Palliative Lung Radiotherapy: Higher Dose Leads to Improved Survival?

AIMS: Choosing the optimal palliative lung radiotherapy regimen is challenging. Guidance from The Royal College of Radiologists recommends treatment stratification based on performance status, but evidence suggests that higher radiotherapy doses may be associated with survival benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of fractionation regimen and additional factors on the survival of palliative lung cancer radiotherapy patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective univariable (n = 925) and multivariable (n = 422) survival analysis of the prognostic significance of baseline patient characteristics and treatment prescription was carried out on patients with non-small cell and small cell lung cancer treated with palliative lung radiotherapy. The covariates investigated included: gender, age, performance status, histology, comorbidities, stage, tumour location, tumour side, smoking status, pack year history, primary radiotherapy technique and fractionation scheme. The overall mortality rate at 30 and 90 days of treatment was calculated. RESULTS: Univariable analysis revealed that performance status (P < 0.001), fractionation scheme (P < 0.001), comorbidities (P = 0.02), small cell histology (P = 0.02), 'lifelong never' smoking status (P = 0.01) and gender (P = 0.06) were associated with survival. Upon multivariable analysis, only better performance status (P = 0.01) and increased dose/fractionation regimens of up to 30 Gy/10 fractions (P < 0.001) were associated with increased survival. Eighty-five (9.2%) and 316 patients (34%) died within 30 and 90 days of treatment, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this retrospective single-centre analysis of palliative lung radiotherapy, increased total dose (up to and including 30 Gy/10 fractions) was associated with better survival regardless of performance status.

Accelerated radical radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer using two common regimens: a single-centre retrospective study of outcome.

AIMS: A variety of radical radiotherapy regimens are in use for non-small cell lung cancer. Continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART: 54 Gy in 36 fractions over 12 days) and accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy using 55 Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks are standard fractionations in our centre. The primary aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate survival outcome seen in routine clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All case notes and radiotherapy records of radically treated patients between 1999 and 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Basic patient demographics, tumours, characteristics, radiotherapy and survival data were collected. RESULTS: In total, 277 patients received radical radiotherapy: 137 and 140 patients received CHART and hypofractionated radiotherapy, respectively. There were differences noted in the demographics between the two treatment schedules: median age 65 years (range 41-83) vs 73 years (range 33-87); histological confirmation rates 90% vs 76%; prior chemotherapy 34% vs 19% for CHART and hypofractionated treatment, respectively. For CHART patients, stages I, II, III and unclassified were 12, 8, 68 and 12% and the staging for the hypofractionated regimen was 54, 11, 34 and 2%, respectively. The median overall survival from the time of diagnosis was 20.4 months with a 40% 2-year survival rate. For the two fractionations the median survival was 16.6 months vs 21.4 months and 34% vs 45% of patients were alive at 2 years in the CHART and hypofractionated groups, respectively. On multivariate analysis, stage was the only factor affecting overall survival - no difference was seen according to radiotherapy regimen. CONCLUSION: This single-centre study reflects the outcome of unselected consecutively treated non-small cell lung cancer patients. Adjusting for stage, there was no significant difference in survival seen according to regimen. Encouragingly, CHART outcome shows reproducibility with the original CHART paper. Our hypofractionated outcome is similar to that previously reported, but despite this being the UK's most common regimen, 55 Gy in 20 daily fractions remains unvalidated by phase III trial data.

Primary radical radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear and external auditory cana--an historical series.

AIMS: To evaluate patients treated with radical radiotherapy alone for squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear (MEC) and external auditory canal (EAC) in terms of freedom from local recurrence, cancer-specific survival and morbidity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1965 and 1988, 123 patients were treated, 70 with MEC and 53 with EAC. The median age was 64 years (range 21-86) and 78% presented as late stage. The median dose was 55 Gy (range 39-55) in 16 once daily fractions (range 13-21). RESULTS: At 5 and 10 years, respectively, freedom from local recurrence was 56 and 56%, disease-free survival was 45 and 43%, cancer-specific survival was 53 and 51%, and overall survival was 40 and 21%. Cancer-specific survival was significantly worse with late stage as opposed to early stage (P = 0.0026), as was local recurrence (P = 0.0088). No differences in survival and local control were seen according to site. Radionecrosis developed in 6% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Combined treatment using radiotherapy and radical surgery is often favoured. This large series shows that radical radiotherapy achieves comparable results in terms of local control and cancer-specific survival. Our radiotherapy regimen is now 55 Gy in 20 daily fractions to reduce late morbidity. Radiotherapy alone remains a viable option, especially as morbidity can be minimised and target volume delineation optimised using computer planning in the future.