Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Neoadjuvant Therapy and Surgery for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: There is a dearth of data on outcomes of postoperative chemotherapy after neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study was to compare survival outcomes in patients who did and did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed using our multicenter database to identify patients who received neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery for clinical T3 N0 or N1-N2 resectable NSCLC between 2009 and 2016.

Benign notochordal cell tumor of the lung: Report of a case.

A surgical case of a benign notochordal cell tumor of the lung is reported. The patient was an asymptomatic 41-year-old man, who was incidentally found to have a small tumor in the subpleural region of the left lingular segment. Since wedge resection of the tumor, the patient has been free from recurrence.

FDG Uptake in Brown Adipose Tissue Activated by a β3-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Prescribed for Overactive Bladder.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), which produces energy and is known to play a role as a hibernating gland, is sometimes visualized on F-FDG PET in children or in slender young adults in a cold environment. Because BAT is activated by catecholamines, FDG uptake in BAT is also observed in patients with pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. We present the case of an elderly woman with remarkable FDG uptake in BAT.

Ad-shWnt2b Vector Therapy Demonstrates Antitumor Activity in Orthotopic Intrapleural Models as Monitored with the In Vitro Imaging System (IVIS).

Aim: We investigated whether Wnt2B-inhibiting therapy has effective antitumor activity against Wnt2B-overexpressing cells in an orthotopic intrapleural model by monitoring with the in vitro imaging system (IVIS).

Materials And Methods: Mice for the orthotopic intrapleural model were randomized into 3 groups (control, Ad-shWnt2B and Ad-scramble; 8 mice per group). The respective vector was injected into the intrapleural cavity of mice in the Ad-shWnt2B and Ad-scramble groups.

Snail expression is associated with a poor prognosis in malignant pleural mesotheliomas.

Background: Malignant pleural mesotheliomas (MPMs) are aggressive tumors with a poor prognosis. We aimed to clarify the mechanisms of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in MPMs by analyzing the expressions of EMT-associated transcription factors and E-cadherin in relation to tumor proliferation rates and patient survival.

Methods: One hundred nine patients with MPMs were investigated.

Higher expression of receptor tyrosine kinase Axl, and differential expression of its ligand, Gas6, predict poor survival in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

Background: Downstream activation through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) plays important roles in carcinogenesis. In this study, we assessed the clinical involvement of Axl, an RTK, and its ligand, Gas6, in surgically treated lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Axl and Gas6 mRNA and protein expression levels were quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in completely resected lung adenocarcinoma tissues (n = 88) and were evaluated for correlation with clinicopathologic features and patient survival.

Prognostic factors for patients in postoperative brain metastases from surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Postoperative recurrence in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) reduces the life expectancy of patients. In this retrospective study, we investigated the prognostic factors in patients with postoperative brain metastases from surgical resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who had undergone resection for NSCLC between April 2004 and February 2009 and found 65 had experienced postoperative brain metastases by March 2010.

Intratumoral Wnt2B expression affects tumor proliferation and survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive thoracic tumor with a poor prognosis. We performed a comprehensive clinical study on the intratumoral expression of Wnt1, Wnt2B and Wnt5A in MPM. One hundred and seven MPM patients were investigated.

Protective effect of pre-recovery surfactant inhalation on lungs donated after cardiac death in a canine lung transplantation model.

Background: Warm ischemia-reperfusion injury related to donation after cardiac death is a crucial issue in transplantation. Because surfactant function deteriorates in lungs during warm ischemia, we hypothesized pre-recovery surfactant inhalation would mitigate warm ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Methods: We rendered donor dogs cardiac dead and left them at room temperature.

Detection of ALK fusion in lung cancer using fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Objective: To develop an easy-to-use technique for EML4-ALK detection and establish the effective selection of candidates for screening.

Background: We previously reported clinicopathological findings of patients with lung cancer harboring the EML4-ALK fusion gene. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors have therapeutic effects in lung cancer patients with EML4-ALK, accounting for merely 1%-5% of lung cancers.

Higher expression of EphA2 and ephrin-A1 is related to favorable clinicopathological features in pathological stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Background: The overexpression of receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 has been reported in various cancers. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a positive correlation has been reported between high EphA2 immunohistochemical staining level and poor prognosis. However, its ligand, ephrin-A1, is supposed to act as a tumor suppressor via the kinase activity of EphA2.

Clinical significance of BRAF gene mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: V-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) mutations are attractive molecular targets for cancer treatment. Detection of BRAF gene mutation and analyses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are of great scientific interest.

Patients And Methods: The study included 581 NSCLC patients (377 males, 204 female) undergoing pulmonary resection.

Effect of preprocurement ventilation on lungs donated after cardiac death in a canine lung transplantation model.

Background: One method of countering chronic lung donor shortages is the practice of donation after cardiac death (DCD). However, this technique inevitably leads to pulmonary dysfunction related to warm ischemia. One promising method of alleviating this problem is ventilation.

Expression of IGF1R is associated with tumor differentiation and survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: The insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) is widely expressed in normal tissues and many malignancies in humans. We investigated the clinical significance of the expression of the IGF1R gene in human lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: A total of 238 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were investigated.

Impact of KRAS and EGFR gene mutations on recurrence and survival in patients with surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas.

Background: Oncogenic gene mutations observed in lung adenocarcinomas, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and KRAS, have some predictive value for chemotherapeutic drugs or EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. However, the influence of these gene alterations on patients' prognosis remains controversial.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the tumors of 180 patients with completely resected pathological stage I-III lung adenocarcinoma which harbored either KRAS codon 12 mutation or EGFR gene mutations within exons 18-21 to investigate the impact of these gene mutations on the patients' survival.

A case of Good's syndrome: a rare acquired immunodeficiency associated with thymoma.

The patient was a 76-year-old man who had a prior history of recurrent pneumonia and severe, chronic sinusitis. Computed tomography showed a thymoma, and laboratory results revealed hypogammaglobulinemia. Therefore, Good's Syndrome (GS, rare adult-onset immunodeficiency with thymoma) was diagnosed.

Simultaneous double thymic carcinoids: a rare initial manifestation of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.

A 53-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment of two anterior mediastinal tumors. The anterior mediastinal tumors were resected by thymectomy under the probable diagnosis of double thymomas. The final pathological diagnosis was multiple thymic carcinoids.

Resected osteochondroma of the rib in an elderly patient.

Solitary osteochondroma of the rib is a rare primary chest wall tumor. Herein, we report a case of a successfully resected osteochondroma of the rib. The patient was a 73-year-old asymptomatic woman who came to our hospital regularly for treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Three cases of resected pleomorphic carcinoma.

Pleomorphic carcinoma (PC) is a rare malignancy of the lung. We present 3 cases that were resected. Case 1: The patient was a 75-year-old asymptomatic man whose chest roentgenogram showed a cavity at the right apex.

Intraoperative migration of a nail from the left B10b to the main bronchus.

Objectives: We report a rare case in which an intrapulmonary foreign body underwent a large intraoperative migration.

Method: A 57-year-old man with an intrapulmonary nail in the left S(10) was admitted into our hospital. Since the removal by a flexible bronchoscopy was unsuccessful, a thoracotomy was performed.

Successful resection of posterior mediastinal thyroid cancer by partial sternotomy combined with video-assisted thoracoscopy.

We report on a rare case of substernal thyroid carcinoma extending into the posterior mediastinum of a 48-year-old man. The tumor was resected by partial sternotomy and a small anterior thoracotomy, combined with video-assisted thoracoscopy. The pathological diagnosis was of a well differentiated papillary adenocarcinoma of the thyroid with mediastinal extension.