Demographics, Safety and Quality, and Prognostic Information in Both the Seventh and Eighth Editions of the TNM Classification in 18,973 Surgical Cases of the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry Database in 2010.

Introduction: The Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry performed the fourth nationwide registry study of surgical cases. Demographics, safety and quality, prognostic information, and correlations between the seventh and the eighth editions of the TNM classification were investigated. The principal results were compared with those of previous Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry studies.

A single-nucleotide polymorphism in a gene modulating glucocorticoid sensitivity is associated with the decline in total lung capacity after lung transplantation.

Purpose: Glucocorticoids are used to prevent chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) after lung transplantation (LT). Our study was aimed at assessing the association between the glucocorticoid-induced transcript 1 gene (GLCCI1) variant, which modulates glucocorticoid sensitivity, and the postoperative lung function and development of CLAD after LT.

Methods: A total of 71 recipients of LT were genotyped for the GLCCI1 variant (rs37972) and divided into three groups: the homozygous mutant allele (TT) group, the heterozygous mutant allele (CT) group, and the wild-type allele (CC) group.

Inherited lung cancer syndromes targeting never smokers.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Most of lung cancers develop sporadically and thus inherited lung cancers are rare. Several reports show that germline mutations in the kinase domain of epidermal growth factor receptor () such as R776G, R776H, T790M, V843I and P848L, predispose to develop lung cancer.

Comparative mutational evaluation of multiple lung cancers by multiplex oncogene mutation analysis.

In patients presenting with synchronous or metachronous multiple lung cancer (MLC), it is important to distinguish between multiple primary lung cancer (MP) and intrapulmonary metastasis (IM). The present study was aimed at investigating the mutational profiles of synchronous/metachronous MLC and to compare the classification of paired tumors by multiplex gene mutation analysis with the histopathological evaluation. We carried out targeted sequencing of 20 lung cancer-related oncogenes using next-generation sequencing (NGS) in 82 tumors from 37 MLC patients who underwent surgical resection at our department.

Crucial role of RAGE in inappropriate increase of smooth muscle cells from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary vascular remodeling of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by an inappropriate increase of vascular cells. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a type I single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily and is involved in a broad range of hyperproliferative diseases. RAGE is also implicated in the etiology of PAH and is overexpressed in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in patients with PAH.

Study Protocol: Phase-Ib Trial of Nivolumab Combined With Metformin for Refractory/Recurrent Solid Tumors.

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown significant survival benefits in the treatment of several cancers, optimal outcomes have been limited to certain subsets of patients. In a previous study, we found that the addition of metformin to nivolumab, an anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody, yielded substantial tumor regression in mouse models. Further analysis revealed that the number of tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells had increased markedly.

Combined inhibition of MEK and PI3K pathways overcomes acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in non-small cell lung cancer.

Compensatory activation of the signal transduction pathways is one of the major obstacles for the targeted therapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we present the therapeutic strategy of combined targeted therapy against the MEK and phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) pathways for acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in NSCLC. We investigated the efficacy of combined trametinib plus taselisib therapy using experimentally established EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC cell lines.

Combined effect of cabozantinib and gefitinib in crizotinib-resistant lung tumors harboring ROS1 fusions.

The ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) crizotinib has shown dramatic effects in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring ROS1 fusion genes. However, patients inevitably develop resistance to this agent. Therefore, a new treatment strategy is required for lung tumors with ROS1 fusion genes.

Myoepithelioma occurring in the posterior mediastinum harboring EWSR1 rearrangement: a case report.

Myoepithelioma is a rare neoplasm usually occurring in the salivary glands or the mammary glands but also, more rarely, in the thoracic cavity. The diagnosis of myoepithelioma is based on the presence of histological and immunohistochemical characteristics of myoepithelioma, but in unusual locations, the diagnosis is challenging. For such cases, cytogenetic approaches have been developed as helpful tools for the diagnosis.

Embigin Promotes Prostate Cancer Progression by S100A4-Dependent and-Independent Mechanisms.

Embigin, a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, is involved in prostate and mammary gland development. As embigin's roles in cancer remain elusive, we studied its biological functions and interaction with extracellular S100A4 in prostate cancer progression. We found by a pull-down assay that embigin is a novel receptor for S100A4, which is one of the vital cancer microenvironment milleu.

[Induction Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer].

The management of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) is still controversial, because of complicated patient status and poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment results for induction chemoradiotherapy (iCRT) followed by surgery for LA-NSCLC. From 1999 to 2016, 157 patients were surgically treated after iCRT in our hospital, and their median follow-up was 43 months.

Low-risk donor lungs optimize the post-lung transplant outcome for high lung allocation score patients.

Purpose: The lung allocation score (LAS) has been generally recognized as a contributor to the overall survival in lung transplant candidates. However, donor-related risks have never been taken into consideration in previous research that validated the LAS. This study aimed to determine whether or not the role of the LAS as a predictor of the posttransplant outcome is influenced by the quality of the donor lungs.

Short hookwire placement under imaging guidance before thoracic surgery: A review.

During video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), localization is sometimes needed to detect a target lesion that is too small and/or too far from the pleura. In 1995, Kanazawa et al. developed short hookwire and suture system.

Is Surgery after Chemoradiotherapy Feasible in Lung Cancer Patients with Superior Vena Cava Invasion?

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of surgery after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced-non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) with superior vena cava (SVC) resection in terms of prognosis and early and late postoperative course.

Methods: The medical records of NSCLC patients who underwent surgery after CRT at our institution between January 2001 and March 2016 were reviewed. We evaluated the feasibility of surgery with SVC resection after CRT.

Airway complications have a greater impact on the outcomes of living-donor lobar lung transplantation recipients than cadaveric lung transplantation recipients.

Purpose: Airway complications (ACs) after living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) could have different features from those after cadaveric lung transplantation (CLT). We conducted this study to compare the characteristics of ACs after LDLLT vs. those after CLT and investigate their impact on outcomes.

[Clinical Implementation of Precision Medicine].

In the end of last year, the US Food and Drug Administration has announced the authorization of MSK-IMPACT(TM), clinical test based on multiplex cancer panel profiling for genetic mutations and other alterations in patients' tumors, while in Japan, NCC Oncopanel, domestic multiplex cancer panel, is scheduled to be clinically implemented as advanced medical care B in this coming spring, chasing the state of the art technology for cancer treatment. In this article, we outline a recently published roadmap for precision medicine in Japan, together with our years of experience on cancer diagnosis and treatment based on multiplex cancer panel at Okayama University Hospital and Okadai Biobank.

Tumor-suppressive effect of LRIG1, a negative regulator of ErbB, in non-small cell lung cancer harboring mutant EGFR.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the ErbB (HER) family that is known to play important roles in the pathogenesis of various human cancers. Mutations of the EGFR gene are commonly found as oncogenic driver mutations and have been targeted for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin-like domain protein-1 (LRIG1) is a cell-surface protein that is known as a negative regulator of the ErbB (HER) family.

Therapeutic strategies for afatinib-resistant lung cancer harboring HER2 alterations.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various cancers. HER2 alterations have been suggested to be a therapeutic target in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), just as in breast and gastric cancers. We previously reported that the pan-HER inhibitor afatinib could be a useful therapeutic agent as HER2-targeted therapy for patients with NSCLC harboring HER2 alterations.

A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study of Paclitaxel plus Carboplatin versus Oral Uracil-Tegafur as the Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: We conducted a randomized controlled study to compare the survival benefit of paclitaxel plus carboplatin and oral uracil-tegafur (UFT) as adjuvant chemotherapy in resected NSCLC.

Methods: In an open-label multicenter trial, patients with pathological stage IB to IIIA NSCLC were randomized into a group receiving paclitaxel (175 mg/m) plus carboplatin (area under the curve 5) every 3 weeks for four cycles (arm A) or a group receiving orally administered UFT (250 mg/m) daily for 2 years (arm B). The primary and secondary end points were overall survival and relapse-free survival and toxicity, respectively.

Antitumor activity of pan-HER inhibitors in HER2-positive gastric cancer.

Molecularly targeted therapy has enabled outstanding advances in cancer treatment. Whereas various anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) drugs have been developed, trastuzumab is still the only anti-HER2 drug presently available for gastric cancer. In this study, we propose novel treatment options for patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer.

Second primary cancer in survivors of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiation followed by surgery.

The standard treatment for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) is chemoradiotherapy (CRT), but surgical resection following induction CRT can extend overall survival in a select population. However, patients who survive longer are at risk of developing a second primary cancer (SPC). This is the first report to determine the incidence of SPC in survivors with LA-NSCLC after trimodal therapy.

Unique circulating microRNAs in relation to EGFR mutation status in Japanese smoker male with lung adenocarcinoma.

The incidence of lung adenocarcinoma has been increasing recently in smokers. The molecular target therapy has been developed for lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring EGFR gene mutation. However, the treatment modalities for patients without mutation are currently limited.

Therapeutic potential of targeting S100A11 in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with an unfavorable prognosis. The standard therapeutic approaches are limited to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Because the consequent clinical outcome is often unsatisfactory, a different approach in MPM treatment is required.