Zuan Lin1, Sha Fu2, Yixin Zhou3, Xuanye Zhang4, Chen Chen5, Li-Na He4, Haifeng Li4, Yuhong Wang6, Tao Chen7, Li Zhang8, Shaodong Hong9. 1. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Clinical Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. 2. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. 3. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of VIP region, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. 4. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. 5. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Radiotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. 6. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Endoscopy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. 7. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. 8. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: zhangli@sysucc.org.cn. 9. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: hongshd@sysucc.org.cn.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare subtype of primary lung cancer. Due to the lack of prospective studies, the optimal first-line chemotherapy regimens and survival outcomes remain unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This real-world, retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with unresectable pulmonary LELC. The survival outcomes, prognosis, and comparative efficacy of different chemotherapy regimens were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 127 patients were included in the analyses. The first-line chemotherapy regimens included gemcitabine plus platinum (GP, n = 19 [15.0%]), taxanes plus platinum (TP, n = 70 [55.1%]) and pemetrexed plus platinum (AP, n = 38 [30.0%]). 25 (19.7%) patients underwent palliative thoracic radiotherapy. 60 (47.2%) patients had detectable baseline Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA. For the entire cohort, objective response was obtained in 41 patients (32.3%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 7.7 months (95% CI, 6.6-8.8) and 36.7 months (95% CI, 30.9-42.5), respectively. Among the three chemotherapy regimens, GP achieved the highest response rate (GP, 63.2% vs. TP, 30.0% vs. AP, 21.1%; p = 0.005). Median PFS in the GP group (8.8 months) was also significantly longer than that in the TP group (7.9 months) and AP group (6.4 months) (p = 0.031). In the multivariate model, cycles of first-line chemotherapy (p < 0.001), palliative thoracic radiotherapy (p < 0.001), and chemotherapy regimens (p = 0.031) remained independent prognostic factors for PFS; while cycles of first-line chemotherapy (p = 0.002), baseline EBV DNA (p = 0.033) and palliative thoracic radiotherapy (p = 0.041) were significantly associated with OS. CONCLUSION: Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and palliative thoracic radiotherapy are active in pulmonary LELC. These data provide added evidence for the similarity between pulmonary LELC and nasopharyngeal carcinoma in endemic area. Randomized controlled studies are needed to further define the standard-of-care for patients with advanced pulmonary LELC.
OBJECTIVES:Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare subtype of primary lung cancer. Due to the lack of prospective studies, the optimal first-line chemotherapy regimens and survival outcomes remain unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This real-world, retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with unresectable pulmonary LELC. The survival outcomes, prognosis, and comparative efficacy of different chemotherapy regimens were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 127 patients were included in the analyses. The first-line chemotherapy regimens included gemcitabine plus platinum (GP, n = 19 [15.0%]), taxanes plus platinum (TP, n = 70 [55.1%]) and pemetrexed plus platinum (AP, n = 38 [30.0%]). 25 (19.7%) patients underwent palliative thoracic radiotherapy. 60 (47.2%) patients had detectable baseline Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA. For the entire cohort, objective response was obtained in 41 patients (32.3%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 7.7 months (95% CI, 6.6-8.8) and 36.7 months (95% CI, 30.9-42.5), respectively. Among the three chemotherapy regimens, GP achieved the highest response rate (GP, 63.2% vs. TP, 30.0% vs. AP, 21.1%; p = 0.005). Median PFS in the GP group (8.8 months) was also significantly longer than that in the TP group (7.9 months) and AP group (6.4 months) (p = 0.031). In the multivariate model, cycles of first-line chemotherapy (p < 0.001), palliative thoracic radiotherapy (p < 0.001), and chemotherapy regimens (p = 0.031) remained independent prognostic factors for PFS; while cycles of first-line chemotherapy (p = 0.002), baseline EBV DNA (p = 0.033) and palliative thoracic radiotherapy (p = 0.041) were significantly associated with OS. CONCLUSION:Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and palliative thoracic radiotherapy are active in pulmonary LELC. These data provide added evidence for the similarity between pulmonary LELC and nasopharyngeal carcinoma in endemic area. Randomized controlled studies are needed to further define the standard-of-care for patients with advanced pulmonary LELC.