We aimed to evaluate the impact of systemic autoimmune diseases (SADs) on treatment outcomes and radiation toxicities following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We queried an institution-based database on patients with SADs treated with SBRT for lung cancer between 2001 and 2016 (SAD group). Each patient was matched to three controls without SADs. The primary outcomes of interest were the overall survival (OS) and local control rate (LCR). The secondary outcomes were radiation toxicities of grades ≥2 (≥G2). Twelve patients with SADs were matched to 36 controls. The median follow-up duration was 3.6 years. There was a significant intergroup difference in the OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.11, 95% confidence incidence [CI]: 1.82−9.27, p < 0.001) and LCR (HR: 15.97, 95% CI: 2.89−88.29, p < 0.001). However, there were no significant intergroup differences in the odds of acute (odds ratio [OR]: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.02−8.91, p = 0.550) and late (OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 0.32−15.10, p = 0.422) ≥G2 radiation pneumonitis. No other ≥G2 toxicities were identified. In conclusion, although radiation toxicities are not enhanced by SADs, SADs are risk factors of poor prognosis following SBRT for stage I NSCLC.
Keywords: lung cancer; prognosis prediction; radiation pneumonitis; stereotactic body radiation therapy; systemic autoimmune disease.