Evaluation of local aggressive lung therapy versus systemic therapy in oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Previous studies have shown the feasibility and effectiveness of local aggressive thoracic therapy (surgery and radiotherapy) for oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer compared with systemic therapy, but with small sample. This study aims to perform a pooled analysis to explore whether LT could improve outcomes of oligometastatic patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: Protocol of present study was registered on PROSPERO as number: CRD42021233095. PubMed, Embase and Web of knowledge were searched, and eligible studies investigating local therapy for non-small cell lung cancer with 1-5 metastases regardless of organs were included. Linear regression between survival and clinical characteristics were conducted. Hazard ratios of survival and adverse effects were merged. Pooled survival curves were carried out.

Results: Three randomized controlled trials and 5 cohort studies enrolling 499 patients were included. There was a trend that median overall survival declined with the increasing proportion of N2-3 positive patients in local therapy group, but with no statistical difference (P=0.09, R²=0.98). Undergoing local therapy for oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer achieved reduction of 47% and 60% in the risk of death and cancer progression (P<0.001), respectively. In subgroup analysis, patients receiving local therapy including surgery showed hazard ratio of 0.33 on progression-free survival and 0.55 of these excluding surgery. Patients receiving consolidative local therapy (local therapy after systemic therapy) obtained hazard ratios 0.33 and 0.45 on progression-free and overall survival vs. systemic therapy, respectively. Hazard ratios of those receiving upfront local therapy (local therapy first) were 0.62 and 0.68 on progression-free and overall survival vs. systemic therapy. Pooled survival analysis showed median overall and progression-free survival of local therapy (21.6 and 14 months) group were both longer than systemic one (14.3 and 6.5 months). Odds ratio of adverse effects were no difference between 2 groups (P=0.16).

Conclusions: Local aggressive thoracic therapy could prolong 7 months overall and progression-free survival compared with systemic therapy in patients with oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Consolidative local therapy might be a more favorable choice of local therapy. Benefits of local therapy for N2-3 positive patients should explored further.