Palliative Flashcards
What were the pt population, randomization, and endpoint of the Patchell 2005 study for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression?
- Pts: spinal cord compression caused by metastatic cancer
– ≥ 1 Neurologic sx, including pain
– Paraplegia ≤ 48 hrs
– Radiosensitive tumors (lymphomas, leukemias, MM, GCT) excluded
– Most pts had anteriorly located tumors tx w/ anterior or lateral approach corpectomy if randomized to the surgical arm. - Randomization:
– Surgical decompression f/b RT (30/10)
– RT alone (30/10)
— many unstable pts ended up in this arm, as this study was conducted before the SINS score was in use - Primary Endpoint: ability to walk
– “A patient was deemed ambulatory if he or she could take at least two steps with each foot unassisted (4 steps total), even if a cane or walker was needed”
What were the pt results and the conclusion of the Patchell 2005 study for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression?
- Results: Surgery f/b RT vs. RT alone
– Post-treatment ambulatory rate: 84% vs. 57% (p=0.001)
– Retained ability to walk: 122 days vs. 13 days (p=0.003)
– Regained the ability to walk: 62% vs. 19% (p=0.012)
– Dexamethasone required: 1.5 mg vs. 4.5 mg (p=0.0093)
– Daily morphine equivalent: 0.7 mg vs. 4.8 mg (p=0.002) - Conclusion: Direct decompressive surgery f/b PORT is superior to RT alone for patients with spinal cord compression caused by metastatic cancer with respect to ability to ambulate and requirements for steroids and narcotics
How was walking defined in the Patchell 2005 study for metastatic epidural spinal cord compression?
“A patient was deemed ambulatory if he or she could take at least two steps with each foot unassisted (4 steps total), even if a cane or walker was needed”
What were the pt population, randomization, and endpoint of the first Patchell 1990 study for brain metastases?
- Pt: 48 patients with a single brain metastasis
– 11% were excluded as their surgical path did not show cancer - Randomization:
- S-WBRT: Surgical removal of metastatic lesion f/b WBRT (36 Gy in 12 fx w/ Co-60)
- Bx f/b WBRT (36 Gy in 12 fx w/ Co-60)
- Primary EP: OS
1st Patchell: Everyone gets RT
2nd Patchall: Everyone gets Surgery
What were the results of the first Patchell 1990 study for brain metastases?
- S-WBRT vs. bx-WBRT only
- OS: 40 weeks vs. 15 weeks (p<0.001)
- Recurrence rate at the original site: 20% vs. 52% (p<0.02)
- Time to recurrence at original site: >59 weeks vs. 21 weeks (p<0.0001)
- Median time to death from neurological causes: 62 weeks vs. 26 weeks (p<0.0009)
- Median length of functional independence: 38 weeks vs. 8 weeks (p<0.005)
- Conclusion: Surgery f/b WBRT improves OS, local control, and QoL compared to WBRT alone in patients with one brain metastasis
What were the pt population, randomization, and endpoint of the second Patchell 1998 study for brain metastases?
- Goal: to determine if surgical resection f/b PORT for patients with a single metastasis improved neurological control and increased survival.
- Randomization following surgery:
– WBRT (50.4 Gy in 28 fx)
– Observation - Primary EP: Recurrence within the brain
- Secondary EP: OS, cause of death, preservation of the ability to function independently.
1st Patchell: Everyone gets RT
2nd Patchall: Everyone gets Surgery
What were the results and conclusions of the second Patchell 1998 study for brain metastases?
- WBRT vs. Obs:
– In-brain tumor recurrence: 18% vs. 70% (p<0.001)
– Recurrence at the original site: 10% vs. 46% (p<0.001)
– Recurrence not at original site: 14% vs. 37% (p<0.01)
– Time to recurrence: 50 wks vs. 27 wks (p<0.001)
– Death 2/2 neurological causes: 14% vs. 44% (p=0.003)
– OS: 48 wks vs. 43 wks (p=0.39)
– 60% of obs pts eventually received RT - Conclusion: Patients with 1 brain metastasis who receive surgery f/b PORT experience fewer in-brain tumor recurrences and are less likely to die of neurological causes versus those treated with surgery alone.
Do pts receiving 5 fx RT for spinal cord compression do better if they receive it over five days (M-F) than if they do it over 7 days (RT interrupted by a 2 day weekend?
No
Which ABX can be used for PJP prophylaxis in high-risk pts?
- TMP-SMX DS thrice weekly
What was the pt population, randomization, and endpoint of the Phase II SABR-COMET trial (Lancet, 2019)?
- Phase II study of pts w/ oligomet recurrence (1-5 metastases) and controlled primary.
– All histologies enrolled, but the most common were colorectal breast, lung, prostate
– Most common metastatic sites were adrenal, bone, lung, liver - Randomization: SoC palliative therapy ± SABR to all sites
– Most common RT regimens were 35/5, 60/8, and 54/3
What were the results of the Phase II SABR-COMET trial (Lancet, 2019)?
- SoC vs. SoC w/ SABR to all sites:
– Median PFS: 6 vs. 12 mos (SS)
– 8-yr PFS: 0 vs. 21.3% (SS)
– Median OS: 28 vs. 48 mos (SS)
– 8-yr OS: 13.6 vs 27.2% (SS)
– ≥ Gr 2 tox: 9.1 vs. 30.3% (SS)
– NS grade 3-5 toxicities or differences in QOL - Conclusion: The addition of ablative radiotherapy may provide PFS and OS benefits for patients w/ 1-5 metastases
What is the first step in managing a pt w/ metastatic cord compression a/w neurologic deficits?
Initiate steroids!
What is the general steroid admin protocol for pts w/ metastatic cord compression a/w neurologic deficits?
- 8-10 mg IV dexamethasone bolus (or equivalent) f/
-16 mg/day (usually in twice-daily to four-time daily)
– 4 mg q6h - Patients with dense paraparesis (Grade 3 or worse) should be considered for higher bolus (100 mg) and maintenance doses (up to 96 mg/day), but the risk of serious adverse events should be considered.
- *Patients with radiographic spinal cord compression but no neurologic deficits do not require steroids
Should you initiate steroids in pts w/ spinal cord compression w/o neurologic deficits?
Not always
What is the general recommendation regarding the use of steroids in the management of metastatic extramedullary spinal cord compression (MESCC)?
- Initiate steroids for any patient w/ neurologic deficits suspected or confirmed to have MESCC, particularly if they are being treated w/ ≤ 5 fx RT
- Patients being treated with surgery will need PORT and should receive maintenance steroids.
- Those treated w/ ≥ 6 fx RT w/ no neurologic deficits or those prescribed high-dose steroids can have the steroids weaned over ≥ 2 weeks once treatment is started
What were the findings of the Rades et al. IJROBP 2011 paper examining short (8/1 and 20/5) vs long course (30/10 or 50/20) radiation therapy for the treatment of spinal cord compression?
- Short (8/1 and 20/5) vs long course (30/10 or 50/20) RT:
– 1-year LC: 61% vs. 81% (p=0.005)
– 1-year OS: 23% vs. 30% (p= 0.28)
– Motor function improvement: 37% vs. 39% (p=0.95)
What did the SCORAD III trial examining short vs. long course RT for malignant spinal cord compression show?
1 fx was not non-inferior to multi-fx RT in the treatment of malignant spinal cord compression w/ regard to ambulatory status at 8 weeks
How was RT prescribed in the Mahajan et al 2017 trial looking at post-op SRS vs. observation in pts w/ resected brain mets?
- Dose depends on cavity size:
- ≤ 10 cc → 16 Gy
- 10.1-15 cc → 14 Gy
- > 15 cc → 12 Gy
- Used 1 mm margins around the resection cavity
What is the LC benefit of using a 0 mm vs. 2 mm margin for brain met SRS?
- 2 mm vs. 0 mm
– 1 yr LF rate: 3% vs. 8%, p=0.042 (Choi et al IJORBP 2012)
What were the results of the Mahajan et al 2017 trial looking at post-op SRS vs. observation in pts w/ resected brain mets?
- Obs. vs. SRS
– Median OS: 18 mos vs. 17 mos; P=0.24
– 1-yr freedom from local recurrence: 43% vs. 72%; p=0.015
— 1-yr LC: 57% vs. 28%
– 1-yr freedom from local recurrence a/w # of resected mets:
— 1 Resected Met: 53%
— 2-3 Resected Mets: 62%
– In the MVA, the significant predictors of local recurrence were SRS and met size
– There were no treatment-related deaths in either group, and there was no radiographic evidence of necrosis in the SRS group.
Per the post hoc analysis of the Mahajan et al. 2017 trial, which looked at post-op SRS vs. observation, how is resection cavity diameter size related to LC?
- 1-yr freedom from LR w/ respect to cavity diameter
– ≤ 2.5 cm: 91%
– 2.5-3.5 cm: 40%
– > 3.5 cm: 36%
For targets > 3-4 cm, is SRS or SRT preferred?
- SRT (30/5, 24/3, etc.)
– Risk of radionecrosis is increased
– LC w/ SRS for targets > 3-4 cm is suboptimal