Publications by authors named "Okuma Y"
Background: Schlafen 11 (SLFN-11) has been identified as a sensitizer of tumor cells to DNA-damaging agents. However, the relationship between SLFN-11 expression and clinical outcomes in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains unexplored. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the impact of SLFN-11 expression on survival in patients with limited-stage (LS) SCLC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Osimertinib is the first-line treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have EGFR mutations and favorable performance status (PS). Despite increasing clinical data on osimertinib, evidence in patients with an impaired PS remains limited. Therefore, a multicenter phase II trial (OPEN/TORG2040) was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line osimertinib for patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC and poor PS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aim: Thymic carcinoma is a rare cancer with poor prognosis in unresectable cases. Treatment efficacy of carboplatin+paclitaxel (CP), lenvatinib, S-1, and sunitinib remains uncertain, with some patients experiencing increased post-treatment liver metastasis.
Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with metastatic thymic carcinoma who received chemotherapy between 2006 and 2023 at the National Cancer Center Hospital.
New territories: perioperative chemoimmunotherapy in early-stage NSCLC.
Lancet Respir Med
November 2024
Background: Ensitrelvir, a 3C-like protease inhibitor, received emergency approval in Japan in November 2022 for treating non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. However, confirmation of its real-world clinical effectiveness is limited.
Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 18 vaccinated outpatients (15 men; median age, 39.
The effect of subjective postural vertical on forward flexed posture in Parkinson's disease.
Parkinsonism Relat Disord
December 2024
Background: We developed a novel method to measure the angle of subjective postural vertical (SPV) and showed that the SPV may be related to the exacerbation of the forward flexed posture.
Objectives: The present study prospectively tested the effects of the subjective postural vertical on the exacerbation of the forward flexion of trunk (FFT) through long-term observation of Parkinson's disease patients.
Methods: Evaluation of the posture included measuring FFT, the angle of lateral flexion of trunk, and the angle at the position that the patient subjectively perceived as the vertical position at a stationary upright position immediately after standing up at the time of initial observation, 6 months later, and 1 year later.
Article Synopsis
- * Seven patients received autologous MSCs without any serious side effects, showing no tumors or neurological decline throughout the process.
- * Notable functional improvements and enhanced quality of life were reported 90 and 180 days after the infusion, indicating that this treatment could be beneficial for chronic SCI, though further large-scale studies are required for conclusive results.
Article Synopsis
- - Recent studies show that breathing pure oxygen (100% O) after cardiac arrest can harm organ function, highlighting the need for careful monitoring of oxygen levels to avoid injury.
- - In a study on rats, those given 100% O showed higher lung injury (measured by wet-to-dry weight ratio) and significant differences in blood gas parameters compared to those given 30% O and healthy controls.
- - The alveolar-arterial oxygen difference (AaDO) strongly correlated with lung injury, suggesting AaDO could serve as a valuable, non-invasive tool for assessing hyperoxic damage in post-cardiac arrest situations.
Article Synopsis
- Prevention of delayed cerebral infarction (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can involve various treatments, including the endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), clazosentan, which became available in 2022 and is recommended despite the risk of fluid retention issues.
- A study examined 10 SAH patients treated with ERA, focusing on their background, blood results, and fluid retention, revealing that age significantly influenced outcomes, particularly with complications like hydrocephalus and fluid accumulation.
- Findings suggest that in patients over 80, avoiding ERA, limiting infusion volumes, and managing heart failure early can help reduce fluid-related complications post-surgery.
Article Synopsis
- Neuroendovascular therapy via distal/trans-radial artery access (d/TRA) offers a less invasive option for procedures like carotid artery stenting (CAS) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic strokes (AIS).* -
- A comparison of patient outcomes over two periods demonstrated that while the second group included more severe cases, the rates of postoperative complications or effectiveness were similar between d/TRA and traditional trans-femoral access (TFA) methods.* -
- The use of d/TRA was particularly effective in avoiding puncture site complications (PSCs) and managing patients with cognitive decline, ensuring safety and outcomes were consistent with established techniques.*
Objectives: Lorlatinib, a third-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor, causes distinct adverse events (AEs), including hyperlipidemia and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Although dose modifications are recommended to manage these AEs, whether dose modifications can achieve optimal blood lorlatinib concentrations and reduce the incidence of lorlatinib-induced AEs remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the association between lorlatinib exposure and AEs in each patient.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Clinical evidence regarding predictors of successful weaning from mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is lacking. This study aimed to create a simple risk score to predict successful weaning from MCS in patients with cardiogenic shock.
Methods And Results: This retrospective single-center cohort study included 114 consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock treated with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or IMPELLA between January 2013 and June 2023.
Article Synopsis
- - This study examines the connection between the hemoglobin to red blood cell distribution width (Hb/RDW) ratio and mortality in patients recovering from acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), highlighting its potential as a predictive tool.
- - Researchers analyzed data from 250 patients hospitalized for ADHF, finding that those with a lower Hb/RDW ratio (<0.24) had significantly worse outcomes in terms of all-cause mortality compared to those with a higher ratio (≥0.24).
- - After adjusting for factors like demographics and heart failure severity, a lower Hb/RDW ratio was shown to nearly double the risk of mortality, suggesting its importance in identifying patients at higher risk for future cardiovascular issues.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluated how the introduction of durvalumab impacted the duration and tapering of corticosteroid therapy in patients with pneumonitis following chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer.
- It analyzed medical records of 235 patients, revealing that those treated with durvalumab had longer corticosteroid therapy durations (17 weeks) and more frequent pneumonitis relapses compared to those who weren't (7 weeks and fewer relapses).
- The findings suggest durvalumab complicates corticosteroid management for pneumonitis, providing insights for better patient care and clinical practice.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to determine the optimal time limit for successfully weaning patients from veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in cases of cardiogenic shock, aiding decisions on heart failure treatment and care withdrawal.
- Conducted from January 2013 to June 2023, the retrospective study analyzed 100 patients who received VA-ECMO, excluding those with out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and evaluated the relationship between support duration and weaning success.
- Results showed that shorter durations of ECMO support (≤7 days) significantly correlated with higher success rates of weaning (58%), compared to longer durations (≥15 days), with successful weaning in only 43% of
Background: Some case reports have found that corticosteroid treatments shrunk thymoma lesions remarkably after the failure of chemotherapy or surgery. However, few studies have comprehensibly evaluated the antitumor effects of corticosteroids in patients with invasive thymomas.
Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 13 consecutively enrolled patients with locally advanced or metastatic thymomas treated via corticosteroid monotherapies from January 2010 to March 2021 in our institute.
Article Synopsis
- The author reflects on their 47-year career at Juntendo University, starting from their admission to the medical school in 1976 and joining the Department of Neurology in 1982, focusing on movement disorders and neurophysiology.
- They studied electrophysiology in Canada from 1992 to 1994, instructed young neurologists in English, and became a full professor in 2009 after receiving recognition from their chairperson.
- As the dean of the Faculty of Health Science and Nursing, they enhanced nursing education, leading to consistent success in National Nursing Exams, and express gratitude for the experiences and support received throughout their career.
Cervical cancer affects women worldwide and is the most common human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancer. Carcinogenesis caused by HPV results in specific cancer behavior because of the underlying viral infection. The mechanism and timing of the transformation from viral infection to cancer cells have been elucidated in detail.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - In advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with uncommon EGFR mutations (like G719X, S768I, and L861Q), finding effective treatments with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is a significant challenge due to limited evidence.
- - The FDA has approved afatinib for these mutations based on secondary analyses, while new clinical trials, including the UNICORN study on osimertinib, show promising results but need further investigation.
- - This review aims to consolidate recent clinical trial findings on the efficacy of different TKIs for uncommon EGFR mutations, helping oncologists make better treatment decisions and explore tailored strategies for these patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluates the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with various gene mutations, rather than focusing solely on EGFR mutations.
- A total of 216 NSCLC patients were analyzed, revealing that those treated with ICIs in the first-line had better progression-free survival (7.5 months) and overall survival (24.8 months) compared to those receiving treatment in subsequent lines (4.7 months PFS and 17.1 months OS).
- The relationship between PD-L1 expression and treatment outcomes varied across gene mutation types, with PD-L1 positivity indicating improved survival rates in specific cases, particularly in the subgroup with mutations.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the impact of antibiotic-induced dysbiosis on the effectiveness and safety of chemoimmunotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
- Researchers compared two groups of patients: those who took antibiotics within 30 days before treatment and those who did not, assessing clinical outcomes like progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
- Results showed no significant differences in PFS or OS between the groups, suggesting that antibiotic use may not affect the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy in NSCLC patients.
Article Synopsis
- The report focuses on long-term follow-up data from the REMORA study, which evaluated the safety and effectiveness of lenvatinib for treating thymic carcinoma, while also exploring how the relative dose intensity (RDI) may impact efficacy.
- Conducted in Japan, 42 patients were given lenvatinib daily and the study measured overall survival (OS) along with RDI, revealing an updated median OS of 28.3 months and a 36-month OS rate of 35.7%.
- Results indicated that patients with an RDI of 75% or higher had significantly better OS (38.5 months) compared to those with lower RDI (17.3 months), suggesting that maintaining a higher dose
Article Synopsis
- PD-L1 expression is a key factor in predicting the success of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatments in advanced lung cancer, but differences in assay results can complicate evaluations.
- A study reviewed patients who had their PD-L1 status checked using two different assays and found that a significant number showed discrepancies, which correlated with lower treatment effectiveness in those receiving pembrolizumab.
- The findings suggest that differences in PD-L1 assay results may indicate a specific resistance mechanism to treatments, highlighting the potential importance of understanding these discrepancies in clinical settings.
Article Synopsis
- * The artemis trial is a Phase II study testing a new chemotherapy regimen combining carboplatin, paclitaxel, lenvatinib, and pembrolizumab for patients with advanced or recurrent thymic carcinoma, involving 35 participants.
- * The main goal of the trial is to measure the objective response rate, while also assessing progression-free survival and safety of the treatment options.
Article Synopsis
- Osimertinib (OSI) is effective for treating patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), showing a 71% response rate and a median progression-free survival of 23.3 months.
- In a study of 229 patients, specific mutations, like the EGFR exon 21 L858R and liver metastasis, were linked to poorer progression-free survival rates after OSI treatment.
- The subtype of the mutation influences the clinical outcomes and patterns of disease progression, with the L858R mutation being associated with more central nervous system metastases compared to exon 19 deletions.