Application of a contralateral esophageal-sparing technique to reduce radiation esophagitis in limited-stage small cell lung cancer treated with twice-daily radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy.

Authors

null

Min Hu

Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Min Hu , Shuangyan Yang , Yun Chen , Jingjing Kang , Yaping Xu

Organizations

Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Research Funding

No funding received
None.

Background: Acute esophagitis (AE) is a common radiation-related toxicity after concurrent twice-daily hyperfractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) patients, which could limit dose-escalation of the target and make treatment postponed to decrease local tumor control. More esophageal protective techniques should be proposed to reduce radiation severe esophagitis of LS-SCLC patients. Methods: We retrospectively applied a contralateral esophagus sparing technique (CEST) in 20 unresectable LS-SCLC patients, who had gross tumor within 1 cm of the esophagus and received a total dose of 45 Gy of concurrent twice-daily radiation and standard chemotherapy regimen. The contralateral esophagus (CE) was contoured as an avoidance structure, and the feasibility of CEST on promoting a steep dose falloff beyond the target volume near esophagus was analyzed. The appropriate dose constraints of CE were also investigated. The AE events were recorded according to the RTOG acute toxicity grading system. Results: We performed CEST in 20 LS-SCLC consecutive patients, among whom three patients experienced severe AE after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Each treatment plan of eligible patients assured high radiation doses delivering, with the planning and gross tumor volume covered by 95% and 100% of the prescription dose. Among these patients, the median maximum esophagus dose declined from 47.9 Gy (range, 46.6-49.7 Gy) to 41.3 Gy (range, 35.9-48.2 Gy), as well as V30 and V36 of esophagus decreased from 9.22 Gy (range, 0.42-17.71 Gy) and 7.39 Gy (range, 0-16.19 Gy) to 2.40 Gy (range, 0-5.68 Gy) and 0.53 Gy (range, 0 -2.69 Gy) after CEST applying, respectively (all p < 0.001). The CE’s median maximum dose, V30, and V36 were 41.3 Gy, 2.13 cc, and 0.24 cc, respectively. Conclusions: By using proposed CE dose constraints of Dmax≤42 Gy, V30 ≤3.5 cc and V36 ≤0.5 cc, we confirmed the feasibility and efficacy of CEST to avoid exposing the esophagus cross-section to high prescription doses in LS-SCLC patients receiving twice-daily hyperfractionated IMRT and concurrent chemotherapy. These findings support the clinical practice of CEST in LS-SCLC patients, while more prospective and large-scale studies are warranted.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Publication Only: Lung Cancer—Non-Small Cell Local-Regional/Small Cell/Other Thoracic Cancers

Track

Lung Cancer

Sub Track

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr e20644)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e20644

Abstract #

e20644

Abstract Disclosures