Concentrations of Erlotinib in Tumor Tissue and Plasma in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients After Neoadjuvant Therapy.

Introduction: Tumors might not optimally respond to systemic therapy if minimal effective levels are not reached within the tumor. Erlotinib has mainly been studied in the adjuvant or palliative setting and, therefore, little is known about erlotinib tumor penetration. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate lung tumor tissue erlotinib concentrations after neoadjuvant therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer.

(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography versus computed tomography in predicting histopathological response to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment in resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate diagnostic computed tomography (CT) and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) for identification of histopathologic response to neoadjuvant erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: This study was designed as an open-label phase 2 trial, performed in four hospitals in the Netherlands. Patients received preoperative erlotinib 150 mg once daily for 3 weeks.

Timing of metabolic response monitoring during erlotinib treatment in non-small cell lung cancer.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the timing of metabolic response monitoring with (18)F-FDG PET of (neoadjuvant) erlotinib treatment in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: This study was designed as an open-label phase II trial performed in 4 hospitals in The Netherlands. Patients received preoperative erlotinib (150 mg) once daily for 3 wk.

Tumor response and toxicity of neoadjuvant erlotinib in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The development of targeted therapy has introduced new options to improve treatment outcome in selected patients. The objective of this prospective study was to investigate the safety of preoperative erlotinib treatment and the (in vivo) response in patients with early-stage resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: This study was designed as an open-label phase II trial, performed in four hospitals in the Netherlands, according to a Simon's minimax two-stage procedure.

Is 18F-FDG PET/CT useful for the early prediction of histopathologic response to neoadjuvant erlotinib in patients with non-small cell lung cancer?

Unlabelled: Early prediction of treatment response is of value in avoiding the unnecessary toxicity of ineffective treatment. The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the role of integrated (18)F-FDG PET/CT for the early identification of response to neoadjuvant erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Methods: From October 2006 to March 2009, 23 patients with non-small cell lung cancer eligible for surgical resection were evaluated for this study.

[Diagnostic image. A woman with an abnormal screening mammogram].

A 56-year-old woman had an abnormal mammogram and a palpable mass in the left breast. Cytological and histological examination revealed a pilomatrixoma of the breast.

Feasibility of pathology-correlated lung imaging for accurate target definition of lung tumors.

Purpose: To accurately define the gross tumor volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (GTV plus microscopic disease spread) for radiotherapy, the pretreatment imaging findings should be correlated with the histopathologic findings. In this pilot study, we investigated the feasibility of pathology-correlated imaging for lung tumors, taking into account lung deformations after surgery.

Methods And Materials: High-resolution multislice computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans were obtained for 5 patients who had non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before lobectomy.

Fluorescence detection of pleural malignancies using 5-aminolaevulinic acid.

Study Objective: Although the use of video-assisted thoracoscopy has improved the diagnostic accuracy in patients presenting with pleural diseases, not all biopsies performed are conclusive and staging of the disease is not always optimal. Fluorescence diagnosis (FD) with 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA) has been used in the diagnostic workup for various malignancies. The impact of 5-ALA-mediated FD on diagnosis and staging during video-assisted thoracoscopy was examined.