Michael Stahl

Chemoradiation With and Without Surgery in Patients With Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus

PURPOSE Combined chemoradiotherapy with and without surgery are widely accepted alternatives for the curative treatment of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. The value of adding surgery to chemotherapy and radiotherapy is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus were randomly allocated to either induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy (40 Gy) followed by surgery (arm A), or the same induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy (at least 65 Gy) without surgery (arm B). Primary outcome was overall survival time. RESULTS The median observation time was 6 years. The analysis of 172 eligible, randomized patients (86 patients per arm) showed overall survival to be equivalent between the two treatment groups (log-rank test for equivalence, P < .05). Local progression-free survival was better in the surgery group (2-year progression-free survival, 64.3%; 95% CI, 52.1% to 76.5%) than in the chemoradiotherapy group (2-year progression-free survival, 40.7%; 95% CI, 28.9% to 52.5%; hazard ratio [HR] for arm B v arm A, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.5; P = .003). Treatment-related mortality was significantly increased in the surgery group than in the chemoradiotherapy group (12.8% v 3.5%, respectively; P = .03). Cox regression analysis revealed clinical tumor response to induction chemotherapy to be the single independent prognostic factor for overall survival (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.47; P < .0001). CONCLUSION Adding surgery to chemoradiotherapy improves local tumor control but does not increase survival of patients with locally advanced esophageal SCC. Tumor response to induction chemotherapy identifies a favorable prognostic group within these high-risk patients, regardless of the treatment group.

Phase III Comparison of Preoperative Chemotherapy Compared With Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction

PURPOSE Preoperative chemotherapy is an accepted standard in the treatment of localized esophagogastric adenocarcinoma. Adding radiation therapy to preoperative chemotherapy appears promising, but its definitive value remains unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with locally advanced (uT3-4NXM0) adenocarcinoma of the lower esophagus or gastric cardia were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: induction chemotherapy (15 weeks) followed by surgery (arm A); or chemotherapy (12 weeks) followed by chemoradiotherapy (3 weeks) followed by surgery (arm B). Primary outcome was overall survival time. A total of 354 patients were needed to detect a 10% increase in 3-year survival from 25% to 35% by addition of radiation therapy. The study was prematurely closed due to low accrual. RESULTS The median observation time was 46 months. A total of 126 patients were randomly assigned and 119 eligible patients were evaluated. The number of patients undergoing complete tumor resection was not different between treatment groups (69.5% v 71.5%). Patients in arm B had a significant higher probability of showing pathologic complete response (15.6% v 2.0%) or tumor-free lymph nodes (64.4% v 37.7%) at resection. Preoperative radiation therapy improved 3-year survival rate from 27.7% to 47.4% (log-rank P = .07, hazard ratio adjusted for randomization strata variables 0.67, 95% CI, 0.41 to 1.07). Postoperative mortality was nonsignificantly increased in the chemoradiotherapy group (10.2% v 3.8%; P = .26). CONCLUSION Although the study was closed early and statistical significance was not achieved, results point to a survival advantage for preoperative chemoradiotherapy compared with preoperative chemotherapy in adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction.

Preoperative chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy based on hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy and definitive surgery in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: mature results of a phase II trial.

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an intensive multimodality approach with combination chemotherapy, hyperfractionated accelerated chemoradiotherapy, and definitive surgery in prognostically unfavorable subgroups of locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer stages IIIA and IIIB (LAD-NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Following staging, including mediastinoscopy, 94 patients with inoperable LAD-NSCLC were treated preoperatively with chemotherapy (three courses of split-dose cisplatin and etoposide [PE]) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (one course of PE combined with 45 Gy hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy). After repeat mediastinoscopy, patients underwent surgery 4 weeks postradiation. RESULTS Of 94 consecutive patients (52 stage IIIA [> or = two lymph node levels involved] and 42 stage IIIB [no pleural effusion, no supraclavicular nodes]), 62 (66%) completed induction and underwent surgery. Complete resection (R0) was achieved in 50 (53% of all patients) and pathologic complete response (PCR) in 24 (26%). After a median follow-up of 43 months, the median survival time was 20 months for IIIA, 18 months for IIIB, and 42 months for R0 patients. Calculated survival rates at 4 years were 31%, 26%, and 46%. Two patients died of sepsis preoperatively and four died postoperatively of pleural empyema (n = 1), stump insufficiency (n = 2), and cardiac failure (n = 1). Other toxicities were acceptable-mainly hematologic during chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy and esophagitis during chemoradiotherapy. CONCLUSION This intensive multimodality treatment is feasible and demonstrates high efficacy in prognostically unfavorable LAD-NSCLC subgroups with high R0 rates and improved long-term survival compared with historical controls

Combined preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. Interim analysis of a phase II trial.

PURPOSE The prognosis of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC) remains poor when treated with local modalities. An intensive preoperative program with chemoradiotherapy was used to evaluate the curative resection rate, pathologic response, and survival of patients with LAEC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ninety patients with LAEC were treated preoperatively with chemotherapy (three courses of fluorouracil, leucovorin, etoposide, and cisplatin [FLEP]) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (one course of cisplatin plus etoposide in combination with 40 Gy of radiation). Transthoracic esophagectomy was performed 4 weeks after the end of radiation. RESULTS Seventy-two patients were included in this evaluation. Forty-four (61%) underwent a complete tumor resection, and 16 (22%) had no tumor in the resected specimen (pathologic complete response [PCR]). The operative mortality rate was 15%. At a median follow-up time of 22 months (range, 12 to 41), the median survival duration of all 72 patients was 17 months (range, 1 to 41+). The calculated survival rates at 3 years were 33%, 42%, and 68% for all patients, patients after complete resection, and patients with PCR, respectively. CONCLUSION This combined treatment modality is active in LAEC, with a PCR in 33% of the patients undergoing surgery. The results appear improved compared with those reported with surgery alone, by approximately doubling the 3-year survival rate. The high efficacy of preoperative chemoradiation warrants evaluation of the role of surgery in LAEC.

New developments in the treatment of gastric carcinoma

The recent successes being achieved with combination chemotherapy regimens strongly indicate that gastric cancer is chemosensitive. With these regimens, objective remission rates of more than 50% were recorded, including approximately 10% complete remission (CRs). The finding that locally advanced disease (LAD) and technically unresectable disease could be rendered resectable by preoperative chemotherapy (EAP) was important. The median survival time was 18 months for all patients and 24 months for disease-free patients. At 30+ months, 21% of all patients are still living disease free. The expected survival of patients with unresectable LAD is approximately 4-6 months without any treatment and 6-9 months with standard chemotherapy. Compared with the latter results, the preoperative use of etoposide, adriamycin, and platinum (EAP) seems to improve the prognosis of patients with LAD. Moreover, such a multimodal approach may increase the number of long-term survivors among patients with resectable gastric cancer, especially those whose stage indicates a high risk of relapse (stage IIIa or IIIb). However, partly because of the severe toxicities (myelo-suppression, nausea/vomiting), a considerable number of patients cannot be treated with these new regimens. Considering the predominantly palliative treatment intentions in far-advanced (metastasized) gastric cancer, regimens with low toxicities and acceptable activity should be preferred. For these reasons, we developed and investigated the combination etoposide, leucovorin, and 5-FU (ELF) in a phase II trial in elderly patients (greater than 65 years) and in patients with cardiac risks who could not be treated with anthracyclines. The overall response rate in 51 evaluable patients was 53%, including six clinical CRs (12%). The median remission duration was 9.5 months and the median survival time was 11 months. Tolerability was excellent. The high remission rate and long medical survival time achieved with ELF, plus its good tolerability, make this combination a valuable alternative to anthracycline-containing regimens. In addition to developing new treatment plans and strategies, it is also desirable to predict treatment outcome with an acceptable degree of certainty. Combinations of variable defined patient subgroups with significantly different probabilities for achieving objective response and for survival. The results of this analysis may contribute to a more patient-oriented and risk-adapted chemotherapy and to better comparability of future studies.

Cisplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide salvage therapy for refractory or relapsing germ cell carcinoma.

Thirty patients with metastatic progressive germ cell carcinoma who failed to be cured with first-line cisplatin chemotherapy were treated with a salvage regimen consisting of cisplatin 20 mg/m2, etoposide 100 mg/m2, and ifosfamide 1.2 g/m2 (PEI) intravenously (IV), days 1 to 5 every 3 weeks. Ten patients (33%) were tumor-free at the end of therapy. Complete response (CR) was achieved with chemotherapy alone in four patients and with additional surgery in six patients (two necroses, two mature teratomas, two carcinomas). Six patients (20%) had normalization of tumor markers but unresectable residual disease (Rm-), and the remaining 14 patients (46%) failed to respond. Of 10 patients with CR, nine (90%) relapsed again (eight carcinomas, one mature teratoma). The median duration of CR was 3.5 months. The median survival of the whole group was 311 days (range, 110 to 996+). Currently, seven of 30 patients are alive, and five of them are without signs of progressive tumor. The response to prior cisplatin therapy predicted for response and survival after PEI salvage therapy. Of 14 patients with prior CR, eight (57%) achieved a second CR compared with one of 11 (9%) with prior unfavorable response (P = .039). The median survival for patients with prior favorable response was 400 days, compared with 251 days for patients with prior unfavorable response (P less than .001). Myelosuppression was dose-limiting, with leukopenia greater than grade 2 in 84% and thrombocytopenia greater than grade 2 in 51% of all cycles. This three-drug regimen can induce a second CR in one third of patients with relapsed or refractory germ cell carcinoma. Only those patients with prior favorable responses can expect to be cured by this salvage regimen, while patients with prior unfavorable response should be considered for alternative salvage approaches.

Prognostically orientated multimodality treatment including surgery for selected patients of small-cell lung cancer patients stages IB to IIIB: Long-term results of a phase II trial

SummaryFollowing mediastinoscopy, a prognostically orientated multimodality approach was chosen in selected small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with hyperfractionated accelerated chemoradiotherapy (Hf-RTx) and definitive surgery (S). Stage IB/IIA patients had four cycles of cisplatin/etoposide (PE) and surgery. Stage IIB/IIIA patients had three cycles PE followed by one cycle concurrent chemoradiation including Hf-RTx and surgery. Most stage IIIB patients were not planned for surgery and had CTx followed by sequential RTx or one cycle concurrent CTx/RTx. Of 46 consecutive patients (stage IB six, IIA two, IIB/IIIA 22, IIIB 16) 43 (94%) showed an objective response. Twenty-three of patients (72%) planned for inclusion of S were completely resected (R0) (IB 6/6, IIA 2/2, IIB/IIIA 13/22, IIIB 2/2). Overall toxicity was acceptable – one patient died of septicaemia, no perioperative deaths occurred. Median follow-up of patients alive (n = 21) is 52 months (30+ – 75+). Median survival and 5-year survival rate of all patients are 36 months and 46%, in R0 patients 68 months and 63% (R0-IIB/IIIA/IIIB: not yet reached and 67%). This multimodality treatment including surgery proved highly effective with 100% local control and remarkable long-term survival after complete resection, even in locally advanced SCLC stages IIB/IIIA patients.

Esophageal cancer: Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up

Esophageal cancer: Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up M. Stahl, W. Budach, H.-J. Meyer & A. Cervantes On behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Working Group* Department of Medical Oncology and Centre of Palliative Care, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf; Department of Surgery, Stadt Klinikum Solingen, Germany; Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

Highlights of the EORTC St. Gallen International Expert Consensus on the primary therapy of gastric, gastroesophageal and oesophageal cancer – Differential treatment strategies for subtypes of early gastroesophageal cancer

The 1st St. Gallen EORTC Gastrointestinal Cancer Conference 2012 Expert Panel clearly differentiated treatment and staging recommendations for the various gastroesophageal cancers. For locally advanced gastric cancer (≥T3N+), the preferred treatment modality was pre- and postoperative chemotherapy. The majority of panel members would also treat T2N+ or even T2N0 tumours with a similar approach mainly because pretherapeutic staging was considered highly unreliable. It was agreed that adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (AEG) is classified best according to Siewert et al. Preoperative radiochemotherapy (RCT) is the preferred treatment for AEG type I and II tumours. For AEG type III, i.e. tumours which may be considered as gastric cancer, perioperative chemotherapy is the majority approach. For resectable squamous cell cancer of the oesophagus a clear majority recommended radiochemotherapy followed by surgery as optimal approach, irrespective of tumour size. In contrast, definitive RCT was judged appropriate for advanced tumours with extended lymph node involvement (N2) or for cancers of the upper oesophagus. Additional recommendations are presented on the use of endosonography, PET-CT scan and laparoscopy for staging and on the preferred approach to surgery.

Prognostic significance of cyclin D1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with surgery alone or combined therapy modalities.

In the present study, the expression of cyclin D1, as detected by immunohistochemistry, was compared with other prognostic variables and its prognostic impact was evaluated in a group of 172 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus who underwent potentially curative resection therapy and in a second group of 38 patients with SCC of the esophagus who were treated by combined modality therapy (radiochemotherapy ± surgery). Expression of cyclin D1 in surgically treated carcinomas correlated negatively with tumor differentiation (p = 0.026) but positively with mitotic activity (p = 0.0199) and nodal status (p = 0.040). There were no significant correlations with pT category. Patients with cyclin D1‐positive carcinomas showed significantly worse overall survival than patients with cyclin D1‐negative carcinomas, both in univariate (p = 0.0016) and in multivariate survival analyses (p = 0.0038). Expression of cyclin D1 in carcinomas with multimodal treatment was correlated with poor response to chemotherapy (p = 0.026) but not with overall survival. We thus consider expression of cyclin D1 to be an important parameter, predicting an unfavorable overall survival of surgically treated esophageal cancer patients. Int. J. Cancer (Pred. Oncol.) 84:86–91, 1999.