Chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab for small cell lung cancer with brain metastases:A case report

BACKGROUND Small cell lung cancer(SCLC)is a common and aggressive subtype of lung cancer.It is characterized by rapid growth and a high mortality rate.Approximately 10%of patients with SCLC present with brain metastases at the time of diagnosis,which is associated with a median survival of 5 mo.This study aimed to summarize the effect of bevacizumab on the progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival of patients with brain metastasis of SCLC.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old man was referred to our hospital in February 2023 because of dizziness and numbness of the right lower extremity without headache or fever for more than four weeks.The patient was diagnosed with limited-stage SCLC.He received 8 cycles of chemotherapy combined with maintenance bevacizumab therapy and achieved a PFS of over 7 mo.CONCLUSION The combination of bevacizumab and irinotecan effectively alleviated brain metastasis in SCLC and prolonged PFS.

Immunotherapy for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a poorly differentiated, highly malignant neuroendocrine tumor characterized by rapid growth, aggressiveness, and easy recurrence. It is usually found in late clinical stage and the opportunity for surgery is lost. Therefore, surgery is often not used in clinical treatment. Although it is sensitive to chemoradiotherapy, it has a high recurrence rate and lacks effective treatment methods at present. Following chemotherapy and radiotherapy, immunotherapy for small cell lung cancer has become the mainstream research direction. Immunotherapy is profoundly changing the approach to cancer treatment due to its tolerable safety profile, sustained treatment response due to the production of immune memory, and effectiveness in a broad patient population. Immunotherapy for small cell lung cancer is one of the effective treatment methods for small cell lung cancer, and relevant studies are not rare, but there are still shortcomings such as intolerance of side effects and inaccurate evaluation of treatment timing. This article reviews the history of immunotherapy, the mechanism of action of immunodrugs, and the current immunodrugs used in the first-line treatment of extensive small cell lung cancer.

Efficacy and Safety of Primary Radiotherapy in Combination with EGFR-TKIs for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring EGFR Mutation

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of EGFR-TKI with the radiotherapy in EGFR mutant metastatic NSCLC. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 72 patients with stage IV lung cancer with EGFR-sensitive mutation. Patients in the A group were treated with the first-generation EGFR-TKI (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor) combined with radiotherapy for primary tumors (34 cases). The B group was treated with the first-generation EGFR-TKI alone until the disease progressed (38 cases). PFS, OS, pulmonary infection and hematological toxicity during treatment were commented in both groups. Results: The objective remission rate was 47.1% (16/34) in the A group and 21.1% (8/38) in the B group. There was a significant difference between the two groups. There was no significant difference in hematological toxicity between the A group and the B group. There were 10 patients (29.4%) with degree II pulmonary infection in the A group and 3 patients (7.9%) in the B group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant, suggesting that the incidence of pneumonia in the A group was higher than that in the B group. The median PFS (Progression-Free Survival)) and OS (Overall Survival) of the A group were significantly longer than those of the B group (16.5 months vs 9 months) and the median OS (36 months vs 19 months). The PFS and OS in the A group were significantly longer than those in the B group. Conclusion: EGFR-TKI combined with primary radiotherapy can significantly prolong the drug resistance time of EGFR mutant metastatic NSCLC.

Stage Ⅳ non-small cell lung cancer with multiple metastases to the small intestine leading to intussusception: A case report

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal tract metastasis from lung cancer is rare and compared to small cell lung cancer(SCLC),non-SCLC(NSCLC)is even less likely to metastasize in this manner.Additionally,small intestinal tumors can also present with diverse complications,some of which require urgent intervention.CASE SUMMARY In this report,we detail a unique case of stage IV lung cancer,where the presence of small intestine tumors led to intussusception.Subsequent to a small intestine resection,pathology confirmed that all three tumors within the small intestine were metastases from adenocarcinoma of the lung.The postoperative follow-up period extended beyond 14 mo.CONCLUSION In patients with stage IV NSCLC,local tumor control can be achieved with various treatments.However,if small intestinal metastasis occurs,surgical intervention remains necessary,as it may improve survival.

Analysis and Review of Downregulated Actin Cytoskeletal Proteins in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Actin, a highly conserved protein, plays a dominant role in Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Late diagnosis and the aggressive nature of NSCLC pose a significant threat. Studying the clinic pathological properties of NSCLC proteins is a potential alternative for developing treatment strategies. Towards this, 35 downregulated actin cytoskeletal proteins on NSCLC prognosis and treatment were studied by examining their protein-protein interactions, gene ontology enrichment terms, and signaling pathways. Using PubMed, various proteins in NSCLC were identified. The protein-protein interactions and functional associations of these proteins were examined using the STRING database. The focal adhesion signaling pathway was selected from all available KEGG and Wiki pathways because of its role in regulating gene expression, facilitating cell movement and reproduction, and significantly impacting NSCLC. The protein-protein interaction network of the 35 downregulated actin cytoskeleton proteins revealed that ACTG1, ACTR2, ACTR3, ANXA2, ARPC4, FLNA, TLN1, CALD1, MYL6, MYH9, MYH10, TPM1, TPM3, TPM4, PFN1, IQGAP1, MSN, and ZXY exhibited the highest number of interactions. Whereas HSPB1, CTNNA1, KRT17, KRT7, FLNB, SEPT2, and TUBA1B displayed medium interactions, while UTRN, TUBA1B, and DUSP23 had relatively fewer interactions. It was discovered that focal adhesions are critical in connecting membrane receptors with the actin cytoskeleton. In addition, protein kinases, phosphatases, and adapter proteins were identified as key signaling molecules in this process, greatly influencing cell shape, motility, and gene expression. Our analysis shows that the focal adhesion pathway plays a crucial role in NSCLC and is essential for developing effective treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes.

Gastric metastasis of small cell lung carcinoma:Three case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Small cell lung carcinoma(SCLC)is highly susceptible to metastasis in the early stages of the disease.However,the stomach is an uncommon site of metastasis in SCLC,and only a few cases of this type of metastasis have been reported.Therefore,SCLC gastric metastases have not been systematically characterized and are easily missed and misdiagnosed.CASE SUMMARY We report three cases of gastric metastasis from SCLC in this article.The first patient presented primarily with cough,hemoptysis,and epigastric fullness.The other two patients presented primarily with abdominal discomfort,epigastric distension,and pain.All patients underwent gastroscopy and imaging examinations.Meanwhile,the immunohistochemical results of the lesions in three patients were suggestive of small cell carcinoma.Finally,the three patients were diagnosed with gastric metastasis of SCLC through a comprehensive analysis.The three patients did not receive appropriate treatment and died within a short time.CONCLUSION Here,we focused on summarizing the characteristics of gastric metastasis of SCLC to enhance clinicians'understanding of this disease.

Small cell lung carcinoma with KIF5B-RET fusion partially responded to the 4^(th)-line therapy with anlotinib:A case report

BACKGROUND Small cell lung cancer(SCLC)exhibits a pronounced tendency for metastasis and relapse,and the acquisition of resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy,leading to complexity in treatment outcomes.It is crucial to tackle these challenges by advancing targeted therapeutic approaches in ongoing research endeavors.Variant RET fusions have been reported in several solid tumors,but are rarely reported in SCLC.CASE SUMMARY We present the first case of a KIF5B-RET fusion in a 65-year-old male patient with SCLC.To date,the patient has received the 4th line chemotherapy with anlotinib for one year and has shown a sustained favorable partial response.According to the results of next generation sequencing,this SCLC patient harbors the KIF5BRET fusion,suggesting that RET fusion could serve as a promising molecular target for SCLC treatment.Next-generation sequencing(NGS)plays a critical rolein comprehensively assessing the genotype and phenotype of cancer.CONCLUSION NGS can provide SCLC patients with personalized and targeted therapy options,thereby improving their likelihood of survival.

Gastric metastasis of small cell lung carcinoma:A rare but noteworthy entity to consider

Small cell lung carcinoma(SCLC)is an aggressive malignancy known for its propensity for early and extensive metastatic spread.Gastric metastasis,where cancer cells disseminate from the lung to the stomach,is a rare but increasingly recognized complication of SCLC.This review provides a comprehensive overview of gastric metastasis in SCLC,addressing its clinical significance,diagnostic challenges,management strategies,and prognosis.Additionally,it examines the broader metastatic patterns of SCLC and compares them with other malignancies known for gastric metastasis.Gastric metastasis in SCLC,though infrequent,is clinically significant and often indicates advanced disease with a poor prognosis.SCLC typically metastasizes to the liver,brain,bones,and adrenal glands,with the stomach being an unusual site.The incidence of gastric meta-stasis ranges from 1%to 5%in autopsy studies,although this may be underes-timated due to diagnostic difficulties and asymptomatic early lesions.Diagnosing gastric metastasis presents several challenges,including the asymptomatic nature of many cases,limitations of conventional imaging techniques,and difficulties in distinguishing metastatic lesions from primary gastric cancer via endoscopy.Histopathological diagnosis requires careful examination to identify SCLC cells through their characteristic small cell morphology and neuroendocrine markers.Management of gastric metastasis in SCLC typically involves a multidisciplinary approach.Systemic therapy,pri-marily chemotherapy,remains the cornerstone of treatment,with palliative care addressing symptoms and complications.Surgical intervention is usually reserved for specific cases requiring symptomatic relief.The prognosis for patients with gastric metastasis from SCLC is generally poor,reflecting the advanced stage of the disease.Median survival is significantly re-duced compared to patients without gastric metastasis.This review emphasizes the need for enhanced awareness and early detection to improve patient outcomes and highlights the importance of ongoing research into better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Recursive Partitioning Analysis Classification and Graded Prognostic Assessment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastasis:A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective：To assess prognostic factors and validate the effectiveness of recursive partitioning analysis （RPA） classes and graded prognostic assessment （GPA） in 290 non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） patients with brain metastasis （BM）.Methods：From Jan 2008 to Dec 2009,the clinical data of 290 NSCLC cases with BM treated with multiple modalities including brain irradiation,systemic chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors （TKIs） in two institutes were analyzed.Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method.The differences of survival rates in subgroups were assayed using log-rank test.Multivariate Cox＇s regression method was used to analyze the impact of prognostic factors on survival.Two prognostic indexes models （RPA and GPA） were validated respectively.Results：All patients were followed up for 1-44 months,the median survival time after brain irradiation and its corresponding 95% confidence interval （95% CI） was 14 （12.3-15.8） months.1-,2-and 3-year survival rates in the whole group were 56.0%,28.3%,and 12.0%,respectively.The survival curves of subgroups,stratified by both RPA and GPA,were significantly different （P0.001）.In the multivariate analysis as RPA and GPA entered Cox＇s regression model,Karnofsky performance status （KPS） ≥ 70,adenocarcinoma subtype,longer administration of TKIs remained their prognostic significance,RPA classes and GPA also appeared in the prognostic model.Conclusion：KPS ≥70,adenocarcinoma subtype,longer treatment of molecular targeted drug,and RPA classes and GPA are the independent prognostic factors affecting the survival rates of NSCLC patients with BM.

A radiomics prognostic scoring system for predicting progression-free survival in patients with stageⅣnon-small cell lung cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy

Objective:To develop and validate a radiomics prognostic scoring system(RPSS)for prediction of progressionfree survival(PFS)in patients with stageⅣnon-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.Methods:In this retrospective study,four independent cohorts of stageⅣNSCLC patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were included for model construction and validation(Discovery:n=159;Internal validation:n=156;External validation:n=81,Mutation validation:n=64).First,a total of 1,182 three-dimensional radiomics features were extracted from pre-treatment computed tomography(CT)images of each patient.Then,a radiomics signature was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method(LASSO)penalized Cox regression analysis.Finally,an individualized prognostic scoring system incorporating radiomics signature and clinicopathologic risk factors was proposed for PFS prediction.Results:The established radiomics signature consisting of 16 features showed good discrimination for classifying patients with high-risk and low-risk progression to chemotherapy in all cohorts(All P<0.05).On the multivariable analysis,independent factors for PFS were radiomics signature,performance status(PS),and N stage,which were all selected into construction of RPSS.The RPSS showed significant prognostic performance for predicting PFS in discovery[C-index:0.772,95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.765-0.779],internal validation(C-index:0.738,95%CI:0.730-0.746),external validation(C-index:0.750,95%CI:0.734-0.765),and mutation validation(Cindex:0.739,95%CI:0.720-0.758).Decision curve analysis revealed that RPSS significantly outperformed the clinicopathologic-based model in terms of clinical usefulness(All P<0.05).Conclusions:This study established a radiomics prognostic scoring system as RPSS that can be conveniently used to achieve individualized prediction of PFS probability for stageⅣNSCLC patients treated with platinumbased chemotherapy,which holds promise for guiding personalized pre-therapy of stageⅣNSCLC.

Prognostic factors for pN2 non-small cell lung cancer:a comprehensive evidence from 73 studies involving 23,772 patients

Obojective Non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)is a common malignancy.pN2 NSCLC,with pathologically confirmed ipsilateral mediastinal/subcarinal nodes metastasis,has been known as a very heterogeneous subgroup in terms of its anatomical,biological and patient characteristics.Prognostic factors based on patient characteristics were not well determined yet in this subgroup,and there is currently no standard treatment recommendation for these heterogeneous pN2 subjects.Apparent disagreements and inconsistency exist in study reports concerning the prognostic significance of certain factors in pN2 NSCLC,especially regarding to the issue about whether skip N2 metastasis benefit from surgery.Methods We therefore performed this comprehensive summary of the published literatures to draw a more precise and less uncertain conclusion.After a comprehensive literature search,a total of 73 studies involving 23,773 subjects were included according to eligibility criteria.Results As expected,most of the investigated factors,such as old age,male,advanced pathological T stage,advanced clinical N stage,multiple N2 stations,extended surgical resection(pneumonectomy),and incomplete resection,but not post-operation treatment(eg.chemotherapy and radiotherapy)were significantly associated with poor survival.However,skip N2 metastasis was favourable prognostic factors in operable pN2 NSCLC subjects.Other factors(histological type and primary tumour side)were neutral in terms of association with overall survival.We highlighted a number of important prognostic factors for pN2 NSCLC patients.Particularly,patients with skip N2 disease benefit from surgery.Conclusion Our findings could be used as reference information for decision-making in clinical practice and future study design.

Prognostic Factors for Survival of Stage IB Upper Lobe Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study in Shanghai, China

Objective: To identify clinical and pathologic factors that were associated with the survival of stage IB upper lobe non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: A retrospective study of 147 subjects who had undergone curative resection for stage IB upper lobe NSCLC was performed. Patients who had received any adjuvant or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. Survival function curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier procedure. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of potential prognostic factors were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Five factors, including age, tumor size, histologic grade of differentiation, number of removed superior mediastinal lymph node stations and presence of visceral pleura invasion, were significantly and independently associated with mortality risk. Adjusted HRs were 2.6 [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.1?6.5] and 4.6 (95% CI: 1.9?11) for those aged 58?68 years and those >68 years, respectively, relative to those aged <58 years. HRs for those with poorly and moderately differentiated tumors were 6.4 (95% CI: 2.3?18) and 1.4 (95% CI: 0.7?2.8), respectively. HRs for those with tumor size 3.1?5 cm and >5 cm (vs ?3.0 cm) were 2.3 (95% CI: 1.1?4.9) and 4.3 (95% CI: 1.9?10), respectively. The presence of visceral pleura invasion also increased the risk of mortality (HR=4.0, 95% CI: 1.3?12). Conclusion: Advanced age, larger tumor size, poorly differentiated histology, smaller number of removed superior mediastinal lymph node stations, and presence of visceral pleura invasion were associated with poor survival of surgically treated stage IB upper lobe NSCLC patients.

Envafolimab combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of combined small cell lung cancer: A case report

BACKGROUND Combined small cell lung cancer(C-SCLC) is a special subtype of small cell lung cancer that is relatively rare, aggressive, and prone to early metastasis and has a poor prognosis. Currently, there are limited studies on C-SCLC, and there is no uniform standard treatment, especially for extensive C-SCLC, which still faces great challenges. In recent years, the development and progress of immunotherapy have provided more possibilities for the treatment of C-SCLC. We used immunotherapy combined with first-line chemotherapy to treat extensive-stage C-SCLC to explore its antitumor activity and safety.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of C-SCLC that presented early with adrenal, rib, and mediastinal lymph node metastases. The patient received carboplatin and etoposide with concurrent initiation of envafolimab. After 6 cycles of chemotherapy, the lung lesion was significantly reduced, and the comprehensive efficacy evaluation showed a partial response. No serious drug-related adverse events occurred during the treatment, and the drug regimen was well tolerated.CONCLUSION Envafolimab combined with carboplatin and etoposide in the treatment of extensive-stage C-SCLC has preliminary antitumor activity and good safety and tolerability.

Analysis of Prognostic Factors for Surgery after Neo-adjuvant Therapy for Stage Ⅲ Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

In order to explore the possibility to predict the risk factors for postoperative complications and survival time, the clinical data of 152 patients （including 116 males and 36 females） who had undergone neo-adjuvant therapy and surgery for stage IIIA and B non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, preoperative functional parameters, staging, induction regimen （chemotherapy alone or associated with radiotherapy）, associated disorders, and data about operation were collected. Chi-square test and multivariate analysis fitting the unconditional logistic regression model were performed to identify predictors of postoperative complications, while Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model were employed to identify predictors of survival time, respectively. The univariate analysis demonstrated that forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted percent （FEV1%, P=0.040） and associated disorders （P=0.020） were the predictive factors of complications, but multivariate analysis found no independence factors （P〉0.05） of it. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that stage （P=0.050） and pneumonectomy （P=0.018） affected the survival time. However, multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis demonstrated that only pneumonectomy （P=0.026） was associated with a decreased survival time, but no differences between right and left pneumonectomy were found. The results suggest that the risk factor for postoperative complications is acceptable, and pneumonectomy is associated with increased mortality, which should be performed only in stage Ⅲ NSCLC patients.

Analysis of prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with second line chemotherapy

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic factors for survival in patients with advanced NSCLC who receiving second-line chemotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of 116 patients with NSCLC receiving second-line treatments from October 2010 to December 2012 in Clinic for Lung Diseases of Clinical center Nis, Department for Pulmonary Oncology. Thirteen potential prognostic factors were chosen for analysis. Univariate analysis was conducted to identify prognostic factors associated with progression free survival and overall survival. Multivariate analysis included the prognostic significance factors in univariate analysis. Results: The univariate analysis for progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was identified to have prognostic significance: performance status, smoking, weight loss, comorbidity, number of meta localization, first-line chemotherapy regimen and response to first-line chemotherapy. Nevertheless, multivariate Cox prortional hazard regression analysis showed that performance status (PFS: p = 0.000, OS: p = 0.000) weight loss ≥ 5% (PFS: p = 0.000, OS: p = 0.002), comorbidity (PFS: p = 0.001, OS: p = 0.012) and four places of meta localization (PFS: p = 0.021, OS: p = 0.021) were considered independent prognostic factors for both, progression free survival and overall survival. Conclusion: Performance status, weight loss ≥ 5%, comorbidity and higher number of meta localization were identified as prognostic factors for survival in advanced NSCLC patients receiving second-line chemotherapy treatment. These findings may help pretreatment prediction of survival and may facilitate in the future integration new agents into second-line treatment.

Synchronous multiple lung cancers with hilar lymph node metastasis of small cell carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Synchronous multiple lung cancers are rare and refer to the simultaneous presence of two or more primary lung tumors,which present significant challenges in terms of diagnosis and treatment.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of multiple synchronous lung cancers with hilar lymph node metastasis of small cell carcinoma of unknown origin in a 73-year-old man.Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma.Although enlargement of lymph node 12u was detected,no distant metastases were observed.The patient was preoperatively diagnosed with T1cN0M0 and underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy with nodal dissection(ND2a).Based on histopathological findings,the primary lesion was squamous cell carcinoma.A microinvasive adenocarcinoma was also observed on the cranial side of the primary lesion.Tumors were detected in two resected lymph nodes(#12u and#11s).Both tumors were pathologically diagnosed as small cell carcinomas.The primary lesion of the small cell carcinoma could not be identified even by whole-body imaging;however,chemotherapy was initiated for hilar lymph node metastasis of the small cell carcinoma of unknown origin.CONCLUSION Multiple synchronous lung cancers can be accompanied by hilar lymph node metastasis of small cell carcinomas of unknown origin.

A Review of the Impact of PD-L1 Expression on the Prognosis of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer is an invasive neuroendocrine carcinoma with early metastasis potential. It tends to grow rapidly and metastasize early, with the majority of patients diagnosed as advanced stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Systemic treatment consisting of platinum drugs and etoposide chemotherapy is the main treatment method, although the objective effective rate of this combination is 60% - 80%. However, most SCLC patients experience disease progression shortly after initial treatment, with a median overall survival of 10 months. There are few second-line treatment drugs available, and immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors has completely changed the treatment of many cancer types. Adding immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) to conventional chemotherapy as first-line treatment can improve the survival rate of widespread small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), but so far, there are no definitive factors to determine patients who are more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. This review summarizes the results of immunotherapy trials for small cell lung cancer. And a review was conducted on the predictive factors of these trials, with special emphasis on the expression of PD-L1 in small cell lung cancer to determine its clinical value.

Research Progress of Anti-Angiogenic Drugs in First-Line Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is a low-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor with rapid growth, early metastasis and sensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is highly recurrence rate. And there is lacking effective treatment now. As an active research direction at present, anti-angiogenic drugs are not only widely used in non-small cell lung cancer and other tumors, but also have certain effects in small cell lung cancer combined with chemotherapy. As one of the effective treatment methods for small cell lung cancer, related research is not rare, but there is still inadequacy, such as side effects can not be tolerated, and the timing of treatment can not be accurately assessed. This article will briefly describe the research progress of anti-angiogenic drugs combined with chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of extensive small cell lung cancer.

Feasibility and long-term outcomes of post-chemotherapy-based consolidation radiotherapy in extensive stage small-cell lung cancer

Background:The target definition of consolidation radiotherapy(RT)for extensive stage small-cell lung cancer(ES-SCLC)has not been standardized.This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of post-chemotherapy based consolidation RT in ES-SCLC.Methods:All ES-SCLC patients without initial brain metastases who completed≥4 cycles of systemic therapy at Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology,Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from 2012 to 2021 were included in this retrospective study.We correlated the site of first recurrence to the post-chemotherapy-based radiation volume(small-field).Relapse pattern,progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were compared between those received and did not receive consolidation RT.Results:A total of 152 patients were followed up for a median of 31.7 months(interquartile range[IQR],23.9-39.6 months).The median PFS and OS of the cohort were 8.3 months(IQR,6.1-11.2 months)and 16.2 months(IQR,9.9-24.9 months),respectively.Thoracic consolidation RT served not only as an independent prognostic factor for improved PFS in the entire cohort,but also significantly prolonged OS in the subgroup without syn-chronous liver metastases.Small-field consolidation RT markedly reduced in-field recurrences(hazard ratio[HR],0.28[95%CI,0.12-0.38];P<0.001)without increasing out-of-field recurrences(HR,0.40[95%CI,0.13-1.16];P=0.080).No relapse was observed at the margin of the targets.Treatment-related toxicities were moderate,with grade 3 acute radiation pneumonia,radiation esophagitis,and bone marrow suppression rates of 8.3%,3.1%,and 12.5%,respectively.No grade 5 toxicity occurred.Conclusion:Small-field consolidation RT based on post-chemotherapy volume is safe and can significantly im-prove local control in ES-SCLC.

Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors of Small Cell Lung Cancer:A Retrospective Study in 148 Patients

To better understand the outcomes of small cell lung cancer（SCLC）,we examined the clinical features and prognostic factors of SCLC in this study.A total of 148 patients who were diagnosed as having SCLC between January 2009 and December 2013 in Cancer Center of Union Hospital,Wuhan,China,were enrolled and their clinical features and prognostic factors were retrospectively analyzed.Log-rank test and Cox regression model were employed for analysis of prognostic factors.The 1-and 2-year overall survival（OS） rates were 59.7% and 25.7%,respectively,for limited disease（LD） patients whose median survival time（MST） was 16 months.The 1-and 2-year OS rates were 29.5% and 5.3%,respectively,for extensive disease（ED） patients whose MST was 10 months.The univariate analysis and multivariate analysis revealed that age,tumor stage,serum CEA and Ki-67 antigen were significantly correlated to the outcomes of SCLC,and they were significant prognostic factors for SCLC.