Prediagnosis weight loss, a stronger factor than BMI, to predict survival in patients with lung cancer.

Objectives: Recent studies have demonstrated that elevated BMI is associated with improved survival in patients with lung cancer. According to the authors, this "obesity paradox" could be a true benefit or a spurious relationship. In this context, data from the French KBP-2010-CPHG cohort (7,051 patients followed up for primary lung cancer diagnosed in 2010 in the respiratory medicine departments of 104 nonacademic hospitals) were analyzed.

Sequential two-line strategy for stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer: docetaxel-cisplatin versus vinorelbine-cisplatin followed by cross-over to single-agent docetaxel or vinorelbine at progression: final results of a randomised phase II study.

Background: This phase II trial compared docetaxel-cisplatin (DC) with vinorelbine-cisplatin (VC), both as first-line therapy followed by cross-over at progression to single-agent vinorelbine or docetaxel in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Overall, 115 patients received DC (docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) both on day 1, every 3 weeks, arm A1) and 118 VC (vinorelbine 30 mg/m(2)/week on days 1 and 8 and cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on day 1, every 3 weeks, arm B1) for six cycles, and subsequently maintained by monotherapy with docetaxel (A1) or vinorelbine (B1) with cross-over on disease progression to vinorelbine 30 mg/m(2) days 1 and 8 (A2), or docetaxel 100 mg/m(2), day 1, both every 3 weeks (B2). The primary end point was overall response rate (ORR).

[Pneumonitis caused by hydrocarbon inhalation].

Introduction: Kerosene pneumonitis is rare. It most commonly occurs in children who have ingested a hydrocarbon by accident. In adults, pneumonitis caused by aspiration of incompletely vaporized kerosene may be seen in fire-eaters can cause pneumonitis.

[Pulmonary metastasis of a uterine epithelioid leiomyosarcoma].

We report a case of patient presenting with a very large pulmonary metastasis which revealed a previously unrecognised uterine epithelioid leiomyosarcoma. This is a rare tumour with a poor prognosis. The treatment of both the primary tumour and the metastasis was surgical.

[Meningococcal pneumonia].

Meningococci can cause primary bacterial pneumonia. The clinical picture is non-specific and the clinical course leads to meningeal infection. Diagnosis is based on isolation of Neisseria meningitidis in lung samples.