The Impacts of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) or Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs) on Patients with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for Early-Stage NSCLC

Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as an alternative to surgery for patients with inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The majority of inoperable NSCLC patients are elderly and frequently have comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases for which they frequently receive angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). The interactions of these medications with SBRT are not clear. The objective of the current study is to investigate the interaction of ARBs and ACEIs with SBRT for the outcomes of early-stage NSCLC. Methods and Materials: A retrospective chart review of patients treated with SBRT for Stage I and II NSCLC (AJCC 7th edition) at a single institution between 2006 and 2017 was conducted. Information on the use of ARBs, ACEIs, demographics, and tumor-related factors was collected. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed to assess the impact of ARBs and ACEIs combined with SBRT respectively on the treatment outcomes of these patients. Results: In total, 116 patients were included in the study, among whom 38/116 (32.76%) received ACEIs, and 20/116 (17.24%) received ARBs. In the multivariable analysis, the use of ARBs, but not ACEIs, with SBRT, was significantly associated with the increased risk of dissemination (Hazard Ratio (HR): 2.97; CI: 1.40-6.27; p < 0.004) compared to SBRT without ARBs. The tumor size of > = 3 cm was associated with significantly decreased time to local failure and OS compared to tumor size <3cm. Conclusion: In the current retrospective study, the use of ARBs, in combination with SBRT, was associated with a significantly increased risk of disease dissemination in early-stage NSCLC compared to SBRT alone. The findings warrant further investigations on the concurrent use of ARBs, ACEIs, and other medicines used for chronic diseases with SBRT for early-stage NSCLC.