Tumor volume shrinkage during stereotactic body radiotherapy is related to better prognoses in patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer
概要
Objectives: The tumor volumetric change during treatment may reflect biological sensitivity and could be used as a predictive factor for patients’ prognoses. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between tumor volume changes during stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and prognoses in stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Materials and methods:
・Patients and study design: Patients diagnosed stage I non-small cell lung cancer, treated by SBRT from January 2006 to December 2008, were retrospectively reviewed. Eligibility criteria of the study were as follows: (1) histologically confirmed primary NSCLC; (2) T1N0M0 or T2N0M0 disease (3) greatest tumor dimension ≤ 5 cm; (4) World Health Organization performance status (PS) ≤ 2; (5) no prior chest radiotherapy for the NSCLC.
・Treatment Methods: SBRT was performed with a total dose of 48.0-50.5 Gy in 4-5 fractions.
The tumor’s volumes were calculated with a treatment planning system (MIM 6.6.8 Image analysis soft-wear) and compared between the simulation CT and the CT taken at the last treatment session using CT-on rail system.
Contouring Protocol: Target delineation (GTV) was performed by the attending physician using MIM 6.6.8 treatment planning system with a standard CT lung window.
Tumor volume change (%) = (Volume last day – Volume simulation day)/ Volume simulation day Statistical analysis: Kaplan–Meier with the log-rank test to compare the curves of Overall Survival (OS), Local Control (LC), Lymph-Node metastasis (LN), and Distant Metastatic (DM). Cox proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis.
Results: A total of 98 patients with a mean age of 78.6 years were enrolled in the study. The T-stage was T1a in 42%, T1b in 32%, and T2a in 26% of the cases.
Tumor volume change during SBRT period: The gross tumor volume (GTV) shrank and increased ≥ 10% in 23 (23.5%) and 36 (36.7%) of the cases, respectively.
Clinical outcomes: Median follow-up was 74 months (0.1-119 months). Five-year estimated outcomes were overall survival, 57.9% (95% CI, 56.1% - 73.2%); local control, 77.2% (95%CI, 58.6%-85.2%). Correlation between volume tumor changes and clinical outcomes: The 5-year local control and overall survival rates in the group of tumor shrinkage more than 10% were significantly higher than those in the group of tumor shrinkage less than 10%, e. g 94.7% vs 70.8%; 85.4% vs 47.6% respectively with the p-value < 0.05 in all the categories.
Univariate and multivariate analyses for OS and local control: Medical operability and tumor volume change significantly (P < 0.05) relative to OS, whereas tumor volume, tumor volume change, and BED are related to local control in univariate analysis. However, in multivariate analysis, medical operability, and tumor volume change significantly relative to OS, while only tumor volume changes are related to local control.
Discussion: The tumor shrinkage rapidly during short course of SBRT could be explained by the tumor sensitivity to radiation, especially due to tumor cell apoptosis. There is evidence that cohort of patients with adenocarcinoma subtype of NSCLC and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has better prognoses over other cohorts of NSCLC. These cells are radiosensitive and easily undergo apoptosis. Therefore, loss of tumor cells and lymphocytes could induce the decrease of tumor volume during SBRT period. Besides, the cut-off value of 10% was chosen based on many articles relating tumor change with SBRT treatment, and it could be simple in clinical application. Furthermore, tumor enlarged more than 10% during treatment due to edema could lead insufficient of GTV dose coverage and result in worse outcomes. In contrary, tumor remarkably decreased in size may receive better dose coverage and get higher rates of OS and Local control.
Conclusions: Half of cases have the change of tumor volume at least 10% during SBRT period. Tumor’s shrinkage more than 10% during SBRT period may have better prognosis (Overall survival, Local Control) in early-stage NSCLC patients.