Project description:BackgroundHere, we investigated radiological responses following chemotherapy alone as compared to both radiation/chemotherapy (chemoRT) in patients with thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) who did not receive upfront surgery.MethodsTETs treated at a tertiary academic cancer center between January 2007 and July 2018 were identified. Patients received chemotherapy or chemoRT as initial therapy and pre- and post-treatment scans were available. Student's t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and Cox proportional hazards method were used to compare clinical details and survival between groups. The primary outcome was change in tumor size, which was compared between groups using linear mixed-effects regression models, adjusting for baseline tumor size, age, and histology.ResultsA total of 24 of 114 patients with TETs identified met the inclusion criteria. The majority of patients had 67% thymoma (67%, n = 16) and AJCC8 III-IVA disease (58%, n = 14). Median age was 58.5 years (range: 33-76), median initial tumor volume was 187.1 cc (range: 28.7-653.6) and diameter was 8.5 cm (range: 4.5-14.3). Half of the patients received upfront chemotherapy (n = 12: 83% cisplatin/adriamycin/cyclophosphamide) or chemoRT (n = 12: 58% carboplatin/paclitaxel; median RT dose: 63 Gy [range: 60-70 Gy]). At a median imaging follow-up of 15 months (range: 0-86): ChemoRT was associated with increased average radiological response compared to chemotherapy alone (volume: -47.0 cc more, P < 0.001; diameter: -0.8 cm more, P = 0.03). In eight patients who received chemotherapy, 33% saw further tumor shrinkage (median volume: -42.3%, P = 0.03; diameter: -3.0%, P = 0.049) with additional radiation/chemoradiation. Median survival increased for patients ultimately receiving surgery versus those who did not (46 month, range: 16-127 vs. 14 month, range: 6-82; P < 0.01).ConclusionsChemoRT produced a greater radiologic response compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with TETs not suitable for upfront resection.Key pointsSIGNIFICANT FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: We found that chemoRT was associated with a greater radiologic response compared to patients who received chemotherapy alone.What this study addsWhat this study adds: In patients with TET not amenable to upfront resection, chemoRT may be a feasible strategy for cytoreduction.
Project description:BackgroundTo evaluate the role of preoperative induction therapy on prognosis of locally advanced thymic malignancies.MethodsBetween 1994 and 2012, patients received preoperative induction therapies (IT group) in the Chinese Alliance for Research in Thymomas (ChART) database, were compared with those having surgery directly after preoperative evaluation (DS group). All tumors receiving induction therapies were locally advanced (clinically stage III-IV) before treatment and those turned out to be in pathological stage I and II were considered downstaged by induction. Clinical pathological characteristics were retrospectively analyzed. To more accurately study the effect of induction therapies, stage IV patients were then excluded. Only stage I-III tumors in the IT group and stage III cases in the DS group were selected for further comparison in a subgroup analysis.ResultsOnly 68 (4%) out of 1,713 patients had induction therapies, with a R0 resection of 67.6%, 5-year recurrence of 44.9%, and 5- and 10-year overall survivals (OS) of 49.7% and 19.9%. Seventeen patients (25%) were downstaged after induction. Significantly more thymomas were downstaged than thymic carcinomas (38.7% vs. 13.9%, P=0.02). Tumors downstaged after induction had significantly higher 5-year OS than those not downstaged (93.8% vs. 35.6%, P=0.013). For the subgroup analysis when stage IV patients were excluded, 5-year OS was 85.2% in the DS group and 68.1% in the IT group (P=0.000), although R0 resection were similar (76.4% vs. 73.3%, P=0.63). However, 5-year OS in tumors downstaged after induction (93.8%) was similar to those in the DS group (85.2%, P=0.438), both significantly higher than those not downstaged after induction (35.6%, P=0.000).ConclusionsPreoperative neoadjuvant therapy have been used only occasionally in locally advanced thymic malignances. Effective induction therapy leading to tumor downstaging may be beneficial for potentially unresectable diseases, especially in patients with thymomas. These findings would be helpful to related studies in the future.
Project description:IntroductionParaneoplastic autoimmune diseases (ADs) are a hallmark of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) and affect treatment management in patients with advanced-stage tumors, yet the risk factors for development of AD in advanced TET remain poorly understood.MethodsAll patients with advanced TET treated at Stanford University between 2006 and 2020 were included. Charts were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of AD, demographic information, and treatment history. Next-generation sequencing was performed on available TET tissue. Multivariate regression was used to evaluate variables associated with AD.ResultsA total of 48 patients were included in the analysis with a median follow-up of 5.4 years. One-third (n = 16, 33%) were diagnosed with having ADs, with 28 distinct ADs identified. The only significant difference observed in the AD cohort compared with the non-AD cohort was a higher proportion of thymoma histotype (81% versus 47%, p = 0.013). The most common AD events were myasthenia gravis (n = 7, 44%) followed by pure red cell aplasia (n = 5, 31%). In the multivariate models, there were no independent factors associated with AD, either at TET diagnosis or subsequent to TET diagnosis. Genomic data were available on 18 patients, and there were no overlapping mutations identified in the nine patients with AD.ConclusionsADs are common in patients with advanced TETs. Prior total thymectomy does not affect the development of subsequent AD. Patients who developed AD other than myasthenia gravis were more likely to do so several years after TET diagnosis. Additional work, including multiomic analyses, is needed to develop predictive markers for AD in advanced TET.
Project description:ObjectivesThe optimal management of locally advanced and metastatic pulmonary carcinoid tumors remains to be determined.Materials and methodsA retrospective review was conducted on patients with typical and atypical pulmonary carcinoid tumors treated at our institutions between 1990 and 2012.Results300 patients were identified with pulmonary carcinoid, (80 patients with atypical carcinoid), of whom 29 presented with metastatic disease (16 atypical). Of evaluable patients, 26 (41%) with stages I-III atypical carcinoid tumors recurred at a median time of 3.7 years (range, 0.4-32), compared to 3 (1%) patients with typical carcinoid (range, 8-12.3). 39 patients were treated with chemotherapy, including 30 patients with metastatic disease (27 atypical), and 7 patients were treated with adjuvant platinum-etoposide chemoradiation (6 atypical, 1 typical, 6 stage IIIA, 1 stage IIB). At a median follow-up of 2 years there were 2 recurrences in the 7 patients receiving adjuvant treatment. Median survival after diagnosis of metastatic disease for patients with atypical pulmonary carcinoid was 3.3 years with a 5-year survival of 24%. Treatment regimens showing efficacy in pulmonary carcinoid include 15 patients treated with octreotide-based therapies (10% response rate (RR), 70% disease control rate (DCR), 15 month median progression-free survival (PFS)), 13 patients treated with etoposide+platinum (23% RR, 69% DCR, 7 month median PFS), and 14 patients treated with temozolomide-based therapies (14% RR, 57% DCR, 10 month median PFS). 8 of 10 patients with octreotide-avid disease treated with an octreotide-based regimen experienced disease control (1 partial response, 7 stable disease) for a median of 18 months (range 6-72 months).ConclusionsThese results support our previous finding that a subset of pulmonary carcinoid tumors are responsive to chemotherapy.
Project description:PurposeConcurrent chemo radiotherapy (CCRT) has been the standard of care in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) for many years. The role of induction chemotherapy (ICT) has always been controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the value of adding ICT to CCRT in LA-NPC.Materials and methodsTwo reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ICT followed by CCRT versus CCRT alone, including treatment-naive adult patients with histologically proven nonmetastatic LA-NPC.ResultsEight RCTs with in total 2,384 randomized patients, of whom 69% had N2-N3 disease, were selected. ICT was the allocated treatment in 1,200 patients, of whom 1,161 actually received this. Treatment compliance varied, with a median rate of 92% (range, 86%-100%) of patients receiving all cycles of ICT. The percentage of patients completing radiotherapy was 96% and 95% [(Combined Risk difference(CRD)= 0.004; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) -0.001-0.01; p = 0.14)] in the ICT group and CCRT group, respectively, whereas chemotherapy during radiotherapy could be completed in only 28% of the ICT group versus 61% in the CCRT group (CRD, -0.243; 95% CI, -0.403 to -0.083; p = .003). Grade 3-4 acute toxicity was mostly hematologic during the ICT phase (496 events vs. 191 nonhematologic) and was predominant in the ICT group (1,596 events vs. 1,073 in the CCRT alone group) during the CCRT. Adding ICT to CCRT provided a significant benefit in overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.680; 95% CI, 0.511-0.905; p = .001) and progression-free survival (HR, 0.657; 95% CI, 0.568-0.760; p < .001).ConclusionAlthough ICT followed by CCRT is associated with more acute toxicity and a lower compliance of the chemotherapy during the CCRT phase, this association resulted in a clinically meaningful survival benefit. ICT should be considered as a standard option in patients with LA-NPC, but further study on optimal patient selection for this treatment is warranted.Implications for practiceLocally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) is a relatively common disease in some parts of the world, with a rather poor prognosis due to its high metastatic potential. The role of induction chemotherapy (ICT) has always been controversial. This meta-analysis found that ICT followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in LA-NPC is associated with a significant clinical improvement in both overall survival and progression-free survival compared with CCRT alone. ICT should be considered as a standard option in patients with LA-NPC.
Project description:The purpose of this review article is to review recent advances in the treatment of advanced thymic epithelial tumors. These tumors are generally responsive to cytotoxic combination chemotherapy in the first-line setting. While newer agents have shown efficacy in the salvage setting, there is no one standard approach. A multitude of targeted agents have shown promise generally in case reports, though as of yet, nothing has shown consistent benefit. Because of the rarity of thymic epithelial tumors, clinical trial enrollment is difficult but nevertheless essential.
Project description:BackgroundThymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare neoplasms, originating from epithelial thymic cells. The oncogenic potential of these rare neoplasms is still largely undefined, and a deeper molecular characterization could result in a relevant advance in their management, greatly improving diagnosis, prognosis and treatment choice. Deregulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification, catalyzed by the METTL3/METTL14 methyltransferase complex, is emerging as a relevant event in cell differentiation and carcinogenesis. Various studies have reported that altered expression of METTL3 is associated with an aggressive malignant phenotype and favors migration and invasiveness, but its role in Thymic Tumors remains unknown.ResultsIn this study, we characterized that METTL3 contributes to Thymic Epithelial Tumor phenotype. We evidenced that METTL3 is overexpressed in tumor tissue compared to normal counterpart. Silencing of METTL3 expression in thymic carcinoma cells results in reduced cell proliferation and overall translation rate. Of note, METTL3 is responsible for the induction of c-MYC expression in TET cells. Specifically, high expression of c-MYC protein is enabled by lncRNA MALAT1, which is methylated and delocalized by METTL3. Interestingly, blocking of c-MYC by using JQ1 inhibitor cooperates with METTL3 depletion in the inhibition of proliferation and induction of cell death.ConclusionThis study highlighted METTL3 as a tumor promoter in Thymic tumors and c-MYC as a promising target to be exploited for the treatment of TET.
Project description:BackgroundThe role of induction chemotherapy is less clear in non-endemic locally advanced nanopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC).ResultsWith a total of 233 eligible patients and a median follow-up of 36 months, 3-year overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease free survival (DFS) were 84.5%, 94.9%, 78.6% and 69.2%, respectively. The overall failure rate was 21.0% and distant metastasis occurred in 17.2% patients. Multivariate analyses showed that retropharyngeal and bilateral neck lymph node metastasis were significant prognostic factors for DFS and OS. Moreover, patients receiving both GP (gemcitabine+cisplatin) and TP (docetaxel+cisplatin) regimes had significantly higher DFS and OS compared with PF (cisplatin+5-FU) regime. GP regimes lead to significantly improved OS than TP/PF in some subgroup of patients. No severe toxicities were observed.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively analyzed stage III-IVb NPC patients treated between Jan 2006 and Dec 2014, with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation (IC-CCRT). Statistical analyses were performed on survival and failure patterns.ConclusionsThese results suggested IC-CCRT was safe and effective for NPCs from non-endemic region. The choice of induction regimen appeared to affect patient outcomes.
Project description:BackgroundThe use of surgery in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) following induction chemotherapy is increasing. However, most series do not report on the total cohort of patients undergoing surgical exploration; therefore, this single-center study investigates outcomes among all consecutive patients with LAPC who underwent surgical exploration.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, single-center analysis including all consecutive patients with LAPC (Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group criteria) who underwent surgical exploration with curative intent (January 2014-June 2023) after induction therapy. Primary outcomes were resection rate and overall survival (OS) from the time of diagnosis.ResultsOverall, 127 patients underwent surgical exploration for LAPC, whereby 100 patients (78.7%) underwent resection and 27 patients (21.3%) underwent a non-therapeutic laparotomy due to the extent of vascular involvement (n = 11, 8.7%) or occult metastases (n = 16, 12.6%). The overall in-hospital/30-day mortality rate was 0.8% and major morbidity was 31.3% (in patients after resection: 1.0% and 33.3%, respectively). The overall 90-day mortality rate was 5.5%, which included 3.1% mortality due to disease progression. Resection was associated with longer median OS {29 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 26-43) vs. 17 months (95% CI 11-26); p < 0.001} compared with patients undergoing non-therapeutic laparotomy, with corresponding 5-year OS rates of 28.4% and 7.7%. In Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, only pancreatic body/tail tumors independently predicted OS (hazard ratio 1.788 [95% CI 1.042-3.068]).ConclusionThis single-center series found a resection rate of 78.7% in patients with LAPC selected for surgical exploration, with a low risk of mortality and morbidity in all explored patients and a 5-year OS rate after resection of 28.4%.
Project description:The use of targeted therapies for the treatment of thymic malignancies is documented in the literature. However, only a few drugs have undergone evaluation in phase II trials. Most of the evidence for the benefit of biologic therapies for thymic malignancies is in the form of case reports and small case series. No major activity has been observed with any agent so far, likely due to the lack of selection of patients for targeted therapies and the small numbers studied. A better understanding of the biology of these tumors will be essential in furthering the field.