Adjuvant atezolizumab after adjuvant chemotherapy in resected stage IB-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (IMpower010): a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Novel adjuvant strategies are needed to optimise outcomes after complete surgical resection in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to evaluate adjuvant atezolizumab versus best supportive care after adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in these patients.

METHODS

IMpower010 was a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 study done at 227 sites in 22 countries and regions. Eligible patients were 18 years or older with completely resected stage IB (tumours ≥4 cm) to IIIA NSCLC per the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer and American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system (7th edition). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by a permuted-block method (block size of four) to receive adjuvant atezolizumab (1200 mg every 21 days; for 16 cycles or 1 year) or best supportive care (observation and regular scans for disease recurrence) after adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy (one to four cycles). The primary endpoint, investigator-assessed disease-free survival, was tested hierarchically first in the stage II-IIIA population subgroup whose tumours expressed PD-L1 on 1% or more of tumour cells (SP263), then all patients in the stage II-IIIA population, and finally the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (stage IB-IIIA). Safety was evaluated in all patients who were randomly assigned and received atezolizumab or best supportive care. IMpower010 is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02486718 (active, not recruiting).

FINDINGS

Between Oct 7, 2015, and Sept 19, 2018, 1280 patients were enrolled after complete resection. 1269 received adjuvant chemotherapy, of whom 1005 patients were eligible for randomisation to atezolizumab (n=507) or best supportive care (n=498); 495 in each group received treatment. After a median follow-up of 32·2 months (IQR 27·4-38·3) in the stage II-IIIA population, atezolizumab treatment improved disease-free survival compared with best supportive care in patients in the stage II-IIIA population whose tumours expressed PD-L1 on 1% or more of tumour cells (HR 0·66; 95% CI 0·50-0·88; p=0·0039) and in all patients in the stage II-IIIA population (0·79; 0·64-0·96; p=0·020). In the ITT population, HR for disease-free survival was 0·81 (0·67-0·99; p=0·040). Atezolizumab-related grade 3 and 4 adverse events occurred in 53 (11%) of 495 patients and grade 5 events in four patients (1%).

INTERPRETATION

IMpower010 showed a disease-free survival benefit with atezolizumab versus best supportive care after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resected stage II-IIIA NSCLC, with pronounced benefit in the subgroup whose tumours expressed PD-L1 on 1% or more of tumour cells, and no new safety signals. Atezolizumab after adjuvant chemotherapy offers a promising treatment option for patients with resected early-stage NSCLC.

FUNDING

F Hoffmann-La Roche and Genentech.

Risk of work-related injury in workers with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective of this study is to elucidate the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the risk of work-related injuries (WRIs), synthesize the latest clinical evidence and conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA 2020). Observational studies published before April 2020 in PubMed, Cochrane library, PsycINFO, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science were included. Random-effects Mantel-Haenszel meta-analysis was performed. A total of 15 studies with 21,507 participants were included. Prespecified subgroup analyses based on study design and the characteristics of the enrollees were conducted. Overall, workers with OSA had 1.64-fold increased odds of being involved in WRIs compared to their counterparts (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.24-2.16, p = 0.0005). In addition to the professional drivers that have been studied in the past, such a trend also existed in the general working population (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.14-2.49, p = 0.01). We also found that workers with excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale score >10) had a 1.68-fold increased risk of WRIs compared to those with lower ESS scores (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.22-2.30, p = 0.002). This study verified that OSA workers had a higher risk of WRIs, and such correlations do not show obvious differences in subgroups with different sample sizes, OSA diagnosis methods, job types or definitions of WRI. Based on the association between OSA and WRIs identified in our study, further studies investigating the protective effects of early identification and management of OSA on WRIs are warranted.

[Determination of Salt Forms of New Psychoactive Substances by Ion Chromatography]

Objective To establish an ion chromatography method for the salt form determination of new psychoactive substances （NPS）. Methods The method of conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis of six types of organic acid ions （acetate ion, tartrate ion, maleate ion, oxalate ion, fumarate ion, citrate ion） and five types of inorganic anions （fluoride ion, chloride ion, nitrate ion, sulfate ion, phosphate ion） in NPS sample by ion chromatography was developed. The salt forms of 222 seized NPS samples （103 samples with synthetic cannabinoids, 81 samples with cathinones, 44 samples with phenylethylamines, 12 samples with tryptamines, 7 samples with phencyclidines, 6 samples with piperazines, 2 samples with aminoindenes, 26 samples with fentanyls and 43 samples with other types of NPS） were analyzed by this method. Results Each anion had good linearity in the corresponding linear range, the correlation coefficients （r） were greater than 0.999, the limits of detection were 0.01-0.05 mg/L, and the limits of quantitative were 0.1-0.5 mg/L. Except that 5F-BEPIRAPIM was hydrochloride, the salt forms of the other 102 synthetic cannabinoids were all base. The salt form of 81 cathinone samples, 44 phenylethylamine samples, 7 phencyclidine samples and 2 aminoindene samples were all hydrochloride. The salt forms of tryptamine samples included base, hydrochloride, fumarate and oxalate. The salt forms of piperazine samples included base and hydrochloride. The salt forms of fentanyl samples and samples of other types included base, hydrochloride and citrate. Conclusion Ion chromatography is a simple, accurate and efficient method for determining the salt form of NPS samples, which makes the qualitative and quantitative conclusions of NPS more scientific and rigorous.

Treatment patterns and survival in patients with small cell lung cancer in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive form of lung cancer. The chemotherapy regimens and their efficacy in practice are seldom reported. We aimed to investigate treatment patterns and survival outcomes of patients with SCLC in Taiwan.

METHODS

Patients newly diagnosed with SCLC from 2011 to 2015 were identified from the Cancer Registry database. Their clinical characteristics, treatment regimens, and survival status were obtained from National Health Insurance Research database. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox-proportional hazard model were used to analyze the survival outcomes.

RESULTS

Among a total of 2707 patients enrolled, 439 were in the limited stage (LS, 16.22%) and 2268 were in the extensive stage of the disease (ES, 83.78%). The median age was 66 and the majority were male (90.36%). The first-line regimen used for the patients was etoposide/cisplatin-based treatment, followed by etoposide/carboplatin-based regimen, and etoposide only. The median overall survival (OS) was 16.92 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.31-18.92) and 8.71 months (95% CI 8.38-9.07) in LS and ES patients, respectively. Chemotherapy regimen, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and history of radiotherapy were significant factors associated with OS. On the other hand, the major second-line treatment was a topotecan-based regimen (68.3%). However, this showed inferior survival outcome compared to etoposide-based regimen (5.09 months [95% CI 4.76-5.62] versus 8.77 months [95% CI 6.31-11.89], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Etoposide is the preferred and superior first-line chemotherapy regimen in combination with platinum, and an alternative choice of second-line regimen for Taiwanese patients with SCLC.

[Identification of Synthetic Cannabinoid 5F-EDMB-PICA in Suspicious Herbal Products]

Objective To study the qualitative analysis strategy for unknown synthetic cannabinoid in the suspicious herbal product when no reference substance is available. Methods The synthetic cannabinoid in herbal blend was extracted with methanol. The extract was concentrated by rotary evaporator and separated and purified by preparative liquid chromatography, to obtain high purity synthetic cannabinoid sample. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry （UPLC-QTOF-MS） and nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） were used to determine the structure of the prepared compound. Results High purity unknown sample （10 mg） was obtained by preparative liquid chromatography. The sample was analyzed by GC-MS, UPLC-TOF-MS and NMR, and through spectrum analysis, the unknown synthetic cannabinoid was determined as 5F-EDMB-PICA. Conclusion The method to extract unknown synthetic cannabinoid from low content herbal products by preparative liquid chromatography was established, and the structure of the unknown sample was identified by comprehensive use of GC-MS, UPLC-QTOF-MS and NMR. The information will assist forensic laboratories in identifying this substance or other compounds with similar structures in their casework.

Comparison of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity between two different formulations of colistin in critically ill patients: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Colistin is widely used in the treatment of nosocomial infections caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacilli (CR-GNB). Colistin-induced nephrotoxicity is one of the major adverse reactions during colistin treatment. Comparisons of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity between different formulations of colistin are rarely reported.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled intensive care unit–admitted patients if they had culture isolates of CR-GNB and underwent intravenous treatment with colistin. The occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) during intravenous treatment with colistin was recorded. The occurrence of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity was compared between two formulations of colistin, Locolin®, and Colimycin®. Treatment outcomes associated with the occurrence of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity were also investigated.

Results

Among 195 patients, 95 who were treated with Locolin® and 100 who were treated with Colimycin® were included for analysis. Patients treated with Locolin® had a higher rate of occurrence of stage 2 (46.3% vs. 32%, p = 0.040) and stage 3 (29.5% vs. 13%, p = 0.005) AKI than did those treated with Colimycin®. In multivariate analysis, the presence of septic shock (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–4.26) and inappropriate colistin dosage (aOR 2.52, 95% CI 1.00–6.33) were clinical factors associated with colistin-induced nephrotoxicity. Treatment with Colimycin® was an independent factor associated with a lower risk of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity (aOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.18–0.77). The mortality rate was comparable between patients with and without colistin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Conclusions

The risk of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity significantly varied in different formulations of colistin in critically ill patients. Colistin-induced nephrotoxicity was not associated with increased mortality rate.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13756-021-00977-w.

[Quality assessment of guidelines on upper gastrointestinal cancer screening]

Objective: To systematically evaluate the methodological quality of screening guidelines for upper gastrointestinal cancer (including esophageal cancer and gastric cancer) both at home and abroad, and provide reference for the update of upper gastrointestinal cancer screening guidelines in China. Methods: Original articles and grey literature published as of 31^th Aug 2020 were retrieved using Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, China Biomedical Literature Database and China Guideline Clearinghouse), PubMed, The Cochrane Library and Embase, as well as those from International Agency for Research on Cancer and the International Guide Collaboration Network. The inclusion criteria were being independent guidelines/recommendation documents for upper gastrointestinal cancer screening and meeting the definition of the institute of Medicine, USA. The exclusion criteria were being guideline abstracts, interpretation and evaluation literature, duplicate publications, updated original guidelines, and clinical treatment or practice guidelines for esophageal or gastric cancer. Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE Ⅱ) and Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) were used to compare and evaluate the quality and reporting standard of esophageal or gastric cancer screening guidelines. Results: A total of 6 esophageal cancer screening guidelines and 5 gastric cancer screening guidelines were included. The results of the AGREE Ⅱ quality evaluation showed that the overall quality of eleven guidelines varied, including two guidelines recommended for "A", one for "B", five for "C" and three for "D". The guidelines had higher scores in the areas of scope and purpose, and clarity. The esophageal cancer screening guidelines had different scores in the areas of rigor and independence. The gastric cancer screening guidelines generally had low scores in the areas of participants and application. The RIGHT evaluation results showed that the quality of eleven guidelines should be improved. The six items with poor report quality were background, evidence, recommendations, review and quality assurance, funding and conflict of interest statement and management and others. Conclusion: The quality of the included upper gastrointestinal cancer screening guidelines is general, and the standardization needs to be strengthened.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-derived circulating cell-free DNA in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and persons with latent tuberculosis infection

Objectives

The timely diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is challenging. Although pathogen-derived circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been detected in humans, the significance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-cfDNA detection in patients with PTB remains unclear.

Methods

This study enrolled patients with PTB and persons with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) as the study and control groups, respectively, from 2018 to 2020. We measured interferon-γ levels and calculated blood monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). We conducted plasma cfDNA extraction, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and droplet digital PCR targeting the IS6110 gene of MTB. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of using MTB-cfDNA to identify PTB and analyzed the factors associated with PTB diagnosis and MTB-cfDNA positivity.

Results

We enrolled 24 patients with PTB and 57 LTBI controls. The sensitivity of using MTB-cfDNA to identify PTB was 54.2%(13/24) in total and 46.2%(6/13) in smear-negative cases. Two LTBI controls (3.5%) tested positive for MTB-cfDNA, indicating a specificity of 96.5%(55/57). By using MTB-cfDNA positivity and an MLR ≥0.42 to identify PTB, sensitivity increased to 79.2%(19/24). Among patients with PTB, MTB-specific interferon-γ levels were higher in MTB-cfDNA positive participants than in those who tested negative (7.0 ±2.7 vs 2.7±3.0 IU/mL, p<0.001). MTB-cfDNA levels declined after 2 months of anti-tuberculosis therapy (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The sensitivity of using MTB-cfDNA to identify PTB in participants was 54.2%, which increased to 79.2% after incorporating an MLR ≥0.42 into the analysis. MTB-cfDNA positivity was associated with MTB-specific immune response, and MTB-cfDNA levels declined after treatment. The clinical value of MTB-cfDNA in PTB management necessitates further investigation.

[Analysis of bloodstream infections in children with acute myeloid leukemia during induction chemotherapies]

Objective: To explore the clinical features of bloodstream infections (BSI) in children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) during the first induction chemotherapy. Methods: The clinical data, pathogen of BSI, antibiotic susceptibility in vitro, complications and prognosis of 204 newly diagnosed AML children admitted to Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2009 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. χ² test was used for the comparison between groups and Logistic regression was used for BSI risk factor analysis. Results: Among 204 patients, 116 were males and 88 were females. The age was 8 (ranged from 1 to 14) years. Among them, 170 patients received MAE chemotherapies (etoposide, mitoxantrone and cytarabine) and 25 received IAE chemotherapies (etoposide, idarubicin and cytarabine). The other 9 patients used granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-priming regimen (aclacinomycin or homoharringtonine, cytarabine and G-CSF) for induction treatments. A total of 28 patients experienced BSI and the incidence rate was 13.7% (28/204), 26 of them developed BSI once and 2 patients developed twice. Gram-positive bacteria were predominant pathogens accounting for 53.3% (16/30) while gram-negative bacteria accounting for 40.0% (12/30) and fungal accounted for 6.7% (2/30). The most common detected pathogens were Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS, 26.7% (8/30)), followed by Streptococcus spp. (13.3% (4/30)) and Escherichia coli (13.3% (4/30)). Among Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), 3 cases showed carbapenem resistance and 2 cases were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. BSI-related mortality was 28.6% (8/28). Infections caused by drug-resistant GNB or fungi resulted in 6 fatal cases. The incidence rate of BSI in group with severe neutropenia was higher than in group without it (16.6% (25/151) vs. 5.7% (3/53), χ²=3.933, P=0.047). Multivariable analysis showed severe neutropenia at the onset of fever was independent risk factor of BSI (OR=4.258,95%CI 1.097-16.524,P=0.036). Conclusions: During the first induction chemotherapy courses, Gram-positive bacteria cause most of the BSI. Drug-resistant bacteria related infection often result in fatal outcomes. Severe neutropenia is a significant risk factor.

Metabolomic profile of milk fermented with Streptococcus thermophilus cocultured with Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, or both during storage

In this study, the microbial interactions among cocultures of Streptococcus thermophilus (St) with potential probiotics of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis (Ba) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lp) in fermented milk were investigated during a storage period of 21 d at 4°C, in terms of acidifying activity (pH and titratable acidity), viable counts, and metabolites. A nontargeted metabolomics approach based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was employed for mapping the global metabolite profiles of fermented milk. Probiotic strains cocultured with St accelerated milk acidification, and improved the microbial viability compared with the single culture of St. The St-Ba/Lp treatment manifested a higher bacteria viability and acidification ability in comparison with the St-Ba or the St-Lp treatment. Relative quantitation of 179 significant metabolites was identified, including nucleosides, AA, short peptides, organic acids, lipid derivatives, carbohydrates, carbonyl compounds, and compounds related to energy metabolism. The principal component analysis indicated that St treatment and coculture treatments displayed a complete distinction in metabolite profiles, and Lp had a larger effect than Ba on metabolic profiles of fermented milk produced by cofermentation with St during storage. The heat map in combination with hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the abundance of metabolites significantly varied with the starter cultures over the storage, and high abundance of metabolites was observed in either St or coculture samples. The St-Ba/Lp treatment showed relatively high abundance for the vast majority of metabolites. These findings suggest that the profile of the metabolites characterizing fermented milk samples may depend on the starter cultures, and incorporation of probiotics may considerably influence the metabolomic activities of fermented milks.

IMpower010: Primary results of a phase III global study of atezolizumab versus best supportive care after adjuvant chemotherapy in resected stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

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Background: Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy (chemo) provides only a modest 5-year survival benefit in fully resected, high-risk early-stage NSCLC. We report the primary disease-free survival (DFS) results from the pre-planned interim analysis of IMpower010, a randomized phase 3 open-label trial of adjuvant atezolizumab (atezo; anti–PD-L1) vs best supportive care (BSC) after adjuvant chemo in patients (pts) with early-stage resected NSCLC. Methods: Eligible pts had completely resected (4-12 weeks prior to enrollment) Stage IB (≥4 cm)-IIIA NSCLC (AJCC/UICC v7) and ECOG PS 0-1. A total of 1280 pts were enrolled, and 1269 pts received up to four 21-day cycles of cisplatin-based chemo (plus pemetrexed, docetaxel, gemcitabine or vinorelbine). Of these pts (n=1269), 1005 were subsequently randomized 1:1 to 16 cycles of atezo 1200 mg Q3W or BSC. The primary endpoint of investigator-assessed DFS and secondary endpoint of overall survival (OS) were tested hierarchically: first DFS in the PD-L1 TC ≥1% (SP263) subgroup with Stage II-IIIA disease, then DFS in all randomized pts with Stage II-IIIA disease, then DFS in the ITT population (Stage IB-IIIA) and finally OS in the ITT population. Efficacy assessments were based on randomized pts. Safety was assessed in the safety-evaluable population, defined as pts who received ≥1 dose of atezo or who had ≥1 post-baseline safety assessment if randomized to the BSC arm. Results: At data cutoff (January 21, 2021), median follow-up was 32.2 months in the ITT population. Baseline characteristics were generally balanced between arms. Atezo showed statistically significant DFS benefit vs BSC in the PD-L1 TC ≥1% Stage II-IIIA and all randomized Stage II-IIIA populations; the significance boundary was not crossed for DFS in the ITT population (Table). OS data were immature and not formally tested. Pts in the atezo arm received a median of 16 (range, 1-16) atezo doses. Any-grade AEs occurred in 92.7% (atezo) and 70.7% (BSC); events were Grade 3/4 in 21.8% and 11.5%, respectively. Grade 5 treatment-related AEs occurred in 0.8% of pts in the atezo arm. AEs leading to atezo discontinuation occurred in 18.2% of atezo-treated pts. Conclusions: IMpower010 met its primary endpoint, showing DFS benefit with adjuvant atezo vs BSC after adjuvant chemo in pts with resected Stage II-IIIA NSCLC, with pronounced benefit in the PD-L1 TC ≥1% subgroup. The safety profile of atezo was consistent with prior experience of atezo monotherapy across indications and lines of therapy. Funding: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Clinical trial information: NCT02486718. [Table: see text]

Sequence For Surgical Resection of Primary Lung Tumor For Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Differing surgical series for the treatment of primary lung tumor with synchronous oligometastatic stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been published; however, outcomes remain ambiguous.

METHODS

Patients with synchronous oligometastatic stage IV NSCLC treated from 2005 to 2017 were enrolled to identify the impact of treatment sequence (primary lung resection versus systemic treatment) on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Fifty-one patients received tumor resection (84% adenocarcinoma, 55% non-smokers, and 65% driver gene mutation). Resection occurred before or after systemic treatment in 33 (64.7%) and 18 (35.3%) patients, respectively. Patients who received resection first were older (62.1 vs. 54 year) and at a less advanced intrathoracic stage (18% vs. 44%). No significant differences were noted regarding perioperative complication (30% vs. 28%), length of hospital stay (9.0 vs. 10.5 days), percentage of disease progression (91% vs. 94%), overall death (70% vs. 78%), median PFS (14.0 vs. 22.8 months) and OS (44.6 vs. 53.2 months). Patients with single-organ metastasis had significantly longer PFS and OS than those with oligometastases (17.5 vs. 12.8 months, p=0.040 and 55.6 vs. 39.8 months, p=0.035), respectively. Multivariable Cox analysis identified non-solitary metastasis as the only independent predictor of PFS (hazard ratio 2.27; 95% CI, 1.07-4.81, p=0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

Primary lung resection before or after induction systemic therapy may benefit patients with oligometastatic NSCLC. Future randomized clinical trials examining the effect of treatment sequence is recommended.

Experience from Asian centers in a named-patient-use program for afatinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer who had progressed following prior therapies, including patients with uncommon EGFR mutations

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated outcomes among patients with advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated at Asian centers participating in the global named-patient-use (NPU) program for afatinib.

METHODS

Patients had progressed after initial benefit with erlotinib or gefitinib, and/or had an EGFR or HER2 mutation, had no other treatment options, and were ineligible for afatinib trials. The recommended starting dose of afatinib was 50 mg/day. Dose modifications were allowed, and afatinib was continued as long as deemed beneficial. Response and survival information was provided voluntarily. Safety reporting was mandatory.

RESULTS

2242 patients (26% aged ≥ 70 years, 96% with adenocarcinoma) received afatinib at centers in 10 Asian countries. Most were heavily pre-treated, including prior treatment with erlotinib or gefitinib. Of 1281 patients tested, 1240 had EGFR mutations (common: 1034/1101; uncommon: 117/1101). There were no new safety signals, the most common adverse events being rash and diarrhea. Objective response rate (ORR) was 24% overall (n = 431 with data available), 27% for patients with common EGFR mutations (n = 230) and 28% for those with uncommon mutations (n = 32); median time to treatment failure (TTF) in these groups was 7.6 months (n = 1550), 6.4 months (n = 692) and 8.4 months (n = 83), respectively. In patients with EGFR exon 20 insertions (n = 23) and HER2 mutations (n = 12), median TTF exceeded 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient outcomes in this study were similar to those reported in the analysis of the global NPU. Afatinib achieved clinical benefits in patients with refractory NSCLC. ORR and TTF were similar between patients with tumors harboring uncommon and common EGFR mutations.

Statin use and impact on tuberculosis risk

Introduction: Tuberculosis, a chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is one of the 10 leading causes of death in the world. The current treatment is a combination antimicrobial therapy administered for 6-9 months. It is important to find therapeutic strategy to shorten the treatment during and strengthen the host immune response against MTB.Areas covered: There is evidence that MTB uses cholesterol in the host macrophage to infect and survive inside the host macrophage. Statins inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol and aid in reducing the levels of cholesterol in human, which have been associated with better outcome in infectious diseases. In this narrative review, we discuss recent studies that investigated the effects of statins on the prevention or treatment of TB infection.Expert opinion: The evaluation of the published evidence suggests that statins may be beneficial in the treatment of patients with TB infections. Future studies may focus not only on the beneficial effects of statins, but also on distinguishing the effects of different statins.

Role of Soluble T-Cell Immunoglobulin Mucin Domain-3 in Differentiating Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease from Pulmonary Colonization

BACKGROUND

Differentiating between nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) and pulmonary NTM colonization (NTM-Col) is difficult. Compared with healthy controls, patients with NTM-LD generally present immune tolerance along with increased expressions of T-cell immunoglobulin mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) on T lymphocytes. However, the role of soluble TIM-3 (sTIM-3) and soluble PD-1 (sPD-1) in differentiating NTM-LD from NTM colonization (NTM-Col) remains unclear.

METHODS

Patients with NTM-positive respiratory samples and controls were enrolled from 2016 to 2019. Patients were classified into NTM-Col and NTM-LD groups. Levels of sTIM-3, sPD-1, soluble PD-ligand-1 (sPD-L1), and TIM-3 expression were measured. Factors associated with NTM-LD were analyzed by logistical regression.

RESULTS

TIM-3 expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were highest in NTM-LD group, followed by NTM-Col, and control (P=.017 and P=.011 for trend). sTIM-3 elevated in the NTM-Col group compared with the NTM-LD and control groups (856.3±518.7 vs. 595.3±352.6pg/mL, P=.009; vs. 437.0±267.4pg/mL, P<.001). Levels of sPD-1 and sPD-L1 were similar among groups. Among the 79 NTM-positive patients, sTIM-3 was associated with NTM-LD (100-pg/mL increase, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.658 [95% CI, 0.502-0.864], P=.003). Patients with ≥2 risk factors (sTIM-3≤530pg/mL, BMI≤22.5, and radiographic score ≥5) were 13 times more likely to exhibit NTM-LD than those without (aOR 13.234 [2.983-58.709], P=.001).

CONCLUSIONS

sTIM-3 was an independent factor for differentiating NTM-LD from NTM-Col, suggesting the immunologic role of sTIM-3 in NTM-LD pathogenesis. By assessing sTIM-3 levels and other risk factors, physicians may be able to identify NTM-LD cases in a simplified manner.

[Investigation and clinical analysis of a family with germline CEBPA mutations in acute myeloid leukemia]

目的

探讨伴CEBPA基因突变的家族性急性髓系白血病（AML）的临床特征、病因及转归，提高对家族性白血病的认识。

方法

调查一个伴CEBPA基因突变AML家系患者的发病年龄、临床特征、转归及预后并绘制家系谱。对先证者采集骨髓及口腔黏膜细胞，与先证者有血缘关系的亲属，采集外周血，通过基因测序技术检测基因突变。

结果

该家系共有10人诊断为AML，其中男4例，女6例，中位年龄9（3～48）岁。10例患者中，6例死亡，其中4例未进行治疗，1例患者化疗后生存3年复发死亡，1例采取中药及支持治疗生存2年后死亡。4例患者生存，1例接受化疗患者生存达15年，3例患者接受化疗联合造血干细胞移植，至随访截止，生存时间分别为6、9、28个月。对先证者及8名与先证者有血缘关系的亲属进行基因测序，发现5例存在胚系CEBPA TAD p.G36Afs*124突变，其中4例确诊为AML，1例随访至今未发病。

结论

伴CEBPA基因突变的家族性AML多在儿童及青壮年期发病，具有完全或接近完全的外显率，通过积极治疗，大多预后良好。

The clinical manifestations and interval changes of reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reactions among different specimens of coronavirus disease 2019 patients

BACKGROUND

Since December 2019, a number of cases and deaths due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic have been reported worldwide. In spite of clinical manifestations similar to the SARS-CoV epidemic in 2003, affected organs and severity are yet to be defined. Moreover, viral load alterations and viral shielding among different specimens remained scarce. Therefore, clarifying clinical presentations and correlations among viral loads, disease severity, and viral shielding of SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial in the disease prevention.

METHODS

The clinical courses of SARS-CoV-2 cases were presented through Gantt charts. Laboratory examinations and reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reactions (RT-qPCR) among different specimens were tested periodically. Cycle thresholds (CT) were recorded and presented as viral loads.

RESULTS

From March 2020 to April 2020, 4 SARS-CoV-2 cases were presented, of which, cases 1 and 2 manifested the symptoms severer than cases 3 and 4, along with higher serum lactate dehydrogenase levels and graded for lymphocytopenia. Case 4 initially exhibited anosmia but recovered within a short period. Curves of the CT of all the cases, except case 2, concaved upward after prescribing hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin. Except for case 4, the CT in most stool specimens remained undetectable; however, none of the cases presented gastrointestinal symptoms. Surprisingly, the CT values of the saliva specimens were inconsistent with those of the nasopharyngeal swabs and sputum.

CONCLUSION

SARS-CoV-2 manifests various symptoms. Sudden onset of central nervous system symptoms should be considered. The timing of HCQ and azithromycin administration might be a key factor in the viral load reduction. Positive prediction values of RT-qPCR of different specimens should be tested carefully to prevent false-negative results.

Sub-multiplicative interaction between polygenic risk score and household coal use in relation to lung adenocarcinoma among never-smoking women in Asia

We previously identified 10 lung adenocarcinoma susceptibility loci in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted in the Female Lung Cancer Consortium in Asia (FLCCA), the largest genomic study of lung cancer among never-smoking women to date. Furthermore, household coal use for cooking and heating has been linked to lung cancer in Asia, especially in Xuanwei, China. We investigated the potential interaction between genetic susceptibility and coal use in FLCCA. We analyzed GWAS-data from Taiwan, Shanghai, and Shenyang (1472 cases; 1497 controls), as well as a separate study conducted in Xuanwei (152 cases; 522 controls) for additional analyses. We summarized genetic susceptibility using a polygenic risk score (PRS), which was the weighted sum of the risk-alleles from the 10 previously identified loci. We estimated associations between a PRS, coal use (ever/never), and lung adenocarcinoma with multivariable logistic regression models, and evaluated potential gene-environment interactions using likelihood ratio tests. There was a strong association between continuous PRS and lung adenocarcinoma among never coal users (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.69 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.53, 1.87), p=1 × 10-26). This effect was attenuated among ever coal users (OR = 1.24 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.50), p = 0.02, p-interaction = 6 × 10-3). We observed similar attenuation among coal users from Xuanwei. Our study provides evidence that genetic susceptibility to lung adenocarcinoma among never-smoking Asian women is weaker among coal users. These results suggest that lung cancer pathogenesis may differ, at least partially, depending on exposure to coal combustion products. Notably, these novel findings are among the few instances of sub-multiplicative gene-environment interactions in the cancer literature.

Highlight of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 vaccine development against COVID-19 pandemic

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has brought an unprecedented impact upon the global economy and public health. Although the SARS-CoV-2 virology has been gradually investigated, measures to combat this new threat in public health are still absent. To date, no certificated drug or vaccine has been developed for the treatment or prevention of coronavirus disease Extensive researches and international coordination has been conducted to rapidly develop novel vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Several major breakthroughs have been made through the identification of the genetic sequence and structural/non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2, which enabled the development of RNA-, DNA-based vaccines, subunit vaccines, and attenuated viral vaccines. In this review article, we present an overview of the recent advances of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the challenges that may be encountered in the development process, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches that may help in effectively countering COVID-19.

Clinical manifestation and disease progression in COVID-19 infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is mainly an infectious disease of the respiratory system transmitted through air droplets, and pulmonary symptoms constitute main presentations of this disease. However, COVID-19 demonstrates a clinically diverse manifestation ranging from asymptomatic presentation to critically illness with severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory failure, or multiple organ failure. Accumulating evidences demonstrated that COVID-19 has extrapulmonary involvement, including neurological, smelling sensation, cardiovascular, digestive, hepatobiliary, renal, endocrinologic, dermatologic system, and others. Over a third of COVID-19 patients manifest a wide range of neurological symptoms involving the central/peripheral nervous system. Underlying cardiovascular comorbidities were associated with detrimental outcomes, meanwhile the occurrence of cardiovascular complications correlate to poor survival. Gastrointestinal symptoms frequently occur and have been associated with a longer period of illness. Impaired hepatic functions were associated with the severity of the disease. Higher rate of acute kidney injury was reported in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Endocrinologic presentations of COVID-19 include exacerbating hyperglycemia, euglycemic ketosis, and diabetic ketoacidosis. The most common cutaneous manifestation was acro-cutaneous (pernio or chilblain-like) lesions, and other skin lesions consist of maculopapular rash, vesicular lesions, livedoid/necrotic lesions, exanthematous rashes, and petechiae. This review article summarized the general clinical signs and symptoms, radiologic features, and disease manifestation with progression in patients with COVID-19.

[Research progress of hepatocyte transplantation treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency]

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an autosomal codominant genetic disease characterized by low levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin in the blood. Clinically, in young patients, it mainly manifests as emphysema, acute/chronic liver injury and liver cancer. The treatment methods include symptomatic treatment and alpha -1 antitrypsin supplementation. However, the existing treatment cannot prevent the liver fibrosis progression. At present, more than ten cases of the disease have been reported in China, but the understanding of this disease is still indecisive. Moreover, there exists no biotherapy drug for this disorder. This article introduces the research progress of hepatocyte transplantation treatment for this disorder.

[Analysis of the feasibility and prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA in detecting gene mutations in small cell lung cancer]

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in detecting small cell lung cancer (SCLC) gene mutations and its prognostic value in chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for SCLC patients. Methods: A total of 77 SCLC patients who were admitted to the Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology and the Department of Thoracic Radiation Oncology of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from July 2016 to November 2019 were included. There were 66 males and 11 females, with a median age of 60 years. Among them, 42 cases were in limited stage (LS) and 35 cases were in extensive stage (ES). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of patients' plasma ctDNA was performed before treatment. The differences of mutated genes and signaling pathways between LS and ES patients were analyzed and compared. Blood-based tumor mutation burden (bTMB) was calculated according to detected somatic cell mutations. Patients were divided into the high bTMB and the low bTMB groups according to the optimal threshold calculated by R software. Log-rank tests were used to compare progression-free survival (PFS) between the high bTMB and the low bTMB groups. Results: Among the 77 patients, 76 patients had gene mutations detected in their plasma, and the positive rate of ctDNA test was 98%. Among the 76 patients, the genes with the highest mutation frequency were TP53 (89%), RB1 (70%), LRP1B (34%), CREBBP (21%), MLL3 (21%), MLL2 (16%), NOTCH1 (13%), ROS1 (13%), BRCA2 (12%), and PTPRD (12%). The most common mutated genes in LS patients were TP53 (90%), RB1 (68%), LRP1B (24%), MLL2 (22%), and BRCA2 (17%); the most common mutated genes in ES patients were TP53 (89%), RB1 (71%), LRP1B (46%), CREBBP (31%), and MLL3 (29%). The mutation rates of NOTCH1 and CREBBP genes were significantly higher in ES patients (31.4% and 22.9%) than those in LS patients (11.9% and 4.8%) (both P<0.05). Signaling pathway analysis showed that there were more NOTCH pathway gene variations in ES patients. Among LS patients, patients in the high bTMB group (≥ 6.96 mutations/Mb) had a longer PFS than that in the low bTMB group (<6.96 mutations/Mb) (P=0.033); but no such difference was noted in ES patients. Conclusion: Plasma ctDNA sequencing detected SCLC gene mutation profiles similar to those reported in previous literature, thus ctDNA could be used as a tool to study SCLC genomics; the mutation spectra of ES-SCLC and LS-SCLC were different. bTMB has potential prognostic value in LS-SCLCs treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Using lung ultrasound changes to evaluate the response of recruitment maneuver in a patient recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is widely used in intensive care units because it provides timely information noninvasively. The use of LUS is recommended to minimize transfers in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the pandemic. The clinical efficacies of bedside chest X-ray (CXR) and LUS have not been compared in these patients. Herein, we demonstrated serial LUS changes in a 75-year-old woman recovering from COVID-19 with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in need of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. LUS initially revealed extensive consolidation in the bilateral lower lung (BLL) fields with coalescent B-lines. While the patient recovered from ARDS, the findings gradually changed to discrete B-lines and small pleural consolidations. The LUS findings were more sensitive than those of the CXR in detecting re-expansion of the lungs by showing B-lines instead of consolidations in the BLL fields immediately after recruitment maneuver (RM). Compared with physiological parameters, LUS findings provided more precise information about the parts of the lungs that had been recruited by RM. Therefore, we encourage intensivists to extend their use of LUS in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and ARDS to acquire real-time information for a quick response and minimize the risk of viral transmission.