• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2019

In metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the role of radiotherapy (RT) has been limited to palliation to alleviate the symptoms. However, with the development of advanced RT techniques, recent advances in immuno-oncology therapy targeting programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and targeted agents for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocation allowed new roles of RT in these patients. Within this metastatic population, there is a subset of patients with a limited number of sites of metastatic disease, termed as oligometastasis that can achieve long-term survival from aggressive local management. There is no consensus on the definition of oligometastasis; however, most clinical trials define oligometastasis as having 3 to 5 metastatic lesions. Recent phase II randomized clinical trials have shown that ablative RT, including stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) and hypofractionated RT, to primary and metastatic sites improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with oligometastatic NSCLC. The PEMBRO-RT study, a randomized phase II study comparing SABR prior to pembrolizumab therapy and pembrolizumab therapy alone, revealed that the addition of SABR improved the overall response, PFS, and OS in patients with advanced NSCLC. The efficacy of RT in oligometastatic lung cancer has only been studied in phase II studies; therefore, large-scale phase III studies are needed to confirm the benefit of local ablative RT in patients with oligometastatic NSCLC. Local intensified RT to primary and metastatic lesions is expected to become an important treatment paradigm in the near future in patients with metastatic lung cancer.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.17-21
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• 2018

Background/Objectives: Cancers of the abdominal or pelvic organ rarely metastasize to the cervical lymph nodes. Although it indicates distant metastasis, perceivable prolongation of survival or cure may be possible in selected cases. We sought to identify patients with cervical metastasis from cancers below the diaphragm and identify patients who may benefit from aggressive treatment. Materials & Methods: From 2009 to 2017, patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic cervical lymph nodes originating from below the diaphragm were included for analysis. Patient demographics, cancer characteristics, treatment course, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Results: 208 patients were identified. Left supraclavicular node (Virchow's node) was the most frequently involved. Irrespective of treatment, survival for uterine cervical and ovarian cancers was significantly longer than that of other primaries. Patients with isolated cervical metastasis (oligometastasis) had significantly longer median survival compared to patients with concomitant bone, lung, brain, and mediastinal metastases. Conclusion: Although cervical metastasis from cancers of the abdominal and pelvic organ represent distant metastasis, patients with uterine cervix and ovary primary and oligometastatic lesions may benefit from aggressive treatment. Prudent patient selection and further investigation is warranted.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2015

Purpose: To identify prognostic factors for disease progression and survival of patients with extracranial oligometastatic breast cancer (EOMBC), and to investigate the role of radiation therapy (RT) for metastatic lesions. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 50 patients who had been diagnosed with EOMBC following standard treatment for primary breast cancer initially, and received RT for metastatic lesions, with or without other systemic therapy between January 2004 and December 2008. EOMBC was defined as breast cancer with five or less metastases involving any organs except the brain. All patients had bone metastasis (BM) and seven patients had pulmonary, hepatic, or lymph node metastasis. Median RT dose applied to metastatic lesions was 30 Gy (range, 20 to 60 Gy). Results: The 5-year tumor local control (LC) and 3-year distant progression-free survival (DPFS) rate were 66.1% and 36.8%, respectively. High RT dose (${\geq}50Gy_{10}$) was significantly associated with improved LC. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 49%. Positive hormone receptor status, pathologic nodal stage of primary cancer, solitary BM, and whole-lesion RT (WLRT), defined as RT whose field encompassed entire extent of disease, were associated with better survival. On analysis for subgroup of solitary BM, high RT dose was significantly associated with improved LC and DPFS, shorter metastasis-to-RT interval (${\leq}1month$) with improved DPFS, and WLRT with improved DPFS and OS, respectively. Conclusion: High-dose RT in solitary BM status and WLRT have the potential to improve the progression-free survival and OS of patients with EOMBC.