OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of comprehensive treatment and examine the impact of clinical factors on the survival outcome of limited-stage small cell lung cancer.

METHODSThe clinical records of 335 patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer treated in the Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 1996 and December 2006 were analyzed retrospectively in this study. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and log-rank test and Cox regression were used for univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors.

RESULTSThe median follow-up time was 54 months for all patients, the median survival time was 23.8 months, and progression-free survival was 12.5 months. The 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 47.3%, 32.9%, and 22.9%, respectively. The acute toxicity during comprehensive treatment was tolerable. The incidence of ≥grade 3 hematological toxicity, ≥grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity, ≥grade 2 radiation pneumonitis and ≥grade 2 acute esophagitis were 37.0%, 14.9%, 11.0%, and 38.8%, respectively. The univariate analysis showed that KPS<80, smoking and high LDH level significantly reduced the overall survival time in patients with limited-stage SCLC. The multivariate analysis showed that KPS and weight loss were independent factors affecting the prognosis for the limited stage SCLC patients (P<0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONSSequential chemoradiotherapy can be safely and effectively performed in limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Krnofsky performance status and weight loss are independent prognostic factors for the overall survival of LS-SCLC.

Chemoradiotherapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Esophagitis ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of AJCC TNM Staging 7th edition on survival outcome of limited stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

METHODSFour hundred and thirty-seven SCLC patients with completed diagnosis and treatment data treated in our department between January 1996 and December 2006 were reclassified according to the AJCC TNM Staging 7th edition. The patients of stages IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB were 8, 44, 7, 64, 192 cases, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and log-rank test was used to identify the prognostic factors. The survival rate was determined using chi-square test.

RESULTSThe median follow-up time was 64 months. The median survival time was 26.2 months and median progression free survival time was 13.7 months. The 1-, 2- and 5-year overall survival rates were 86.0%, 52.7%, and 29.7%, respectively. The log-rank test showed that TNM stage is a statistically significant prognostic factor for OS in LS-SCLC (P<0.001). TNM staging system generally allowed a good separation in pairwise comparison for OS between successive stages except there was no significant difference between stages I and II (P=0.061). The 5-year progression free survival rates of patients of stage I, II, IIIA and IIIB were 53.2%, 43.2%, 16.8%, and 10.9%, respectively. TNM stage also was a statistically significant prognostic factor for PFS in LS-SCLC (P<0.001), but there was no significant difference between successive stages (P>0.05 for all). The T staging confirmed significant influence on OS (P<0.001) with no significant difference between successive stages (P>0.05 for all), while T stage was not a significant prognostic factor for PFS in the LS-SCLC patients (P=0.194). N stage also had a significant influence on OS (P<0.001), but with no significant differences between successive stages except N1 and N2 (P=0.001). N staging also showed significant influence on PFS (P=0.001), but with no significant difference between successive stages (P>0.05) except that between the 5-year survival rates of N2 and N3 cases (P=0.013). The cumulative brain metastasis rates of stages I, II, IIIA, and stage IIIB were 17.3%, 28.6%, 33.3%, and 35.8%, respectively(P=0.072), and were 12.8% and 30.8% for pathological stage I and clinical stage I (P=0.203).

CONCLUSIONAJCC TNM Staging 7th edition criteria for LS-SCLC patients have a high prognostic impact and therefore are preferable in clinical practice and future therapeutic trials.

Disease Progression ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lung Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; mortality ; pathology ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Time Factors

Objective To compare target dosimetric distribution and normal tissue radiation between different static intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)plans and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT),and to identify the best IMRT plan for lymphoma patients needed mediastinal radiation. Methods A total of 11 patients with lymphoma who received first course radiotherapy in the mediastinal region after che-motherapy in Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College from March 2017 to January 2019 were included in the study. There were 8 males and 3 fe-males,2 patients were in Ann Arbor stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ,and 9 cases in Ⅲ-Ⅳ stage. There were 6 patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)and 5 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients with HL and NHL were given prescript doses of 36 Gy and 50 Gy,respectively. Three plans were designed for each patient:static 5F-IMRT,7F-IMRT and VMAT plan. The target dosimetric distribution,normal tissue radiation dose,and effi-ciency of each plan were evaluated. Results The mean conformity index (CI)and homogeneity index (HI) values of plan target volume (PTV)in 5F-IMRT,7F-IMRT,VMAT plan were 0. 64 ± 0. 06,0. 67 ± 0. 05, 0. 76 ± 0. 04 (F = 17. 045,P < 0. 001)and 1. 07 ± 0. 01,1. 07 ± 0. 01,1. 09 ± 0. 01 (F = 9. 258,P =0. 001),respectively. VMAT showed significantly better CI than two static IMRT plans (both P < 0. 001),but worse HI (both P < 0. 001). The lungs low dose irradiation volume (V (V 5 )and high dose irradiation volume 30 )in 5F-IMRT,7F-IMRT,VMAT plan were (43. 98 ± 7. 77)％,(42. 71 ± 4. 98)％,(55. 92 ± 8. 16)％(F = 8. 281,P = 0. 001)and (8. 19 ± 2. 97)％,(8. 25 ± 2. 87)％,(7. 53 ± 3. 16)％ (F = 0. 140,P =0. 870),respectively. The volume of low dose irradiation in lungs of VMAT plan was significantly higher than 5F-IMRT and 7F-IMRT plans (both P < 0. 001),while high dose volume was no significant difference. The left and right breast low dose irradiation volume (V 4 )in 5F-IMRT,7F-IMRT and VMAT plan were (24. 29 ± 8. 14)％,(23. 87 ± 7. 70)％,(80. 17 ± 22. 92)％ (F = 14. 505,P = 0. 005)and (22. 12 ± 13. 28)％, (21. 13 ± 13. 01)％,(81. 77 ± 20. 76)％ (F = 13. 938,P = 0. 006),respectively. VMAT showed signifi-cantly higher breast low dose irradiation volume than static IMRT plan (both P < 0. 05). The number of monitor units and treatment time in 5F-IMRT,7F-IMRT,VMAT plan were (1622 ± 281)MU,(1729 ± 286)MU, (411 ± 75)MU (F = 105. 277,P < 0. 001)and (6. 79 ± 0. 93)min,(7. 42 ± 0. 95)min,(4. 98 ± 0. 00)min (F = 29. 545,P < 0. 001),respectively. VMAT showed significantly less monitor units than static IMRT (both P < 0. 001)and shorter treatment time (both P < 0. 001). Conclusion For lymphoma patients who have the indication of mediastinal radiotherapy,VMAT is highly efficient and has no definite dose advan-tage,the static 5F-IMRT or 7F-IMRT plan has good conformal and uniform target area,and some organs at risk exposure is even lower.

Lung cancer is the malignant tumor with the highest mortality in the world, of which non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 80%. The orderly combination of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy is currently the main treatment modality for NSCLC. Liquid biopsy has been increasingly used in clinical practice in recent years due to its advantages of being non-invasive and overcoming tumor heterogeneity, of which circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is one of the most commonly used analytical indicators, and ctDNA detection may play a role in the treatment of NSCLC. This article reviews new developments in the use of ctDNA for prognostic assessment, recurrence monitoring and efficacy prediction in NSCLC patients.