Methodology
Diagnosis
Staging
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Clinical history, including smoking and family history; physical examination, performance status (PS) and weight loss should be assessed.
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Blood test, including hematology, renal and hepatic function.
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Chest and upper abdomen (including liver and adrenal glands) computerized tomography (CT).
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Brain CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) if there are neurological symptoms in the physical examination.
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Bone scan if there is bone pain, high serum calcium or high alkaline phosphatase.
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Whole-body FDG-positron emission tomography (PET)-CT
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Bronchoscopy
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Pulmonary function tests
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Ergospirometry if the pulmonary function tests are not normal
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Chest MRI in Pancoast tumour
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Invasive mediastinal staging, endobronchial ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA), and/or endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), is recommended in patients with PET positive mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes (LNs). For patients with suspect LNs on imaging and negative EBUS/EUS results, an additional mediastinoscopy is recommended. In patients with PET-negative LNs, invasive staging is also recommended in CT enlarged mediastinal LNs (>1.5 cm) and in patients with central tumours.
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Histological and cytological confirmation is strongly recommended in the presence of pleural/pericardial effusion or isolated metastatic site.
Staging system
Occult carcinoma | TX | N0 | M0 |
---|---|---|---|
Stage 0 | Tis | N0 | M0 |
Stage IA | T1a, b | N0 | M0 |
Stage IB | T2a | N0 | M0 |
Stage IIA | T1a,b | N1 | M0 |
T2a | N1 | ||
T2b | N0 | ||
Stage IIB | T2b | N1 | |
T3 | N0 | ||
Stage IIIA | T1,T2 | N2 | |
T3 | N1,N2 | ||
T4 | N0,N1 | ||
Stage IIIb | T4 | N2 | |
Any T | N3 | ||
Stage IV | Any T | Any N | M1a,b |
TNM classification | |
Primary tumor (T) | |
TX | Primary tumor cannot be assessed, or tumor proven by the presence of malignant cells in sputum or bronchial washings but not visualized by imaging or bronchoscopy |
T0 | No evidence of primary tumor (Tis Carcinoma in situ)
|
T1 | Tumor 3 cm or less in greatest dimension, surrounded by lung or visceral pleura, without bronchoscopic evidence of invasion more proximal than the lobar bronchus (for example, not in the main bronchus) [1] |
T1a | Tumor 2 cm or less in greatest dimension |
T1b | Tumor more than 2 cm but 3 cm or less in greatest dimension |
T2 | Tumor more than 3 cm but 7 cm or less or tumor with any of the following features (T2 tumors with these features are classified T2a if 5 cm or less): involves main bronchus, 2 cm or more distal to the carina; invades visceral pleura (PL1 or PL2); associated with atelectasis or obstructive pneumonitis that extends to the hilar region but does not involve the entire lung |
T2a | Tumor more than 3 cm but 5 cm or less in greatest dimension |
T2b | Tumor more than 5 cm but 7 cm or less in greatest dimension |
T3 | Tumor more than 7 cm or one that directly invades any of the following: parietal pleural (PL3), chest wall (including superior sulcus tumors), diaphragm, phrenic nerve, mediastinal pleura, parietal pericardium; or tumor in the main bronchus less than 2 cm distal to the carina but without involvement of the carina; or associated atelectasis or obstructive pneumonitis of the entire lung or separate tumor nodule(s) in the same lobe |
T4 | Tumor of any size that invades any of the following: mediastinum, heart, great vessels, trachea, recurrent laryngeal nerve, esophagus, vertebral body, carina, separate tumor nodule(s) in a different ipsilateral lobe |
Regional lymph nodes (N) | |
NX | Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed |
N0 | No regional lymph node metastases |
N1 | Metastasis in ipsilateral peribronchial and/or ipsilateral hilar lymph nodes and intrapulmonary nodes, including involvement by direct extension |
N2 | Metastasis in ipsilateral mediastinal and/or subcarinal lymph node(s) |
N3 | Metastasis in contralateral mediastinal, contralateral hilar, ipsilateral or contralateral scalene, or supraclavicular lymph node(s) |
Distant metastasis (M) | |
M0 | No distant metastasis |
M1 | Distant metastasis |
M1a | Separate tumor nodule(s) in a contralateral lobe, tumor with pleural nodules or malignant pleural (or pericardial) effusion |
M1b | Distant metastasis (in extrathoracic organs) |
Treatment
Stage I–II
Surgery
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In stage I–II NSCLC patients who are medically fit for surgery, a lobectomy or anatomic pulmonary resection is recommended rather than a sublobar resection (IB) [6]. Systematic mediastinal lymph node sampling or dissection at the time of anatomic resection is also recommended for accurate staging over selective or no sampling [7] (IB).
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A sublobar resection (segmentectomy or a non-anatomical wedge resection) is recommended for those patients who cannot tolerate a lobectomy due to comorbidities or decreased pulmonary function (IB).
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A sublobar resection with negative margins can be considered for patients with small peripheral nodules (≤1 cm) with a predominantly ground glass opacity (IB).
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In central tumors, a sleeve lobectomy is the preferred type of resection over a pneumonectomy (IIC).
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Re-resection is recommended for patients with positive margins in resected stage I-II NSCLC. If re-resection is not possible, postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) should be considered [8].
Adjuvant therapy
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For patients with completely resected stage II NSCLC, four cycles of postoperative platinum-based chemotherapy are recommended (IA).
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Postoperative chemotherapy is not recommended for patients with completely resected stage IA NSCLC (IB) and its use remains controversial in patients with large IB tumors (≥4 cm) (IC).
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In elderly fit patients (≤80 years), postoperative platinum-based chemotherapy should be considered as well.
Stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT)
Stage III
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In patients with R0 resected NSCLC and an incidental N2 metastases found on final pathology examination of the resection specimen, adjuvant chemotherapy should be given [8] (IA). PORT may be considered (IVC) and should be administered after adjuvant chemotherapy. Retrospective analyses from randomized trials suggest a potential benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy in N2 disease. There is an ongoing European trial (LungART) evaluating this strategy.
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In patients with N2 documented intra-operatively, surgery should be followed by adjuvant chemotherapy (IA) +/- PORT (IVC).
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In potentially resectable IIIA (N2), several randomized clinical trials have compared the outcome of primary surgery versus neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery with fairly consistent trend to better survival for combined treatment. The Cochrane meta-analysis demonstrated that preoperative therapy is better than surgery alone for patients with stage III [12]. There are also several trials that have evaluated the role of surgery after preoperative therapy compared with a nonsurgical curative-intent strategy obtaining similar results. The North American intergroup 0139 study showed better progression-free survival (PFS) but no survival except in the unplanned subgroup patients who underwent lobectomy [13]. The optimal chemotherapy regimen has not been investigated in randomized studies, but cisplatin-based chemotherapy is recommended. These patients could be treated with induction chemotherapy followed by surgery, induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery or concurrent definitive chemoradiotherapy (IA). Trimodality treatment is preferably planned in patients in whom a complete resection by lobectomy is expected.
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In unresectable IIIA (N2) (bulky and multiple mediastinal nodal involvement) and IIIB disease, PS 0-1 and minimal weight loss, concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the treatment of choice (IA). Several phase III trials and a meta-analysis based on individual patient data have showed an overall survival (OS) benefit of 4.5 % at 5 years [14]. For fit patients with inoperable stage III, 2–4 cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy is recommended (IA), being etoposide and vinorelbine platinum combinations the most commonly used. There is no evidence for induction or consolidation treatment.
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If concurrent chemoradiotherapy is not possible, induction chemotherapy followed by definitive radiotherapy is an effective alternative [15] (IA).
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Radiotherapy dose of 60–66 Gy in 30–33 daily fractions of 1.8–2 Gy is recommended for concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The RTOG 0617 study has demonstrated that radiation dose of 74 Gy is not superior to the standard dose [16] (IA).
Stage IV (Fig. 2)
First line therapy
For squamous cell lung cancer (SCC)
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Two drugs platinum based combination must be offered. Data have shown that platinum combination therapy increases OS and improves QoL compared to supportive care [19] (IA). None of the cisplatin or carboplatin regimens with third generation drugs have shown clear superiority over others in the treatment of SCC. The choice of the combination must take into account the toxicity profile and patient comorbidities (IA).
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Although cisplatin and carboplatin have demonstrated similar activity, a meta-analysis has reported higher response rate (RR) and significantly OS increase in patients treated with cisplatin [20]. Carboplatin can be recommended if any contraindications for cisplatin exist (IA).
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The non-platinum regimens have reported lower activity as compared to platinum regimens [21] (IB).
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Four, up to a maximum of six cycles in selected cases, are recommended [22] (IA).
For non-squamous cell lung cancer (Non-SCC)
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Platinum-doublet combination is also recommended. Cisplatin/pemetrexed demonstrated more efficacy and less toxicity compared to cisplatin/gemcitabine [23] (IA). If any contraindications for cisplatin exist or in elderly fit patients, the combination pemetrexed/carboplatin could be a valuable treatment option [24] (IB).
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Bevacizumab can be added to the first line treatment in combination with platinum regimens in patients with PS 0-1 and without any specific contraindication for antiangiogenic therapy (IA). Bevacizumab must continue to be administered until disease progression or toxicity [25].
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Non-platinum combinations can be considered in some cases.
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Chemotherapy should be continued for a total of 4–6 cycles in selected cases.
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Maintenance therapy can be considered in those PS 0-1 patients who achieve at least stabilization and have recovered from toxicities from the previous induction therapy (IA):
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Pemetrexed is also indicated in continuation maintenance after four induction cycles of platinum/pemetrexed [28] (IA).
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Maintenance should be administered until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression.
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Elderly fit patients with PS 0-1 should be treated with platinum combination chemotherapy according to histology [29] (IA).
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Patients with important comorbidities or PS2 are suitable for being treated with monotherapy regimen.
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Unfit PS 3-4 patients, should not receive chemotherapy regardless of age, and supportive care must be recommended. However, patients with EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements may also be offered an EGFR or ALK TKI (IIA).
Solitary metastases
Second and third line
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Patients clinically or radiologically progressing after first-line chemotherapy, PS 0-1 should be offered second-line treatment (IA).
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Combination regimens have failed to show any survival benefit over single agents with more toxicity [34] (IA).
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Erlotinib may be recommended as third-line therapy for patients with PS of 0-2 who have not received prior EGFR TKIs (IA).
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Recently, novel therapeutic strategies have demonstrated significant benefit in OS in the second line setting, but they have not been approved yet by the Spanish Agency of Drugs and Sanitary Products (AEMPS):
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The addition of ramucirumab [35] (monoclonal antibody against VEGFR-2) to docetaxel, demonstrated a significant OS benefit compared to docetaxel alone in previously treated PS 0-1 NSCLC patients.
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Nintedanib [36] (VEGFR 1-3, FGFR 1-3, PDGFR alpha/beta and RET TKI) added to docetaxel has demonstrated a significant OS benefit as compared with docetaxel alone in previously treated stage IV, PS 0-1 adenocarcinoma.
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Nivolumab, PD-1 monoclonal antibody, improves the RR and the OS as compared with docetaxel alone in previously treated SCC NSCLC independently of the PD-L1 expression [37]. Preliminarily, Nivolumab resulted no survival inferior to docetaxel in the non-SCC population, but improved overall RR and OS in patients with PD-L1 overexpression [38].
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Targeted therapy for stage IV NSCLC
EGFR mutation
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Rebiopsy is at the time of progression in patients with EGFR mutations treated with first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs at front line, and benefits/risks should be discussed with the patient (IIIC).
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An EGFR TKI should be recommended if not received during the first line setting (IA).
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Platinum-based chemotherapy can be recommended after progression to an EGFR TKI (IIA).
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EGFR T790M gatekeeper mutation is considered to be the main mechanism of acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs. Third generation EGFR TKIs such as AZ9291, Rociletinib, HM61713, EGF 816 or ASP 8273 are selective for T790M resistance mutation and have shown significant activity in several phase I and II trials in patients with acquired resistance to first and second generation EGFR TKIs. Results from ongoing clinical trials are awaited to recommend these drugs in the second line setting.
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Continuing EGFR TKI in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy beyond progression has failed to demonstrate a significant benefit and should not be recommended [43].
ALK gene rearrangement
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For those ALK positive patients, Crizotinib should be recommended in the first line setting (IA). The phase III trial PROFILE 1014, compared crizotinib vs platinum-pemetrexed confirming a significant benefit in terms of PFS, RR and QoL [44].
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If not received during the first line setting, Crizotinib should be recommended as second-line treatment (IA). The recommendation is based on the phase III trial PROFILE 1007, that compared crizotinib vs chemotherapy (either pemetrexed or docetaxel) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK positive NSCLC previously treated. Crizotinib achieved significant better outcome in terms of PFS, RR, toxicity profile and QoL [45].
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For those patients progressing on Crizotinib treatment, Ceritinib, a second generation ALK TKI has received the approval from the FDA and EMA on the basis of a phase I single-arm trial obtaining a RR of 56 % and mPFS of 6.9 months [46] (IIB).
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Chemotherapy may still be appropriate in the absence of phase III data comparing ceritinib with chemotherapy. The chemotherapy regimens are the same as were recommended as first-line using platinum-based combinations (IA).
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Other ALK inhibitors under investigation include alectinib, brigatinib and lorlatinib have been reported to have high activity in ALK positive patients including patients with brain metastases. Results from ongoing clinical trials evaluating new ALK TKIs are awaited.
Other targetable genetic alterations
Recommendations | |
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Diagnosis
| |
Pathological diagnosis should be made according to the WHO classification and IASLC classification of adenocarcinoma For therapeutic implications, specific subtyping of NSCLC is strongly recommended whenever possible Limited panel of immunohistochemistry markers is strongly recommended in order to preserve as much tissue as possible for further molecular assessments Testing for EGFR mutations and ALK translocations are recommended in all patients with advanced-stage non-SCC, regardless of clinical characteristics and in never smokers irrespective of histology | |
Stage I–II
| |
Patients medically fit for surgery | Lobectomy plus systematic lymph node sampling or dissection |
Patients medically inoperable, node negative, tumors < 5 cm | SBRT |
Post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) | Not indicated in completely resected stage I-II |
Adjuvant chemotherapy (four cycles of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy | Not indicated in stage IA May be considered in selected patients with stage IB Recommended in stage II |
Targeted agents | Not recommended |
Stage III
| |
Postoperative IIIA (N2) | Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy ± PORT |
Preoperative resectable IIIA (N2) | Definitive concurrent chemo/radiotherapy Induction chemotherapy or induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery evaluation |
Unresectable IIIA (N2), IIIB | PS 0-1: definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy PS 2: sequential chemoradiotherapy |
Stage IV without driver mutations
| |
First line setting For PS 0-1, platinum-based doublets are recommended based on tumor histology | |
Non-SCC | Platinum-based doublet Cisplatin/pemetrexed doublet has demonstrated more efficacy and less toxicity compared to cisplatin/gemcitabine Bevacizumab added to a platinum doublet if there are no contraindications. Bevacizumab must continue to be administered until disease progression or toxicity |
SCC | Platinum-based doublet |
Elderly | Elderly fit patients with PS 0-1 should be treated with platinum combination chemotherapy according to histology |
PS 0-2 | Patients with important comorbidities or PS2 are suitable for being treated with monotherapy regimen |
Maintenance | For PS 0-1, non-SCC patients with stable disease or response after four cycles Pemetrexed or erlotinib can be used as switch maintenance Pemetrexed is also indicated in continuation maintenance after four induction cycles of platinum/pemetrexed |
Second line setting and beyond | For PS 0-2, docetaxel, erlotinib, or pemetrexed (only in non-SCC) Erlotinib may be recommended as third-line therapy for patients with PS of 0-2 who have not received prior EGFR TKIs |
Stage IV
EGFR
Mut NSCLC
| |
First-line stage IV EGFR Mut NSCLC | Gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib |
EGFR Mut patients who have not received and EGFR TKI as first line | Gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib |
EGFR Mut patients who progressed after first-line treatment with an EGFR TKI | Platinum-based chemotherapy Clinical trials with EGFR T790M TKIs* are ongoing |
Stage IV
ALK
rearranged NSCLC
| |
First-line ALK-rearranged stage IV NSCLC | Crizotinib |
Second line ALK-rearranged naive patients | Crizotinib |
Crizotinib-naive ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients who have received one prior platinum-based regimen | Crizotinib |
ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients who have received previously crizotinib | Chemotherapy Ceritinib* |
Other genetic alterations
| |
Ros1
| Crizotinib* (IIIC) |
Met amplification | Crizotinib* (IVC) |
BRAF mut | Vemurafenib*, Dabrafenib* (IVC) Dabrafenib* + Trametinib* (IIIC) |
Her2 mut | Her2 monoclonal antibodies*, Her2 TKIs* (IVC) |
Follow-up
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In patients who have had surgery, follow-up visit including history, physical examination and spiral chest CT is recommended every 6–12 months for the first 2 years and annually thereafter (IIIB).
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For patients who have undergone curative-intent therapy, routine surveillance with blood test, PET imaging or another radiological assessment is not recommended (IID).
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For patients treated with SBRT, CT scans every 6 months for 3 years are recommended if patients are suitable for salvage treatment (IIIB). The use of FDG-PET (and biopsy if positive) is recommended when recurrence after SBRT is suspected based on chest CT (IIIB).
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Treatment response is recommended to be evaluated 9 or 12 weeks after treatment begins, using the same radiographic method used at baseline. Depending on individual clinical judgement, a repeat scan might be performed after 6 weeks.
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For patients eligible for active cancer therapy in successive lines of treatment, it is advisable to undergo clinical and/or radiological evaluation 6 weeks after finishing treatment and then every 6–12 weeks to enable second-line therapy to commence promptly (IIIB).