Improving Patient Understanding and Outcomes in Lung Cancer Using an Animated Patient's Guide with Visual Formats of Learning.

Lung cancer patient education resources that address barriers to health literacy, improve understanding, and demonstrate improved patient outcomes are limited. Our study aim was to evaluate and report on learner knowledge improvement and intent to implement behavior change, and validate the benefits of the You and Lung Cancer website and YouTube resources. Our study occurred from November 2017 to December 2023.

Phase I/II trial of plinabulin in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab in patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer (SCLC): Big ten cancer research consortium (BTCRC-LUN17-127) study.

Background: Plinabulin is a GEF-H1 releasing agent with an immune-enhancing function. We report results from a multicenter Phase I/II study (NCT03575793) assessing plinabulin in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab for the treatment of recurrent SCLC.

Methods: In Phase I, patients were enrolled using a 3 + 3 design to determine dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D).

One-Week Kava Dietary Supplementation Increases Both Urinary - and -Glucuronides of NNAL, a Lung Carcinogen Major Metabolite, among Smokers.

4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (commonly known as NNK) is one of the most prevalent and potent pulmonary carcinogens in tobacco products that increases the human lung cancer risk. Kava has the potential to reduce NNK and tobacco smoke-induced lung cancer risk by enhancing urinary excretion of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL, the major metabolite of NNK) and thus reducing NNK-induced DNA damage. In this study, we quantified -glucuronidated NNAL (NNAL--gluc), -glucuronidated NNAL (NNAL--gluc), and free NNAL in the urine samples collected before and after 1-week kava dietary supplementation.

A Rare Case of Overlapping Durvalumab-induced Myositis, Takotsubo-like Morphological Changes Caused by Myocarditis, and Myasthenia Gravis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors can cause a range of immune-related adverse events, including myositis, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and myasthenia gravis. We herein report a rare case of a 78-year-old man with concurrent durvalumab-induced myositis, Takotsubo-like morphological changes caused by myocarditis, and myasthenia gravis. The patient initially required invasive ventilation and exhibited symptoms of myasthenia gravis after treatment with high-dose steroids.

Case report: Salivary duct carcinoma in a patient with a germline pathogenic variant - expanding the spectrum of hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes.

Introduction: Recently, an entity known as salivary duct carcinoma with rhabdoid features (SDC-RF) has been associated with somatic mutations. Here we present the first known case report of conventional SDC occurring in the setting of a germline pathogenic variant accompanied by a somatic loss of heterozygosity at the locus.

Case Discussion: A 67-year-old man presented with chest and back pain and was found to have osteolytic lesions in the sternum and lumbar spine.

A Novel Filtration Membrane for Clustered Circulating Tumor Cell Extraction: A Prospective Feasibility Study.

Background/aim: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have garnered attention as biomarkers for therapeutic response and prognosis in malignant neoplasms. Nonetheless, existing literature predominantly relies on surrogate markers of tumor cells or focuses on single-cell CTC, failing to adequately address the challenge of detecting cluster-forming CTCs, which bear considerable prognostic implications. This prospective study aims to validate the efficacy of a novel filtration membrane, namely Soft Micro Pore Filter (S-MPF), for rare cell recovery in detecting CTCs through the analysis of clinical samples.

SFPQ and Its Isoform as Potential Biomarker for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Cancer markers are measurable molecules in the blood or tissue that are produced by tumor cells or immune cells in response to cancer progression. They play an important role in clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and anti-drug monitoring. Although DNA, RNA, and even physical images have been used, proteins continue to be the most common marker.

Serum Free Radical Scavenging Capacity Profiles of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Oxidative stress is an important mechanism for the development and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It may also contribute to systemic manifestation in patients with COPD. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) including free radicals play a crucial role in oxidative stress in COPD.

Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form as screening tool for osteoporosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background And Objectives: Osteoporosis is a common complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-ease (COPD). It is impractical to measure bone mineral density (BMD) in all patients with COPD. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF), a simple nutritional status questionnaire, and osteoporosis, and to determine whether it can be used as a reliable screening tool for osteoporosis in patients with COPD.

A tri-specific killer engager against mesothelin targets NK cells towards lung cancer.

New treatments are required to enhance current therapies for lung cancer. Mesothelin is a surface protein overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that shows promise as an immunotherapeutic target in phase I clinical trials. However, the immunosuppressive environment in NSCLC may limit efficacy of these therapies.

Primary pulmonary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting multiple nodules mimicking metastasis: A case report.

Primary pulmonary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a rare entity. We describe a case of pulmonary lymphoma with multiple nodules mimicking metastases in a treated patient with rheumatoid arthritis. A 73-year-old man was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 30.

Total Synthesis of Alcyonolide.

The total synthesis of alcyonolide, an antitumor xenicn diterpenoid, has been achieved. The inverse electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction using a dienophile possessing an electron-withdrawing group provided the endo adduct which included a condensed lactone and dihydropyran rings with the desired three stereogenic centers. After introduction of the side chain by the Negishi coupling, the lactone ring was opened to form a Weinreb amide.

Successful management of recurrent allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis after changing from mepolizumab to dupilumab: A case report.

An 81-year-old woman presented to our hospital due to an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray and a 4-week-old persistent cough. Laboratory examination revealed increased serum eosinophils and immunoglobulin E. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) score and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec indicated airway obstruction.

Verification of A New Filter for Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells by Only Blood Filtration.

Background/aim: Since circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are precursors of metastatic lesions, extracting CTCs from whole blood is useful in obtaining information for cancer treatment. One of the CTC isolation methods is the size selection method; however, since the conventional methods are expensive and cumbersome, we developed an affordable and simple filter, whose usefulness is verified in this study.

Materials And Methods: The new filter [hereafter, soft micropore filter (S-MPF)] is made up of a polyethylene film with a thickness of 15 μm and conical pores having a diameter of 8-10 μm, which are opened uniformly (opening rate, 20%).

Reducing Chemotherapy-Induced DNA Damage via nAChR-Mediated Redox Reprograming-A New Mechanism for SCLC Chemoresistance Boosted by Nicotine.

Up to 60% of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) continue to smoke, which is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Platinum-based chemotherapies, in combination with topoisomerase inhibitors, are first-line therapies for SCLC, with rapid chemoresistance as a major barrier. We provided evidence in this study that nicotine and its major metabolite, cotinine, at physiologically relevant concentrations, reduced the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapies and facilitated chemoresistance in SCLC cells.

Exceptional response to afatinib in a patient with persistent G719A -mutant NSCLC.

We present a patient with metastatic NSCLC harboring a compound mutation with co-occurring G719A and T790M mutation. T790M mutation was treatment emergent mutation when patient was on early generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Initial Guardant 360 showed that G719A was the dominant clone.

Suppressing the activation of protein kinase A as a DNA damage-independent mechanistic lead for dihydromethysticin prophylaxis of NNK-induced lung carcinogenesis.

Our earlier work demonstrated varying potency of dihydromethysticin (DHM) as the active kava phytochemical for prophylaxis of tobacco carcinogen nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK)-induced mouse lung carcinogenesis. Efficacy was dependent on timing of DHM gavage ahead of NNK insult. In addition to DNA adducts in the lung tissues mitigated by DHM in a time-dependent manner, our in vivo data strongly implicated the existence of DNA damage-independent mechanism(s) in NNK-induced lung carcinogenesis targeted by DHM to fully exert its anti-initiation efficacy.

Precise Measurement of Differential Cross Sections of the Σ^{-}p→Λn Reaction in Momentum Range 470-650 MeV/c.

The differential cross sections of the Σ^{-}p→Λn reaction were measured accurately for the Σ^{-} momentum (p_{Σ}) ranging from 470 to 650  MeV/c at the J-PARC Hadron Experimental Facility. Precise angular information about the Σ^{-}p→Λn reaction was obtained for the first time by detecting approximately 100 reaction events at each angular step of Δcosθ=0.1.

Improvement of peripheral neuropathy in a patient with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-negative eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis by additional mepolizumab.

Background: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a vasculitis characterized by abnormally high eosinophils and frequent peripheral neuropathy. Mepolizumab is an approved therapy for EGPA, but its efficacy against peripheral neuropathy remains unknown.

Case Presentation: A 41-year-old woman was admitted in the hospital with dyspnea and neuropathy.

Stereotactic Laser Ablation (SLA) followed by consolidation stereotactic radiosurgery (cSRS) as treatment for brain metastasis that recurred locally after initial radiosurgery (BMRS): a multi-institutional experience.

Introduction: The optimal treatment paradigm for brain metastasis that recurs locally after initial radiosurgery remains an area of active investigation. Here, we report outcomes for patients with BMRS treated with stereotactic laser ablation (SLA, also known as laser interstitial thermal therapy, LITT) followed by consolidation radiosurgery.

Methods: Clinical outcomes of 20 patients with 21 histologically confirmed BMRS treated with SLA followed by consolidation SRS and > 6 months follow-up were collected retrospectively across three participating institutions.

Preparation of a Beverage Containing Freeze-Dried Watercress for a Clinical Trial of Carcinogen and Toxicant Detoxification.

Unlabelled: Watercress is an excellent source of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), shown in many studies to enhance carcinogen and toxicant detoxification and to inhibit carcinogenesis. Based on a previous observation that PEITC can enhance the detoxification of common environmental pollutants such as acrolein, crotonaldehyde, benzene, and 1,3-butadiene, we designed a clinical trial testing the hypothesis that daily consumption of a drink containing freeze-dried watercress, an abundant source of PEITC, would have a similar effect, particularly observed in subjects who were null in certain glutathione S-transferase genes. This manuscript describes the preparation of nearly 100 pounds of freeze-dried watercress for this trial, starting with laboratory-scale pilot studies and proceeding to industrial-scale production of the fully validated product in compliance with all food safety requirements.