The Tumor Microbiome as a Predictor of Outcomes in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Unlabelled: Emerging evidence supports the important role of the tumor microbiome in oncogenesis, cancer immune phenotype, cancer progression, and treatment outcomes in many malignancies. In this study, we investigated the metastatic melanoma tumor microbiome and its potential roles in association with clinical outcomes, such as survival, in patients with metastatic disease treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Baseline tumor samples were collected from 71 patients with metastatic melanoma before treatment with ICIs.

Surgery and Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Stage I Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma: A 25-Year Experience.

Objectives: Small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is usually a wide-spread, highly-lethal malignancy but occasionally presents as localized, limited stage cancer amenable to local treatment. We reviewed our experience using surgery or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to assess safety, survival rates and treatment toxicity in clinical stage I SCLC patients.

Materials And Methods: Electronic medical records of patients with clinical stage I lymph node-negative SCLC who underwent surgical resection or SBRT between 1996 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed.

High Pretreatment DHEA Is Associated with Inferior Immunotherapy Response in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Sex difference in the immune response may influence patients' response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We conducted a prospective observation study to determine the correlation between pretreatment sex hormone levels and response to ICIs in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Pretreatment plasma samples from 61 patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC prior to ICI therapy were collected.

A Bioinformatics Tool for Identifying Intratumoral Microbes from the ORIEN Dataset.

Unlabelled: Evidence supports significant interactions among microbes, immune cells, and tumor cells in at least 10%-20% of human cancers, emphasizing the importance of further investigating these complex relationships. However, the implications and significance of tumor-related microbes remain largely unknown. Studies have demonstrated the critical roles of host microbes in cancer prevention and treatment responses.

The tumor microbiome as a predictor of outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Emerging evidence supports the important role of the tumor microbiome in oncogenesis, cancer immune phenotype, cancer progression, and treatment outcomes in many malignancies. In this study, we investigated the metastatic melanoma tumor microbiome and potential roles in association with clinical outcomes, such as survival, in patients with metastatic disease treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Baseline tumor samples were collected from 71 patients with metastatic melanoma before treatment with ICIs.

Impact of Robotic-Assisted Thoracic Surgery on the Completion of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Following Lung Cancer Resection.

Background Adjuvant chemotherapy can further improve treatment outcomes following the resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, in practice, some patients are unable to tolerate all prescribed chemotherapy. One of the factors which may implicate adjuvant chemotherapy completion is a surgical technique.

"Alterations in the Skin Microbiota Are Associated With Symptom Severity in Mycosis Fungoides".

Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), a non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is thought to arise from mature tissue-resident memory T cells. The most common subtypes include Mycosis Fungoides and Sezary Syndrome. The role of skin microbiota remains unclear in the symptom manifestation of MF.

Interaction of bacterial genera associated with therapeutic response to immune checkpoint PD-1 blockade in a United States cohort.

Background: Recent studies show that human gut microbial composition can determine whether a patient is a responder or non-responder to immunotherapy but have not identified a common microbial signal shared by responding patients. The functional relationship between immunity, intestinal microbiota, and NSCLC response to immune checkpoint inhibitor/inhibition (ICI) in an American cohort remains unexplored.

Methods: RNAlater-preserved fecal samples were collected from 65 pre-treatment (baseline) and post-treatment stage III/IV NSCLC patients undergoing ICI therapy, categorized as responders or non-responders according to RECIST criteria.

Effect of prior antibiotic or chemotherapy treatment on immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Treatment outcomes of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have substantially improved with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), although only approximately 19% of patients respond to immunotherapy alone, increasing to 58% with the addition of chemotherapy. The gut microbiome has been recognized as a modulator of ICI response via its priming effect on the host immune response. Antibiotics as well as chemotherapy reduce gut microbial diversity, hence altering composition and function of the gut microbiome.

Novel Subdiaphragmatic Ligation of Left Thoracic Duct for Refractory Postoperative Left Chylothorax.

A postoperative chylothorax is an uncommon but problematic surgical complication in 0.5% to 4.0% of surgical cases that nevertheless still plagues every busy thoracic surgeon.

Preoperative nutrition-enhanced recovery after surgery protocol for thoracic neoplasms.

Objectives: Because patients' preoperative nutritional status influences the outcomes, we have used a preoperative nutrition program for surgical patients for a 2-year period and compared the results with those from a cohort treated in the previous 2 years.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed curative thoracic neoplasm resections from July 15, 2016, to July 15, 2018, in patients who had received a preoperative nutritional-enhanced recovery after surgery (N-ERAS) protocol. The protocol consisted of 5 days of an oral immunonutrition drink 3 times daily, daily receipt of probiotics, and a carbohydrate-loading drink the night before surgery.

Results of treating primary pulmonary sarcomas and pulmonary carcinosarcomas.

Objective: Primary pulmonary sarcomas (PPS) and pulmonary carcinosarcomas (PCS) are rare aggressive lung malignancies. We reviewed our 21-year experience with the surgical and nonsurgical treatment of both tumors, comparing their clinical, histopathologic, and treatment results.

Methods: All patients with PPS or PCS who underwent surgical and nonsurgical treatment between 1998 and 2019 at our cancer center were retrospectively reviewed.

Impact of viral presence in tumor on gene expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: In our recent study, most non-small-lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor specimens harbored viral DNA but it was absent in non-neoplastic lung. However, their targets and roles in the tumor cells remain poorly understood. We analyzed gene expression microarrays to identify genes and pathways differentially altered between virus-infected and uninfected NSCLC tumors.

Induction chemoradiotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for superior sulcus lung cancer.

Objectives: Although treatment of superior sulcus tumors with induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery employed in the Intergroup INT-0160 trial is widely adopted as a standard of care, there may be significant associated morbidity and mortality. We describe our experience using standard and alternative induction regimens to assess survival rates and treatment toxicity in these patients.

Materials And Methods: Electronic medical records of all patients who underwent multimodality treatment including resection of lung cancer invading the superior pulmonary sulcus between 1994 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed.

Durvalumab: a potential maintenance therapy in surgery-ineligible non-small-cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the most common cause of cancer-related death. Non-small-cell lung cancer comprises ~87% of newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer, and nearly one-third of these patients have stage III disease. Despite improvements in the treatment of stage IV lung cancer, particularly with the introduction and dissemination of checkpoint inhibitors, very little progress has been made in the treatment of stage III lung cancer.

Comparison of pulmonary function tests and perioperative outcomes after robotic-assisted pulmonary lobectomy vs segmentectomy.

Background: Lobectomy is standard treatment for early-stage lung cancer, but sublobar resection remains debated. We compared outcomes after robotic-assisted video-assisted thoracoscopic (R-VATS) segmentectomy vs lobectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 251 consecutive patients who underwent R-VATS lobectomy (n = 208) or segmentectomy (n = 43) by a single surgeon over 36 months.

Resection of the First Rib With Preservation of the T1 Nerve Root in Pancoast Tumors of the Lung.

Background: Surgical outcomes for Pancoast (superior sulcus) tumors of the lung have significantly changed during the last few decades and have improved with use of curative-intent surgery by utilizing en bloc complete resections.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 11 selected patients treated at Moffitt Cancer Center from 2007 to 2016. Data from patient records were collected and analyzed.

Molecular evidence of viral DNA in non-small cell lung cancer and non-neoplastic lung.

Background: Although ∼20% of human cancers are caused by microorganisms, only suspicion exists for a microbial cause of lung cancer. Potential infectious agents were investigated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and non-neoplastic lung.

Methods: Seventy NSCLC tumours (33 squamous cell carcinomas, 17 adenocarcinomas, 10 adenocarcinomas with lepidic spread, and 10 oligometastases) and 10 non-neoplastic lung specimens were evaluated for molecular evidence of microorganisms.

Pulmonary metastasectomy for suspected pancreaticobiliary cancer.

Purpose: Occasionally, pancreaticobiliary cancer presents as a relatively indolent disease and localized blood-borne lung metastases may be resectable. We reviewed our experience with therapeutic lung resections in pancreatic cancer patients.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study of pancreatic cancer patients who underwent subsequent therapeutic lung resections, from 1996 to 2015, all clinical data were gathered for comparison between patients undergoing pancreatic pulmonary metastasectomy and those undergoing lung resection for other diseases.