Mapping of sentinel lymph node drainage using SPECT/CT to tailor elective nodal irradiation in head and neck cancer patients (SUSPECT-2): a single-center prospective trial.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) receive bilateral elective nodal irradiation (ENI), in order to reduce the risk of regional failure. Bilateral ENI, as compared to unilateral ENI, is associated with higher incidence of acute and late radiation-induced toxicity with subsequent deterioration of quality of life. Increasing evidence that the incidence of contralateral regional failure (cRF) in lateralized HNSCC is very low (< 10%) suggests that it can be justified to treat selected patients unilaterally. This trial aims to minimize the proportion of patients that undergo bilateral ENI, by using lymph drainage mapping by SPECT/CT to select patients with a minimal risk of contralateral nodal failure for unilateral elective nodal irradiation. METHODS: In this one-armed, single-center prospective trial, patients with primary T1-4 N0-2b HNSCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx (except T1 glottic) or hypopharynx, not extending beyond the midline and planned for primary (chemo) radiotherapy, are eligible. After 99mTc-nanocolloid tracer injection in and around the tumor, lymphatic drainage is visualized using SPECT/CT. In case of contralateral lymph drainage, a contralateral sentinel node procedure is performed on the same day. Patients without contralateral lymph drainage, and patients with contralateral drainage but without pathologic involvement of any removed contralateral sentinel nodes, receive unilateral ENI. Only when tumor cells are found in a contralateral sentinel node the patient will be treated with bilateral ENI. The primary endpoint is cumulative incidence of cRF at 1 and 2 years after treatment. Secondary endpoints are radiation-related toxicity and quality of life. The removed lymph nodes will be studied to determine the prevalence of occult metastatic disease in contralateral sentinel nodes. DISCUSSION: This single-center prospective trial aims to reduce the incidence and duration of radiation-related toxicities and improve quality of life of HNSCC patients, by using lymph drainage mapping by SPECT/CT to select patients with a minimal risk of contralateral nodal failure for unilateral elective nodal irradiation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03968679, date of registration: May 30, 2019.

Incidence of contralateral regional failure in the electively irradiated contralateral neck of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The vast majority of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) routinely undergo elective nodal irradiation (ENI) to both sides of the neck. Little is known about the extent to which bilateral ENI prevents regional failure (RF) and contralateral RF (cRF) in particular, while such knowledge is necessary to evaluate the results of more selective approaches like unilateral ENI. We investigated the rate and pattern of RF after bilateral ENI, the rate of cRF in the electively irradiated contralateral neck, and tried to identify risk factors for development of cRF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of a consecutive series of 605 patients with T1-4N0-3 HNSCC treated between 2008 and 2017 with primary (chemo)radiation and bilateral ENI. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 43 months (range 1.4-126). Three-year cumulative incidence of RF was 12.7%. Three-year cumulative incidences of ipsilateral RF (iRF) and cRF were 10.6% and 2.8%, respectively. All cRF occurred within the electively treated volume. Salvage treatment was possible in 65% and 59% of patients with iRF and cRF, respectively (p = 0.746). The 3-year overall survival rates after RF in patients with iRF and cRF were 27.4% and 41.2%, respectively (p = 0.713). Three-year cancer-specific survival rates were 31.6% and 48.1%, respectively (p = 0.634). In multivariate analysis, no significant predictive factors were identified for cRF after bilateral ENI. CONCLUSION: Contralateral regional failure is rare, but still occurs in 2.8% of patients treated with bilateral ENI. The possibilities for salvage treatment, the rates of overall survival and cancer-specific survival were comparable to patients with iRF.

Intravesical recurrence after bladder sparing treatment of small cell carcinoma of the bladder: Characteristics, treatment, and outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Small cell carcinoma of the bladder (SCCB) is a rare and lethal disease. Previously, we and others have reported a bladder sparing strategy with platinum-etoposide-based chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy of the bladder. Little is known on frequency and treatment of intravesical recurrence following this approach. The objective of this study is to describe the incidence of intravesical recurrences and their management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study including all patients with SCCB treated at a single institution from 1993 until 2016. All patients with limited disease (LD) SCCB who had a bladder sparing approach with sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy were identified. Intravesical and overall recurrence rate, overall and disease specific survival, salvage treatment options and their results were retrieved. RESULTS: Of the 110 patients with SCCB (82% male) with a mean age of 65 years and a median follow up of 48 months, 89 patients (81%) had LD-SCCB. Of these, 65 were treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with a median overall recurrence free survival of 22 months (CI: 14-30). Of 65 patients, 23 (35%) progressed to distant metastasis without intravesical recurrence after a median of 9 months (CI: 8-11), whereas 14 patients (22%) developed isolated intravesical recurrence at a median of 24 months (CI: 14-34). Local recurrence contained SCCB, urothelial carcinoma, and carcinoma in situ and was treated with various local salvage treatments including TURB, cystectomy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and BCG. Following salvage treatment a complete response was seen in 64%. Median overall survival for intravesical vs. systemic recurrence was different, with 28 (CI: 9-47) and 8 (CI: 5-11) months, respectively (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: SCCB is a serious potentially lethal disease. Even in patients with LD-SCCB a high percentage rapidly develops systemic disease. This suggests that systemic therapy is more important than the type of local treatment to control the disease but small sample sizes limit the ability to distinguish between different treatment options in this study. A bladder sparing approach can be a reasonable alternative to major surgery. However, in those surviving long enough isolated intravesical recurrence occurs even after many years. Our results indicate that long term follow up is required because salvage therapy can be successful in the majority of patients.