Radiation therapy in older patients with cancer.

The general population is aging, which expectedly will lead to a future increase in older patients with cancer. This review summarises the recent advances in radiotherapy. Technological advances have led radiotherapy to be an efficient and well-tolerated treatment option in older patient with cancer. Studies show no difference in toxicity and disease control rates compared with the ones in younger patients with cancer. MR-guided radiotherapy, proton therapy, and integration of artificial intelligence in treatment planning represent the latest advances in the field of radiotherapy and hold potential to further improve the treatment of older patients with cancer.

Impact of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy on Thrombin Generation and Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Patients with localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) considered unfit for surgery are at substantially increased risk of venous thromboembolism. Radiotherapy may further increase this risk. We aim to investigate the impact of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on thrombin generation and platelet aggregation. We included 110 patients with localized NSCLC treated with SBRT. Blood samples were obtained prior to SBRT, immediately after SBRT completion, and 4-6 weeks following SBRT. Ex vivo and in vivo thrombin generations were analyzed using a calibrated automated thrombogram and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Platelet aggregation was evaluated using multiple electrode aggregometry. No significant differences were found in ex vivo or in vivo thrombin generation between blood samples before and immediately after SBRT treatment. Platelet aggregation was lower immediately after SBRT than before SBRT (TRAP: P = 0.04 and ASPI: P = 0.02) but remained within the reference interval. SBRT did not affect in vivo and ex vivo thrombin generation or platelet aggregation. SBRT did not cause prothrombotic changes in the coagulation in this study population of SBRT-treated patients with localized NSCLC.

Increased In Vivo Thrombin Generation in Patients with Localized Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Unfit for Surgery.

Patients with lung cancer face a substantially increased risk of thromboembolic disease. Patients with localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are unfit for surgery due to age or comorbidity have additional thrombotic risk factors. Thus, we aimed to investigate markers of primary and secondary hemostasis, since this could assist in treatment decisions. We included 105 patients with localized NSCLC. Ex vivo thrombin generation was determined by calibrated automated thrombogram and in vivo thrombin generation was determined by measurement of thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) levels and prothrombin fragment F1 + 2 concentrations (F1 + 2). Platelet aggregation was investigated by impedance aggregometry. Healthy controls were used for comparison. TAT and F1 + 2 concentrations were significantly higher in NSCLC patients than in healthy controls (P < .001). The levels of ex vivo thrombin generation and platelet aggregation were not increased in the NSCLC patients. Patients with localized NSCLC considered unfit for surgery had significantly increased in vivo thrombin generation. This finding should be further investigated as it could be relevant for the choice of thromboprophylaxis in these patients.

Combination of the G-8 Screening Tool and Hand-Grip Strength to Predict Long-Term Overall Survival in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy.

The Geriatric 8 (G-8) is a known predictor of overall survival (OS) in older cancer patients, but is mainly based on nutritional aspects. This study aimed to assess if the G-8 combined with a hand-grip strength test (HGST) in patients with NSCLC treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy can predict long-term OS better than the G-8 alone. A total of 46 SBRT-treated patients with NSCLC of stage T1-T2N0M0 were included. Patients were divided into three groups: fit (normal G-8 and HGST), vulnerable (abnormal G-8 or HGST), or frail (abnormal G-8 and HGST). Statistically significant differences were found in 4-year OS between the fit, vulnerable, and frail groups (70% vs. 46% vs. 25%, p = 0.04), as well as between the normal and abnormal G-8 groups (69% vs. 39%, p = 0.02). In a multivariable analysis of OS, being vulnerable with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.03 or frail with an HR of 3.80 indicated poorer OS, but this did not reach statistical significance. This study suggests that there might be a benefit of adding a physical test to the G-8 for more precisely predicting overall survival in SBRT-treated patients with localized NSCLC. However, this should be confirmed in a larger study population.