Efficacy of Respiration-controlled Radiotherapy Among Patients With Locally Advanced-stage Lung Cancer: A Population-based Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Definitive radiotherapy is the main treatment modality for patients with locally advanced stage lung cancer and a good performance status who are ineligible for surgery. Respiration-controlled radiotherapy (RCRT) has been recommended, but its effectiveness has been debated in the literature. Therefore, we aimed to study the efficacy of RCRT in definitive radiotherapy for locally advanced-stage lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified lung cancer patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2021 using data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry and related databases. In our primary analysis, we applied propensity score weighting (PSW) to balance observable potential confounders. We then compared the hazard ratio (HR) of death between the RCRT group and the non-RCRT group. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of other outcomes and performed various supplementary analyses. RESULTS: The primary analysis included 3,020 patients. Overall survival did not significantly differ between the RCRT group and the non-RCRT group, with a PSW-adjusted HR of 0.79 (95% confidence interval=0.49-1.28, p=0.342). These findings were consistent with other outcomes and supplementary analyses. CONCLUSION: In locally advanced-stage lung cancer patients who received definitive radiotherapy, survival did not significantly differ between those treated with RCRT and those treated without RCRT. To our knowledge, this is the first population-based study on this topic.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy versus conventional fractionated radiotherapy for clinical early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer: a population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: The use of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) over conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been advocated, but is also debated in the literature. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we adopted a target trial emulation framework to identify eligible patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2021 using the Taiwan Cancer Registry. In the primary analysis, the overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint, whereas incidences of lung cancer mortality and radiation pulmonary toxicity were the secondary endpoints. Extensive supplementary analyses were also conducted. RESULTS: We included 351 patients in the primary analysis and found that the OS was not significantly different between the SABR (n = 290) and CFRT (n = 61) groups. The propensity score weighting adjusted hazard ratio of death was 0.75 (95% confidence interval 0.53-1.07, p = 0.118). The secondary endpoints and supplementary analyses showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The OS of patients with early-stage NSCLC treated with SABR was not significantly different from that of patients treated with CFRT alone. The results of the relevant ongoing clinical trials are eagerly awaited.

Efficacy of Definitive Radiotherapy for Patients with Clinical Stage IIIB or IIIC Lung Adenocarcinoma and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutations Treated Using First- or Second-Generation EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Background: The effectiveness of definitive radiotherapy (RT) for patients with clinical stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations who received first- or second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is unclear. Methods: Taiwan Cancer Registry data were used in this retrospective cohort study to identify adult patients diagnosed with EGFR-mutated stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma between 2011 and 2020. Patients treated with first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs were classified into RT and non-RT groups. Propensity score (PS) weighting was applied to balance covariates between groups. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the incidence of lung cancer mortality (ILCM) was considered as a supplementary outcome. Additional supplementary analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the findings. Results: Among 270 eligible patients, 41 received RT and 229 did not. After a median follow-up of 46 months, PS-weighted analysis showed the PS-weighted hazard ratio of death for the RT group compared to the non-RT group was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.61-1.45, p = 0.78). ILCM rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. Supplementary analyses yielded consistent results. Conclusion: The addition of definitive RT to first- or second-generation EGFR TKI treatment does not significantly improve OS of patients with EGFR-mutated stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma. NCT03521154NCT05167851.

Re-evaluating the role of pelvic radiation in the age of modern precision medicine and systemic therapy.

The efficacy of pelvic radiation in the management of locally advanced stage rectal cancer has come under scrutiny in the context of modern precision medicine and systemic therapy as evidenced by recent clinical trials such as FOWARC (J Clin Oncol 2019; 37: 3223-3233), NCT04165772 (N Engl J Med 2022; 386: 2363-2376), and PROSPECT (N Engl J Med 2023; 389: 322-334). In this review, we comprehensively assess these pivotal trials and offer additional insights into the evolving role of pelvic radiation in contemporary oncology.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy With/Without Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The role of neoadjuvant radiotherapy in the management of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who have undergone neoadjuvant systemic therapy has been the subject of recent debate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified eligible rectal cancer patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2020 using data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. In our primary analysis, we applied propensity score weighting (PSW) to balance observable potential confounders. We then compared the hazard ratio (HR) of death the neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (nCCRT) group and the neoadjuvant chemotherapy without radiotherapy (nCT) group. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of other outcomes and performed various supplementary analyses. RESULTS: The primary analysis included 2,298 patients. The overall survival did not exhibit statistically significant differences, with a PSW-adjusted HR of 0.72 (95% confidence interval=0.33-1.56, p=0.40) when comparing the nCCRT group to the nCT group. These findings were consistent with those of other long-term outcomes and supplementary analyses. CONCLUSION: In patients with LARC who have undergone neoadjuvant systemic therapy, the addition of radiotherapy did not yield statistically significant differences in long-term clinical outcomes.

Pelvic Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy for Stage M1a Rectal Adenocarcinoma Patients Treated With Systemic Therapy Followed by Proctectomy and Metastasectomy: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The effect of pelvic neoadjuvant radiotherapy (nRT) for stage M1a rectal adenocarcinoma patients treated with systemic therapy followed by proctectomy and metastasectomy was scarcely investigated in the literatures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The eligible rectal cancer patients diagnosed between 2011-2019 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. In the primary analysis, we used propensity score weighting to balance observable potential confounders and compared the hazard ratio (HR) of death for the nRT group vs. without RT group. We also compared the incidence of rectal cancer mortality (IRCM) and performed various supplementary analyses. RESULTS: Our primary analyses included 145 patients. nRT was associated with improved OS (HR=0.51, p=0.01). The numerical trends remained similar for IRCM and in supplementary analyses. CONCLUSION: nRT was associated with improved OS in our study population.

Health Economic Evaluation of Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, there have been no systematic reviews of health economic evaluations of proton therapy specific to lung cancer. METHODS: We conducted this systematic review according to the predefined protocol [PROSPERO CRD42022365869]. We summarized the results of the included studies via structured narrative synthesis. RESULTS: We identified four studies (all used passively scattered proton therapy) from 787 searches. Two cost analyses reported that proton therapy was more costly than photon therapy for early- or locally advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer, one cost-utility analysis reported that proton therapy was dominated by nonproton therapy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, and one cost-utility analysis reported that proton therapy was not cost-effective (vs. photon) in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Passively scattered proton therapy was more costly and not cost-effective than photon therapy for early- and locally advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Further health economic evaluations regarding modern proton therapy (such as scanning beam) for common radiotherapy indications of lung cancer are eagerly awaited.

High vs. low radiotherapy dose in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy: an endemic area population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal radiotherapy dose for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in endemic areas treated with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy is unclear. METHODS: Eligible patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2019 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders. The hazard ratio (HR) of death was compared between high dose (50-50.4 Gy) and low dose (40-41.4 Gy) radiotherapy. We also evaluated other outcomes and performed supplementary analyses via an alternative approach. RESULTS: Our study population consisted of 644 patients. The PS weight-adjusted HR of death was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-1.19, p = 0.51). There were no statistically significant differences for other outcomes or supplementary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based study from an endemic area, we found no significant difference in overall survival between high vs. low radiotherapy doses.

Consolidative chemotherapy after definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients: a population based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The role of consolidative chemotherapy (CCT) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC) patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCCRT) is unclear. We aimed to compare the overall survival (OS) of those treated with vs without CCT via a population based approach. METHODS: Eligible LA-ESCC patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2017 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders between groups. The hazard ratio (HR) of death and incidence of esophageal cancer mortality (IECM) were compared between those with vs without CCT. We also evaluated the OS in supplementary analyses via alternative approaches. RESULTS: Our primary analysis consisted of 368 patients in whom covariates were well balanced after PS weighting. The HR of death when CCT was compared to without was 0.67 (95% confidence interval 0.52-0.86, P = 0.002). The HR of IECM was 0.66 (P = 0.04). The HR of OS remained similarly in favor of CCT in supplementary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We found that CCT was associated with significantly improved OS for LA-ESCC patients treated with dCCRT. Randomized controlled trials were needed to confirm this finding.

Effectiveness evaluation of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with positron emission tomography-staged esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after complete resection: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The role of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (ACCRT) is unclear for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who receive esophagectomy with clean margins. We compared the survival of the ACCRT versus observation groups for these patients staged with positron emission tomography (PET) via a population-based approach. METHODS: Eligible patients with locally advanced ESCC diagnosed between 2011 and 2017 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders between groups. The hazard ratios (HR) of death and incidence of esophageal cancer mortality (IECM) were compared between the ACCRT and observation groups. We also evaluated overall survival (OS) in subgroups of either with or without lymph node metastases. RESULTS: Our primary analysis consisted of 105 patients in whom the covariates were well balanced after PS weighting. The HR for death when ACCRT was compared with observation was 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.28-1.21, p = 0.15). The results were also not significantly different for IECM or in the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSION: We found that for patients with PET-staged ESCC who received esophagectomy with clean margins, the survival was not statistically different between ACCRT and observation. Further studies (randomized or larger sample size) are needed to clarify this issue.

Adjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Versus Adjuvant Chemotherapy Only in Locally Advanced Non-small-cell Lung Cancer With Involved Microscopic Resection Margin: A Population-based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The role of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (aCCRT) for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) treated with radical surgery, with microscopically involved resection margin, has been debated without there being any direct evidence. In this study, we aimed to compare the outcomes between aCCRT and adjuvant chemotherapy (aCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients diagnosed within 2011-2018 with LA-NSCLC were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity-score weighting to balance observable potential confounders, and then compared the hazard ratios of death between aCCRT-treated vs. aCT-treated groups. We also performed supplementary analyses using propensityscore matching. RESULTS: Our main study population consisted of 82 patients. The propensity score weight-adjusted hazard ratio of death for the aCCRT group was 0.74 (95% confidence interval=0.35-1.56, p=0.43). There was also no statistically significant difference in survival between groups in the supplementary analyses. CONCLUSION: For patients treated with radical but R1 resection for LA-NSCLC, there was no significant OS benefit from the addition of concurrent radiotherapy.

The optimal therapy strategy for epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastasis: A real-world study from Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The treatment options for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases (BMs) include EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), whole-brain radiotherapy, brain surgery, and antiangiogenesis therapy. As treatment options evolve, redefining optimal treatment strategies to improve survival are crucial. METHODS: A total of 150 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with BMs who received first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs as first-line treatment between January 2012 and October 2019 were included in this analysis. RESULTS: After multivariate analysis, patients with the graded prognostic assessment for lung cancer using molecular markers (Lung-mol GPA) ≥3 (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.538, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35-0.83), who received afatinib or erlotinib as first-line treatment (HR: 0.521, 95% CI: 0.33-0.82), underwent SRS therapy (HR: 0.531, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87), or were sequentially treated with osimertinib (HR: 0.400, 95% CI: 0.23-0.71) were associated with improved overall survival (OS). Furthermore, SRS plus EGFR-TKI provided more OS benefits in patients with Lung-mol GPA ≥3 compared with EGFR-TKI alone in our patient cohort (44.9 vs. 26.7 months, p = 0.005). The OS in patients who received sequential osimertinib therapy was significantly longer than those without osimertinib treatment (43.5 vs. 24.3 months, p < 0.001), regardless of T790 mutation status (positive vs. negative vs. unknown: 40.4 vs. 54.6 vs.43.4 months, p = 0.227). CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with BMs could be precisely treated with SRS according to Lung-mol GPA ≥3. Sequential osimertinib was associated with prolonged survival, regardless of T790M status.

High vs. Standard Radiotherapy Dose in Locally Advanced Rectal Adenocarcinoma Patients Treated With Neoadjuvant Long Course Chemoradiotherapy: A Population-based Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients are often treated with neoadjuvant long course chemoradiotherapy (NLCCRT) using 45-50.4 Gy conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT). The role of radiotherapy dose escalation is unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified LARC patients diagnosed from 2011 to 2016 and treated with NLCCRT using CFRT at high dose (54-60 Gy) or standard dose (45-50.4 Gy). In the primary analyses, we used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance the observable potential confounders. The hazard ratio (HR) of death and other endpoints were compared. We also evaluated these outcomes in supplementary analyses via an alternative approach. RESULTS: Our primary analysis included 459 patients. The HR of death when high dose was compared with standard dose was 0.62 (p=0.51). There were also no statistically significant differences in other endpoints or in the supplementary analyses. CONCLUSION: Overall, survival of LARC patients treated with NLCCT in CFRT was not significantly different between high or standard dose.

Optimal radiotherapy dose in cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy: A population based study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal radiotherapy dose for locally advanced cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (C-ESqCC) treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCCRT) is unclear. Here, we aimed to compare the survival of those treated with high dose versus standard dose via a population based approach. METHODS: Eligible C-ESqCC patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2017 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders between groups. The hazard ratio (HR) of death and incidence of esophageal cancer mortality (IECM) were compared between high (60-70 Gy) and standard dose (50-50.4 Gy). We also evaluated the outcome in supplementary analyses via alternative approaches. RESULTS: Our primary analysis consisted of 141 patients in whom covariates were well balanced after PS weighting. The HR of death when high dose was compared with standard dose was 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4-1.03, p = 0.07). The HR of IECM was 0.74 (p = 0.45). The HR of OS remained similarly insignificant in supplementary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a trend in favor of high radiotherapy dose versus standard dose for C-ESqCC treated with dCCRT in this population-based nonrandomized study. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings of the study.

Effectiveness of Image-Guided Radiotherapy in Adjuvant Radiotherapy on Survival for Localized Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Analysis.

PURPOSE: Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is an advanced radiotherapy technique to improve the radiotherapy delivery. We aimed to compare the overall survival (OS) for localized breast cancer (LBC) patient treated with adjuvant conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) using IGRT vs those without IGRT via a population-based analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible LBC patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2013 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders between groups. The hazard ratio (HR) of death and other outcomes were compared between IGRT and non-IGRT. We also evaluated OS in various supplementary analyses. RESULTS: Our primary analysis included 6490 patients in whom covariates were well balanced after PS weighing. The HR for death when IGRT was compared with non-IGRT was 1.02 (95% confidence interval 0.80-1.31, P = 0.86). There were also no significant differences in the supplementary analyses. CONCLUSION: We found that OS of LBC patients treated with adjuvant CFRT was not statistically different between those treated with IGRT versus without IGRT. This was the first study in this regard to our knowledge but randomized controlled trials were needed to confirm our finding.

Safety of image-guided radiotherapy in definitive radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: a population-based analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is a recommended advanced radiation technique that is associated with fewer acute and chronic toxicities. However, one Phase III trial showed worse overall survival in the IGRT arm. The purpose of this observational study is to evaluate the impact of IGRT on overall survival. METHODS: We used the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database to enroll cT1-4N0M0 prostate cancer patients who received definitive radiotherapy between 2011 and 2015. We used inverse probability treatment weighting (IPW) to construct balanced IGRT and non-IGRT groups. We compared the overall survival of those in the IGRT and non-IGRT groups. Supplementary analyses (SA) were performed with alternative covariates in propensity score (PS) models and PS approaches. The incidence rates of prostate cancer mortality (IPCM), other cancer mortality (IOCM), and cardiovascular mortality (ICVM) were also evaluated. RESULTS: There were 360 patients in the IGRT arm and 476 patients in the non-IGRT arm. The median follow-up time was 50 months. The 5-year overall survival was 88% in the IGRT arm and 86% in the non-IGRT arm (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] of death = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.61-1.45; p = 0.77). The SA also showed no significant differences in the overall survival between those in the IGRT and non-IGRT arms. Both groups did not significantly differ in terms of IPCM, IOCM, and ICVM. CONCLUSIONS: The overall survival of localized prostate cancer patients who underwent IGRT was not inferior to those who did not. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: We demonstrated that the overall survival for prostate cancer patients with IGRT was not worse than those who did not undergo IGRT; this important outcome comparison has not been previously examined in the general population.

Chemotherapy alone versus definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for cT4b esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The role of radiotherapy for cT4bNanyM0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESqCC) is relatively unclear, with both chemotherapy (C/T) alone and definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (dCCRT) being treatment options in the current guidelines. We aimed to compare the survival of dCCRT versus C/T for these patients via a population-based approach. METHODS: Eligible cT4b ESqCC patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2017 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance the observable potential confounders between groups. The hazard ratio (HR) of death and incidence of esophageal cancer mortality (IECM) were compared between dCCRT and C/T. We also evaluated OS in subgroups of either low or standard radiotherapy doses. RESULTS: Our primary analysis consisted of 247 patients in whom covariates were well balanced after PS weighing. The HR for death when dCCRT was compared with C/T was 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.24-0.53, P < 0.001). Similar results were found for IECM. Statistical significance was only observed in the standard RT dose but not in the low dose in subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based nonrandomized study of cT4bNanyM0 ESqCC patients from Asia (Taiwan), we found that the use of radiotherapy with chemotherapy was associated with better overall survival than chemotherapy alone. Further studies (especially RCTs) are needed to confirm our findings.

A retrospective study of clinicopathologic and molecular features of inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is the treatment of choice for medically inoperable, early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC). The influence of oncogenic driver alterations and comorbidities are not well known. Here we present treatment outcomes based on clinicopathologic features and molecular profiles. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients treated with SABR for inoperable ES-NSCLC. Molecular features of oncogenic driver alterations included EGFR, ALK, and ROS1. Comorbidities were assessed using the age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI). Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox regression model was performed for univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors. Competing risk analysis was used to evaluate the cumulative incidence of disease progression. RESULTS: From 2008 to 2020, 100 patients (median age: 82 years) were enrolled. The majority of patients were male (64%), ever-smokers (60%), and had adenocarcinoma (65%). With a median follow-up of 21.5 months, the median overall survival (OS) and real-world progression-free survival were 37.7 and 25.1 months, respectively. The competing-risk-adjusted 3-year cumulative incidences of local, regional, and disseminated failure were 8.2%, 14.5%, and 31.2%, respectively. An ACCI ≥7 was independently associated with inferior OS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.45, p = 0.03). Tumor size ≥4 cm (HR 4.16, p < 0.001) was the most important independent prognostic factor predicting real-world progression. EGFR mutation status had no impact on the outcomes. CONCLUSION: SABR provides excellent local control in ES-NSCLC, although disseminated failures remains a major concern. ACCI is the best indicator for OS, while tumor sizes ≥4 cm predicts poor disease control.