Co-Occurring Driver Genomic Alterations in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Retrospective Analysis.

Actionable driver mutations account for 40-50% of NSCLC cases, and their identification clearly affects treatment choices and outcomes. Conversely, non-actionable mutations are genetic alterations that do not currently have established treatment implications. Among co-occurring alterations, the identification of concurrent actionable genomic alterations is a rare event, potentially impacting prognosis and treatment outcomes.

Anastomosis Complications after Bronchoplasty: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Treatment Options Reported by a Referral Cancer Center.

Background: Sleeve lobectomy with bronchoplasty is a safe surgical technique for the management of lung cancer and endobronchial localization of extrapulmonary cancers. However, anastomotic complications can occur, and treatment strategies are not standardized.

Methods: Data from 280 patients subjected to bronchoplasty were retrospectively analyzed, focusing on surgical techniques, anastomotic complications, and their management.

Predictors, surrogate, and patient-reported outcomes in immunotherapy and salvage surgery for unresectable lung cancer: a single-center retrospective study.

Medical treatment has changed drastically in recent years, especially for advanced stages of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for which the development of immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy significantly increased survival and quality of life. This single-center retrospective study aimed to analyze the outcome predictors, the surrogate outcomes, and the patient-reported outcomes after neoadjuvant immunotherapy for initially unresectable NSCLC. Patients affected by an initially unresectable NSCLC and identified between March 2014 and December 2021 who received immunotherapy alone or in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were collected.

Diagnostic Performance and Cell Count of EBUS-TBNA Needle Gauges: A Prospective Trial.

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a well-established diagnostic procedure for evaluating hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathies and is the gold standard for lung cancer diagnosis and staging. Recent studies assessed the effectiveness of the 19-G flex needle in obtaining larger EBUS-TBNA samples, and prospective small series gave similar results in terms of diagnostic yield when testing different gauge needles. The lack of homogeneity between series and the small sample size of some prospective cohorts poses a limit to the validity of those results.

Surgically Treated pT2aN0M0 (Stage IB) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A 20-Year Single-Center Retrospective Study.

The suitability of adjuvant therapy (AT) in patients with stage IB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still under debate considering the cost-benefit ratio between improvement in survival and side effects. We retrospectively evaluated survival and incidence of recurrence in radically resected stage IB NSCLC, to determine whether AT could significantly improve prognosis. Between 1998 and 2020, 4692 consecutive patients underwent lobectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy for NSCLC.

miRNome profiling of lung cancer metastases revealed a key role for miRNA-PD-L1 axis in the modulation of chemotherapy response.

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is frequent at diagnosis and requires multimodal treatment approaches. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery is the treatment of choice for operable locally advanced NSCLC (Stage IIIA). However, the majority of patients are NACT-resistant and show persistent lymph nodal metastases (LNmets) and an adverse outcome.

Correction to: Cover always the bronchial stump! A flap could prevent catastrophic complications even in complete broncho‑pleural fistula.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s12055-022-01386-3.].

Cover always the bronchial stump! A flap could prevent catastrophic complications even in complete broncho-pleural fistula.

Broncho-pleural fistula after pneumonectomy is a life-threatening condition with very high mortality rate, even if detected early. All symptomatic patients should be treated immediately. The diagnosis in the absence of symptoms poses the real difficulties of management.

Long-term clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of upfront surgery as a first-line therapy in biopsy-proven clinical N2 non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Multimodality therapy offers the best opportunity to improve pathological N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prognosis. This paper aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes and the prognostic factors of upfront surgery as first-line therapy in biopsy-proven clinical N2.

Methods: Retrospective review of biopsy-proven cN2 NSCLC patients operated between 2007 and 2017.

The Interdisciplinary Management of Lung Cancer in the European Community.

Lung cancer continues to be the largest cause of cancer-related mortality among men and women globally, accounting for around 27% of all cancer-related deaths. Recent advances in lung cancer medicines, particularly for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), have increased the need for multidisciplinary disease care, thereby enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life. Different studies in the European community have evaluated the impact of multidisciplinary care on outcomes for lung cancer patients, including its impact on survival, adherence to guideline treatment, utilization of all treatment modalities, timeliness of treatment, patient satisfaction, quality of life, and referral to palliative care.

Preliminary Results of Robotic Lobectomy in Stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC after Induction Treatment: A Case Control Study.

Despite there already being many studies on robotic surgery as a minimally invasive approach for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, the use of this technique for stage III disease is still poorly described. These are the preliminary results of our prospective study on the safety and effectiveness of robotic approaches in patients with locally advanced NSCLC in terms of postoperative complications and oncological outcomes. Since 2016, we prospectively investigated 19 consecutive patients with NSCLC stage IIIA-pN2 (diagnosed by EBUS-TBNA) who underwent lobectomy and radical lymph node dissection with robotic approaches after induction treatment.

Prospective evaluation of EBUS-TBNA specimens for programmed death-ligand 1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer patients: a pilot study.

Objective: EBUS-TBNA cytological sampling is routinely performed for pathological diagnosis, mediastinal staging, and molecular testing in lung cancer patients. EBUS-TBNA samples are not formally accepted for testing programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. The objective of the study was to compare the feasibility, reproducibility, and accuracy of PD-L1 expression assessment in cytological specimens and histological samples.

Genomic Characterization of Concurrent Alterations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Harboring Actionable Mutations.

An increasing number of driver genomic alterations with potential targeted treatments have been identified in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Much less is known about the incidence and different distribution of concurrent alterations, as identified by comprehensive genomic profiling in oncogene-addicted NSCLCs. Genomic data from advanced NSCLC consecutively analyzed using a broad next-generation sequencing panel were retrospectively collected.

The Impact of Multidisciplinary Team Meetings on Patient Management in Oncologic Thoracic Surgery: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: the aim of this paper is to quantify multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) impact on the decisional clinical pathway of thoracic cancer patients, assessing the modification rate of the initial out-patient evaluation.

Methods: the impact of MDT was classified as follows: confirmation: same conclusions as out-patient hypothesis; modification: change of out-patient hypothesis; implementation: definition of a clear clinical track/conclusion for patients that did not receive any clinical hypothesis; further exams required: the findings that emerged in the MDT meeting require further exams.

Results: one thousand consecutive patients evaluated at MDT meetings were enrolled.

Outcomes and Safety Analysis in Superior Vena Cava Resection for Extended Thymic Epithelial Tumors.

Background: In stage III to IVa thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), infiltration of the superior vena cava (SVC) is not rare. The extent of SVC resection depends on the width of the area of neoplastic invasion. Our article aims to evaluate the safety and long-term outcomes of extended thymectomy for TETs with SVC resection compared with advanced-stage TETs patients without SVC resection.

Preliminary Results of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Assisted Tracheal Sleeve Pneumonectomy for Cancer.

Objective: Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy is a challenge in lung cancer management and in achieving long-term oncological results. In November 2018, we started a prospective study on the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy. We aim to present our preliminary results.

Lung cancer surgery in oligometastatic patients: outcome and survival.

Objectives: A few studies have already demonstrated survival benefits for local treatment in solitary metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to retrospectively investigate the role of surgery in patients with oligometastatic (OM) NSCLC.

Methods: Between January 1998 and December 2018, 57 patients with OM stage IV NSCLC (1 or 2) underwent a multidisciplinary approach including lung cancer surgery, local treatment of the distant metastasis (DM) and systemic medical treatments.

Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome after pulmonary wedge resection in a patient with severe scoliosis.

Platypnea-orthodeoxia is a rare syndrome characterized by dyspnoea and arterial desaturation, exacerbated by an upright position and relieved when the subject is recumbent. We report on a unique case of a patient with severe scoliosis who presented with several episodes of arterial desaturation after right pulmonary wedge resection.

When Less Is More: EBUS-TBNA for the Diagnosis of Pleural Lesions.

The investigation of pleural lesions is challenging. Thoracoscopic pleural biopsies are often the chosen approach for diagnosis and, in case of malignancy, for disease staging and palliation pleurodesis. Minimally invasive techniques represent a valid option in patients that cannot undergo surgery, minimizing the risks related to more aggressive procedures.