Large-vessel vasculitis possibly induced by BRAF and MEK inhibitors for BRAF V600E positive lung adenocarcinoma.

The combination therapy of v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors is approved for treating patients with BRAF V600E-positive tumours, including melanoma and lung cancer. Several case reports indicated autoimmune side effects associated with the use of BRAF and MEK inhibitors. Still, the effects of these drugs on the immune system were not fully elucidated.

Atezolizumab addition to platinum doublet: evaluating survival outcomes for patients with extensive disease small cell lung cancer.

Background: The efficacy of adding atezolizumab to the platinum doublet regimen for extensive disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC) remains marginally limited.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed the real-world efficacy and safety of atezolizumab in addition to carboplatin and etoposide (EP + A), versus carboplatin and etoposide (EP) alone in previously untreated ED-SCLC patients.

Results: From a total of 99 patients, 46 were assigned to the EP + A group, and 53 to the EP group.

Influence of age, IGRA results, and inflammatory markers on mortality in hospitalized tuberculosis patients.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death globally. Identifying the factors associated with mortality during hospitalization for TB is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the potential risk factors, including T-SPOT.

Predictors of lung injury during durvalumab maintenance therapy following concurrent chemoradiotherapy in unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Background: Based on the results of the PACIFIC trial, maintenance with durvalumab has emerged as the standard treatment following concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, adverse events attributed to durvalumab, especially lung injuries, including immune-related adverse events, and radiation pneumonitis, are concerning. This study retrospectively investigated the factors related to lung injury in patients receiving the PACIFIC regimen.

Regional differences in epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in lung cancer treatment using a national database in Japan.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are extensively used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); hence, equal access to them is important. Therefore, this study aimed to identify regional differences in the prescription of EGFR-TKIs and the factors contributing to these differences. In this ecological study, we collected data using the National Database Open Data and the National Cancer Registry.

Primary tracheal small-cell carcinoma detected 11 months after surgery for pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: A case report.

Primary tracheal small-cell carcinoma is rare, and is often treated using small-cell lung cancer guidelines given that no standard treatment has been established for it. We report a patient in whom nodules appeared in the trachea and left main bronchus 11 months after surgery for pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; a biopsy revealed small-cell carcinoma. Given the absence of malignant lesions elsewhere in the body, the lesions were diagnosed as primary tracheal small-cell carcinoma.

Thymic atypical carcinoid tumors with elevated mitotic counts in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia: A case report.

Thymic neuroendocrine tumors associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia are only defined as carcinoid and are not associated with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). We report the case of a multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 patient with atypical carcinoid tumors with elevated mitotic counts (AC-h), an intermediate condition between carcinoid and LCNEC. A 27-year-old man underwent surgery for an anterior mediastinal mass and was diagnosed with thymic LCNEC.

Liquid biopsy for detecting epidermal growth factor receptor mutation among patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with afatinib: a multicenter prospective study.

Background: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of liquid biopsy in detecting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations at diagnosis, disease progression, and intermediate stages.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, observational study included 30 patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with afatinib, harboring a major EGFR mutation confirmed by tumor tissue biopsy. We collected blood samples for liquid biopsy at diagnosis, intermediate stage, and progressive disease.

Persistence of Robust Humoral Immune Response in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Convalescent Individuals Over 12 Months After Infection.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection elicits varying degrees of protective immunity conferred by neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). In this study, we report the persistence of nAb responses over 12 months after infection despite their decreasing trend noticed from 6 months.

Methods: The study included sera from 497 individuals who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 between January and August 2020.

Pembrolizumab monotherapy versus pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: A multicenter retrospective trial.

Background: Pembrolizumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy is a standard treatment for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. However, no study has compared the efficacies of these two regimens. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy of pembrolizumab alone and in combination with chemotherapy in NSCLC patients with high PD-L1 expression.

Sustained Neutralizing Antibodies 6 Months Following Infection in 376 Japanese COVID-19 Survivors.

There is scarce evidence regarding the long-term persistence of neutralizing antibodies among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors. This study determined neutralizing antibody titers (NT) and antibodies against spike protein (SP) or nucleocapsid protein (NP) antigens approximately 6 months after the diagnosis of COVID-19. COVID-19 survivors in Japan were recruited.

T-cell response to phytohemagglutinin in the interferon-γ release assay as a potential biomarker for the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a standard treatment for advanced lung cancer, although it remains important to identify biomarkers that can accurately predict treatment response. Immune checkpoint inhibitors enhance the antitumor T-cell response, and interferon-γ plays an important role in this process. Therefore, this study evaluated whether the number of interferon-γ-releasing peripheral T cells after phytohemagglutinin stimulation in the interferon-γ release assay might act as a biomarker for the response of non-small cell lung cancer to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

Identification of a novel biomarker based on lymphocyte count, albumin level, and TBAg/PHA ratio for differentiation between active and latent tuberculosis infection in Japan.

Data from China have shown that the ratio of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigen (TBAg) spots obtained from the T-SPOT.TB test to the number of positive control phytohemagglutinin (PHA) spots (TBAg/PHA ratio) could help distinguish between active tuberculosis infection (ATBI) and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). As the applicability of the T-SPOT.

Identification of Biomarkers for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated With an Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor.

Background/aim: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have an important role in lung cancer therapy. Although the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) and tumor mutational burden are known prognostic factors, they are insufficient to predict clinical outcomes. This study was conducted to identify novel biomarkers for ICI treatment.

Afatinib + bevacizumab combination therapy in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with osimertinib resistance: Protocol of an open-label, phase II, multicenter, single-arm trial.

Introduction: As most patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop progressive disease after treatment with osimertinib, it is important to develop more effective treatment options. Afatinib has been shown to be more effective in in vitro studies than osimertinib when used in cancer cell lines containing some specific EGFR mutations. Therefore, afatinib may be an effective solution, especially when used in combination with an anti-VEGF agent such as bevacizumab.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe pneumonia: COVID-19 case in Japan.

Background: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is one of the ultimate treatments for acute respiratory failure. However, the effectiveness of ECMO in patients with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is unknown.

Case Presentation: A 72-year-old woman who was a passenger of a cruise ship tested positive for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) while in quarantine on board using throat swab.

Class A CpG oligodeoxynucleotide inhibits IFN-γ-induced signaling and apoptosis in lung cancer.

Background: Currently, anticancer immunotherapy based on PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is being used as a standard therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, more effective treatments are required as these tumors are often resistant and refractory. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of immunomodulatory oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) in terms of the presence or absence of CpG motifs and the number of consecutive guanosines.