Advances in Systemic Therapy and Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Lung Cancer

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1088

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Radiation Oncology, RUSH Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA
Interests: SBRT; SRS; oligometastases; “real-world” lung cancer patient management; patient reported outcomes; QOL

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lung cancer remains a formidable global health challenge, but recent advancements in both radiation and systemic therapy have redefined its management landscape. This Special Issue serves as a testament to the relentless pursuit of improved treatment strategies. In the realm of radiation therapy, innovations in precision and targeted delivery have revolutionized our ability to obliterate tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. Simultaneously, systemic therapies have witnessed groundbreaking developments, with the emergence of immunotherapies and targeted therapies as well as the refinement of traditional chemotherapy regimens. These strides reflect a paradigm shift in lung cancer care, offering patients more tailored and effective options, prolonging survival, and enhancing the quality of life. This Issue delves into the promising breakthroughs, current challenges, and future directions at the intersection of radiation and systemic therapies in lung cancer management.

Dr. Gaurav Marwaha
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • chemoradiation
  • targeted therapy
  • immunotherapy
  • oligometastases
  • SBRT
  • biomarkers
  • NSCLC
  • small-cell lung cancer
  • PCI

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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12 pages, 227 KiB  
Study Protocol
Development of a Scoring Instrument for Identification of Pneumonitis in Older Lung Cancer Patients After Radiotherapy (POLCAR): A Protocol for a Prospective Trial
by Dirk Rades, Inga Zwaan, Daphne Schepers-von Ohlen, Sabine Bohnet, Stefan Janssen, Julia Koeck, Justus Domschikowski, Charlotte Kristiansen, Marciana N. Duma, Silke Keerl, Tobias Bartscht, Nathan Y. Yu, Jon Cacicedo and Elisa M. Groh
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 807; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050807 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 541
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Pneumonitis caused by radiotherapy for lung cancer may be missed since it often occurs only several months later. In a previous trial including patients of any age, a scoring system was tested to facilitate the correct diagnosis of radiation pneumonitis. Since [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Pneumonitis caused by radiotherapy for lung cancer may be missed since it often occurs only several months later. In a previous trial including patients of any age, a scoring system was tested to facilitate the correct diagnosis of radiation pneumonitis. Since elderly lung cancer patients have a greater risk of developing this complication, a separate scoring system for this group appears useful. Our prospective multi-center trial (NCT06480734) investigates a specific tool for elderly patients irradiated for lung cancer. Methods: Patients aged ≥65 years with lung cancer will complete paper-based questionnaires and rate symptoms potentially caused by pneumonitis weekly during and up to 24 weeks following radiotherapy. The total score of this symptom-based scoring system ranging from 0 to 9 points is correlated to pneumonitis. The discriminative power of the scoring system is evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Optimality is defined as a cut-off score with sensitivity ≥90% and specificity ≥80%. Moreover, the Youden index will be applied. Fifty-nine patients are required for the full analysis set. Assuming 5% will not qualify for this set, 65 patients should be enrolled. Moreover, patient satisfaction with the scoring system is evaluated. If the dissatisfaction rate is >20%, the system needs modifications; if the dissatisfaction rate is >40%, it is considered not useful. An optimal cut-off score facilitating the diagnosis of pneumonitis and its discrimination from other lung diseases will contribute to a corresponding mobile application to be used by elderly lung cancer patients at home. Full article
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