Is prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) needed in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer showing complete response to first-line chemotherapy?

Is prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) needed in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer showing complete response to first-line chemotherapy? Radiother Oncol. 2018 May 07;: Authors: Nosaki K, Seto T, Shimokawa M, Takahashi T, Yamamoto N Abstract Throughout the entire world, prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is the standard care for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in whom a favorable therapeutic effect is achieved after front-line treatment, regardless of whether the disease is in the limited stage or extensive stage. In the EORTC study, PCI was shown to confer a survival benefit for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) who experienced any positive response after initial chemotherapy. However, the Japan study failed to confirm a survival benefit. As a result, the guidelines in Japan recommend that PCI should not be carried out in cases of ES-SCLC. Complete response (CR) subset analysis in the Japan study suggested that PCI did not provide a survival benefit for patients with ES-SCLC. PCI with a risk of adverse events has poor significance, even if the patients show CR to chemotherapy. PMID: 29747871 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Radiotherapy and Oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Radiother Oncol Source Type: research