Salvage pleurectomy/decortication following immunotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma

Salvage surgery following immunotherapy is a promising treatment option for advanced malignant tumour. However, only a few cases of salvage surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) have been reported. This retrospective study was conducted to assess the feasibility of salvage surgery following immunotherapy for initially unresectabele MPM. Among 61 patients who received pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) for MPM, 7 patients received salvage P/D after immunotherapy. Surgical indication of salvage P/D was conversion to resectability in 5 patients and local relapse in 2 patients, and macroscopic complete resection was achieved in all patients. Although salvage P/D was associated with longer operation time (median, 507 min), higher intraoperative blood loss (median, 2573 mL) and higher morbidity (≥ grade 3, 29%), no patient died after surgery. Radiographic response to immunotherapy was well correlated with pathologic response, as all 4 patients with partial response showed significant pathologic response (viable cells, ≤50%). With the median postoperative follow-up duration of 9.0 months, all patients were alive mostly without tumour recurrence as local recurrence developed in 1 patient. To conclude, salvage P/D after immunotherapy may be a feasible treatment option for selected patients with advanced MPM, which should be validated in future multi-institutional studies. In addition, a long-term follow-up is essential to reveal the clinical benefit achieved with salvage P/D following immunotherapy.

Adjuvant and neo-adjuvant therapy for non-small cell lung cancer without EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements

Surgical resection is the most effective therapeutic option for the cure in early stage resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, despite complete resection, up to 70% of patients die within 5 years mainly due to tumor recurrence in extra-thoracic organs. Adjuvant or neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy may improve postoperative survival, but the absolute survival benefit is modest with an around 5% improvement at 5 years. Recent advance in systemic therapy has changed treatment strategy for advanced unresectable NSCLC, and also has provided a paradigm shift in treatment strategy for resectable NSCLC. For NSCLC without oncogenic driver alterations, immunotherapy using immune-checkpoint inhibitors may improve clinical outcomes in preoperative neoadjuvant setting as well as in postoperative adjuvant setting. Here, we overview recent evidence of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy and discuss emerging clinical questions in decision-making of treatment for potentially resectable patients with NSCLC harboring no oncogenic alterations.

Prognostic factors of resected pathological stage I lung adenocarcinoma: evaluating subtypes and PD-L1/CD155 expression

We aimed to compare the prognostic impacts of adenocarcinoma subtypes, programmed death-ligand I (PD-L1), and CD155 expression on patients with resected pathological stage (p-stage) I lung adenocarcinoma. In total, 353 patients with completely resected p-stage I lung adenocarcinomas were retrospectively reviewed. The expression levels of PD-L1 and CD155 in tumour cells from each adenocarcinoma subtype were evaluated using several clinicopathological and histological features, such as the presence of a micropapillary pattern. A total of 52 patients (14.7%) had PD-L1-positive tumours, whereas 128 patients (36.3%) had CD155-positive tumours, with a tumour proportion score of 5% for both PD-L1 and CD155 expression. Compared with patients with other adenocarcinoma subtypes, those with solid-predominant adenocarcinomas were significantly more positive for PD-L1 and CD155. Multivariate analysis showed that PD-L1 expression status was significantly associated with progression-free survival and overall survival, whereas CD155 expression and the presence of a micropapillary pattern were not significantly associated with either parameter. Patients with PD-L1-positive tumours had poorer prognoses than those with CD155-positive tumours. Moreover, PD-L1 and CD155 were significantly expressed in solid-predominant adenocarcinomas. The results of this study suggest that immune checkpoint inhibitors can be used as adjuvants in the treatment of patients with p-stage I adenocarcinoma.

Perioperative management and postoperative outcomes of locally advanced thymic epithelial tumors: a narrative review

Background and Objective

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, highlighting the importance of understanding the treatment strategies for these cases. Surgical intervention after chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy presents specific challenges and underscores the crucial role of perioperative management. This study aimed to explore the perioperative management and postoperative outcomes in patients with locally advanced TETs.

Methods

Relevant studies published between 2000 and 2022 were identified through PubMed searches using a combination of the following terms: "Locally advanced TETs", "Thymoma", "Thymic cancer", "Surgery", "Induction therapy", and "Postoperative outcomes". We analyzed available data to describe the perioperative management and postoperative outcomes of locally advanced TETs.

Key Content and Findings

Surgical outcomes after induction therapy for locally advanced TETs were analyzed for 18 references (total n=646) between 2000 and 2022. The primary objective of induction therapy for locally advanced TETs is complete tumor resection. In recent years, many medical centers have adopted systemic chemotherapy and chemoradiation for the treatment of thymoma and thymic carcinoma, respectively. During surgical intervention, resecting the surrounding organs, such as the lungs, pericardium, and phrenic nerves, is a common practice. Additionally, there may be cases wherein vascular resection of the superior vena cava (SVC) and innominate veins is necessary. Techniques and strategies for revascularization without complications are crucial in these situations. The incidence of postoperative complications varied significantly, ranging from 4.8% to 42%. However, perioperative mortality is typically reported to be approximately 0%, with only two reports showing mortality rates of 1.8% and 9.0%.

Conclusions

The short-term postoperative outcomes of surgical treatment following induction therapy for locally advanced TETs were generally deemed acceptable. However, incomplete resection may occur, particularly when the tumor invades the pulmonary artery or aorta. Hence, careful evaluation the indications for surgery is crucial, considering the patient's overall condition and treatment response.

Association of Preoperative Rehabilitation With Postoperative Length of Hospital Stay for Elderly Lung Cancer Patients

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of preoperative rehabilitation on postoperative hospital stay in elderly lung cancer patients following lung resection. This was a retrospective observational study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. Data of patients diagnosed between April 2016 and March 2020 were collected. Patients were identified using the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems Version 10-10 codes, C34.0-C34.3 and C34.8. Multilevel linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of preoperative rehabilitation on the length of hospital stay. A total of 9,393 patients were included in the study. Univariate analysis showed that preoperative rehabilitation was significantly associated with postoperative length of hospital stay (coefficient: -1.61; 95% confidence interval: -2.42, -0.81; P <0.001). In addition, multivariate analysis showed preoperative rehabilitation to be associated with a significant decrease in postoperative length of hospital stay (coefficient=-1.38; 95% confidence interval: -2.19, -0.58; P =0.001). Preoperative rehabilitation may shorten length of hospital stay in elderly patients with lung cancer.

Effect of Breast Reconstruction on Breast Cancer Therapy

Few studies have examined the effect of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) on the overall progression of breast cancer therapy. This study examins the effect of IBR on the breast cancer therapy. 142 patients underwent mastectomy in our department (With IBR group, n = 17; Without IBR group, n = 125). We examined the number of days from diagnosis to surgery, operation time, length of postoperative stay, number of days from surgery to postoperative therapy, and complications in patients with or without breast reconstruction and by type of reconstruction. In the IBR group, the operation time was longer (P < 0.001), postoperative hospital stay was longer when adjusted for multivariate analysis (P = 0.008), and complications were significantly more common (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference when limited to grade ≥3 complications. There was no difference until the start of postoperative treatment. The results reveal that IBR requires coordination between the surgical and operating room staff, and does not affect the transition to postoperative treatment but does affect an increased incidence of minor complications and length of postoperative stay.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) in Healthy Japanese Female University Students Showed Early Morning Lower Sensor Glucose Values

In this study, Continuous Glucose Monitoring, a 24-h continuous sensor measurement of the glucose level, was performed on 35 female university students in their 20s. The results showed that 51.4% of the subjects had at least one episode of low sensor glucose level <54 mg/dL during the entire measurement period. This severe low glucose level condition was defined as lower sensor glucose values and it tended to occur more frequently during the early morning hours, especially from 3:00 am to 7:00 am. There were no significant differences in the BMI, the average number of steps, the total energy intake, the energy ratio of proteins, fats, or carbohydrates, or the alcohol intake between the lower sensor glucose values occurrence and the non-lower sensor glucose values occurrence groups. In regard to the early morning lower sensor glucose values observed in healthy female university students, we consider that further studies are required.

Robot-assisted thoracoscopic resection of a posterior mediastinal tumor with preserving the artery of Adamkiewicz

Background

The artery of Adamkiewicz (AKA) provides the major blood supply to the lower two-thirds of the spinal cord. As the AKA typically arises from a left posterior intercostal artery at the levels between 9 and 12th thoracic vertebrae, injury of the AKA during thoracic surgery such as resection of a lower paravertebral tumor may cause serious neurological complications. Robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has several advantages over video-assisted thoracic surgery including three-dimensional and high-definition view with high image magnification and reduced restriction in movement of surgical instruments. Here, we present a case of a left paravertebral ganglioneuroma originating from the sympathetic trunk. Whereas both tumor-feeding arteries and the AKA arose from the 9^th intercostal artery, complete tumor resection with preserving the AKA was achieved by RATS.

Case presentation

A 15-year-old girl admitted for surgery for a posterior mediastinal tumor. Chest computed tomography showed a well-circumscribed 8.0 cm tumor adjacent to 8–11th thoracic vertebrae and the descending aorta. Contrast-enhanced CT and angiography revealed that the AKA arose from the left 9^th intercostal artery that ran between the tumor and the vertebrae and that tumor-feeding arteries also arose from the same intercostal artery. RATS was performed with the left intercostal approach using the da Vinci Xi system (Intuitive Surgical, Mountain View, CA). The tumor originating from the sympathetic trunk was completely resected with preserving the sympathetic trunk and the AKA. Postoperative course was uneventful without any adverse event, such as neurological complications. The final pathological diagnosis of the tumor was ganglioneuroma.

Conclusions

RATS is a useful surgical approach for removal of a mediastinal tumor with preserving surrounding organs or tissues, such as the AKA.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40792-022-01487-6.

Dislocation of a middle lobe torsion-preventing bridging structure with an absorptive sheet and fibrin glue: a case report

Background

Middle lobe torsion is a rare complication of right upper lobectomy. Middle lobe torsion can be critical; thus, various preventive measures are used.

Case presentation

A 77-year-old man underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy with partial middle resection and S6 segmentectomy for right upper lobe lung cancer located at the confluence of the three lobes and lower lobe lung cancer. Inversion of the middle lobe was observed during lung expansion before chest closure. A bridging structure with an absorptive sheet and fibrin glue was placed in the basal section of the middle lobe under lung expansion to prevent torsion. On postoperative day 1, the patient was tachycardic and was found to have decreased lung field permeability. The patient underwent emergency surgery for suspected middle lobe torsion. Dislocation of the bridging structure between the basal segments of the middle lobe was confirmed, and the middle lobe was deviated cephalad. In addition, pulmonary congestion in S4 due to pressure stenosis of V4 caused by the deviation of the middle lobe was observed, and middle lobe resection was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.

Conclusions

This case suggested that the reinforcement method with an absorptive sheet and fibrin glue lacked sufficient strength to prevent middle lobe torsion. Stronger fixation should be considered if the middle lobe rotation is thought to be sufficiently strong when the lung is reinflated before chest closure.

Thickened parietal pleural covering in intractable pneumothorax: A case report

Introduction and importance

Choosing the optimal surgical approach for intractable pneumothorax can be challenging for surgeons.

Case presentation

A case describing the management of intractable pneumothorax has been presented.

Clinical discussion

Resection is not suitable in a stiff lung from repeated pleurodesis, and multiple air leakage points would make it more intricate.The ideal alternative is the use of another material to cover the entire lesion.

Conclusion

A thickened parietal pleura covering is an effective surgical approach for intractable pneumothorax.

•

Selecting an optimal surgical approach for intractable pneumothorax is challenging.

•

A thickened parietal pleura covering can effectively control intractable pneumothorax.

•

The procedure is suitable for patients with stiff lung and persistent air leakage at multiple points.

CD155 expression and its clinical significance in non‑small cell lung cancer

CD155 serves an important role in tumor progression by promoting cell proliferation and migration. CD155 is also involved in the immune evasion of tumor cells, which may cause the development and progression of tumors. Accordingly, CD155 has emerged as a novel target in cancer immunotherapy; however, its expression in lung cancer remains unclear. To assess CD155 expression and its prognostic significance, 96 patients with completely resected pathologic stage I adenocarcinoma of the lung were retrospectively reviewed. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate CD155 expression on tumor cells. Expression levels of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), another molecule participating in immune evasion, were also evaluated immunohistochemically. CD155 expression was positive in 37 patients (38.5%). CD155-positivity was associated with aggressive tumor behavior, such as pleural invasion and vascular invasion. In addition, CD155-positivity was a significant factor to predict a poor prognosis (5-year overall survival (OS) rate, 63.3% for CD155-positive patients vs. 93.1% for CD155-negative patients; P<0.001). Patients harboring tumors with positive CD155 and PD-L1 expression showed the poorest prognosis (5-year OS rate, 44.4% for both-positive patients vs. 85.4% for the other patients; P<0.001). The positive expression status of both CD155 and PD-L1 was a significant and independent unfavorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 3.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.51-9.89; P=0.004; in a multivariate analysis). In conclusion, CD155-positivity was associated with aggressive tumor behavior, and was a factor to predict a poor prognosis. Its prognostic impact was enhanced when combined with PD-L1 expression status. These results should be validated in a large-scale study.

Salvage surgery following immuno-chemo-radiotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Salvage surgery following definitive radiotherapy or systemic treatment has become a feasible treatment option in selected patients with advanced initially unresectable non-small cell lung cancer. Recent clinical trials of neoadjuvant treatment have showed that surgery following immuno-chemotherapy is safely performed. Here, we present the first case of salvage surgery following immuno-chemotherapy with concurrent definitive radiotherapy for advanced lung large cell carcinoma.

Case presentation

A 44-year male was admitted to our hospital for salvage surgery. Ten months prior to this administration, he had been diagnosed with unresectable large cell carcinoma with malignant pericardial effusion (clinical stage IVA/T3N2M1A; no driver-gene alteration) originating from the right upper lobe (RUL). Due to rapid intrabronchial tumor growth causing severe dyspnea, emergency bronchial stenting in the right main bronchus using an expandable metallic stent had been performed. Thereafter, he had received immuno-chemotherapy with concurrent definitive radiotherapy. Despite dramatic radiographic response, he had suffered from persistent and refractory Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection associated with bronchial stent placement. As pericardial effusion had disappeared and no distant metastasis had developed, he was diagnosed with a potentially curable disease and was referred to our hospital. An extended sleeve resection was successfully performed, and pathological sections revealed that pathologic complete response was achieved with immuno-chemo-radiotherapy. The patient received no subsequent treatment, and is alive without tumor recurrence at 8 months after surgery.

Conclusions

Salvage surgery following immuno-chemotherapy with concurrent definitive radiotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer may be feasible in selected patients, and may be considered as a treatment option to control local disease.

Prognostic impact of circulating tumor cells detected with the microfluidic "Universal CTC-chip" for primary lung cancer

Detecting rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the bloodstream is extremely challenging. We had previously developed a novel polymeric microfluidic device, "CTC-chip," for capturing CTCs and have shown high capture efficiency in lung cancer cell lines by conjugating antibodies against epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAM). This study aimed to optimize the EpCAM-chip and clarify the prognostic impact of CTCs in lung cancer patients. Of the 123 patients with pathologically proven lung cancer, both progression-free survival (p = 0.037) and cancer-specific survival (p = 0.0041) were predominantly poor when CTCs were detected before treatment. After classification into surgical and chemotherapy groups, progression-free survival was worse in CTC-positive patients in both groups (surgery, p = 0.115; chemotherapy, p = 0.012), indicating that the detection of baseline CTCs is a risk factor for recurrence and progression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that captured CTCs can be recovered using micromanipulators and performed mutation analysis using PCR. Thus, the EpCAM-chip is a highly sensitive system for detecting CTCs that contributes to the prediction of recurrence and progression and enables genetic analysis of captured CTCs, which may open new diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic options for lung cancer patients.

Lung Auto-transplantation for Bulky Superior Sulcus Tumor with Hilar Involvement

Lung auto-transplantation with ex vivo bench surgery is a useful surgical technique for centrally-located and locally-advanced lung cancer to spare lung parenchyma by avoiding pneumonectomy. Here, we present a case of bulky superior sulcus tumor with hilar involvement for which lung-sparing complete resection was achieved with auto-transplantation. After concurrent chemo-radiotherapy, en bloc resection consisting left pneumonectomy combined with apical chest wall resection (1-4ribs), back-table extended double-sleeve resection following lung preservation, and re-implantation of basal segment was performed. Postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient is alive without tumor recurrence at 18 months after surgery.

Virtual-assisted lung mapping in sublobar resection of small pulmonary nodules, long-term results

OBJECTIVES

The short-term efficacy of virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP), a preoperative bronchoscopic multi-spot lung-marking technique, has been confirmed in 2 prospective multicentre studies. The objectives of this study were to analyse the local recurrence and survival of patients enrolled in these studies, long-term.

METHODS

Of the 663 patients enrolled in the 2 studies, 559 patients' follow-up data were collected. After excluding those who did not undergo VAL-MAP, whose resection was not for curative intent, who underwent concurrent resection without VAL-MAP, or who eventually underwent lobectomy instead of sublobar resection (i.e. wedge resection or segmentectomy), 422 patients were further analysed.

RESULTS

Among 264 patients with primary lung cancer, the 5-year local recurrence-free rate was 98.4%, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 94.5%. Limited to stage IA2 or less (≤2 cm in diameter; n = 238, 90.1%), the 5-year local recurrence-free and OS rates were 98.7% and 94.8%, respectively. Among 102 patients with metastatic lung tumours, the 5-year local recurrence-free rate was 93.8% and the 5-year OS rate was 81.8%. Limited to the most common (colorectal) cancer (n = 53), the 5-year local recurrence-free and OS rates were 94.9% and 82.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

VAL-MAP, which is beneficial in localizing small barely palpable pulmonary lesions and determining the appropriate resection lines, was associated with reasonable long-term outcomes.

SUBJ COLLECTION

152, 1542.

Relationship between anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies and the development of post-thymectomy myasthenia gravis in patients with thymoma: a single-center experience

Background

Approximately 15-29.6% of patients with thymoma have myasthenia gravis (MG). Some of these patients develop MG after thymectomy despite having no history of MG or related symptoms. Few previous studies have examined the risk factors for the development of post-thymectomy MG in patients with thymoma. Herein, we retrospectively reviewed our institutional experience with patients with thymoma who developed MG after thymectomy.

Methods

Twenty-six patients with thymoma but without MG, who were tested preoperatively for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (anti-AChR-Ab) levels, underwent surgical resection at our hospital between 2013 and 2020. Patients with thymic carcinoma were excluded from the study. We evaluated the association of outcomes with preoperative anti-AChR-Ab levels and post-thymectomy MG. We performed a χ² test for bivariate analysis of categorical data. Differences were considered significant at P<0.05.

Results

The characteristics of the 26 patients (median age: 62 years; 8 men, 18 women) were as follows: World Health Organization (WHO) classifications AB (n=8), B1 (n=9), B2 (n=6), B3 (n=1), and others (n=2) and Masaoka stage I (n=12), II (n=9), III (n=3), and IVa (n=2). Among the 26 patients, only five had high (>0.3 nmol/L) preoperative anti-AChR-Ab levels. Post-thymectomy MG occurred in two of the five patients (40%) with high preoperative anti-AChR-Ab levels. A high preoperative serum anti-AChR-Ab titer was significantly associated with post-thymectomy MG (P=0.0267). The anti-AChR-Ab titer was also measured postoperatively in four of the five (80%) patients with high preoperative levels. The anti-AChR-Ab titer decreased in two of these four patients, and neither developed postoperative MG.

Conclusions

Preoperative and postoperative anti-AChR-Ab positivity might be associated with post-thymectomy MG. Therefore, regular measurement of anti-AChR-Ab levels after thymectomy is required.

Splenic infarction after left upper lobectomy: a report of a case

We report the case of a 70-year-old man who developed a splenic infarction due to a thrombus in the pulmonary vein (PV) stump after left upper lobectomy (LUL). Preoperative imaging showed a mass measuring > 5 cm in the upper lobe of the left lung, and sputum cytology revealed squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, video-assisted thoracoscopic LUL was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful but biochemical blood tests showed an increased inflammatory response. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed splenic infarction and a thrombus in the left superior PV stump. Prompt treatment with anticoagulants was administered, and the patient was discharged with mild recovery. However, the patient developed cerebral infarction after discharge and died 33 days after the surgery. Splenic infarction is a rare postoperative complication, with only three reported cases, including this report. However, this condition should be considered along with PV thrombus when evaluating an increased inflammatory response after LUL.

Non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication for malignant pleural mesothelioma

OBJECTIVE

Pleurectomy/decortication has been preferably employed as a curative-intent surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma. However, visceral pleurectomy during pleurectomy/decortication provides technical challenges. For visceral pleurectomy, pleural incisions are commonly made to create a dissection plane between the visceral pleura and the lung parenchyma, which may cause tumor dissemination and may not allow en bloc complete resection of the entire pleura. To overcome such potential disadvantages, we have developed a novel surgical technique without any pleural incision (non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication) to achieve en bloc removal of the entire pleura.

METHODS

A total of 36 consecutive patients who underwent non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication for malignant pleural mesothelioma from January 2017 through December 2020 in our institute were retrospectively reviewed to assess the feasibility.

RESULTS

Macroscopic complete resection was achieved in 31 patients (86.1%) with non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication. In the majority of patients (n = 29), en bloc complete resection of the entire pleura was achieved (without pleural laceration in 10 and with some pleural laceration in 19 patients). The total operation time and the duration of visceral pleurectomy were significantly shorter as compared with those for conventional pleurectomy/decortication (median, 350 versus 506 min [P = 0.011], and 43 versus 97 min [P < 0.001], respectively). Among 36 patients who underwent non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication, postoperative complications developed in 13 patients (36.1%), and one patient died on the postoperative day 95 caused by aggressive tumor progression of residual tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-incisional pleurectomy/decortication is a fast and feasible technique to achieve en bloc macroscopic complete resection for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Novel circulating tumor cell-detection chip combining conventional podoplanin and EGFR antibodies for all histological malignant pleural mesothelioma

In our previous study, a microfluidic system was developed based on podoplanin detection for capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs), derived from malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, non-epithelioid MPM shows low podoplanin protein expression compared with that in epithelioid MPM; thus, some CTC populations may be missed. To overcome this limitation, a new CTC-detection chip was developed by combining the conventional podoplanin antibody (clone: NZ-1.2) with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted antibody (cetuximab). The cell-capture efficiency of the Cocktail-chip reached 100% in all the histological MPM cell lines. The median CTC-counts from 19 patients with MPM (epithelioid/non-epithelioid: 10/9) with the NZ-1.2- and Cocktail-chips were 1 and 3 (P=0.311) in 1 ml peripheral blood, 1.5 and 2 (P=0.332) in epithelioid MPM, and 1 and 3 (P=0.106) in non-epithelioid MPM, respectively. Overall, the Cocktail-chip showed an improved ability to detect more CTCs in patients with non-epithelioid MPM compared with that in the conventional NZ-1.2-chip, showing non-significant, but higher CTC detection. Furthermore, CTC-counts, determined using the Cocktail-chip were significantly correlated with the clinical stage of non-epithelioid MPM. In epithelioid MPM, the Cocktail-chip achieved a CTC-detection efficiency equivalent to that in the conventional NZ-1.2-chip. The Cocktail-chip enabled sensitive CTC detection of all histological MPM, including the non-epithelioid subtype, which may provide a foundation for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of MPM progression.

Si racetrack optical modulator based on the III-V/Si hybrid MOS capacitor

We have fabricated a Si racetrack optical modulator based on a III-V/Si hybrid metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor. The III-V/Si hybrid MOS optical phase shifter was integrated to a Si racetrack resonator with a coupling length of 200 µm and a coupling gap of 700 nm. The fabricated Si racetrack resonator demonstrated a small VπL of 0.059 Vcm. For 10-dB optical intensity modulation, the Si racetrack resonator showed a 60% smaller driving voltage than a Mach-Zehnder interferometer modulator with the same phase shifter, leading to a better balance between high energy efficiency and large modulation bandwidth.

[The Outcome of Multiple Lung Cancer Cases with Two-stage Surgery]

BACKGROUNDS

There is an increasing number of cases of two-stage surgery for synchronous or metachronous lung cancer. We discuss the surgical treatment strategy for multiple lung cancers.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological factors and prognosis of 105 patients (210 surgeries) who underwent two-stage surgery for lung cancer during the period from 2010 to 2019 in our department.

RESULTS

A total of 105 cases were reviewed;58 males and 47 females, 67 were synchronous and 38 were metachronous. Long-term prognosis of death from other diseases due to respiratory diseases was found in eight patients (7.6%). Recurrence of lung cancer was observed in 29 (27.6%), and cancer death was found in 9 of them. The overall three-year and five-year survival rates were 85.3% and 71.3 %, respectively. The absence of ground-glass opacity components in the tumor( p=0.036) and advanced pathological stage( p=0.048) were significantly associated with postoperative recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The recurrence rate was high in cases of solid tumors and advanced pathological stage, even in multiple lung cancers. Thus, an appropriate combination of limited surgery and standard surgery should be used, taking into account the nature of the tumor and the patient's ability to tolerate the surgery.

The role of heparin bridging in lung cancer surgery: a nationwide database analysis

PURPOSE

There is little evidence to demonstrate the impact of heparin bridging (HB) in major surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits and risks of HB in lung cancer surgery by comparing HB and non-HB (NHB) groups.

METHODS

We extracted patients who were taking an anticoagulant, were diagnosed with lung cancer, and underwent lung resection between April 2014 and March 2018 from a nationwide database in Japan. We compared the HB and NHB groups to determine the benefits and risks of HB. The proportion of postoperative thromboembolism and bleeding events between the HB and NHB groups was the primary outcome. We performed propensity score matching to remove any HB assignment bias.

RESULTS

We selected 2416 patients, and among these, 1068 patients had HB and 1348 did not. Propensity score matching extracted 1500 patients: 750 with HB and 750 without HB. After matching, a Chi-square test showed no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative thromboembolism (1.5% vs 0.9%, p value = 0.343) and bleeding events (5.9% vs 4.0%, p value = 0.124) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative thromboembolism and bleeding in the patients with and those without HB.

[Carinal Resection with Lung Resection and Perioperative Management]

Carinal resection with lung resection is a rare surgical procedure with high risk. In-hospital mortality rates for carinal reconstruction and sleeve pneumonectomy were 6.5% and 16.7%, respectively. Thus, thoracic surgeons need to learn the procedure for patients who need the surgery. This time, we will account for preoperative evaluation, intraoperative advice, and postoperative management in carinal resection with right upper lobectomy presenting 2 cases in our hospital. Case 1 had a high caliber mismatch of bronchial stumps because of partial carinal resection, which was corrected by simple sutures of the anterior cartilage. That allowed us to perform sleeve right upper lobectomy avoiding carinal reconstruction. Case 2 was a case in which lung and bronchial tissue sticking to mediastinum due to obstructive pneumonia prevented us from anastomosing intermediate bronchus to the trachea or left main bronchus. We had to choose sleeve right pneumonectomy, and a fistula on the anastomotic site occurred later resulting in a bad course. We hope our experiences aid future patients who need the carinal resection.

Salvage surgery combined with descending aorta resection for lung cancer

Background

Recent retrospective studies have shown that salvage surgery can improve survival with acceptable adverse events, and this procedure has been adapted for lung cancer. However, there are no reports demonstrating the efficacy of salvage surgery combined with aortic resection.

Case presentation

A 73-year-old man had received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel, 70 Gy) for lung cancer originated from the left upper lobe and infiltrating the thoracic aorta (cT4N1M0 stage IIIA). Although the tumor has shrunk significantly (ycT4N0M0 stage IIIA), radiation pneumonitis occurred. Due to the steroid therapy, radiation pneumonitis was relieved; however, re-enlargement of the primary tumor was observed during steroid tapering. Nonetheless, the lymphatic and distant metastases were controlled. Moreover, aortic invasion was localized to the periphery of the third branch, and the tumor was considered to be resectable. Intraoperatively, we observed macroscopic evidence of aortic invasion in the periphery of the third branch; thus, left upper lobectomy combined with descending aorta resection was performed under partial extracorporeal circulation. The patient is currently active without any recurrence 21 months post-surgery.

Conclusions

No clear consensus exists regarding salvage surgery combined with aortic resection for primary lung cancer. However, we believe that this surgery may improve the survival of carefully selected patients.

Fenestration without rib resection for postoperative bronchopleural fistula

BACKGROUND

Fenestration is performed in patients with bronchopleural fistula to avoid a life-threatening situation. However, usually, this procedure is required 9-cm mean length of the incision with rib resection.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 73-year-old man underwent right lower lobectomy with lymph node dissection (ND2a-2) for primary lung cancer (cT1cN2M0 Stage IIIA) with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. He developed a bronchopleural fistula on postoperative day 20, and we performed emergency fenestration without rib resection using a Lap-protector. The patient reported minimal pain postoperatively. As the rapid deterioration of the general condition due to the recurrence of the tumor was observed at the time of his 1-year postoperative follow-up, closing of the thoracic cavity was abandoned. However, using this fenestration, the control of infection in the thoracic cavity could be sufficiently performed without complications such as pain and pneumonia, and his routine activities were unaffected postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Compared with conventional method, fenestration without rib resection using a Lap-protector is a more convenient and painless technique for postoperative bronchopleural fistula.

Prognostic factors of advanced or postoperative recurrent non-small cell lung cancer targeted with immune check point inhibitors

Background

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been established as one of standard therapy, the prognostic factors of ICIs remain unclear, aside from the programed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression of tumor cells. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic factors of ICIs.

Methods

We analyzed the clinicopathological data of 44 cases of advanced NSCLC targeted with ICIs in our hospital, between February 2016 and February 2018, in order to determine the prognostic factors of ICIs. We also reviewed the literature regarding ICIs.

Result

We retrospectively analyzed the 44 cases (26 nivolumab and 18 pembrolizumab cases). These patients were 38 men and 6 women, comprising 13 cases of adenocarcinoma, 29 squamous cell carcinoma and 2 unclassified types. Seven patients were using first-line therapy and while the others were using second-line therapy or later. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations were negative in all the cases. The response rate and disease control rate were 20.5% and 51.3%, respectively. The median progression-free survival time and median survival time were 146 days and 257 days, respectively. We observed five severe adverse effects (AEs) (three cases of interstitial pneumonia, one of liver dysfunction and one of adrenal failure), that were resolved by steroid pulse therapy. In multivariate analyses, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), pathological type, standardized uptake value (SUV) on positron emission tomography (PET), white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin were independently prognostic factors. There were no significant differences in the prognosis between nivolumab and pembrolizumab.

Conclusions

ICIs were effective in 44 treated NSCLC cases. Our analysis suggests that while ICIs are effective in treating patients, candidates must be carefully selected and cautiously observed.

Simple Carinal Cartilage Suture for High-Caliber Mismatch in Right Upper Lobe Sleeve Lobectomy

We thoracic surgeons sometimes face a problem of high-caliber mismatch in sleeve lobectomy. The large size disparity between the proximal and distal stump requires not only an appropriate anastomotic technique but also an appropriate approach to the stumps. We report a case of a simple carinal cartilage suture helping correct high-caliber mismatch in right upper lobe sleeve lobectomy. Sutures on the anterior wall of the carinal cartilage effectively reduced the size disparity of the stumps. This approach could be a complementary option for high-caliber mismatch in right upper lobe sleeve lobectomy.

Abstract P4-06-06: Comparison of the immunological and clinical effect of personalized peptide vaccination for patients with breast cancer

Background: Selected therapeutic personalized peptide vaccines (PPV) were effective for boosting anticancer immune response that was associated with the clinical outcome as a prognostic factor for metastatic recurrent breast cancer (mrBC) 1-2. In this study, we investigated the immunological and clinical effect of PPV as the prophylactic cancer vaccine for non-recurrent but high-risk BC (nrhrBC) patients (pts), and we compared it's features to those of the mrBC pts who had active cancers or became resistant to the standard therapies(TR-mrBC). Methods: Material and Patient eligibility criteria: The peptides were selected from the 31 PPVs according to the results of HLA typing and peptide-specific IgG titers. Pts with a histological diagnosis of BC and their HLA-A molecules should be each of -A2, A3, A11, A24, A26, A31 or A33. The clinical protocols were approved by the institutional review board. (UMIN000003081and 00000184400000). Treatment schedule: A maximum of 4 peptides was administrated as weekly for initial four vaccinations and as biweekly for further inoculations. The concomitant standard endocrine therapy and the chemo-endocrine therapy were available for nrhrBC pts after finishing the standard adjuvant chemotherapy, and for mrBC pts concurrently. Immune and clinical response assessment: Specific T-cell responses, IgG titers and cytokines were evaluated using by interferon (IFN)-γ ELISPOT, Luminex assay and ELISA system in every 6-8 vaccinations. Toxicity, clinical response and correlation with the immune responses were investigated. Results: 16 pts with nrhrBC, 41 pts with mrBC and 79 pts with TR-mrBC received median 18, 16 and 14 vaccines, respectively. After PPV therapies, peptide-specific IgG and CTLs increased significantly in a total of 47 (77%) and 37(60%) in nrhrBC pts, 102 (63%) and 98 (61%) in mrBC pts, and 150(53%) and 100 (42%) in TR-mrBC pts. Pts experienced Grade 1-3 skin reaction at injection site, no other grade 3 or 4 SAEs were associated with PPV but with the disease progression or combination therapy. The median time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were not reached in nrhrBC pts, 7.8 and 29 months in mrBC pts, and were 7.5 and 15.9 months in TR-mrBC pts, respectively. The peptide specific CTL response was correlated significantly with OS in nrhrBC pts and the IgG levels were associated with the better OS in either non TR-mrBC pts or TR-mrBC pts. High levels of IL-6, GM-CSF, IFN-g, IL-2 receptor, BAFF were associated with worse prognosis for pts with TR-mrBC. And high levels of GM-CSF and BAFF were associated with worse prognosis for pts with nrhrBC and mrBC, respectively. In contrast, High levels of IL-2 were associated with the better prognosis for pts with mrBC. Conclusion: This study indicated that immunological features of these three groups were different from each other with most potent PPV-induced immune boosting for nrhrBC pts. Pts with mrBC who had lower immune-suppressive cytokine levels had the better prognosis. These results suggested the PPV therapy could be effective for postoperative prophylactic vaccination in patients with nrhrBC. References: 1. Takahashi R, Toh U, et al. Breast Cancer Res. 2014; 2. Toh U, Okabe M, et al. THE BREAST 2015.

Citation Format: Toh U, Okabe M, Takao Y, Tanaka Y, Shigaki T, Takenaka M, Iwakuma N, Sudo T, Yamada A, Shichijo S, Itoh K, Akagi Y. Comparison of the immunological and clinical effect of personalized peptide vaccination for patients with breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-06.

Return to work after surgical treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma: report of a case

We report the case of a 56-year-old woman who underwent pleural biopsy to identify the cause of the right pleural effusion. The pathological diagnosis was epithelial malignant pleural mesothelioma. The patient worked as a junior high school teacher and strongly hoped for continuing work. Thus, we performed pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) as a curative surgery. The operative findings showed pleural thickening that in the lower lobe of the lung. Thus, peeling of the lower lobe was performed. Pleural biopsy was only performed on the upper and middle lobes. As a result, the operation was limited P/D. The pathological findings showed a small number of mesothelioma cells in the upper and middle lobes. The patient received four courses of cisplatin plus pemetrexed systemic chemotherapy after surgery. Continuous maintenance chemotherapy using pemetrexed has been performed until the time of writing. At present, she has continued her work for 6 years after the operation and has extended her retirement age without recurrence.

Detection of circulating tumor cells with a novel microfluidic system in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Detection of rare tumor cells circulating in the blood (CTCs) presents technical challenges. CellSearch, the only approved system for clinical use, fails to capture epithelial cell adhesion molecule‐negative CTCs such as malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). We have developed a novel microfluidic device (CTC‐chip) in which any Ab to capture CTCs is conjugated. The CTC‐chip was coated with an Ab against podoplanin that is abundantly expressed on MPM. Circulating tumor cell‐detection performance was evaluated in experimental models in which MPM cells were spiked in blood sampled from a healthy volunteer and in clinical samples drawn from MPM patients. The CTC‐chip showed superior CTC‐detection performance over CellSearch in experimental models (sensitivity, 63.3%‐64.5% vs 0%‐1.1%; P < .001) and in clinical samples (CTC‐positivity, 68.8% vs 6.3%; P < .001). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the CTC test provided a significant diagnostic performance in discrimination of unresectable disease from resectable disease (area under the ROC curve, 0.851; P = .003). The higher CTC count (≥2 cells/mL) was significantly associated with a poor prognosis (P = .030). The novel CTC‐chip enabled sensitive detection of CTCs, which provided significant diagnostic and prognostic information in MPM.

Ultra-power-efficient 2 × 2 Si Mach-Zehnder interferometer optical switch based on III-V/Si hybrid MOS phase shifter

We have demonstrated an ultra-power-efficient 2 × 2 Si Mach-Zehnder interferometer optical switch with III-V/Si hybrid metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) phase shifters. The efficient low-loss phase modulation enables low-crosstalk and broadband switching in conjunction with multimode interference couplers consisting of tapered input and output ports. Owing to the negligible gate leakage current in the hybrid MOS capacitor, the power consumption required for switching is 0.18 nW, approximately 10⁷ times smaller than that of a Si thermo-optic phase shifter. We also demonstrated a switching time of less than 20 ns. The III-V/Si hybrid MOS phase shifter is promising for fabricating large-scale Si photonic integrated circuits that require efficient, low-loss, and high-speed optical phase control.

Predictive factors of postoperative survival among patients with pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor

Background

Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor (NET) occurs with 20% of all lung cancers, and there are a limited number of literatures about the molecular aberrations, treatment and prognosis; especially in resected cases, as the operation indication for large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is rare due to their aggressive behaviors. We investigated the relationship between postoperative survival and molecular expression patterns of pulmonary NET to establish a more effective treatment strategy.

Methods

In the present study, the curative surgical resection of pulmonary NET was reviewed retrospectively. A total of 105 patients with pulmonary NET, who underwent complete resection between 1978 and 2016, were subjected to analysis with respect to histological characterization and clinical behaviors of pulmonary NET using immunohistochemistry (IHC) of neuroendocrine markers and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1).

Results

The pathological types included 67 SCLC, 18 LCNEC, 14 typical carcinoids (TCs) and 6 atypical carcinoids (ACs). The ACs had significantly worse prognosis than TCs. PD-L1 expression ratio in SCLC/LCNEC/TC/AC was 26.1%/50%/15.4%/20%, respectively. However, it was not significantly correlated with each prognosis. Therefore, the SCLC patients were analyzed, the overall 5-year survival of SCLC patients was found to be 47.3%. In the univariate analysis of the molecular expression of SCLC, neuroendocrine markers such as chromogranin-A (CGA) and synaptophysin (SYN) showed poor prognosis, albeit without significant differences.

Conclusions

The neuroendocrine markers such as CGA and SYN might assist the prediction of prognosis and probably influence the decision for adjuvant chemotherapy or follow-up intervals after surgery in SCLC patients; however additional studies are essential.

Extended pleurectomy decortication for thymoma with pleural dissemination

Complete resection is the mainstay of treatment for thymoma. Even for advanced-stage thymoma with pleural dissemination, complete resection with extrapleural pneumonectomy may provide a favorable prognosis. Pleurectomy decortication, a lung-sparing surgery, has been preferably employed in recent years as an alternative surgical procedure for malignant pleural mesothelioma. However, little has been reported about pleurectomy decortication for other malignant tumors with pleural dissemination. Here, we present the first case of thymoma with pleural dissemination for which complete en bloc resection was achieved with extended pleurectomy decortication.

Complete resection of an anterior mediastinal tumor by total arch replacement and pulmonary artery trunk plasty with a pericardial patch: A case report

Introduction

Patients with undiagnosed anterior mediastinal tumors commonly undergo surgery for diagnosis and treatment. However, determining the optimal therapeutic strategy is difficult for tumors with substantial invasion, such as lesions touching the aortic arch (AA).

Case presentation

A 76-year-old man of Asian descent presented to our hospital because chest computed tomography (CT) revealed an anterior mediastinal tumor. This tumor surrounded the left subclavian vein and touched the AA. We suspected the tumor to be malignant. We therefore decided to resect the tumor with preparation for total arch replacement (TAR). The operation was performed in three steps. First, we performed a mediastinal sternotomy. However, the tumor had invaded the subclavian vein, so we resected this vein after adding a transmanubrial approach. However, because of invading the AA we needed next step. Second, we shifted the patient to the right lateral decubitus position. We performed partial resection of the left upper lobe and exfoliated the distal AA. Third, we shifted the patient to the dorsal position and implanted an artificial cardiopulmonary device, after which we performed TAR, and pulmonary artery (PA) trunk plasty with a pericardial patch. The operation was successful, with no major adverse events. Pathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Discussion

If oncologically complete resection is preferable for tumors with substantial invasion, complete resection should be attempted even if the surgery is difficult.

Conclusion

We performed complete resection of an anterior mediastinal tumor with TAR and PA trunk plasty using a pericardial patch.

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We performed complete resection of a malignant tumor through TAR and PA trunk plasty with a pericardial patch.

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Discrimination between ML and thymoma is frequently difficult.

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If complete resection is preferable for tumors, the surgery should be attempted even if the surgery is difficult.

Effect of erlotinib plus bevacizumab on brain metastases in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background

The standard therapy for brain metastasis (BM) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is radiation therapy (RT), although it is associated with complications such as leukoencephalopathy. In the current report, we retrospectively review data from eight patients who had NSCLC and harbored epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, and who were received erlotinib plus bevacizumab (E+B) as first-line therapy for BM.

Methods

Patients were given E+B as first therapy for BM until August 2017 at our institution. Patients receiving local therapy for BM, such as surgery or radiotherapy, were excluded. Patients were administered erlotinib orally (once daily at 150 mg/body) plus bevacizumab by intravenous infusion (15 mg/kg on day 1 of a 21- or 28-day cycle).

Results

Eight NSCLC patients who were diagnosed with BM received E+B, including 2 men and 6 women with a median age of 65 years (range, 46-84 years). Four patients had an L858R EGFR mutation, while the other four had an exon 19 deletion. Seven patients had a partial response to E+B treatment, and one had a complete response. The 2-year survival rate was 62.5%. Three patients who were pre-treated with gefitinib had an E+B treatment duration of less than 1 year. At the time of this analysis, four patients had BM-related neurologic symptoms and multiple BMs, and were still receiving E+B with no evidence of treatment failure after more than 1 year.

Conclusions

E+B can be used as first-line therapy for BM, even in patients with BM-related neurologic symptoms and multiple BMs.

Outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for thymic carcinoma: a single-center experience

Background

Thymic carcinoma is uncommon, presents locally at an advanced stage, and behaves aggressively. The optimum treatment for advanced thymic carcinoma is controversial. We retrospectively reviewed our institutional experience with patients with thymic carcinoma.

Methods

We analyzed the clinical data of six patients who underwent total thymectomy for thymic carcinoma at our institution from 2006 to 2016. Variables analyzed included sex, age, histological classification, Masaoka staging, postoperative treatment, and recurrence.

Results

The clinical characteristics of the six patients with thymic carcinoma (median age, 56 years; five men and one woman) were as follows: squamous cell carcinoma (n=5); sarcomatoid carcinoma (n=1); Masaoka stages II (n=1), III (n=2), IVa (n=1), and IVb (n=2). Four patients underwent combined pulmonary resection (66.7%) as a component of en bloc resection due to suspicion of pulmonary invasion. Four patients (66.7%) received postoperative therapy, and complete resection was achieved for four patients. There were no perioperative deaths. One patient experienced a recurrence.

Conclusions

Complete resection for thymic cancer improved the prognosis of our patients, indicating that robust studies will be required to confirm our findings.

Extended surgery using anterior mediastinal tracheostomy for recurrent mediastinal liposarcoma

Mediastinal liposarcoma is an extremely rare malignancy with a poor prognosis. We report the case of a 73-year-old man who presented with severe respiratory distress. He had previously been diagnosed with mediastinal liposarcoma, which had been treated with extirpation 6 years ago. The histological type was a well-differentiated liposarcoma. Three years ago, he experienced respiratory distress due to postoperative recurrence of mediastinal liposarcoma. To establish an airway, tracheotomy was urgently performed. Tracheal stenosis also developed because the sarcoma progressed to the trachea after tracheostomy. We performed radical resection of the recurrent mediastinal liposarcoma combined with the resection of the laryngopharynx and cervical oesophagus and reconstruction using a free jejunal graft. We then performed anterior mediastinal tracheostomy with a pedicled omental flap. There has been no recurrence in the 3 years since the last operation.

A unique case of a huge mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma of non-endobronchial origin with a peripheral growth

We report a case of a huge solitary non-endobronchial pulmonary tumor in a 76-year-old male smoker. The tumor measured 11 × 10 × 8 cm. It was ill-defined, and it was located periphery of the right lower lobe with the subpleural cystic spaces. He underwent right lower lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection and is free from tumor 30 months after surgery. Microscopically, it was composed of a proliferation of squamous and ciliated columnar epithelial cells with a few mucous cells. These cells were arranged in a papillary growth fashion extending along the fibrously thickened alveolar septa together with metaplastic bronchiolar and squamous epithelia displaying an usual interstitial pneumonia-pattern. Although the histologic features of the tumor were that of a mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma (MSCGP), it was peripherally located and showed a lepidic growth, and it was much larger than previously reported MSCGPs. It is possible that the tumor developed in association with bronchial metaplasia in the periphery of the lung, and then extended along the surface of the reconstructed air spaces, which resulted in its unique histologic appearance. Further investigations of respiratory papilloma are needed to clarify the pathogenesis of these lesions.

Virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP) shortened surgical time of wedge resection

Background

The detection of extremely small lung tumors has increased with the development of computed tomography. Resection of such tumors by thoracoscopy is often hindered due to the unclear location of the tumor. Various methods of preoperative determination of such lesions have been attempted, but without marked success. Here we used virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP) to perform surgical resection of small lung lesions.

Methods

We selected patients with pulmonary tumors that we anticipated to be difficult to identify during thoracoscopy and/or decide the resection line for sub-lobar lung resection. The wedge resections in the VAL-MAP group were compared to a group of patients who underwent wedge resection without VAL-MAP in 2013.

Results

Surgery duration was significantly shorter in the VAL-MAP group (average: 76.4 min) than in the 2013 group (average: 108.6 min; P=0.000451), although the VAL-MAP group (average major axis: 9.6 mm) had smaller tumors (P=0.000032) and more pure ground-glass opacities (GGOs) (P=0.0000919) than the 2013 group (average major axis: 16.6 mm).

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that VAL-MAP is efficacious. In particular, VAL-MAP resulted in a shorter surgery duration and has expanded the indications of resectable lesions.

Complete resection of the primary lesion improves survival of certain patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The standard treatment for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is systemic chemotherapy. However, certain patients, such as those with oligometastasis or M1a disease undergo resection of the primary lesion.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of the records of 1,471 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent resection of the primary lesion for between June 2005 and May 2016. The present study included 38 patients with stage IV NSCLC who underwent complete resection of the primary lesion as first-line treatment.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration for the 38 patients (27 men) was 17.7 months (range, 1-82.3 months). The T factors were T1/T2/T3/T4 in 4/16/12/6 patients, respectively. The N factors were N0/N1/N2/N3 in 16/8/12/2 patients, respectively. The M factors were M1a/M1b/M1c in 19/13/6 patients, respectively. Of the 19 M1a patients, 11 were classified as cM0. We introduced the novel classification M-better/M-worse. M-better includes cM0 patients and M1b and M1c patients in whom all lesions have been locally controlled. M-worse includes cM1a patients and M1b and M1c patients in whom lesions cannot be locally controlled. The new M-better/M-worse statuses were 24/14 patients, respectively. The histology of NSCLC was adenocarcinoma/squamous cell carcinoma/others in 30/5/3 patients, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate was 29%, and the median survival time was 725 days. Squamous cell carcinoma and M-worse were significant factors predicting poor outcomes (P=0.0017, P=0.0007, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Even for stage IV NSCLC patients, resection of the primary lesion may be beneficial, especially for those with M-better status and those not diagnosed with squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC).

Postoperative thoracic hemorrhage after right upper lobectomy with thoracic wall resection during rivaroxaban anticoagulant therapy for deep leg vein thrombosis: A case report

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We experienced a case of bleeding after thoracic surgery be induced by rivaroxaban, which is a new anticoagulant.

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This case provided important lessons for the usage of perioperative new anticoagulants, such as revaroxaban, which do not need monitoring.

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Revaroxaban dose not have the monitoring of blood coagulant system and the antagonist.

Introduction

Postoperative pulmonary embolism (PE) is the one of the most important complications after thoracic surgery. This complicatin after the surgery is often treated by new anticoaglant drug, such as rivaroxaban, which dose not need to the monitoring of blood coaglation system. We experienced postoperative bleeding case during anticoaglant therapy using rivaroxaban.

Presentation of case

The patient underwent a right upper lobectomy with lung and chest wall resection for lung cancer. On postoperative day (POD) 10, we started to use rivaroxaban to treat the deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Four days after starting the rivaroxaban treatment, severe surgical site hemorrhage occurred, which led to the need for the infusion of concentrated red cells (CRC). After stopping the rivaroxaban, the thoracic bleeding ceased. Because the event occurred so long after the surgery, and because the bleeding stopped after withdrawal of treatment, we believe that rivaroxaban induced the thoracic bleeding.

Conclusion

Some reports in the field of orthopedics (Turpie et al., 2009) have noted that rivarxaban is effective to prevent postoperative DVT. However, there were few reports that invied the attention to postoperative bleeding be induced by rivarxaban. Thus, we describe this case in order to alert clinicians to the potential bleeding risks associated with the admistration of rivaroxaban postoperatively.

A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Study of Beraprost Sodium Treatment for Cats with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common progressive and irreversible disease in cats. The efficacy and safety of beraprost sodium (BPS) in cats with CKD have not been evaluated.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of BPS in the treatment of cats with CKD, as compared to placebo.

Animals

Seventy‐four client‐owned cats with naturally occurring CKD.

Methods

Double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, multicenter, prospective, randomized trial. The cats received BPS (55 μg/cat) or a placebo PO q12 h for 180 days. The primary endpoint was prospectively defined as a change in the serum creatinine (sCr), serum phosphorus‐to‐calcium ratio or urine specific gravity (USG).

Results

The sCr increased significantly (P = 0.0030) in the placebo group (mean ± SD: 2.8 ± 0.7 to 3.2 ± 1.3 mg/dL) but not in the BPS group (2.4 ± 0.7 to 2.5 ± 0.7 mg/dL). The difference between the groups at day 180 was significant (0.8 mg/dL, 95% CI: 0.2 to 1.3 mg/dL, P = 0.0071). The serum phosphorus‐to‐calcium ratio was significantly (P = 0.0037) increased in the placebo group (0.46 ± 0.10 to 0.52 ± 0.21 mg/dL) but not in the BPS group (0.50 ± 0.08 to 0.51 ± 0.11 mg/dL). There was no significant change in the USG in either group. An adverse event judged as being treatment‐related included vomiting that occurred in 1 case in the placebo group. No clinically relevant change was observed in the CBC and other blood chemistry tests.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Beraprost sodium treatment was well tolerated and safe in cats with CKD. BPS inhibited the reduction in renal filtration function as measured by sCr increase.