Background: Concurrent chemoradiation in stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with cavitary lesions is reported to cause serious lung complications and is a predictor of poor survival. However, the efficacy and toxicity associated with chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC patients with cavitary lesions is not clear. We investigated the toxicities, particularly hemoptysis and cavity infection, and efficacy associated with chemotherapy for NSCLC patients with cavitary lesions.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients who received first-line chemotherapy, including platinum-based chemotherapy, single-agent chemotherapy, or epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, at our institution between January 2008 and December 2010.
Results: We found tumor cavitation prior to treatment in 23 of 415 NSCLC patients (5.5%). The response rate of all the patients was 30%, and the median survival time (MST) was 8.9 months. The MST of the 15 patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy was 11 months. Grade 1 bronchopulmonary hemorrhage occurred in 2 patients. Grade 3 cavitary infection occurred in 2 patients, resulting in the discontinuation of chemotherapy.
Conclusions: This study indicates that the toxicity of chemotherapy for NSCLC patients with cavitary lesions is tolerable; however, the development of cavitary infection should be carefully considered. In addition, this study suggests that the efficacy of chemotherapy for NSCLC patients with cavitary lesions is similar to the response rates reported in the literature; however, the survival of these patients may be worse than that for general NSCLC patients.
Keywords: Bronchopulmonary hemorrhage; Cavitary infection; Cavity; Chemotherapy; Non-small cell carcinoma.
Copyright © 2013 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.