What is the role of consolidative thoracic radiotherapy in the era of chemo-immunotherapy for extensive stage small cell lung cancer?

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Kristin Higgins, Emory University; Ben J. Slotman, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-10-01
• Publisher: AME PUBL CO
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: 2020 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2020.03.15
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF THORACIC DISEASE
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 10
• Start Page: 6308
• End Page: 6310
• Grant/Funding Information: None.
• Keywords: SECONDARY ANALYSIS; Science & Technology; PROPHYLACTIC CRANIAL IRRADIATION; Respiratory System; SCLC; Life Sciences & Biomedicine
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Radiology; Health Sciences, Rehabilitation and Therapy; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Recent advances in the systemic treatment for extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) have led to chemo-immunotherapy as part of the new standard of care. Both the IMpower 133 (1) and CASPIAN (2) trials demonstrated an improvement in overall survival (OS) with the addition of immunotherapy to first-line chemotherapy. Notably these trials did not allow definitive consolidative thoracic radiation, given limited data regarding safety of thoracic radiation and immunotherapy. As a result, there is currently uncertainty around if and how to integrate consolidative thoracic radiation into the chemo-immunotherapy backbone for ES-SCLC. This editorial commentary will address these timely and important issues.