Development of an Exhaled Breath Monitoring System with Semiconductive Gas Sensors, a Gas Condenser Unit, and Gas Chromatograph Columns.

Various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath exhaled by patients with lung cancer, healthy controls, and patients with lung cancer who underwent surgery for resection of cancer were analyzed by gas condenser-equipped gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for development of an exhaled breath monitoring prototype system involving metal oxide gas sensors, a gas condenser, and gas chromatography columns. The gas condenser-GC/MS analysis identified concentrations of 56 VOCs in the breath exhaled by the test population of 136 volunteers (107 patients with lung cancer and 29 controls), and selected four target VOCs, nonanal, acetoin, acetic acid, and propanoic acid, for use with the condenser, GC, and sensor-type prototype system. The prototype system analyzed exhaled breath samples from 101 volunteers (74 patients with lung cancer and 27 controls).

Imaging Characteristics of Driver Mutations in EGFR, KRAS, and ALK among Treatment-Naïve Patients with Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma.

This study aimed to identify the computed tomography characteristics of treatment-naïve patients with lung adenocarcinoma and known driver mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK. Patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma (stage IIIB-IV) and known mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK were assessed. The radiological findings for the main tumor and intra-thoracic status were retrospectively analyzed in each group, and the groups' characteristics were compared.

EGFR Exon 18 Mutations in Lung Cancer: Molecular Predictors of Augmented Sensitivity to Afatinib or Neratinib as Compared with First- or Third-Generation TKIs.

Purpose: Lung cancers harboring common EGFR mutations respond to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), whereas exon 20 insertions (Ins20) are resistant to them. However, little is known about mutations in exon 18.

Experimental Design: Mutational status of lung cancers between 2001 and 2015 was reviewed.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene rearrangements in patients with advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer: CT characteristics and response to chemotherapy.

Few articles have been published on the imaging findings of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To investigate the radiological findings of ALK-positive NSCLC in the advanced stage, CT scans were examined. In addition, the response to chemotherapy was evaluated.

Crizotinib-induced esophageal ulceration: a novel adverse event of crizotinib.

This report describes esophageal ulcer as a novel adverse event associated with crizotinib therapy. Although crizotinib is generally well tolerated, physicians should be aware of the possibility of this adverse event.

Clinical outcomes of advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients screened for epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status and the effectiveness of gefitinib monotherapy or chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 100 patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC screened for two major EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletions and L858R mutation).

Results: Forty-six out of 48 EGFR mutation-positive patients (96%) received gefitinib, whereas only 3 out of 52 EGFR mutation-negative patients (6%) received gefitinib.

[Management of difficult-to-treat asthma using a flow sheet for systematic evaluation and therapeutic intervention].

Background: Although most patients of asthma can be controlled by inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), some patients remain uncontrolled even after the introduction of ICS treatment. In management of such difficult-to-treat asthma, systematic review including additional differential diagnosis and avoidance of exacerbating factors is very important.

Methods: Here we postulate a flow sheet presenting an algorithm which intends to achieve better asthma control following ATS refractory asthma guidance.

Microscopic polyangiitis associated with diffuse panbronchiolitis.

There are several case reports of systemic vasculitis associated with chronic suppurative lung diseases. We describe a 46-year-old female, previously diagnosed as having diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), presenting with hemosputum and dyspnea. Her serum titer of MPO-ANCA was positive together with a high titer of BPI-ANCA.