The influence of adjuvant therapy on survival in patients with indeterminate margins following surgery for non-small cell lung cancer

Factors Associated With Margin Positivity After Lung Resection Surgery

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to utilize a representative national sample to investigate the factors associated with margin positivity after attempted surgical resection. Given the changes in surgical approaches to lung cancer for the last 10 years, margin positivity and outcomes between robotic, video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open surgical resections may vary.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study utilized the National Cancer Database. Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, 18 or older and who had a surgical lung resection between 2010 and 2019 were included. Demographic data, along with patient-level clinical variables were extracted. Patient-level outcome variables including 30-day, 90-day mortality and readmission rates were analyzed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was utilized to assess factors associated with margin positivity.

RESULTS

A total of 226,884 patients were identified. Of the total cohort, 9229 had positive margins (4.2%). Patients with positive margins had statistically significant increased 30-day, 90-day mortality, as well as increased readmission rate. Older age, male sex, patients undergoing an open resection, patients who underwent a wedge resection, higher clinical stage, larger tumor size, squamous and adenosquamous histologies, and higher Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index were all associated with having a positive margin after resection.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there was no difference in margin positivity when comparing robotic and VATS resection, however, open resection had increased rates of margin positivity. Increasing tumor size, clinical stage, squamous and adenosquamous histologies, male sex, and patients undergoing a wedge resection were all associated with increased rates of margin positivity.

Expression landscapes in non-small cell lung cancer shaped by the thyroid transcription factor 1

TTF-1-expressing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most prevalent lung cancer types worldwide. However, theparadoxical activity of TTF-1 in both lung carcinogenesis and tumor suppression is believed to be context-dependentwhich calls for a deeper understanding about the pathological expression of TTF-1. In addition, the expression circuitry of TTF-1-target genes in NSCLC has not been well examined which necessitates to revisit the involvement of TTF-1- in a multitude of oncologic pathways. We used RNA-seq and clinical data of patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), including ChIP-seq data from different NSCLC cell lines, and mapped the proteome of NSCLC tumor. Our analysis showed significant variability in TTF-1 expression among NSCLC,and further clarified that this variability is orchestrated at the transcriptional level. We also found that high TTF-1 expression could negatively influence the survival outcomes of stage 1 LUAD which may be attributed to growth factor receptor-driven activation of mitogenic and angiogenic pathways. Mechanistically, TTF-1 may also control the genes associated with pathways involved in acquired TKI drug resistance or response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Lastly, proteome-based biomarker discovery in stage 1 LUAD showed that TTF-1 positivity is potentially associated with the upregulation of several oncogenes which includes interferon proteins, MUC1, STAT3, and EIF2AK2. Collectively, this study highlights the potential involvement of TTF-1 in cell proliferation, immune evasion, and angiogenesis in early-stage NSCLC.

Benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for resected pathologic N1 non-small cell lung cancer is unrecognized: A subgroup analysis of the JBR10 trial

Adjuvant chemotherapy is underutilized in clinical practice, in part, because its anticipated survival benefit is limited. We evaluated the impact of AC on overall and recurrence-free survival among completely resected pN1 NSCLC patients enrolled in the North American Intergroup phase III (JBR10) trial. A post-hoc subgroup analysis of pN1 NSCLC patients was performed. Participants were randomized to cisplatin+vinorelbine (AC) (n = 118) or observation (n = 116) following complete resection. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoint was recurrence free survival (RFS). Kaplan-Meier methods were used to compare OS and RFS between the two treatment groups. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with OS and RFS endpoints. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. AC patients had improved 5-year OS (AC 61.4% vs observation 41.0%, log-rank p = .008) and 5-year RFS (AC 56.2% vs observation 39.9%, log-rank p = .011) rates compared to observation. Cox regression analyses confirmed the OS (HR 0.583, 95% CI 0.402-0.846, p = .005) and RFS (HR 0.573, 95% CI 0.395-0.830, p = .003) benefit associated with AC. AC was associated with a lower risk (HR 0.648, 95% CI 0.435-0.965, p = .0326) and a lower cumulative incidence (Subdistribution Hazard Ratio [SHR], 0.67, 95% CI 0.449-0.999, p = .0498) of lung cancer deaths. In the JBR10 trial, treatment with AC conferred a significant OS and RFS advantage over observation for pN1 NSCLC patients. These data suggest that pN1 NSCLC patients may experience a disproportionately greater clinical benefit from AC than the 6% survival advantage estimated by the LACE meta-analysis.