Science and Research

Current management of limited-stage SCLC and CONVERT trial impact: Results of the EORTC Lung Cancer Group survey

OBJECTIVES: The CONVERT trial showed that twice-daily (BD) concurrent chemoradiotherapy should continue to be considered the standard of care in localised LS-SCLC. A survey was conducted to assess the impact of the CONVERT trial in clinical practice and to identify any relevant research questions for future trials in this setting. METHODS AND MATERIALS: An EORTC Group online survey of LS-SCLC practice was distributed to the EORTC LCG and to members of several European thoracic oncology societies between April and December 2018. RESULTS: 198 responses were analysed. The majority of respondents (88%, n=174) were aware of the CONVERT trial. Radiation oncologists comprised 56% of all respondents. Once-daily (OD) radiotherapy is still the most commonly used regimen, however the use of concurrent BD radiotherapy increased after the publication of CONVERT (n=59/186, 32% prior to and n=78/187, 42% after the publication, p=0.053). The main reasons for not implementing BD after the CONVERT publication were logistical issues (n=88, 44%), inconvenience for patients (n=56, 28%), and the absence of a statistical survival difference between the two arms in CONVERT (n=38, 19%). Brain MRI was used by 28% during staging but more than half (60%) of the respondents did not routinely image the brain during follow-up. The main research questions of interest in LS-SCLC were 1) integrating novel targeted therapies-immunotherapies (n=160, 81%), 2) PCI (+/- hippocampal sparing) vs. MRI surveillance (n=140, 71%) and, 3) biomarker driven trials (n=92, 46%). CONCLUSION: Once daily radiotherapy (60-66Gy in 30-33 fractions) remains the most prescribed radiotherapy fractionation, despite the findings suggested by the CONVERT trial.

  • Levy, A.
  • Hendriks, L. E. L.
  • Le Pechoux, C.
  • Falk, S.
  • Besse, B.
  • Novello, S.
  • Dingemans, A. C.
  • Hasan, B.
  • Reck, M.
  • Berghmans, T.
  • Faivre-Finn, C.
  • Eortc Lung Cancer Group

Keywords

  • Fractionation
  • Limited-stage
  • Small-cell lung cancer
  • Thoracic radiotherapy
Publication details
DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2019.08.007
Journal: Lung Cancer
Pages: 145-147 
Work Type: Original
Location: ARCN
Disease Area: LC
Partner / Member: Ghd
Access-Number: 31520867
See publication on PubMed

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