (177/197) showed no impact on overall survival. Surgery after induction treatment for advanced T3/T4 stage including single and multiple pretreatment N2 disease resulted in 80% R0 resection rate and 7% 90-day mortality. Favorable overall survival for extended and not extended resection was demonstrated to be independent of pretreatment N status. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Interactive optimization during treatment planning requires intermittent adjustment of organ-at-risk (OAR) objectives relative to the dose-volume histogram line. This is a labor-intensive process and the resulting plans are prone to variations in quality. The authors' in-house developed approach to automated interactive optimization (AIO) automatically moves the mouse cursor to adjust the position of on-screen optimization objectives. This allows for the use of more objectives per OAR and results in a more frequent and consistent adjustment of these objectives during optimization. The authors report a detailed evaluation of AIO performance in support of its implementation for routine head and neck cancer (HNC) planning and an evaluation for locally advanced lungcancer (LC) planning which requires a different optimization strategy. Methods: Volumetric modulated arc therapy AIO plans (APs) were created for 70 HNC patients with a simultaneously integrated boost and 20 LC patients and benchmarked against their respective manually interactively optimized plans (MPs). The same set of optimization objectives and priorities was used for all APs, although planning target volume (PTV) optimization priorities could be increased manually in a subsequent "continue previous optimization" calculation. HNC plans were benchmarked using mean dose to individual and composite OARs and elective/boost PTV (PTVE/PTVB) volumes receiving 95% and 107% of the prescription dose (V95% and V107%, respectively). A clinician performed blinded comparison of 20 APs and respective MPs. LC plans were compared using PTV V95%/V107%, contralateral lung (CL) volume receiving 5 Gy (V5Gy), total lung (TL)-PTV V5Gy/V20Gy, and esophagus and heart V40Gy/V60Gy/mean doses. Results: For HNC, statistically significant improvements in sparing of all OARs, except for the ipsilateral submandibular gland and trachea, were obtained in the APs compared to MPs. Average mean dose to oral cavity, composite salivary, and swallowing structures were 25.4/23.8, 24.2/23.2, and 29.5/25.5 Gy, respectively, for the MPs/APs. PTV heterogeneity was similar: in the APs, PTVB V95% was 0.2% higher while PTV B/PTV E V107% was 0.4%/1.0% lower. In 19 out of 20 HNC patients, the clinician preferred the AP, mainly because of better OAR sparing and PTV dose homogeneity. For LC, APs had a significantly lower CL V5Gy (6.1%), heart mean dose/V60Gy (0.9 Gy/1.2%) and esophagus mean dose/V60Gy (0.9 Gy/2.8%), a nonsignificantly higher TL V20Gy (1.4%), and a slight, but significantly higher dose deposition to the body. PTV dose coverage and homogeneity were similar in the APs and MPs. AIO was considered sufficiently robust for clinical use in LC. Conclusions: HNC and LC APs were at least as good as, and often of improved quality over MPs. To date, AIO has been clinically implemented for HNC planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) is used as monotherapy in poor performance patients with unresected locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC), but their outcomes are not well-described. As novel therapies are increasingly considered in this space, it is important to understand contemporary outcomes of RT alone. Here, in this retrospective cohort study we analyzed LA-NSCLC outcomes of RT alone in Ontario, Canada, and contrasted them against those of standard of care (SoC) treatment of concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (cCRT)., Methods: Ontario provincial databases were searched through the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences (IC/ES) for stage III NSCLC patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2017. Surgical patients were excluded, and all patients that received RT without or with chemotherapy were selected. Patients were divided in groups of RT dose received (<40 Gy, 40-55.9 Gy, and ≥56 Gy) and whether they underwent diagnostic 18 F-deoxy-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)., Results: Five thousand five hundred and seventy-seven stage III patients that received chest RT without surgery between January 2007 and March 2017 were included in this analysis. Within this group, 39.8% (2,225) received RT alone, 47.4% (2,645) cCRT and 12.6% (707) received sequential chemo-radiotherapy (sCRT). Median OS with RT alone in three dose groups <40/40-55.9/≥56 Gy was 7.2, 8.5 and 13.3 months compared to 16.5, 15.8 and 22 months for cCRT patients. Higher RT dose and PET utilization were independently associated with improved survival in multivariate analysis., Conclusions: Radiation monotherapy remains a widely used treatment modality in LA-NSCLC. RT dose and utilization of FDG-PET imaging are associated with improved survival in this group. These findings help improve clinical decision making and serve as basis for future trials., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-22-925/coif). Greg Pond declares receiving consulting fees from profound Medical and Merck. He also received honoraria from Astra-Zeneca for educational events; received honorarium from Takeda for DSMB (Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board) membership. He has a close family member who is an employee of Roche Canada, and who owns stock in Roche Ltd. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Extended lung resections for T3-T4 non-small-cell lung cancer remain challenging. Multimodal management is mandatory in multidisciplinary tumor boards, and here the determination of resectability is key. Long-term oncologic efficacy depends mostly on complete resection (R0) and the extent of N2 disease. The development of novel innovative treatments (targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors) sets interesting perspectives to reinforce current therapeutic options in the induction and adjuvant setting., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose To evaluate the performance of a model-based optimisation process for volumetric modulated arc therapy applied to advanced lung cancer and to low risk prostate carcinoma patients. Methods and materials Two sets each of 27 previously treated patients, were selected to train models for the prediction of dose–volume constraints. The models were validated on the same sets of plans (closed-loop) and on further two sets each of 25 patients not used for the training (open-loop). Results Quantitative improvements (statistically significant for the majority of the analysed dose–volume parameters) were observed between the benchmark and the test plans. In the pass–fail analysis, the rate of criteria not fulfilled was reduced in the lung patient group from 11% to 7% in the closed-loop and from 13% to 10% in the open-loop studies; in the prostate patient group it was reduced from 4% to 3% in the open-loop study. Conclusions Plans were optimised using a knowledge-based model to determine the dose–volume constraints. The results showed dosimetric improvements when compared to the benchmark data, particularly in the sparing of organs at risk. The data suggest that the new engine is reliable and could encourage its application to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) has the potential to reduce radiation dose to normal organs when compared to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). We hypothesized that IMPT is associated with a reduced rate of cardiopulmonary toxicities in patients with Stage III NSCLC when compared with IMRT., Methods: We analyzed 163 consecutively treated patients with biopsy-proven, stage III NSCLC who received IMPT (n = 35, 21%) or IMRT (n = 128, 79%). Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were analyzed. Overall survival (OS), freedom-from distant metastasis (FFDM), freedom-from locoregional relapse (FFLR), and cardiopulmonary toxicities (CTCAE v5.0) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier estimate. Univariate cox regressions were conducted for the final model., Results: Median follow-up of surviving patients was 25.5 (range, 4.6-58.1) months. Median RT dose was 60 (range, 45-72) Gy [RBE]. OS, FFDM, and FFLR were not different based on RT modality. IMPT provided significant dosimetric pulmonary and cardiac sparing when compared to IMRT. IMPT was associated with a reduced rate of grade more than or equal to 3 pneumonitis (HR 0.25, P = .04) and grade more than or equal to 3 cardiac events (HR 0.33, P = .08). Pre-treatment predicted diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide less than equal to 57% (HR 2.8, P = .04) and forced expiratory volume in the first second less than equal to 61% (HR 3.1, P = .03) were associated with an increased rate of grade more than or equal to 3 pneumonitis., Conclusions: IMPT is associated with a reduced risk of clinically significant pneumonitis and cardiac events when compared with IMRT without compromising tumor control in stage III NSCLC. IMPT may provide a safer treatment option, particularly for high-risk patients with poor pretreatment pulmonary function., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death globally. In addition, its incidence increases with age, with approximately half of all cases diagnosed in patients aged ≥70. Molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapies for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer have markedly improved outcomes over the past two decades. Despite the high incidence of lung cancer in older people, most trials excluded such patients from enrollment. Therefore, the optimal treatment strategies for older patients remain unclear. The present review summarizes the published literature and provides guidance on the treatment of older patients with lung cancer within three broad stages: (i) early-stage lung cancer, (ii) locally advanced lung cancer and (iii) metastatic lung cancer. We also discuss the use of the latest evidence for older patients., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) occurs after chest radiation therapy, which ranges from acute radiation pneumonia to subsequent radiation pulmonary fibrosis. However, they are difficult to predict. The study aimed to examine the predictive utility of serum levels of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) for radiation-induced lung injury., Methods: This single-center prospective observational study enrolled 21 patients with locally advanced lung cancer who underwent chest radiation therapy. We measured the serum levels of TGF-β, Krebs von Denlungen-6, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) eight times immediately before irradiation., Results: Seven, four, eight, and one patient had Grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 radiation-induced lung injury, respectively. Compared with the Grade 0 and 1 RILI groups (RP- group), the Grade 2 and 3 RILI groups (RP+ group) had a significantly higher relative ratio of TGF-β values from immediately before irradiation to the time of 30-48 Gy irradiation (P=0.011). The cut-off value of the TGF-β relative ratio of the RP+ group measured from the receiver operating characteristic curve was 1.31; moreover, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were 75%, 100%, and 75%, respectively. There was no significant between-group difference in the levels of the other cytokines., Conclusions: For patients undergoing radiation therapy for locally advanced lung cancer, the ratio of TGF-β levels before and after 30-48 Gy irradiation may predict the onset of RILI. Our findings may facilitate the identification of predictors of the onset of radiation-induced lung injury., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tlcr.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tlcr-22-229/coif). TY reports receiving research grants from Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Japan Inc., and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. KT reports receiving research grants from Chugai-Roche Co., and Ono Pharmaceutical Co.; personal fees from AstraZeneca Co., Chugai-Roche Co., MSD-Merck Co., Eli Lilly Co., Boehringer-Ingelheim Co., and Daiichi–Sankyo Co. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2022 Translational Lung Cancer Research. All rights reserved.)

Toxicity concerns from thoracic radiation therapy in the treatment of lung cancers have changed substantially over the past few decades. Survival in the treatment of lung cancer has markedly improved and the introduction of advanced radiation and imaging techniques to treatment planning and delivery has made reducing toxicity possible. Phase 3 dose-escalation trials have revealed that excess dose to critical organs within the thorax can negatively impact overall survival. We summarize the existing literature on the known toxicities of thoracic radiation therapy, summarize the technological advances that have made toxicity reduction possible, and provide an overview of emerging technologies and biomarkers that are being evaluated to assess future toxicity reductions., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The management of operable locally advanced N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a controversial topic. Concurrent chemoradiation (CT-RT) is considered the standard of care for inoperable or unresectable patients, but the role of trimodality treatment remains controversial. We present our institution's experience with the management of stage III (N2) NSCLC patients, analyzing whether the addition of surgery improves survival when compared with definitive CT-RT alone. Methods: From 1996 to 2006, 72 N2 NSCLC patients were treated. Thirty-four patients received cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy, followed by paclitaxel-cisplatin CT-RT, and 38 patients underwent surgery preceded by induction and/or followed by adjuvant therapy. Survival curves were estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and the differences were assessed with the log-rank test. Results: Most of the patients (87 %) were men. The median age was 59 years. A statistically significant association between T3-T4c and definitive CT-RT as well as between T1-T2c and surgery was noted ( p < 0.0001). After a median follow-up period of 35 months, the median overall survival (OS) was 42 months for the surgery group versus 41 months for the CT-RT patients ( p = 0.590). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 14 months after surgery and 25 months after CT-RT ( p = 0.933). Responders to radical CT-RT had a better OS than non-responders (43 vs. 17 months, respectively, p = 0.011). No significant differences were found in the OS or PFS between the pN0 [14 (37.8 %) patients] and non-pN0 patients at thoracotomy. Three treatment-related deaths (7.8 %) were observed in the surgical cohort and none in the CT-RT group. Conclusions: The addition of surgery did not render a median OS or PFS benefit when compared with CT-RT alone in our series of stage III-N2 NSCLC patients, in accordance with previously published data. However, responses to CT-RT had a greater impact in terms of OS and PFS. Although the patients selected for management including surgery showed a favorable T clinical staging in comparison to patients exclusively treated with definitive CT-RT, similar survival outcomes were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: To analyse the dosimetric differences between the conventional conformal radiation therapy (CR) and the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for non-small-cell locally advanced lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods: Two plans (CR and VMAT) were calculated for ten NSCLC patients. Dose to PTV, organs at risk and external contours (body), conformity index (PTV volume/volume of the 95% reference isodose) and homogeneity index ([maximal dose−minimal dose]/dose prescription) were compared. Results: Doses delivered to PTV (homogeneity index, maximal, minimal and mean dose) are similar with both techniques but conformity index is improved by 60% with VMAT: from 0.55±0.07 with CR to 0.89±0.07 with VMAT (P =0.002). Pulmonary protection is improved with VMAT: with CR and VMAT, respectively, the mean lung dose is 14.1±5.2Gy and 12.2±4.5Gy, the lung volume which receives at least 30Gy (V30) is 20±8% and 14±5%, and the V20 is 24±11% and 20±10% (P =0.002). The mean dose received by the body is also 9% lower (P =0.004) and V5 is 13% higher (P =0.004) with VMAT. V10 and V15 were similar with both modalities. From 20Gy and higher, irradiated body volume is larger with CR than with VMAT. The relative difference increases with the dose: from 10% for 20Gy (P =0.014) up to 39% for 62.7Gy (P =0.002). Conclusion: Compared to CR, VMAT greatly improves conformity and reduces mean dose and dose delivered from 20Gy and higher to the lungs and the body. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report a case of complete resection of lung cancer involving the thoracic aorta, after induction chemoradiotherapy in a 55-year-old man. The chemoradiotherapy, which consisted of two courses of platinum-based chemotherapy with concurrent radiation to a total of 40 Gy, resulted in a partial response. Left upper lobectomy with combined resection and reconstruction of the distal arch aorta and left subclavian artery was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient was given two courses of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy, and there has been no sign of recurrence in the 34 months since his operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]