Publications by authors named "Ching Yao Yang"

Background: Inadequate tumour samples often hinder molecular testing in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Plasma-based cell-free DNA (cfDNA) sequencing has shown promise in bypassing these tissue limitations. Nevertheless, pleural effusion (PE) samples may offer a richer cfDNA source for mutation detection in patients with malignant PE.

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Background: Acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) remains a significant hurdle for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly those lacking the EGFR. IMpower 150 study demonstrated promising efficacy for a combination of immune-chemotherapy and bevacizumab in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Methods: This open-label, single-arm, phase II trial evaluated the efficacy and immune cell profile of the modified regimen combining atezolizumab, bevacizumab (7.

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Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a challenging complication of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) offers insights into resistance mechanisms and potential treatment strategies. We conducted a study from February 2022 to April 2023 involving patients from five hospitals in Taiwan who had recurrent or advanced NSCLC with LM.

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Background: PD-L1 is associated with poor efficacy of first- or second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in untreated EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Whether PD-L1 is also predictive of osimertinib efficacy in pre-treated patients with an acquired EGFR T790 M mutation is unclear.

Patients And Methods: PD-L1 expression and tumor microenvironments were evaluated in tumors from EGFR-mutant T790 M + NSCLC patients treated with osimertinib.

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Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality globally, and the prevalence of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common lung cancer subtype, has increased sharply in East Asia. Early diagnosis leads to better survival rates, but this requires an improved understanding of the molecular changes during early tumorigenesis, particularly in non-smokers. Here, we performed whole exome-sequencing and RNA-sequencing of samples from 94 East Asian patients with precancerous lesions (25 with atypical adenomatous hyperplasia [AAH]; 69 with adenocarcinoma in situ [AIS]) and 73 patients with early invasive lesions (minimally invasive adenocarcinoma [MIA]).

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Pediatric donors are underutilized for simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation due to concerns about technical complications and inadequate islet and/or renal mass. We analyzed our experience with simultaneous en bloc kidney and pancreas transplantation using pediatric donors on 8 consecutive adult patients from 1997-2018. En bloc kidney transplants were implanted intraperitoneally and contralaterally to right-sided pancreas grafts.

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Article Synopsis
  • Integrative analysis of expression data is tough due to varying factors like sample processing and RNA quality, making it hard to remove unwanted batch effects effectively.
  • The BatchFLEX Shiny app helps visualize and correct these batch effects using different methods, illustrating their impact on gene expression in immune cells.
  • The tool is accessible on GitHub and Shiny.io, with additional supplementary data available online for further reference.
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  • Exosomes are small vesicles that facilitate communication between cells by transporting various molecules like mRNAs and proteins, and they are involved in regulating insulin secretion and glucose levels, especially in diabetic conditions.
  • This study explored the effects of exosomes from pancreatic islet β-cells on insulin secretion in naïve β-cells, revealing that they impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) without harming cell viability.
  • The exosomes altered key protein levels related to insulin signaling and inflammation, and bioinformatics analysis indicated that certain microRNAs carried by these exosomes may play a significant role in the dysregulation of GSIS in recipient β-cells.
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  • * In a study of 322 PD patients from 2006 to 2017, about 44.4% developed anemia within five years, with some requiring oral iron supplements.
  • * Key risk factors for post-PD anemia include a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score and having pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and management.
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  • The study investigated the clinical outcomes of patients in Taiwan with advanced or recurrent gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) from 2010 to 2020.
  • A total of 224 patients were analyzed, revealing significant survival rates: 50.5% progression-free survival (PFS) and 79.5% overall survival (OS) at 48 months for those treated with imatinib; other treatments like sunitinib and regorafenib showed shorter PFS.
  • The research highlighted specific genetic mutations (c-KIT and PDGFRA) as critical prognostic factors affecting patient outcomes, indicating that certain mutations
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  • In patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS), surgery is linked to better overall survival compared to those who do not undergo surgery.
  • A study of 226 patients showed that those who had surgery had a median survival of 18.6 months versus 11.9 months for non-surgical patients, with an even greater benefit observed in those receiving chemotherapy.
  • The findings suggest that combining surgery with chemotherapy could improve survival, highlighting the need for further research on multimodal treatment strategies.
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Background: The effectiveness of using a spray nozzle to deliver lidocaine for superior topical airway anaesthesia during non-sedation flexible bronchoscopy (FB) remains a topic of uncertainty when compared with conventional methods.

Methods: Patients referred for FB were randomly assigned to receive topical lidocaine anaesthesia the bronchoscope's working channel (classical spray (CS) group) or through a washing pipe equipped with a spray nozzle (SN group). The primary outcome was cough rate, defined as the total number of coughs per minute.

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Introduction: According to current International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer guideline, physicians may first use plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methods to identify epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant mechanisms (liquid rebiopsy) for lung cancer. Tissue rebiopsy is recommended if the plasma result is negative. However, this approach has not been evaluated prospectively using next-generation sequencing (NGS).

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  • Most patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving immunochemotherapy are given short-term corticosteroids after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) infusion to prevent side effects, but their impact on immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is unclear.
  • A study examined 252 NSCLC patients, comparing those who received early corticosteroids with those who did not, focusing on the rate of irAEs and treatment discontinuation.
  • Results showed that those in the corticosteroid group had a lower likelihood of permanently discontinuing their ICI treatment due to irAEs, suggesting that early corticosteroids may help in reducing serious side effects.
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  • Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of plasma cell-free DNA can detect driver mutations in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and might enhance standard molecular evaluations, though its initial utility remains unclear.
  • A randomised study on 180 patients with suspected advanced NSCLC compared two groups: one receiving NGS results after tissue genotyping and the other receiving them sooner; results showed earlier NGS led to a shorter wait for treatment (20 days vs. 28 days).
  • The study found high agreement between liquid NGS and tissue testing, identifying mutations in nearly 43% of cases where tissue tests were negative.
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  • The study examines the effectiveness of the Tomita, revised Tokuhashi, and Tokuhashi lung scores in predicting survival for lung cancer patients with spinal metastases, finding that these scores often underestimate actual prognosis.
  • Of 172 patients, the accuracy of survival predictions was low, especially with the Tokuhashi lung score missing predictions by up to 40%, though some factors like good health status and specific cancer types were found to improve survival outcomes.
  • The conclusion emphasizes that surgeons should adopt a more aggressive treatment approach for lung cancer patients with spinal metastases, particularly for those with favorable characteristics, while being cautious with less promising candidates.
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  • Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally, and Taiwan has implemented several health policies since 1997, such as anti-smoking campaigns and low-dose CT screenings, to improve lung cancer survival rates.
  • Research analyzed national cancer data from 1994 to 2020 and clinical characteristics of over 17,000 patients from 2006 to 2019, revealing a decrease in lung cancer mortality rates and significant improvements in 5-year survival rates.
  • The findings indicate that early detection through LDCT screening has led to a shift towards diagnosing lung cancer at earlier, more treatable stages, thereby enhancing patient survival rates.
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  • Sotorasib is the first FDA-approved KRAS inhibitor for treating KRAS-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer, but cancer cells can develop resistance to it over time.
  • Researchers discovered that sotorasib-resistant cancer cells are dependent on the inhibitor for survival, prompting an investigation into the underlying mechanisms of this addiction.
  • The study found that without sotorasib, resistant cells experience stress and DNA damage, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and that activating the MAPK pathway can enhance the effects of sotorasib withdrawal both in laboratory and animal models.
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Background: The T790M mutation is the major resistance mechanism to first- and second-generation TKIs in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. This study aimed to investigate the utility of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for detection of T790M in plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and explore its impact on prognosis.

Methods: This prospective study enrolled 80 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with gefitinib, erlotinib, or afatinib for TKI-sensitizing mutations between 2015 and 2019.

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  • A definitive diagnosis of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma is challenging with small biopsies, leading to the acceptance of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with spindle/giant cell characteristics as a diagnosis.* -
  • A study of 101 patients revealed that most received systemic therapy, with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) linked to significantly better overall survival (OS) compared to those who did not receive them (18.2 months vs. 3.8 months).* -
  • The presence of high programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression was associated with better OS, and the findings indicate that though survival is poor for advanced NSCLCsg, ICIs may offer a potential benefit, warranting further research.*
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  • KRAS is a common oncogene mutation in cancer, and while covalent inhibitors like sotorasib show promise, resistance can limit their effectiveness.
  • Researchers established sotorasib-resistant cell lines and found that these cells activate certain signaling pathways that contribute to this resistance, including increased cell adhesion and the activation of p21-activated kinases (PAKs) and the PI3K/AKT pathway.
  • Inhibiting PAK with compounds like FRAX597 and using the PI3K inhibitor alpelisib in combination with sotorasib significantly reduced the viability of KRAS mutant cancer cells, highlighting a mutual regulatory loop that contributes to resistance.
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  • The article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.883399 has been corrected, indicating some updates or changes to the original content.
  • Corrections in academic articles typically address inaccuracies, enhance clarity, or provide additional information relevant to the research.
  • Such corrections are important for maintaining the integrity and reliability of published academic work.
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  • Ripretinib was approved as a fourth-line treatment for advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) after showing improvements in progression-free survival in the INVICTUS study, but data on its effectiveness in Chinese patients was lacking.
  • A compassionate study conducted in Taiwan and Hong Kong from March 2020 to March 2021 evaluated the safety and efficacy of ripretinib in 20 patients with heavily pretreated metastatic GIST.
  • Results showed a 25% response rate and a median progression-free survival of 6.1 months, with common side effects including hair loss, diarrhea, skin rash, and anemia, indicating the treatment is generally tolerable.
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