Perioperative Predictive Factors for Tumor Regression and Survival in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Treatment and Lung Resection.

Our study aimed to identify predictors for the effectiveness of tumor regression in lung cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment and cancer resections. Patients admitted between 2016 and 2022 were included in the study. Based on the histology of the tumor, patients were categorized into a lung adenocarcinoma group (LUAD) and squamous cell carcinoma group (SQCA).

Histology of the Primary Tumor Correlates with False Positivity of Integrated 18F-FDG-PET/CT Lymph Node Staging in Resectable Lung Cancer Patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and false positivity rate of lymph node (LN) staging assessed by integrated 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) in patients with operable lung cancer to the tumor histology. In total, 129 consecutive patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing anatomical lung resections were included. Preoperative LN staging was evaluated in the relationship to the histology of the resected specimens (group 1: lung adenocarcinoma/LUAD; group 2: squamous cell carcinoma/SQCA).

Pulmonary cancers across different histotypes share hybrid tuft cell/ionocyte-like molecular features and potentially druggable vulnerabilities.

Tuft cells are chemosensory epithelial cells in the respiratory tract and several other organs. Recent studies revealed tuft cell-like gene expression signatures in some pulmonary adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas (SQCC), small cell carcinomas (SCLC), and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC). Identification of their similarities could inform shared druggable vulnerabilities.

Predicting Long-term Survival After Lung Metastasectomy in Patients With Malignant Germ-cell Tumors.

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to identify predictors of long-term survival and propose an improved risk stratification in patients with pulmonary germ-cell metastases admitted for pulmonary metastasectomy.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-four patients admitted to the Division of Thoracic Surgery Munich, Germany, from 04/1994 until 09/2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The impact of clinical parameters on survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier, multivariate Cox regression analysis and receiver-operator curves.

WNT4 overexpression and secretion in thymic epithelial tumors drive an autocrine loop in tumor cells .

Background: WNT4-driven non-canonical signaling is crucial for homeostasis and age-related involution of the thymus. Abnormal WNT signaling is important in many cancers, but the role of WNT signaling in thymic tumors is largely unknown.

Materials & Methods: Expression and function of WNT4 and FZD6 were analyzed using qRT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA, in biopsies of non-neoplastic thymi (NT), thymoma and thymic carcinomas.

Metabolic Profiling of Thymic Epithelial Tumors Hints to a Strong Warburg Effect, Glutaminolysis and Precarious Redox Homeostasis as Potential Therapeutic Targets.

Thymomas and thymic carcinomas (TC) are malignant thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) with poor outcome, if non-resectable. Metabolic signatures of TETs have not yet been studied and may offer new therapeutic options. Metabolic profiles of snap-frozen thymomas (WHO types A, AB, B1, B2, B3, = 12) and TCs ( = 3) were determined by high resolution magic angle spinning 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (HRMAS 1H-NMR) spectroscopy.

GTF2I Mutation in Thymomas: Independence From Racial-Ethnic Backgrounds. An Indian/German Comparative Study.

Thymomas are the most frequent adult mediastinal cancers. Their etiology is unknown and their pathogenesis poorly understood. Racial, ethnic and environmental factors influence tumorigenesis in many cancers, but their role in thymomas remains unclear to date.

A Tuft Cell-Like Signature Is Highly Prevalent in Thymic Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Delineates New Molecular Subsets Among the Major Lung Cancer Histotypes.

Introduction: In-depth genomic characterization of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), comprising thymomas and thymic carcinomas (TCs), failed to identify targetable mutations and suggested unique biology of TETs, including KIT expression in most TCs. Recently, tuft cell-like medullary thymic epithelial cells were identified in the murine thymus, and our reanalysis of the published gene expression data revealed that these cells express KIT. In addition, recently, a minor subset of SCLCs with tuft cell-like features was described.

Thymic Hyperplasia with Lymphoepithelial Sialadenitis (LESA)-Like Features: Strong Association with Lymphomas and Non-Myasthenic Autoimmune Diseases.

Thymic hyperplasia (TH) with lymphoepithelial sialadenitis (LESA)-like features (LESA-like TH) has been described as a tumor-like, benign proliferation of thymic epithelial cells and lymphoid follicles. We aimed to determine the frequency of lymphoma and autoimmunity in LESA-like TH and performed retrospective analysis of cases with LESA-like TH and/or thymic MALT-lymphoma. Among 36 patients (21 males) with LESA-like TH (age 52 years, 32-80; lesion diameter 7.

Increased frequency of CD4 CD25 CD127 T cells early after lung transplant is associated with improved graft survival - a retrospective study.

In this retrospective study, we analyzed the presence of any association of three CD4 CD25 regulatory T-cell subpopulations at 3 weeks after lung transplantation with the later incidence of chronic lung allograft dysfunction and graft survival. Among lung-transplanted patients between January 2009 and April 2018, only patients with sufficient T-cell measurements at 3 weeks after transplantation were included into the study. Putative regulatory T cells were defined as CD4 CD25 T cells, detected in peripheral blood and further analyzed for CD127 , FoxP3 , and CD152 using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis.

Five-year experience using the Lung Allocation Score: the Munich Lung Transplant Group.

Objectives: The Lung Allocation Score (LAS) was implemented in Germany on 10 December 2011 after demonstrating favourable outcomes in the USA since its introduction in 2005. There are only limited and short-term data on the effect of the LAS on lung transplantation programmes in Germany. The purpose of this study was to analyse our 5-year single-centre experience with the LAS within the influential area of the Eurotransplant Foundation (ET).

Distinct niches within the extracellular matrix dictate fibroblast function in (cell free) 3D lung tissue cultures.

Cues from the extracellular matrix (ECM) and their functional interplay with cells play pivotal roles for development, tissue repair, and disease. However, the precise nature of this interplay remains elusive. We used an innovative 3D cell culture ECM model by decellularizing 300-µm-thick ex vivo lung tissue scaffolds (d3D-LTCs) derived from diseased and healthy mouse lungs, which widely mimics the native (patho)physiological in vivo ECM microenvironment.

Predicting the Necessity for Extracorporeal Circulation During Lung Transplantation: A Feasibility Study.

Objective: The factors leading to the implementation of unplanned extracorporeal circulation during lung transplantation are poorly defined. Consequently, the authors aimed to identify patients at risk for unplanned extracorporeal circulation during lung transplantation.

Design: Retrospective data analysis.

Extracorporeal Circulation During Lung Transplantation Procedures: A Meta-Analysis.

Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) is an invaluable tool in lung transplantation (lutx). More than the past years, an increasing number of centers changed their standard for intraoperative ECC from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) - with differing results. This meta-analysis reviews the existing evidence.

Lung transplantation in the spotlight: Reasons for high-cost procedures.

Background: Hospital treatment costs of lung transplantation are insufficiently analyzed. Accordingly, it remains unknown, whether current Diagnosis Related Groups, merely accounting for 3 ventilation time intervals and length of hospital stay, reproduce costs properly, even when an increasing number of complex recipients are treated. Therefore, in this cost determination study, actual costs were calculated and cost drivers identified.

Surface proteome analysis identifies platelet derived growth factor receptor-alpha as a critical mediator of transforming growth factor-beta-induced collagen secretion.

Fibroblasts are extracellular matrix-producing cells in the lung. Fibroblast activation by transforming growth factor-beta leads to myofibroblast-differentiation and increased extracellular matrix deposition, a hallmark of pulmonary fibrosis. While fibroblast function with respect to migration, invasion, and extracellular matrix deposition has been well-explored, little is known about the surface proteome of lung fibroblasts in general and its specific response to fibrogenic growth factors, in particular transforming growth factor-beta.

Impairment of Immunoproteasome Function by Cigarette Smoke and in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in particular smokers are more susceptible to respiratory infections contributing to acute exacerbations of disease. The immunoproteasome is a specialized type of proteasome destined to improve major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-mediated antigen presentation for the resolution of intracellular infections.

Objectives: To characterize immunoproteasome function in COPD and its regulation by cigarette smoke.

Comparison of an advanced minimally invasive cardiac output monitoring with a continuous invasive cardiac output monitoring during lung transplantation.

The aim of this study was to compare a continuous non-calibrated left heart cardiac index (CI) measurement by arterial waveform analysis (FloTrac(®)/Vigileo(®)) with a continuous calibrated right heart CI measurement by pulmonary artery thermodilution (CCOmbo-PAC(®)/Vigilance II(®)) for hemodynamic monitoring during lung transplantation. CI was measured simultaneously by both techniques in 13 consecutive lung transplants (n = 4 single-lung transplants, n = 9 sequential double-lung transplants) at distinct time points perioperatively. Linear regression analysis and Bland-Altman analysis with percentage error calculation were used for statistical comparison of CI measurements by both techniques.

FK506-Binding Protein 10, a Potential Novel Drug Target for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Rationale: Increased abundance and stiffness of the extracellular matrix, in particular collagens, is a hallmark of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). FK506-binding protein 10 (FKBP10) is a collagen chaperone, mutations of which have been indicated in the reduction of extracellular matrix stiffness (e.g.

Parameters associated with short- and midterm survival in bridging to lung transplantation with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Patients with terminal lung failure may be bridged to lung transplantation (LTX) by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). With the present shortage of donor organs and the high level of invasiveness of ECMO treatment, appropriate selection criteria for bridge to transplant need to be defined. We report retrospective data from 26 patients on ECMO listed for LTX.

Clinical outcome of IBD-associated versus sporadic colorectal cancer: a matched-pair analysis.

Purpose: This study assesses the perioperative course and long-term survival of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-associated vs. sporadic colorectal cancer (IBD-CRC vs. SCRC) after elimination of known confounders.

Combined resection of colorectal hepatic-pulmonary metastases shows improved outcome over chemotherapy alone.

Background: The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the survival of patients after resection of hepatic and pulmonary colorectal metastases to identify predictors of long-term survival.

Methods: Patients receiving chemotherapy alone were compared to patients receiving surgery and chemotherapy in a matched-pair analysis with the following criteria: UICC stage, grading, and date of initial primary tumor occurrence.

Results: A total of 30 patients with liver and lung metastases of colorectal carcinoma underwent resection.

Acute liver failure, rupture and hemorrhagic shock as primary manifestation of advanced metastatic disease.

Background: Malignancies rarely cause of acute liver failure, the presence of which have to be ruled-out during transplant evaluation. Tumor-related liver ruptures sporadically occur and might further complicate patient management.

Case Report: We report the case of a previously healthy 56-year-old male with complaints of abdominal pain.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 blockade attenuates inflammatory response and improves microvascular perfusion in rat pancreas grafts.

Objectives: After pancreas transplantation (PTx), early capillary malperfusion and leukocyte recruitment indicate the manifestation of severe ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Oscillatory blood-flow redistribution (intermittent capillary perfusion, IP), leading to an overall decrease in erythrocyte flux, precedes complete microvascular perfusion failure with persistent blood flow cessation. We addressed the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) for leukocyte-endothelial interactions (LEIs) after PTx and evaluated the contribution of IP and malperfusion.

Evaluation of a new prognostic score (Munich score) to predict long-term survival after resection of pulmonary renal cell carcinoma metastases.

Background: The aim of this single-center study was to analyze factors predicting long-term outcomes following surgical resection of pulmonary metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Methods: Two hundred two consecutive patients entered the study. Overall survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.