Surgical outcomes and learning curve of complex versus simple segmentectomy for uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: an initial experience of 100 cases of a single experienced surgeon.

Background: Complex segmentectomy for uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) remains controversial due to procedural complexity and the risk of increased complications, unlike multiportal VATS. Demonstrating the perioperative results and proficiency of individual surgeon is believed to influence future dissemination for uniportal VATS. In this study, we aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes and learning curves of complex versus simple segmentectomy for uniportal VATS.

Early chest tube removal within 6 hours after thoracic surgery results in improved postoperative prognosis and no adverse effects.

Background: Advances in minimally invasive surgery and drainage systems have caused earlier chest-tube-removal. This retrospective study aimed to assess the safety of early chest tube removal using the institution's new criteria 6 hours after thoracic surgery.

Methods: Elective thoracic surgery patients from 2017 to 2023 were reviewed for meeting or not meeting the newer institutional requirement for early chest tube removal; (I) no air leak detected under the digital drainage device observation; (II) no fluid drainage of ≥100 mL/h; (III) no ≥3 combined risks [male, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), body mass index (BMI) of <18.

Minichromosome maintenance 2 is an independent predictor of survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) protein deregulation is associated with tumor formation, progression and malignant transformation. MCM2 is frequently expressed during premalignant lung cell proliferation and is a sensitive marker for the early detection of pulmonary malignant lesions. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether MCM2 expression is of clinical and prognostic value in patients who have undergone lung adenocarcinoma resection.

Solid histological component of adenocarcinoma might play an important role in PD-L1 expression of lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: In this study we aimed to clarify the PD-L1 positive expression in lung adenocarcinoma, including various adenocarcinoma subtypes paying particular attention to its component.

Methods: A total of 307 lung adenocarcinoma patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy, as well as systematic lymph node dissection (ND2a), from February 2008 to March 2020 at our hospital, were enrolled into the study. A final diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was obtained from the resected lung specimens of all 307 patients to determine the histological type, adenocarcinoma subtype, and component of adenocarcinoma by ethics of 5%.

Thoracic mesenchymal malignant tumors and programed cell death ligand-1 status: Clinicopathologic and prognostic analysis of eight pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas and eight malignant mesotheliomas.

Background: The current study aimed to evaluate the significance of clinicopathological factors, particularly the immunohistochemistry of programed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), in eight cases each of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) at our hospital.

Methods: From January 2004 to December 2020, a total of 16 consecutive patients (eight with PSC and eight with MPM diagnosed via surgical resection or biopsy) were included in this study. After retrospectively reviewing the patient characteristics, the associations between PD-L1 status and age, sex, stage, histological type, and prognosis were investigated.

Combining PD-L1 Expression and Standardized Uptake Values in FDG-PET/CT Can Predict Prognosis in Patients With Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: This study aimed to determine the relationship of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and standardized uptake values in fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) with prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 328 NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy/segmentectomy with lymph node dissection. PD-L1 expression was detected by immunohistochemically stained using the murine monoclonal antibody clone 22C3.

Successful treatment with nivolumab in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma complicated by pulmonary aspergilloma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the key drugs used in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, anti-PD-1 therapy might worsen chronic infection by reactivating the immune response to infectious diseases. Here, we describe a case of successful treatment with nivolumab in a patient with NSCLC complicated by pulmonary aspergilloma, which was safely treated by surgical resection before administration of nivolumab.

Pulmonary Hyalinizing Granuloma Mimicking Primary Lung Cancer: An Unusual Case Involving a Pulmonary Tumor.

Pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma is a very rare benign condition. This study describes a case involving pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma in a 76-year-old man who presented with a solitary pulmonary nodule, determined through chest radiography and computed tomography, that mimicked primary lung cancer. To establish a definitive diagnosis, tumor resection was performed with histopathological analysis indicating pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma.

Survival outcomes of adjuvant chemotherapy with modified weekly nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin for completely resected nonsmall cell lung cancer: FAST-nab.

The relatively low toxicity profile of nab-paclitaxel plus carboplatin and its feasibility as an adjuvant administration was reported previously. This study aimed to evaluate the survival efficacy for completely resected patients with stage IB, II, and IIIA nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Twenty-nine eligible patients with NSCLC who received surgical resection for pathological stage IB, II, or IIIA, followed by postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with modified 3-week cycles of either nab-paclitaxel (nab-P) (100 mg/m) on days 1 and 8 followed by carboplatin area (area under the curve = 6) on day 1 were prospectively enrolled and assessed for survival outcomes against patients with the same stages who received other postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy regimens during the same period.

PD-L1 Expression in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Including Various Adenocarcinoma Subtypes.

Purpose: Knowledge regarding programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in lung cancer is limited. We aim to clarify PD-L1-positive expression in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including adenocarcinoma subtypes.

Methods: In all, 90 NSCLC specimens containing various adenocarcinoma subtypes, in addition to squamous cell carcinoma and large-cell carcinoma were selected.

Worse survival after curative resection in patients with pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer adjoining pulmonary cavity formation.

Background: A few investigators have suggested an association between lung cancer and pulmonary cavity. However, this clinical association and its carcinogenic correlations are not well recognized. This study aimed to clarify the clinical features and to demonstrate the associated survival outcomes after curative surgery in patients with early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adjoining pulmonary cavity formation.

Accuracy of the cobas EGFR Mutation Assay in Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Compared With Three Laboratory-developed Tests.

Background: The reliability of the cobas EGFR assay to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as an in vitro diagnostic test was compared with 3 laboratory-developed tests (LDTs).

Materials And Methods: After screening for EGFR mutations using formalin-fixed-paraffin-embedded NSCLC tissue sections using the cobas EGFR assay, 151 samples were further tested with 3 LDTs; the peptide nucleic acid-locked nucleic acid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) clamp, PCR invader, and Cycleave assays. The cobas EGFR assay performance was evaluated by determining the concordance rate and κ-coefficient between the assays.

Different EGFR gene mutations in two patients with synchronous multiple lung cancers: A case report.

Routine clinical and pathological evaluations to determine the relationship between different lesions are often not completely conclusive. Interestingly, detailed genetic analysis of tumor samples may provide important additional information and identify second primary lung cancers. In the present study, we report cases of two synchronous lung adenocarcinomas composed of two distinct pathological subtypes with different EGFR gene mutations: a homozygous deletion in exon 19 of the papillary adenocarcinoma subtype and a point mutation of L858R in exon 21 of the tubular adenocarcinoma.

Survival significance of coexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with early lung cancer after curative surgery.

Background: The impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity on survival after curative resection of early-stage lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been sufficiently elucidated.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 250 consecutive patients who underwent lobectomy with lymph nodal dissection for pathological stage I-II NSCLC.

Results: Among the COPD patients, 28 were classified as Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 1, 21 as GOLD 2, and one as GOLD 3.

Difference in Postsurgical Prognostic Factors between Lung Adenocarcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathologic prognostic factors between patients who underwent lung resection for adenocarcinoma (AD) and those with squamous cell carcinoma (SQ).

Methods: A database of patients with lung AD or SQ who underwent surgery with curative intent in our department from January 2008 to December 2014 was reviewed. Associations between various clinicopathologic factors, postsurgical recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed to find significant prognostic factors.

Survival significance of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and current staging system for survival after recurrence in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma.

Objective: We previously reported that the staging system and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status are key factors for treatment strategy and predicting survival. However, the significance of these factors as predictors of overall survival (OS) and postoperative recurrence survival (PRS) has not been sufficiently elucidated. The objective here was to investigate EGFR mutation status and p-stage, which affect PRS and OS in patients with completely resected lung adenocarcinoma, using a different database.

Feasibility study of adjuvant chemotherapy with modified weekly nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin for completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer: FAST-nab.

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of adjuvant administration of nab-paclitaxel (nab-P) plus carboplatin and for completely resected patients with stage IB, II, and IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (FAST-nab study, UMIN000011225). Twenty-nine eligible NSCLC patients received surgical resection for pathological stage IB, II, or IIIA, followed by postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with modified 3-week cycles of either nab-P (100 mg/m) on days 1 and 8, followed by carboplatin area (area under the curve=6) on day 1. Twenty-two (75.

Chronological changes in lung cancer surgery in a single Japanese institution.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the chronological changes in epidemiological factors and surgical outcomes in patients with lung cancer who underwent surgery in a single Japanese institution.

Patients And Methods: A clinicopathological database of patients with lung cancer who underwent surgery with curative intent from January 1974 to December 2014 was reviewed. The chronological changes in various factors, including patient's age, sex, histological type, tumor size, pathological stage (p-stage), surgical method, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, 30-day mortality, and postoperative overall survival (OS), were evaluated.

Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma detected using mutation-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Objectives: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation rates in adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) were studied using both DNA analysis and mutation-specific immunohistochemistry.

Materials And Methods: The peptide nucleic acid-locked nucleic acid polymerase chain reaction clamp method was used to detect mutations in exons 18, 19, 20, and 21 of the EGFR gene in DNA samples extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Simultaneously, immunohistochemical analysis with two EGFR mutation-specific monoclonal antibodies was used to identify proteins resulting from an in-frame deletion in exon 19 (E746_A750del) and a point mutation replacing leucine with arginine at codon 858 of exon 21 (L858R).

Unusual presentation of pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare malignant tumour with histological features similar to undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A close association is known to exist between pulmonary LELC and Epstein-Barr virus infection in Southeast Asian countries. We report a 69-year-old man with pulmonary LELC arising from a thin-walled cavity with a smooth inner surface and characterized by an unexpectedly rapid progression.

[CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE DIRECTION OF SURGICAL MANAGEMENT FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER].

According to the 2012 annual report of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery, the total number of surgical procedures performed for the treatment of lung cancer had reached 35,667. Patients over 70 years of age comprised 52% of those surgical cases, and those over 80 years 12%. This tendency has been increasing annually.

Glucose Uptake Values in Positron Emission Tomography Are Useful to Predict Survival after Sublobar Resection for Lung Cancer.

 To assess the reliability of maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) at the primary lesion in 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) for identifying patients with lung cancer who were most likely to be cured by sublobar resection (SR).  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 120 patients who underwent SR for clinical (c)-stage IA + IB lung cancer after FDG-PET/CT. Various factors, including tumor size, SUVmax at the primary site, and microscopic tumor invasion, were examined to identify their association with postsurgical survival.

Feasibility of thoracoscopic thymectomy for treatment of early-stage thymoma.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of thoracoscopic thymectomy (TT) for treatment of early-stage thymoma and to compare the outcomes with those after open thymectomy (OT).

Methods: A retrospective review of 98 patients who underwent TT or OT of Masaoka stage I-II thymoma without thymic cancer between 1996 and 2013 was performed.

Results: Thoracoscopic thymectomy was performed in 67 patients, and OT was performed in 31 patients.