Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy is associated with greater recurrence-free survival than stereotactic body radiotherapy for clinical stage I lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Stereotactic body radiotherapy is the standard treatment for medically inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Recent data suggest that in operable patients, stereotactic body radiotherapy produces outcomes comparable to those of surgical resection. In veterans with early non-small cell lung cancer, we compared the outcomes of stereotactic body radiotherapy and video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from 183 patients (94.0% male) with clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer who underwent stereotactic body radiotherapy (n = 56) or video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (n = 127) from 2009 to 2014. Propensity matching was used to produce more comparable groups. Primary end points were tumor control and overall, recurrence-free, and lung-cancer-specific survival, as estimated by Kaplan-Meier actuarial analysis. Multivariable analysis was used to identify independent predictors. RESULTS: In the overall cohort, the patients who received stereotactic body radiotherapy were older than the patients who received video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (median age, 79.5 vs 64 years) and had more comorbidities. In the 37 propensity-matched pairs, the 3-year actuarial tumor control rate was 54.3% after stereotactic body radiotherapy and 90.6% after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (P = .0038). Actuarial lung cancer-specific 3-year survival was 78.1% (stereotactic body radiotherapy) versus 93.6% (video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy) (P = .055). One-year overall, 3-year overall, and 3-year recurrence-free survivals were 89.2%, 52.9%, and 38.5% after stereotactic body radiotherapy and 94.6%, 85.7%, and 82.8% after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (P < .005 for all), respectively. In multivariable analysis, stereotactic body radiotherapy independently predicted recurrence and poorer survival. CONCLUSIONS: In veteran patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy resulted in better disease control and survival than stereotactic body radiotherapy. Although prior reports suggest that stereotactic body radiotherapy is a suitable alternative to surgery in early-stage lung cancer, a prospective randomized trial is needed. Nevertheless, stereotactic body radiotherapy remains a suitable option for medically inoperable patients.

Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to lower-extremity soft tissues: a case report and literature review.

A 52-year old man was referred to our service for evaluation after being diagnosed with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass in the left tonsillar pillar, as well as submental lymphadenopathy. The extent of tumor infiltration was assessed by fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans, which showed increased uptake in the tumor bed and a suspicious-looking lymph node near the right hilum. No other signs or symptoms of distant metastasis were evident at that time, and the patient was treated with induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation. Several weeks after treatment completion, the patient returned, complaining of right medial foot edema. CT of the right lower extremity revealed multiple high-attenuation masses in the soft tissues of the right leg and foot, including a mass in the medial plantar region of the foot. Approximately 15 to 20% of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma develop distant metastasis throughout the course of the disease. Soft-tissue metastases from oropharyngeal cancers are rare, however, particularly when they present in the absence of widespread metastasis. A review of the current head and neck tumor literature describes soft-tissue metastases in less than 10% of patients with known distant metastases. Metastasis to distal regions such as the lower extremities has rarely been observed but should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with lower-extremity pain or edema.

Lymph node management in patients with paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma: a population-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma (PTRMS) is the most common primary solid tumor arising from the mesenchymal tissue of the testis. Traditionally, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is not recommended for children aged <10 years because of the morbidity of the procedure and low risk of retroperitoneal lymph node involvement. In the current study, the authors analyzed the patient and tumor characteristics of PTRMS as well as survival outcomes associated with lymph node dissection status. METHODS: A total of 255 cases of PTRMS were identified from the patient data reported by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute from 1973 through 2009. RESULTS: Among 173 patients aged ≥ 10 years, lymph node dissection was found to improve the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate from 64% to 86% (P < 0.01). Conversely, patients aged <10 years fared extremely well regardless of lymph node dissection status; the 5-year OS rate was 100% and 97%, respectively, for patients who did versus those who did not undergo lymph node dissection (P = .37). The yield of positive lymph nodes was approximately ≥ 20% when < 11 lymph nodes were removed. The incidence of lymph node involvement was also higher in older patients compared with younger patients (40% vs 8%). Radiotherapy improved the OS rate in patients with lymph node involvement (5-year OS rate: 90% with vs 36% without radiation; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node dissection is recommended in patients aged ≥10 years. Radiotherapy is beneficial in patients with lymph node-positive disease.

Reduced acute bowel toxicity in patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy for rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: We have previously shown that intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can reduce dose to small bowel, bladder, and bone marrow compared with three-field conventional radiotherapy (CRT) technique in the treatment of rectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to review our experience using IMRT to treat rectal cancer and report patient clinical outcomes. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with rectal cancer who were treated at Mayo Clinic Arizona with pelvic radiotherapy (RT). Data regarding patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, acute toxicity according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v 3.0, tumor response, and perioperative morbidity were collected. RESULTS: From 2004 to August 2009, 92 consecutive patients were treated. Sixty-one (66%) patients were treated with CRT, and 31 (34%) patients were treated with IMRT. All but 2 patients received concurrent chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in median dose (50.4 Gy, CRT; 50 Gy, IMRT), preoperative vs. postoperative treatment, type of concurrent chemotherapy, or history of previous pelvic RT between the CRT and IMRT patient groups. Patients who received IMRT had significantly less gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. Sixty-two percent of patients undergoing CRT experienced ≥Grade 2 acute GI side effects, compared with 32% among IMRT patients (p = 0.006). The reduction in overall GI toxicity was attributable to fewer symptoms from the lower GI tract. Among CRT patients, ≥Grade 2 diarrhea and enteritis was experienced among 48% and 30% of patients, respectively, compared with 23% (p = 0.02) and 10% (p = 0.015) among IMRT patients. There was no significant difference in hematologic or genitourinary acute toxicity between groups. In addition, pathologic complete response rates and postoperative morbidity between treatment groups did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: In the management of rectal cancer, IMRT is associated with a clinically significant reduction in lower GI toxicity compared with CRT. Further study is needed to evaluate differences in late toxicity and long-term efficacy.

Long-term tumor control after brachytherapy for base-of-prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of patients presenting with cancer at the base of the prostate after brachytherapy as monotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients who had undergone transperineal ultrasound-guided implantation with (125)I or (103)Pd seeds as monotherapy between March 1998 and December 2006, at our institution. A minimum follow-up interval of 2 years was required for inclusion in our analysis. Dosimetry was assessed using computed tomography 30 days after the implant. Treatment failure was defined as the appearance of biopsy-proved tumor after seed implantation, radiographic evidence of metastases, receipt of salvage therapy, or elevation of the prostate-specific antigen level beyond the nadir value plus 2 ng/mL. RESULTS: With a median follow-up interval of 89 months (range 25-128 months), all 52 of the identified patients had no evidence of disease progression or biochemical failure. The mean number of cores sampled at the prostate base was 2.84 (median 2); Gleason scores assigned at central review were 6-8 in all patients. Of the 30 patients (58%) for whom dosimetric data were available at day 30, the median V100 values of the right and left base were 92.0% and 93.5%, respectively, and the median D90 values of the right and left base were 148 Gy and 151 Gy, respectively. CONCLUSION: Permanent prostate brachytherapy as monotherapy results in a high probability of disease-free survival for men with cancer at the base of the prostate.