Non-small cell lung cancer in the very young: Higher EGFR/ALK mutation proportion than the elder.

Background: This study aimed to analyze pathologic characteristics, treatment, prognosis, and tumor epidermal growth factor receptor/anaplastic large-cell lymphoma kinase (EGFR/ALK) mutation proportion of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients aged <40 years at diagnosis.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of NSCLC patients diagnosed at Taipei Veterans General Hospital between June 2007 and December 2014, aged <90 years at the time of the diagnosis.

Results: We found 5051 cases of NSCLC, including 168 patients who were <40 years (younger group) and 4883 patients aged 40 to 89 years (older group).

Efficacy of Paclitaxel plus TS1 against previously treated mutated non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Later line chemotherapy (≥2nd lines) such as Docetaxel or immunotherapy is frequently used. As the life expectancy of lung cancer patients is getting longer, we need to provide more treatment options. Other treatment options are not well documented except for Doxetaxel and immunotherapy.

Latent TB infection in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients - A multicenter prospective observational study.

Objectives: Lung cancer and tuberculosis (TB) share common risk factors and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Coexistence of lung cancer and TB were reported in previous studies, with uncertain pathogenesis. The association between lung cancer and latent TB infection (LTBI) remains to be explored.

Erlotinib Salvage Therapy in Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma Patients With Disease Progression After Previous EGFR-TKI Treatment.

Background: Erlotinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with promising efficacy in treating pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Treatment choices are few when patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma have failed both EGFR-TKI and chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of erlotinib as salvage treatment for these nonresponsive patients.

The epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor era has changed the causes of death of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are effective against tumor EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with the tumor EGFR-activating mutation (EGFRmu) had superior survival, compared to patients with EGFR wild-type tumors (EGFRwt). Many patients with the EGFRmu have had disease progression with EGFR-TKI treatment because of central nervous system (CNS) metastases.

The association between tumor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and multiple primary malignancies in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lungs.

Objectives: An increased incidence of multiple primary malignancies has been found in recent decades. However, the nature of the association between the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status and multiple primary malignancies in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lungs is not clearly understood at this time.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of our patients with adenocarcinoma of the lungs, and evaluated the association between the tumor EGFR mutation status and multiple primary malignancies.

Erlotinib in patients with advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Erlotinib had proved efficacy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, especially adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of erlotinib in patients with advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSQC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and serial chest images of consecutive patients who were diagnosed with advanced LSQC and had been treated with erlotinib monotherapy.

Erlotinib has better efficacy than gefitinib in adenocarcinoma patients without EGFR-activating mutations, but similar efficacy in patients with EGFR-activating mutations.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are an effective treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy of gefitinib and erlotinib in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, whose tumor EGFR mutation status was known. Pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients who began receiving gefitinib or erlotinib treatment from January 2005 to December 2010, and whose tumor EGFR mutation status had been determined, were included.

Phase II randomized trial of erlotinib or vinorelbine in chemonaive, advanced, non-small cell lung cancer patients aged 70 years or older.

Introduction: The primary objective of this study was to compare the response rates of elderly, chemonaive patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with daily oral erlotinib versus oral vinorelbine.

Methods: Chemonaive Taiwanese patients aged 70 years or older who had advanced NSCLC were randomized to receive either oral erlotinib 150 mg (E) daily or oral vinorelbine 60 mg/m (V) on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks.

Results: From February 2007 to July 2008, 116 patients were enrolled and 113 were included in the intent-to-treat population: 57 patients in the E group and 56 patients in the V group.

Third-line or fourth-line chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with relatively good performance status.

Background: Our aim here was to explore treatment efficacy of pemetrexed and docetaxel in non-small-cell lung cancer patients who had failed previous chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of our non-small-cell lung cancer patients who received third- or fourth-line chemotherapy with pemetrexed or docetaxel in our institution from January 2006 to December 2009.

Results: One hundred and twenty-three patients received treatment, including 85 patients with pemetrexed treatment and 38 patients with docetaxel treatment.

A phase II randomized trial of gefitinib alone or with tegafur/uracil treatment in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma who had failed previous chemotherapy.

Background: Tegafur/uracil (UFT) is suitable for metronomic chemotherapy because of its underlying antiangiogenesis mechanism. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of adding daily oral UFT to gefitinib treatment in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma who had failed previous chemotherapy.

Methods: Taiwanese patients who had adenocarcinoma of the lung and failed previous chemotherapy were randomized into gefitinib 250 mg daily alone (G) or plus daily oral UFT (GU).

Second-line therapy for elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer who failed previous chemotherapy is as effective as for younger patients.

Introduction: It was found that second-line or thereafter therapies for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who failed previous chemotherapy yielded a modest survival benefit. However, whether elderly patients (> or =70 years) benefit and are as suitable for salvage therapy as nonelderly patients (<70 years) are unknown. Whether epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is more favorable than chemotherapeutic agents as a salvage therapy agent in elderly patients with NSCLC is also undetermined.

A phase II randomized study of vinorelbine alone or with cisplatin against chemo-naïve inoperable non-small cell lung cancer in the elderly.

Purpose: Our aim here was to determine whether or not the addition of cisplatin into vinorelbine (V) treatment is an appropriate regimen for physically fit chemo-naïve non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients aged 70 or older.

Patients And Methods: Patients were randomized into vinorelbine (V) or vinorelbine plus cisplatin (VP) treatment arms. Treatment consisted of vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) intravenous infusion (i.

Exploring the efficacy of a case management model using DOTS in the adherence of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Aim: To explore the efficacy of hospitals using case management with Directly Observed Treatment - Short course (DOTS) to monitor the adherence of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Taiwan.

Background: Non-adherence to anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy is the major problem in treating patients with tuberculosis. Community-based case management coupled with DOTS has been applied to patients with tuberculosis and has resulted in good results in some countries.

Phase II randomized study of weekly docetaxel alone or plus UFUR treatment in non-small cell lung cancer patients who failed previous chemotherapy.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of adding UFUR (UFT, tegafur/uracil) into weekly docetaxel treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who failed previous platinum-based chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients were randomized into two arms: docetaxel 40mg/m(2) intravenous infusion (IV) on days 1 and 8 of every 3 weeks (arm D), and docetaxel 35mg/m(2) IV on days 1 and 8 plus daily oral UFUR 150mg/m(2) of every 3 weeks (arm DU), with arm D as a control arm. Treatment was given to a maximum of 6 cycles and carried out in the outpatient clinic.

Salvage therapy for Chinese non-small cell lung cancer patients who failed previous chemotherapy.

Our aim was to determine the appropriate salvage regimen for Chinese non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who failed previous chemotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed data from our seven clinical trials, including single-agent gemcitabine, gefitinib, docetaxel with a different schedule, vinorelbine plus cisplatin, vinorelbine plus gemcitabine, docetaxel plus gemcitabine, and docetaxel plus ifosfamide, with a total of 342 cases (including 314 patients, of which 28 entered two different trials due to different salvage line settings), and compared these data with those of other studies, addressing the efficacy and toxicity of salvage therapy in patients who failed previous chemotherapy to analyze choosing of an appropriate salvage regimen. Of the 342 cases receiving salvage treatment, 71.

A randomized phase II study of docetaxel or vinorelbine in combination with cisplatin against inoperable, chemo-naïve non-small-cell lung cancer in Taiwan.

Cisplatin plus a third-generation anti-cancer drug, such as vinorelbine, gemcitabine, or the taxanes, are the standard regimen used in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and there is no significant difference in efficacy among the different regimens. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of docetaxel plus cisplatin (DC) versus vinorelbine plus cisplatin (VC) in chemo-naïve NSCLC patients. From December 2003 to May 2005, 94 patients were enrolled.

Lupus erythematosus (LE) cells in ascites: initial diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus by cytological examination: a case report.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, involving multiple organs. Diverse manifestations may obscure the diagnosis and confuse our thinking process, especially when few clues are present at the beginning. Serositis is one of the various presentations, and the presence of lupus erythematosus (LE) cell in body fluid may be a hint for the final diagnosis of SLE.

A phase II study of oral vinorelbine in combination with cisplatin conducted in Taiwan in patients with unresectable localized or metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Background: Intravenous vinorelbine plus cisplatin is widely prescribed for the treatment of NSCLC. The objective of this phase II study was to define the efficacy of an oral form of vinorelbine combined with cisplatin for first line treatment of advanced/metastatic NSCLC.

Patients And Methods: From September 2002 to December 2003, 46 chemotherapy-naive patients received 80 mg/m(2) of cisplatin on day 1 and oral vinorelbine at 60 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks.

Screening of hospital workers for pulmonary tuberculosis in a medical center in Taiwan.

At a medical center in Taiwan, all workers were examined by chest radiography, to determine the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis. The prevalence of tuberculosis among all hospital workers was 0.12%, that among nurses was 0.

A randomized trial of different docetaxel schedules in non-small cell lung cancer patients who failed previous platinum-based chemotherapy.

Study Objective: Docetaxel has shown activity in the second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Phase II studies have suggested that weekly therapy with docetaxel probably has a better toxicity profile than the conventional schedule of once every 3 weeks. Our aim was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of different docetaxel schedules in NSCLC patients who did not respond to previous platinum-based chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer in elderly patients.

Study Objective: To determine the appropriate chemotherapy regimen for inoperable, chemotherapy-naïve non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in elderly patients.

Setting: National teaching hospital in Taiwan.

Design: We retrospectively analyzed data from our clinical trials for a total of 270 patients and compared them with the data from other studies, addressing the elderly in particular or providing subgroup information on age, to analyze the feasibility of current chemotherapy options for elderly patients and possible alternative approaches.

A randomized phase II study of vinorelbine plus gemcitabine with/without cisplatin against inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer previously untreated.

Phase II studies have suggested that vinorelbine (V) plus gemcitabine (G) treatment has a similar response rate and better toxicity profile than cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our aim was to evaluate whether or not the addition of cisplatin (P) to a VG regimen increases the efficacy or toxicities in chemo-naive inoperable NSCLC patients. From April 2002 to October 2003, 86 patients were enrolled.

Eight-month prospective study of 14 patients with hospital-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Objective: To define the clinical characteristics and clinical course of hospital-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Patients And Methods: This 8-month prospective study of 14 patients with hospital-acquired SARS in Taipei, Taiwan, was conducted from April through December 2003.

Results: The most common presenting symptoms in our 14 patients with hospital-acquired SARS were fever, dyspnea, dizziness, malaise, diarrhea, dry cough, muscle pain, and chills.

Management of hospital-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome with different disease spectrum.

Background: Outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Taipei has been associated with Taiwanese back from Guangdong, China. We report 4 probable SARS cases with different severity and propose optimal treatment.

Methods: Four probable SARS cases were enrolled.