Brown, Paul D.

Abstract BACKGROUND While glioblastoma (GBM) is more prevalent in males, studies show that females with GBM tend to have longer overall survival (OS) than males. Pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has also proven to be prognostic in GBM, with lower NLR having favorable outcomes. This secondary analysis of a prospective randomized trial of proton vs. photon intensity modulated radiotherapy aims to explore the interaction of gender and NLR on GBM outcomes. METHODS Analysis was performed on the full patient population. Kaplan-Meier methods estimated OS with censoring at last follow-up for those who were alive. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA)Cox proportional hazards models assessed predictors of OS. RESULTS Of 90 patients, 77 were included (43 males; 34 females) with median age of 52 years (range: 26–82 years). Median OS was longer for females than males (30.7 vs 18.2 months, p=0.004). On UVA, patients with NLR below median value (NLR= 3.1) tended to have longer OS than those above median, though not meeting statistical significance (23.1 vs. 17.9 months, p=0.051). Difference in OS was statistically significant in females (OS 36.4 months NLR >median vs. 16.7 months NLR< median, p=0.002), but not in males (OS 17.8 months NLR >median vs. 19.1 NLR< median, p=0.95). MVA analysis was consistent, with female gender predicting reduced hazard ratio (HR) (0.28, p=0.034) and females with below median NLR showing a reduced HR over those with above median (0.28, p=0.005). Again, males did not benefit (HR 0.90, p=0.77). CONCLUSION Consistent with prior publications, females and all patients with lower pre-treatment NLR with newly diagnosed GBM had longer OS. However, combining these two factors revealed that the benefits from lower pre-treatment NLR were conferred only in females with no impact on males. This different impact of NLR between genders may suggest innate immune differences in gender during response to malignancy.

Abstract Traditionally, the 50% isodose line (IDL) is used for prescription dose when vestibular schwannomas (VS) are treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). To compare the effect of IDL on treatment outcomes, propensity score-matched analysis according to age at time of GKRS and tumor volume (TV) between cohorts treated at 40%IDL and 50%IDL was performed. Patients with no history of neurofibromatosis, GKRS prescribed marginal dose of 12–14 Gy and TV ≤ 10 cc were identified. Patients were excluded if follow-up time was < 2 years. Eventually, 30 and 28 patients were included in 40%IDL and 50%IDL cohorts, respectively. Mean age and TV were not significantly different between 40%IDL and 50%IDL groups; 54.5 versus 54.0 years (p=0.891) and 2148.61 versus 2031.10 mm3 (p=0.844), respectively. Median prescription dose was 12 Gy in both groups. At median follow-up times of 111 and 72 months, the 2, 5 and 10-year local control were 100%, 96.4% and 96.4% for 40%IDL and 96.4%, 86.7%, and 86.7% for 50%IDL (p=0.243), respectively. Among 40 patients with accessible follow-up MRIs (40%IDL-n=19, 50%IDL-n=21), volume reduction at last follow-up MRIs and rate of reduction per year for 40%IDL and 50%IDL were 48.1% versus 38.3% (p=0.05) and 5.5% versus 6% (p=0.749), respectively. Of 21 patients with serviceable hearing prior to GKRS and available audiograms after GKRS (40%IDL-n=8, 50%IDL-n=13), the 2, 5 and 10-year hearing preservation rate were 100%, 83.3% and 62.5% for 40%IDL versus 76.2%, 57.1% and 11.4% for 50%IDL (p=0.017). Facial paresthesia, facial palsy and ataxia/gait disturbance requiring steroid and/or shunt were lower in 40%IDL compared to the 50%IDL; 6.7% versus 17.9% (p=0.208) and 3.3% versus 7.1% (p=0.532). To summarize, VS treated at 40%IDL have slightly better local control, although not statistically significant, compared to tumors treated at 50%IDL. However, hearing preservation and safety seem to be more favorable toward 40%IDL group.

Abstract BACKGROUND Treatment of temporal lobe glioma (TLG) frequently includes partial or complete temporal lobectomy (TL) followed by radiotherapy (RT). However, there are two approaches for temporal resection cavity RT, 1) standard target volumes (STV) targeting the entire TL resection cavity, dura, and peri-tumoral brain parenchyma or 2) modified target volumes (MTV) targeting only the adjacent peri-tumoral brain parenchyma. We report patterns of failure and a dosimetric comparison of these approaches. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a retrospective review of 49 patients with WHO grade II-IV TLG who underwent partial or complete TL and post-operative RT between 1998 and 2018. Progression-free survival (PFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS The median patient age was 56 years (range,21–76). Patients were diagnosed with glioblastoma (n=32,65%), anaplastic glioma (n=10,20%) and low-grade glioma (n=7,14%). Treatment included partial TL with STV (n=33,67%), partial TL with MTV (n=5,10%), complete TL with STV (n=8,16%) and complete TL with MTV (n=3,6%). Mean RT dose was 60 Gy (range,40–76) in 30 fractions (range,15–39). At median follow-up time of 18 months (range, 3–161), 44 patients (90%) experienced recurrence: 34 (77%) in-field, 5 (11%) out-of-field, and 5 (11%) both in- and out-of-field. Among the 39 in-field failures, the location of recurrence included brain parenchyma (n=38,97%), ventricle (n=6,15%), and dura (n=5,13%). No patient experienced isolated dural recurrence regardless of tumor grade, extent of TL, or radiation volume. Median PFS was 20 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15–24). RT volume (STV vs. MTV) was not associated with worsened PFS (hazard ratio: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.5–2.6). MTV was associated with significant reductions in mean or max doses to brain stem, optic chiasm, optic nerves, hippocampus, and pituitary compared to STV. CONCLUSION Omitting RT to the entire TL cavity may reduce dose to multiple normal tissues with no detriments in dural recurrence or PFS.

Abstract PURPOSE To compare tumor progression based on clinical radiological assessment and on Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria between GBM patients treated with proton radiotherapy (PT) vs. photon intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). METHODS Eligible patients were enrolled on the described prospective phase II trial and had MR imaging at baseline and follow-up beyond 12 weeks from treatment completion. ‘Clinical’ progression was based on a radiology report of progression in combination with changes in treatment due to suspected disease progression. A single blinded observer applied RANO criteria to determine the RANO-based tumor progression. RESULTS Of 90 enrolled patients, 66 were evaluable, with median follow-up of 19.8 (Range: 3.2–65.1) months; median of 22.6 months for PT (n=25) vs. 18.9 months for IMRT (n=41). Median time to progression (TTP) was 7.9 months based on clinical progression criteria (8.1 months IMRT, 6.3 months PT) and 7.2 months (7.3 months IMRT, 5.7 months PT) by RANO criteria (p=ns for all). Median ‘clinical’ progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.7 (Range: 6.4–11.1) months; 8.9 months IMRT vs. 8.7 months PT (p=0.065). Median RANO PFS was 8.3 (range, 5.8–11.6) months: 8.3 months IMRT vs. 6.9 months PT (p=0.226). There were 14 discrepant cases: 3 had progression based on ‘clinical’ but not RANO criteria, and 11 had progression based on RANO but not ‘clinical’ criteria. CONCLUSION Based on this secondary analysis of a randomized trial of PT vs. IMRT for GBM, there was no difference in tumor progression relative to treatment technique used. There was no statistical difference in PFS noted between clinical and RANO-based assessments, but RANO criteria identified progression more often than clinical assessment, and TTP was shortened with the use of RANO criteria alone. Further development of tumor assessment tools that improve consistency and accuracy of determining tumor progression are needed to guide therapeutic trials in GBM.

Abstract PURPOSE To provide a final update on oncologic and cognitive outcomes of high dose versus low dose radiation for low-grade glioma. METHODS Between 1986 and 1994, 203 patients with supratentorial low grade glioma were randomized to 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions versus 64.8 Gy in 36 fractions after any degree of resection. Histologic subtype was oligodendroglioma (71%) or astrocytoma (29%). Primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Cognitive status was followed using Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS For the entire cohort of 203 patients, median OS was 8.4 years (95% CI: 7.2 – 10.8). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.2 years (95% CI: 4.3 – 6.6). Median follow-up is 17.2 years for the 33 patients still alive. High-dose radiation did not improve OS (15-yr OS: 22.4% vs. 24.9%, log rank p=0.978) or PFS (15-yr PFS: 15.2% vs. 9.5%, p=0.7142). OS was significantly better for patients with pre-operative tumor diameter < 5 cm (15-yr OS: 39.4% vs. 15.2%, p< 0.001), baseline MMSE > 27 (15-yr OS: 27.3% vs. 9.8%, p=0.001), and for patients who underwent gross total resection (GTR) (15-yr OS: 39.3% GTR vs. 16.4% subtotal resection vs. 24.5% biopsy only, p=0.0119). PFS was improved for patients with oligodendroglioma versus astrocytoma (15-yr PFS: 13.8% vs. 8.6%, p=0.0221). PFS was also improved for patients with pre-operative tumor diameter < 5 cm, patients who had GTR, and patients with baseline MMSE > 27. For patients who had normal MMSE at baseline, at 7 years only 1 patient (5%) had a clinically significant decrease in MMSE from the previous time point, with the remainder (95%) stable. None had decrease in MMSE at 10, 12, or 15 years. CONCLUSIONS Long-term follow-up indicates no benefit to high-dose over low-dose radiation for low-grade gliomas. Minimal late decline in cognitive function after radiation was seen by MMSE. SUPPORT: U10CA180821,U10CA180882. https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org

Abstract BACKGROUND NRG-CC001 sought to evaluate the neuro-protective effects of avoiding the peri-hippocampal stem cell niche using intensity-modulated radiotherapy during WBRT. METHODS Patients with brain metastasis were stratified by RPA class and prior radiosurgery/surgery and randomized to WBRT+M or HA-WBRT+ Memantine (M) (30Gy in 10 fractions). Standardized NCF tests and the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Brain Tumor (MDASI-BT) were obtained at baseline, 2, 4, 6, and 12 months (mos). The primary endpoint was NCF failure defined using the reliable change index. Pre-specified secondary endpoints included patient-reported symptoms using the MDASI-BT. Time to NCF was reported as cumulative incidence (with death without NCF failure as a competing risk); between-arms differences were tested using Gray’s test. Deterioration at discrete time-points were tested using chi-square tests. MDASI-BT symptom burden, interference, and cognitive and neurologic burden were analyzed using mixed effects models and t-tests within the model using Hochberg’s multiplicity adjustment. RESULTS A total of 518 patients were randomized from 7/2016 to 3/2018. Median follow-up for alive patients was 12.1 mos, with no difference between arms in terms of toxicity, overall survival or intracranial progression-free survival. HA-WBRT+M was associated with lower risk of NCF failure (adjusted HR=0.739, 95% CI: 0.577–0.945, p=0.0.016), with differences first noted at 4 mos in Trail Making Test Part-B (23.3% vs. 40.4% deteriorated, p=0.012). Age did not dilute treatment effect. HA-WBRT+M was associated with reduced cognitive symptom burden in an imputed model (estimate=-0.29, p=0.0425), and also reduced overall symptom burden (p< 0.0001) and interference (p< 0.0016) at 6 mos. CONCLUSIONS The addition of HA to WBRT+M preserved NCF and reduced patient reported cognitive symptom burden, overall symptom burden and symptom interference and should be considered standard of care for any patient fit enough to have WBRT. Supported by grants UG1CA189867 (NCORP), U10CA180868 (NRG Oncology Operations), DCP from the National Cancer Institute.

Abstract The treatment of resected brain metastasis has shifted away from the historical use of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) toward adjuvant radiosurgery (stereotactic radiosurgery [SRS]) based on a recent prospective clinical trial demonstrating less cognitive decline with the use of SRS alone and equivalent survival as compared with WBRT. Whereas all level 1 evidence to date concerns single-fraction SRS for postoperative brain metastasis, there is emerging evidence that fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) may improve local control at the resected tumor bed. The lack of direct comparative data for SRS vs FSRT results in a diversity in clinical practice. In this article, Greenspoon and Roberge defend the use of SRS as the standard of care for resected brain metastasis, whereas Palmer and Brown argue for FSRT.

Abstract Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are non-invasive, loco-regional, anti-mitotic treatment comprising alternating electric fields that have demonstrated efficacy in preclinical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) models. TTFields to the brain was safe and extended overall survival in newly-diagnosed glioblastoma. The METIS study [NCT02831959] investigates the efficacy and safety of TTFields in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. NSCLC patients (N=270) with 1–10 brain metastases are randomized 1:1 to stereotactic radio surgery (SRS) followed by continuous TTFields ((150 kHz, &gt; 18 hours/day) within 7 days of SRS or supportive care. The TTFields portable device delivers TTFields to the brain using 4 transducer arrays, while patients receive the best standard-of-care for their systemic disease. Patients are followed every two months until second intracranial progression. Key inclusion criteria: KPS ≥70, new diagnosis of 1 inoperable or 2–10 supra- and/or infratentorial brain metastases from NSCLC amenable to SRS; KPS ≥70; and optimal therapy for extracranial disease. Prior WBRT or surgical resection of metastases, a single resectable lesion or recurrent brain metastases were exclusionary. Primary endpoint was time to 1st intracranial progression. Secondary endpoints included time to neurocognitive failure (HVLT, COWAT and TMT), overall survival, radiological response rate (RANO-BM and RECIST V1.1); quality-of-life; adverse events; time to first/second intracranial progression for patients with 1–4 and 5–10 brain metastases; bi-monthly intracranial progression rate from 2–12 months; and time to second intracranial and distant progression. The sample size (N=270) was calculated using a log-rank test (Lakatos 1988 and 2002) with 80% power at a two sided alpha of 0.05 to detect a hazard ratio of 0.57. In August 2018, an independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) performed a review of the METIS trial data collected to that point. The DMC concluded that no unexpected safety issues have emerged on the study, and recommended to continue the METIS study as planned.

Abstract BACKGROUND: NRG CC001, a phase III trial of WBRT+memantine (WBRT+M) with or without Hippocampal Avoidance (HA), sought to assess the neuro-protective effects of lowering the radiation dose received by the hippocampus. METHODS: Patients (pts) with brain metastases were stratified by RPA class and prior radiosurgery/surgery and randomized to either WBRT+M or HA-WBRT+M (30Gy/10 fractions). Standardized neurocognitive function (NCF) tests were performed at baseline, 2, 4, 6, and 12 months (mos.). The primary endpoint was NCF failure, defined as decline using the reliable change index on Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, Trail Making Test, or Controlled Oral Word Association. Cumulative incidence estimated NCF failure (death without NCF failure was competing risk); between-arms differences tested using Gray’s test. Deterioration at each collection time point was tested using a chi-square test. Patient-reported symptoms were assessed using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory with Brain Tumor module and analyzed using mixed effects models and t-tests. RESULTS: From 7/2016 to 3/2018, 518 patients were randomized. Median follow-up was 7.9 mos. HA-WBRT+M was associated with lower NCF failure risk (adjusted HR=0.74, p=0.02) due to lower risk of deterioration in executive function at 4 mos. (p=0.01); and encoding (p=0.049) and consolidation (p=0.02) at 6 mos. Age≤61 predicted for lower NCF failure risk (HR=0.60, p=0.0002); non-significant test for interaction indicated independent effects of HA and age. Patient-reported fatigue (p=0.036); difficulty speaking (p=0.049); and problems remembering things (p=0.013) at 6 mos. favored the HA-WBRT+M arm. Imputation models accounting for missing data also favored the HA-WBRT+M arm for patient-reported cognition (p=0.011) and symptom interference (p=0.008) at 6 mos. Treatment arms did not significantly differ in toxicity; intracranial progression or overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: While achieving similar intracranial control and survival; Hippocampal Avoidance during WBRT+M for brain metastases better preserves NCF and patient-reported symptoms. Supported by UG1CA189867 (NCORP) and DCP from the NCI.