The value of ultrasound-guided biopsy of fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)-positive supraclavicular lymph nodes in patients with suspected lung cancer.

Background: Accurate lymph node staging is essential for adequate prognostication and therapy planning in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). FDG-PET/CT is a sensitive tool for the detection of metastases, including non-palpable supraclavicular lymph node (SCLN) metastases. Histological proof of metastatic spread and mutation analysis is crucial for optimal staging and therapy.

Mutation Profiling of Lung Cancers with Long-Term Response to Gefitinib Therapy.

Background: The role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and unknown EGFR mutation status has recently been questioned.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with unknown EGFR mutation status and long-term response (LTR) to gefitinib in the Swiss Iressa expanded access program (EAP). We assessed patient characteristics, and performed Sanger sequencing and next generation sequencing on archived tumor tissue.

Intrapancreatic Accessory Spleen Mimicking Neuroendocrine Tumor on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT.

Besides well-known physiologic uptake of Ga-DOTATATE in spleen, pituitary gland, pancreatic head, adrenals, kidney, and urinary bladder, sometimes unusual areas of uptake are found. We report a case of a 53-year-old woman who had vague pain in abdomen for which abdominal CT was done showing a contrast-enhancing lesion in the pancreatic tail. It was suspected to be of neuroendocrine origin and Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT showed a corresponding focal uptake.

Lung adenocarcinoma with BRAF G469L mutation refractory to vemurafenib.

BRAF V600E is an emerging drug target in lung cancer, but the clinical significance of non-V600 BRAF mutations in lung cancer and other malignancies is less clear. Here, we report the case of a patient with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with BRAF G469L mutation refractory to vemurafenib. We calculated a structure model of this very rare type of mutated BRAF kinase to explain the molecular mechanism of drug resistance.