The efficacy outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with PD axis inhibitor agents - a population-based study of the Vojvodina region.

By 2021, the FDA approved the use of the drugs pembrolizumab and atezolizumab in the first-line treatment of patients with high positivity of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in locally advanced and metastatic non-small-cell-lung cancer (NSCLC). This approval was the result of statistically significant evidence from international, multicentric clinical studies that all reported increasing progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in these patients. In our study, we reported the demographic and clinical characteristics of 79 patients diagnosed with NSCLC with expression of PD-L1 ≥50% from January 2019 to December 2022 at the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, who received pembrolizumab therapy as the first-line treatment.

Life-Threatening Hemoptysis Leading to Suffocation.

Hemoptysis represents a symptom or sign that typically causes anxiety for patients and draws the attention of the physician because it can be caused by various conditions, ranging from benign to malignant. Depending on the amount of coughed-up blood, hemoptysis can be a life-threatening condition. We present the case of a female patient with a life-threatening hemoptysis that was caused by underlying bronchiectasis and antiplatelet and anticoagulant treatments.

Effective Differences between 2D and 3D Planned Brachytherapy in Lung Cancer: An Institutional Retrospective Study.

: Advanced lung cancer is usually manifested by endoluminal tumor propagation, resulting in central airway obstruction. The objective of this study is to compare the high dose rate brachytherapy treatment outcomes in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depending on the treatment planning pattern-two-dimension (2D) or three-dimension (3D) treatment planning. : The study was retrospective and two groups of patients were compared in it (a group of 101 patients who underwent 2D planned high-dose-rate endobronchial brachytherapy (HDR-EBBT) in 2017/18 and a group of 83 patients who underwent 3D planned HDR-EBBT between January 2021 and June 2023).

Invasive Diagnostic Procedures from Bronchoscopy to Surgical Biopsy-Optimization of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Samples for Molecular Testing.

: Treatment of advanced lung cancer (LC) has become increasingly personalized over the past decade due to an improved understanding of tumor molecular biology and antitumor immunity. The main task of a pulmonologist oncologist is to establish a tumor diagnosis and, ideally, to confirm the stage of the disease with the least invasive technique possible. : The paper will summarize published reviews and original papers, as well as published clinical studies and case reports, which studied the role and compared the methods of invasive pulmonology diagnostics to obtain adequate tumor tissue samples for molecular analysis, thereby determining the most effective molecular treatments.

Knowledge is the most powerful tool in the fight against tuberculosis.

Introduction: In October 2022, after almost two years, tuberculosis reclaimed its first place as the world's deadliest infectious disease, replacing COVID-19. Since knowledge is the most powerful tool to combat any disease, the primary goal of our study was to assess patients' knowledge of tuberculosis and its relationship to their socio-demographic status.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study included 1,067 respiratory patients who were surveyed between November 2021 and June 2022 at the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina (Serbia).

Ultra-Hypofractionated vs. Moderate Fractionated Whole Breast Three Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background and Objectives: Reducing time of treatment during COVID-19 outbreaks has been recommended by the leading Radiation Oncology societies. Still minimizing radiation induced tissue toxicity is one of the most important issues in breast cancer patients. The study aimed to investigate compliance, clinical and dosimetry normal tissue toxicity, and cosmetic results between moderated and ultra-fractionated regimes for breast cancer patients during COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinical risk factors for early complications after high-dose-rate endobronchial brachytherapy in the palliative treatment of lung cancer.

Purpose: This study sought to identify the rate of complications and clinical risk factors for early complications of high-dose-rate endobronchial brachytherapy (HDR-EBBT). The identification of these risk factors could result in a decrease or avoidance of complications.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed risk factors for complications in 761 patients with advanced-stage lung cancer who were treated with HDR-EBBT as a part of the multimodality therapy.