Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With N1 Involvement or Skip Metastases Presents the Same Survival Outcome: Results From a Multicentric Study.

Background: The prognostic difference among patients affected by NSCLC with hilar metastases only or mediastinal nodes metastases without hilar involvement (skip metastases) is still unclear. Aim of this study is to analyse if prognostic difference are present or if the two groups present the same survival outcome.

Materials And Methods: Data on NSCLC patients from 7 high volume centres (2004-2014) were collected and retrospectively reviewed.

External validation of the N descriptor in the proposed tumour-node-metastasis subclassification for lung cancer: the crucial role of histological type, number of resected nodes and adjuvant therapy.

Objectives: Overlapping survival curves for N1b (multiple N1 stations), N2a2 (single N2 station + N1 involvement) and N2a1 (skip N2 metastasis) limit the current tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) node (N) subclassification for node involvement. We validated externally the proposed subclassification.

Methods: Clinical records from a multicentric database comprising 1036 patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma (ADC) or squamous cell carcinoma with N1/N2 involvement who underwent, from January 2002 to December 2014, complete lung resections were retrospectively reviewed.

Mediastinal Up-Staging During Surgery in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Which Mediastinal Lymph Node Metastasis Patterns Better Predict The Outcome? A Multicenter Analysis.

Background: Unexpected N2 involvement occurs in approximately 10% to 20% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and patients' prognostic factors remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic factors in these patients.

Methods: From January 2002 to December 2012, we retrospectively analyzed data of 550 patients with NSCLC with preoperative negative, but pathologic positive N2 involvement, who underwent anatomical lung resection and hilo-mediastinal lymphadenectomy, obtained from 6 institutions.

Lymph-node ratio predicts survival among the different stages of non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicentre analysis†.

Objectives: The prognostic role of the number of resected and metastatic lymph nodes in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still being debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of lymphadenectomy in addition to the already validated variables in NSCLC survival.

Methods: From January 2002 to December 2012, data on 4858 patients with NSCLC undergoing anatomical lung resection and hilomediastinal lymphadenectomy in 6 institutions were analysed retrospectively.

Prognostic Model for Resected Squamous Cell Lung Cancer: External Multicenter Validation and Propensity Score Analysis exploring the Impact of Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Treatment.

Introduction: We developed one of the first clinicopathological prognostic nomograms for resected squamous cell lung cancer (SQLC). Herein, we validate the model in a larger multicenter cohort and we explore the impact of adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment (ANT).

Methods: Patients with resected SQLC from January 2002 to December 2012 in six institutions were eligible.

Prevention of systemic toxicity in hyperthermic isolated lung perfusion using radioisotopic leakage monitoring.

Rationale: Hyperthermic isolated lung Perfusion (ILuP) is used to deliver high-dose chemotherapy to pulmonary metastases while sparing systemic toxicity. Accurate leakage monitoring is however necessary. This study aimed to verify the accuracy of radionuclide leakage monitoring in patients undergoing ILuP, by comparing this method with serial blood sampling.

Pleurectomy-decortication in malignant pleural mesothelioma: are different surgical techniques associated with different outcomes? Results from a multicentre study.

Objectives: The potential benefit of surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), especially concerning pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), is unclear from the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome after multimodality treatment of MPM involving different types of P/D and to analyse the prognostic factors.

Methods: We reviewed 314 patients affected by MPM who were operated on in 11 Italian centres from 1 January 2007 to 11 October 2014.

Expression of Ribonucleotide Reductase Subunit-2 and Thymidylate Synthase Correlates with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Resected Stages I-III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Unlabelled: Biomarkers can help to identify patients with early-stages or locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have high risk of relapse and poor prognosis. To correlate the expression of seven biomarkers involved in DNA synthesis and repair and in cell division with clinical outcome, we consecutively collected 82 tumour tissues from radically resected NSCLC patients. The following biomarkers were investigated using IHC and q

Rt-pcr: excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1), breast cancer 1 (BRCA1), ribonucleotide reductase subunits M1 and M2 (RRM1 and RRM2), subunit p53R2, thymidylate synthase (TS), and class III beta-tubulin (TUBB3).

Pulmonary middle lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer: effectiveness and prognostic implications.

Objectives: The therapeutic value of pulmonary middle lobectomy (PML) has been questioned. PML is currently regarded as a standard form of lobectomy, even so it shares some surgical features with segmentectomies (SEG) more than with lobectomies. The present study's aim was to assess the therapeutic value of PML with respect to other lobectomies (LOBs) and SEGs.

Prognostic Score of Long-Term Survival After Surgery for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: A Multicenter Analysis.

Background: Despite ongoing efforts to improve therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma, few patients undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy experience long-term survival (LTS). This study aims to explore predictors of LTS after extrapleural pneumonectomy and to define a prognostic score.

Methods: From January 2000 to December 2010, we retrospectively reviewed clinicopathologic and oncological factors in a multicenter cohort of 468 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy.

Temporal trend, geographic distribution, and publication quality in asbestos research.

Asbestos is a well-known cause of cancer and respiratory diseases. The aim of the current study was to investigate the scientific production in asbestos research evaluating temporal trend, geographic distribution, impact factor (IF) of published literature, and taking into account socioeconomic variables. The PubMed database was searched starting from 1970.

Thymic epithelial tumors express vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors as potential targets of antiangiogenic therapy: a tissue micro array-based multicenter study.

Objectives: Tumor angiogenesis is an essential and complex process necessary for the growth of all tumors which represents a potential therapeutic target. Angiogenesis inhibitors targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or their receptor tyrosine kinases have been approved by the FDA. In thymic epithelial tumors (TET), targeted therapies have been sporadically applied due to their rarity.

Pleural lavage cytology predicts recurrence and survival, even in early non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The TNM staging remains the best prognostic descriptor of lung cancer; however, new independent prognostic factors are needed, particularly for early stage disease.

Methods: An evaluation of the pleural lavage cytology (PLC) was performed in 436 consecutive NSCLC patients who underwent surgical resection; clinical, pathological and follow-up data were available for 414 patients.

Results: The PLC was positive in 15 patients (3.

Extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant mesothelioma: an Italian multicenter retrospective study.

Background: This study assessed perioperative outcome and long-term survival in a large series of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) to identify prognostic factors allowing better patient selection.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data from nine referral centers for thoracic surgery in Italy. Perioperative outcome and survival data were available for 518 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients (84.

Does surgery improve survival of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma?: a multicenter retrospective analysis of 1365 consecutive patients.

Background: Surgery with pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) or extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) can be an option for selected patients with resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of surgical treatment on the outcome of patients with MPM.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 1365 consecutive patients with histologically proven MPM, treated from 1982 to 2012 in six Institutions.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene over expression correlates with poor prognosis in non small cell lung cancer patients.

Background: Glycolysis in presence of oxygen with high glucose consumption is known to be the metabolism of choice in many tumors. In lung cancer this phenomenon is routinely exploited in diagnostic PET imaging of fluorodeoxyglucose uptake, but not much is known about the prognostic capabilities of glycolysis level assessment in resected lung tumor samples.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we used real time polymerase chain reaction(RQ-PCR) to assess the expression level of the gene for Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH), key enzyme for glucose breakdown, in tumor samples from 82 consecutive early stages resected non small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patients.

Evaluation of CTLA-4 expression and relevance as a novel prognostic factor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

The role of CTLA-4 in negative regulation of T-cell mediated immune response is particularly well established. Much less is known about its expression and function in tumour cells, and to our knowledge, no data are available on its possible impact on prognosis of NSCLC patients. We investigated CTLA-4 expression and prognostic role in 81 patients with radically resected stage I-III NSCLC.

Natural killer cells infiltrating human nonsmall-cell lung cancer are enriched in CD56 bright CD16(-) cells and display an impaired capability to kill tumor cells.

Background: Despite natural killer (NK) cells being originally identified and named because of their ability to kill tumor cells in vitro, only limited information is available on NK cells infiltrating malignant tumors, especially in humans.

Methods: NK cells infiltrating human nonsmall cell lung cancers (NSCLC) were analyzed with the aim of identifying their potential protective role in an antitumor immune response. Both relevant molecule expression and functions of NK cells infiltrating NSCLC were analyzed in comparison with autologous NK cells isolated from either peritumoral normal lung tissues or peripheral blood.

Eosinophil granulocytes account for indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-mediated immune escape in human non-small cell lung cancer.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a catabolizing enzyme of tryptophan, is supposed to play a role in tumor immune escape. Its expression in solid tumors has not yet been well elucidated: IDO can be expressed by the tumor cells themselves, or by ill-defined infiltrating cells, possibly depending on tumor type. We have investigated IDO expression in 25 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).