Sarcopenia as a Predictive Factor for Carboplatin Toxicity in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Sarcopenia in cancer patients often negatively impacts various outcomes. Carboplatin, a first-line chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is dosed based on body weight, which doesn't account for sarcopenia. This study evaluated the association between sarcopenia and carboplatin-related toxicity in NSCLC patients.

Mirtazapine as Appetite Stimulant in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Anorexia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Currently there is no standard therapy to improve cancer-related anorexia, hampering survival. Mirtazapine has been suggested as a feasible option in this context.

Objectives: To assess the effect of mirtazapine on appetite and energy consumption in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Perilesional edema diameter associated with brain metastases as a predictive factor of response to radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Different prognostic scales exist in patients with brain metastasis, particularly in lung cancer. The Graded Prognostic Assessment for lung cancer using molecular markers (Lung-molGPA index) for brain metastases is a powerful prognostic tool that effectively identifies patients at different risks. However, these scales do not include perilesional edema diameter (PED) associated with brain metastasis.

Management of diarrhea induced by EGFR-TKIs in advanced lung adenocarcinoma.

The identification of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutations in lung adenocarcinoma has facilitated the development of personalized medicine based on oncogenic drivers. EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) are part of the targeted therapy; they impede the phosphorylation of the intracellular tyrosine kinase component of EGFR and consequently block signal transduction pathways. These drugs inhibit the proliferation and survival of tumor cells, leading to long-term progression-free survival and overall survival.

Re-irradiation in patients with progressive or recurrent brain metastases from extracranial solid tumors: A novel prognostic index.

Background: Most studies evaluating factors associated with the survival of patients with brain metastases (BM) have focused on patients with newly diagnosed BM. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors associated with survival after brain re-irradiation in order to develop a new prognostic index.

Methods: This 5-year retrospective study included patients treated with repeat-radiotherapy for recurrent BM at the "Instituto Nacional de Cancerología" of Mexico between 2015 and 2019.

Nitroglycerin Plus Whole Intracranial Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized, Open-Label, Phase 2 Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Hypoxia has been associated with chemoradioresistance secondary to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor induced by hypoxia-induced factor (HIF). Nitroglycerin (NTG) can reduce HIF-1 in tissues, and this may have antiangiogenic, proapoptotic, and antiefflux effects. Particularly, epidermal growth factor-mutated (EGFRm) tumor cell lines have been shown to overexpress both vascular endothelial growth factor and HIF.

Association of BMI With Benefit of Metformin Plus Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Patients With Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Secondary Analysis of a Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial.

This secondary analysis reports the survival outcome in patients with variant-positive non–small-cell lung cancer who had a body mass index that was higher or lower than 24.

Clinical Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexican Patients with Thoracic Malignancies.

Background: Accumulated evidence indicates that patients with lung cancer are a vulnerable population throughout the pandemic. Limited information is available in Latin America regarding the impact of the pandemic on medical care. The goal of this study was to describe the clinical and social effect of COVID-19 on patients with thoracic cancer and to ascertain outcomes in those with a confirmed diagnosis.

Appetite stimulants for patients with cancer: current evidence for clinical practice.

The incidence of neoplastic diseases has increased worldwide, with an estimated global burden of 19.3 million incident cases and 10 million deaths in 2020-a considerable increase compared with 9.6 million deaths in 2018.

Efficacy, Safety, and Cost-Minimization Analysis of Continuous Infusion of Low-Dose Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin in Patients With Unresectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is rare and aggressive neoplasia, with a poor prognosis; furthermore, the monetary cost of its treatment represents a major challenge for many patients. The economic burden this malignancy imposes is underscored by the fact that asbestos exposure, which is the most frequent risk factor, is much more prevalent in the lower socioeconomic population of developing countries. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and cost of continuous infusion of low-dose Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin (CIGC) as a treatment strategy for patients with unresectable MPM.

Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation in Patients With High-Risk Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Quality of Life and Neurocognitive Analysis of a Randomized Phase II Study.

Purpose: To this date, studies regarding the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) versus standard of care (SoC) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer have shown limited benefit in survival outcomes, in addition to the potential effects on quality of life (QoL) and neurocognitive function (NCF). This randomized, phase II study evaluated the role of PCI in QoL and NCF, in a population comprised of subjects at a high risk for development of brain metastases (BM).

Methods And Materials: Eligible patients had histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer without baseline BM, harboring epidermal growth factor receptor mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements, or elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) at diagnosis.

Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation Reduces Brain Metastases and Improves Overall Survival in High-Risk Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Randomized phase 2 Study (PRoT-BM trial).

Purpose: To date, studies regarding the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) versus standard of care (SoC) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not shown a significant effect in terms of overall survival (OS). Additionally, the effect of PCI among high-risk patients has been scarcely studied. The objective of this randomized phase 2 study was to evaluate the role of PCI in a population of patients at high risk for development of brain metastases (BM).

The Role of a Cachexia Grading System in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Immunotherapy: Implications for Survival.

Objective: The association between cancer-induced weight-loss (CIWL) and poor clinical outcomes in patients treated with immunotherapy is scarcely understood. We evaluated the use of a cachexia-grading system in IO-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in order to predict clinical outcomes.

Materials: 300 patients with NSCLC, who received immunotherapy during any line of therapy, were included.

Baseline Dysgeusia in Chemotherapy-Naïve Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Association with Nutrition and Quality of Life.

: Dysgeusia can be found in 50% of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Nonetheless, dysgeusia can be present in treatment-naïve patients, and may negatively impact nutrition and quality of life.: Treatment-naïve non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was assessed for dysgeusia using a self-reporting questionnaire and a rinse stimuli technique.

FAACT-Anorexia Cachexia Scale: Cutoff Value for Anorexia Diagnosis in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

Lung cancer (LC) has a high rate of anorexia, which negatively affects quality-of-life and prognosis; however prevalence values may vary as per diagnostic test. There is no standard for anorexia diagnosis, currently the anorexia cachexia scale (A/CS) has been proposed as a tool for diagnosing anorexia with a consensus cutoff value of ≤24, nonetheless a validated cutoff value is required. The A/CS was evaluated in advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients to establish a cutoff value.

Quality of life and anorexia/cachexia in lung cancer: validation of the Spanish version of the FAACT instrument.

Purpose: The cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) is highly prevalent in lung cancer (LC) patients (57-61%), and represents the direct cause of death in 20% of cases. Accurately quantifying CACS has been a challenging issue; consequently, this study presents the clinical validation of the Spanish version of the Functional Assessment of Anorexia-Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) scale in LC patients from Latin America.

Methods: The Spanish version of the FAACT and the Mexican-Spanish version of the EORTC-QLQ-C30 instruments were applied to a cohort of patients with LC at the National Cancer Institute of Mexico.

The effect of nabilone on appetite, nutritional status, and quality of life in lung cancer patients: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

Background: Over one half of the patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer experience anorexia. In addition to its high incidence, cancer-induced anorexia promotes the development of the anorexia-cachexia syndrome, which is related to poor clinical outcomes. Recently, drugs derived from cannabinoids, such as Nabilone, have been recognized for their appetite improvement properties; however, clinical trials to support their use in cancer patients are necessary.

Value: Changes in the Detection and Recognition Thresholds of Three Basic Tastes in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Cisplatin and Paclitaxel and Its Association with Nutritional and Quality of Life Parameters.

We evaluated the effects of cisplatin and paclitaxel on taste acuity and their associations with nutritional and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Forty chemotherapy (CT)-naïve patients were assessed at baseline and after two cycles of paclitaxel and cisplatin. The taste evaluation was performed using a rinsing technique to identify detection and recognition thresholds (DT and RT) of bitter, sweet, and umami tastes.

In Reply.

The mechanism through which sarcopenia occurs differs between cancer patients and older people. Loss of skeletal muscle mass should be considered the most clinically relevant phenotypic feature of cachexia-related sarcopenia, and it can be identified by computed tomography.

Nutritional Status, Body Surface, and Low Lean Body Mass/Body Mass Index Are Related to Dose Reduction and Severe Gastrointestinal Toxicity Induced by Afatinib in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: The main reason for dose reduction of afatinib is gastrointestinal toxicity (GT). In a phase II study, we analyzed anthropometrical, nutritional, and biochemical factors associated with GT induced by afatinib.

Materials And Methods: Patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer who progressed to prior chemotherapy received 40 mg of afatinib.

Phase II study. Concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy with nitroglycerin in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Nitroglycerin, a nitric oxide donor agent, reduces the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and could be a normalizer of the tumor microenvironment. Both factors are associated with chemo-radio-resistance. The aim of this study was to determine the safety profile and efficacy of nitroglycerin administration with chemo-radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Effects of an oral nutritional supplement containing eicosapentaenoic acid on nutritional and clinical outcomes in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: randomised trial.

Background: Nutritional interventions have shown increased energy intake but not improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQL) or prognosis in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Eicosapentaenoic acid has been proposed to have anti-inflammatory, anticachectic and antitumoural effects.

Objective: To compare the effect of an oral EPA enriched supplement with an isocaloric diet on nutritional, clinical and inflammatory parameters and HRQL in advanced NSCLC patients.

Association of nutrition parameters including bioelectrical impedance and systemic inflammatory response with quality of life and prognosis in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a prospective study.

Early identification and treatment of nutritional deficiencies can lead to improved outcomes in the quality of life (QoL) and survival of patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Noninvasive techniques are needed to evaluate changes in body composition as part of determining nutritional status. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of nutritional parameters in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and survival in patients with advanced NSCLC.