Nicotinamide in Combination with EGFR-TKIs for the Treatment of Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma with EGFR Mutations: A Randomized Double-Blind (Phase IIb) Trial.

Purpose: RUNX3 is a tumor suppressor gene, which is inactivated in approximately 70% of lung adenocarcinomas. Nicotinamide, a sirtuin inhibitor, has demonstrated potential in re-activating epigenetically silenced RUNX3 in cancer cells. This study assessed the therapeutic benefits of combining nicotinamide with first-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for patients with stage IV lung cancer carrying EGFR mutations.

Genetic Alterations and Risk Factors for Recurrence in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Who Underwent Complete Surgical Resection.

A definitive surgical resection is the preferred treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Research on genetic alterations, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, in early-stage NSCLC remains insufficient. We investigated the prevalence of genetic alterations in early-stage NSCLC and the association between EGFR mutations and recurrence after a complete resection.

Serum KL-6 levels predict the occurrence and severity of treatment-related interstitial lung disease in lung cancer.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) as a potential biomarker for treatment-related ILD (TR-ILD) in lung cancer. We recruited patients with lung cancer in whom KL-6 was measured to differentiate between pneumonia and ILD (category 1), diagnose and assess the severity of suspicious ILD (category 2), or evaluate baseline levels before cancer treatment (category 3). Among 1,297 patients who underwent KL-6 testing, 422 had lung cancer, and TR-ILD was detected in 195 patients.

Intracranial Efficacy of Systemic Therapy in Patients with Asymptomatic Brain Metastases from Lung Cancer.

There has been controversy over whether to radiologically follow up or use local treatment for asymptomatic small-sized brain metastases from primary lung cancer. For brain tumors without local treatment, we evaluated potential factors related to the brain progression and whether systemic therapy controlled the tumor. We analyzed 96 patients with asymptomatic small-sized metastatic brain tumors from lung cancer.

Final Report on Real-World Effectiveness of Sequential Afatinib and Osimertinib in EGFR-Positive Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Updated Analysis of the RESET Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to report the final analysis of time-on-treatment (TOT) and overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced-stage epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received sequential afatinib and osimertinib and to compare the outcomes with other second-line regimens (comparator group).

Materials And Methods: In this updated report, the existing medical records were reviewed and rechecked. TOT and OS were updated and analyzed according to clinical features using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

Case Report: A case of ultra-late recurrence of fusion non-small cell lung cancer response to selpercatinib.

Background: Cancer recurrence remains a significant problem, and most postoperative recurrences of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop within 5 years after resection. We present a rare case of ultra-late recurrence of NSCLC accompanying choroidal metastasis with fusion 14 years after the definitive surgery.

Case Description: A 48-year-old female patient who had never-smoked presented with decreased visual acuity.

Evaluation of Blood Tumor Mutation Burden for the Efficacy of Second-Line Atezolizumab Treatment in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: BUDDY Trial.

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of blood-based biomarkers, including blood tumor mutation burden (bTMB), to predict atezolizumab efficacy in relapsed and advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Stage IV NSCLC patients who had previously received platinum-doublet chemotherapy were recruited and received 1200 mg of atezolizumab every three weeks. Blood was collected to obtain plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) before the first cycle (C0) and at the fourth cycle (C4).

Korean Real-World Data on Patients With Unresectable Stage III NSCLC Treated With Durvalumab After Chemoradiotherapy: PACIFIC-KR.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate real-world evidence for efficacy and safety of durvalumab consolidation (DC) after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Methods: Patients with stage III NSCLC who started DC after CRT between September 2018 and December 2020 and were treated at five tertiary hospitals in the Republic of Korea were included. The primary end point was real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS).

A Propensity-Matched Retrospective Comparative Study with Historical Control to Determine the Real-World Effectiveness of Durvalumab after Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

This study aimed to add real-world evidence to the literature regarding the effectiveness and safety of durvalumab consolidation (DC) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in the treatment of unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using a hospital-based NSCLC patient registry and propensity score matching in a 2:1 ratio, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC who completed CCRT with and without DC. The co-primary endpoints were 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival.

Blood-Based Biomarker Analysis for Predicting Efficacy of Chemoradiotherapy and Durvalumab in Patients with Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

We recruited 50 patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC who received CCRT between March 2020 and March 2021. Durvalumab consolidation (DC) was administered to patients ( = 23) without progression after CCRT and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) ≥ 1%. Blood samples were collected before (C0) and after CCRT (C1) to calculate PBC counts and analyze CTCs.

Risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with acquired hypofibrinogenemia in patients administered hemocoagulase batroxobin for hemoptysis.

Background: Hemocoagulase batroxobin is used to prevent hemostasis or bleeding in surgical and trauma patients; however, the role of batroxobin in patients with hemoptysis is not well understood. We evaluated the risk factors and prognosis of acquired hypofibrinogenemia in hemoptysis patients treated systemically with batroxobin.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of hospitalized patients who were administered batroxobin for hemoptysis.

Usefulness of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-polymerase chain reaction with bronchial washing samples in predicting discontinuation of airborne infection isolation in patients hospitalized with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis.

Objective: In-hospital tuberculosis (TB) transmission remains a concern. Airborne infection isolation (AII) can be discontinued in hospitalized patients with suspected active pulmonary TB when the results of three consecutive sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears are negative. However, fiberoptic bronchoscopy can be performed in patients who may have difficulty in producing sputum samples.

Risk factors for cerebral complications in patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is a rare pulmonary disease. Although most patients with PAVMs are asymptomatic, cerebral complications associated with PAVMs are often fatal. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for cerebral complications in patients with PAVMs.

Open-label, multi-center, phase II study of adjuvant pemetrexed plus cisplatin for completely resected stage IB to IIIA adenocarcinoma of the lung: APICAL trial.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant pemetrexed plus cisplatin (Pem-Cis) in pathologic stage IB-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients.

Methods: A prospective, phase II study was performed in seven institutions in South Korea. Patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA LUAD received pemetrexed (500 mg/m) plus cisplatin (75 mg/m).

Life-threatening Mycobacterium intracellulare pleuritis in an immunocompetent host: Case reports.

Rationale: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)-associated pleuritis is a very rare disease. Here, we describe 2 cases of life-threatening Mycobacterium intracellulare-associated pleuritis in immunocompetent hosts.

Patient Concerns: A 78-year-old man with sudden onset-onset dyspnea (case 1) and an 80-year-old man with cough, sputum and fever (case 2) presented to our emergency room.

Comprehensive analysis of blood-based biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy benefits in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using circulating tumor cells (CTCs), peripheral blood cells (PBCs), and circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment response in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We recruited patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC who received pembrolizumab or atezolizumab between July 2019 and June 2020. Blood was collected before each treatment cycle (C1-C4) to calculate absolute neutrophil count (ANC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived NLR (dNLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR).

Efficacy and dose of afatinib in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after failure of prior gefitinib or erlotinib treatment.

Background: We report a subgroup analysis of afatinib with respect to its efficacy, safety, and the long-term survival of patients in a Named Patient Use program at a single institution.

Methods: We analyzed 60 patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had been treated with ≥1 line of platinum-based chemotherapy and had activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or disease control for ≥6 months with prior EGFR inhibitors. Afatinib was started on a daily dose of 50 mg, which was decreased according to the adverse events and tolerability.

Potentially fatal complications of systemic air embolism after computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle biopsy in lung cancer harboring epithelial growth factor receptor mutation: A case report.

Air embolism is a rare, fatal complication of computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) of the lung. Here, we report a patient who developed an air embolism after CT-guided TTNB, which led to ST-elevation myocardial infarction and acute cerebral ischemia. The patient recovered completely without critical sequelae and was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma harboring activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on indeterminate results of the QuantiFERON TB Gold In-Tube test: A propensity score matching analysis.

Background: The sensitivity of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection could be affected by conditions of immune dysregulation. For this reason, diabetes mellitus (DM) may increase the frequency of indeterminate results of IGRAs. However, there have been inconsistent reports of role of DM on indeterminate IGRA results.

Endobronchial amyloidosis mimicking bronchial asthma: a case report and review of the literature.

Among two tracheobronchial forms (local and diffuse) and two parenchymal forms (nodular and alveolar septal) that were reported in previous literature, localized endobronchial amyloidosis is an uncommon disease of unknown cause. Bronchial amyloid deposits can occur as focal nodules or multifocal infiltration of the submucosa. We report the case of a 47-year-old man who had complained of dyspnea and wheezing for 1 month and who had been treated for severe asthma at another hospital.

Quantification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation may be a predictor of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment response.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation is a reliable predictive factor for response to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The quantified EGFR value may also predict response and survival within an EGFR mutated group.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 836 lung cancer patients.

Progastrin-releasing peptide as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker of small cell lung cancer.

Background: Progastrin-releasing peptide (proGRP) is a recently identified biomarker of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We evaluated the usefulness of plasma proGRP level as a tumor marker for diagnosis and treatment monitoring in patients with SCLC.

Methods: Plasma samples were collected prospectively from 452 [212 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 105 SCLC, and 135 other diseases] patients who visited the hospital for tissue diagnosis.

Pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma mimicking lung cancer: Case report and review of the literature.

Pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma (PSP) is a rare benign neoplasm that predominantly affects middle-aged Asian women. PSP is often asymptomatic and demonstrates a solitary pulmonary nodule on radiologic examination. We report a case of PSP initially misdiagnosed as lung cancer because of strong (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake revealed by (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan.