Clinical factors associated with shorter durable response, and patterns of acquired resistance to first-line pembrolizumab monotherapy in PD-L1-positive non-small-cell lung cancer patients: a retrospective multicenter study.

Background: Despite the wide-spread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer chemotherapy, reports on patients developing acquired resistance (AR) to ICI therapy are scarce. Therefore, we first investigated the characteristics associated with shorter durable responses of ICI treatment and revealed the clinical patterns of AR and prognosis of the patients involved.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective multi-center cohort study that included NSCLC patients with PD-L1 tumor proportion scores of ≥50% who received first-line pembrolizumab and showed response to the therapy.

Comparison of 5-year postoperative outcomes after Billroth I and Roux-en-Y reconstruction following distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: Results from a multi-institutional randomized controlled trial.

Aim: We previously reported in a randomized controlled trial that Billroth I and Roux-en-Y reconstructions were generally equivalent regarding body weight change and nutritional status 1 year after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. We describe the long-term follow-up data 5 years after distal gastrectomy.

Methods: We analyzed consecutive gastric cancer patients who were randomly assigned to undergo Billroth I or Roux-en-Y reconstruction after distal gastrectomy.

Sequential therapy of crizotinib followed by alectinib for non-small cell lung cancer harbouring anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement (WJOG9516L): A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: The data of sequential therapy of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in clinical practice have been limited.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical data of patients with ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer who received crizotinib (CRZ) or alectinib (ALEC) between May 2012 and December 2016. Patients were divided into two groups based on the first-administered ALK-TKI, the CRZ or ALEC group.

Integrin α2β1 plays an important role in the interaction between human articular cartilage-derived chondrocytes and atelocollagen gel.

Although atelocollagen gel is used as a scaffold for culturing human articular cartilage-derived chondrocytes, little is known about cell-gel interactions. In this study, we investigated the mechanism via which atelocollagen gel affects human articular cartilage-derived chondrocytes. Two types of three-dimensional cultures of human articular cartilage-derived chondrocytes (i.

Efficacy of Osimertinib Plus Bevacizumab vs Osimertinib in Patients With EGFR T790M-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor: West Japan Oncology Group 8715L Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Although treatment with first-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) plus antiangiogenic inhibitor has shown promising efficacies in patients with EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma, recent single-arm studies have suggested that osimertinib plus antiangiogenic inhibitor might not work synergistically.

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of osimertinib plus bevacizumab compared with osimertinib alone in patients with lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR T790M mutation.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma that progressed with prior EGFR-TKI treatment (other than third-generation TKI) and acquired EGFR T790M mutation were enrolled.

Durvalumab for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer and grade 1 radiation pneumonitis following concurrent chemoradiotherapy: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

Introduction/Background Durvalumab demonstrated a good efficacy and safety in patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in the PACIFIC trial. Although a history of radiation pneumonitis (RP) has been reported to increase the risk of pneumonitis associated with programmed death-1 inhibitors, the safety and efficacy of durvalumab in patients with baseline Grade 1 RP have not been assessed. Therefore, we carried out a multicenter prospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of durvalumab in these patients.

Helicobacter pylori eradication prevents secondary gastric cancer in patients with mild-to-moderate atrophic gastritis.

Background And Aim: Whether Helicobacter pylori eradication prevents metachronous recurrence after endoscopic resection (ER) of early gastric cancer remains controversial. This multicenter retrospective study aimed to evaluate the long-term (> 5 years) effects of H. pylori eradication by stratifying patients' baseline degrees of atrophic gastritis.

Osimertinib is associated with reversible and dose-independent cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction.

Introduction: The use of osimertinib is associated with the risk of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In this study, we aimed to clarify the clinical features of patients with CTRCD associated with osimertinib.

Methods: A total of 183 cases of advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC who received osimertinib monotherapy from January 2014 to December 2019 were evaluated.

Landmark Analysis Exploring the Optimal Period for Intensive Monitoring After Return to Work for Employees With Sickness Absence Due to Common Mental Disorders.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify when and how long intensive monitoring should be performed after return to work (RTW) of employees experiencing common mental disorders using landmark analysis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective survey of workers who experienced sickness absences (SAs) during 36 months after RTW. Sustainability rates of attendance among the following groups were compared before and after the landmark (18 months): one SA episode (Group 1), two SA episodes (Group 2), and three or more SA episodes (Group 3).

Effect of anticoagulants on the risk of delayed bleeding after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

In patients receiving antithrombotic therapy, the risks of delayed bleeding after endoscopic procedures for gastrointestinal neoplasms become a major problem. Few reports have shown the effects of delayed bleeding in patients taking anticoagulants after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). This study aimed to evaluate the delayed bleeding events after colorectal ESD in patients receiving anticoagulant therapy.

Phase II Study of Panitumumab Monotherapy in Chemotherapy-Naïve Frail or Elderly Patients with Unresectable RAS Wild-Type Colorectal Cancer: OGSG 1602.

Lessons Learned: Panitumumab monotherapy showed favorable efficacy and feasibility in the treatment of frail or elderly patients with RAS wild-type unresectable colorectal cancer. It is especially effective for left-sided tumors; therefore, panitumumab as first-line treatment could be an additional therapeutic option for frail elderly patients, particularly in those who are unsuitable for upfront oxaliplatin-based or irinotecan-based combination regimens.

Background: First-line panitumumab monotherapy is expected to be well tolerated and improve survival in patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Inhibitors of Ceramide- and Sphingosine-Metabolizing Enzymes as Sensitizers in Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

In the treatment of advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), including oral SCC, radiotherapy is a commonly performed therapeutic modality. The combined use of radiotherapy with chemotherapy improves therapeutic effects, but it also increases adverse events. Ceramide, a central molecule in sphingolipid metabolism and signaling pathways, mediates antiproliferative responses, and its level increases in response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Long-term outcomes after endoscopic submucosal dissection for differentiated-type early gastric cancer that fulfilled expanded indication criteria: A prospective cohort study.

Background And Aim: Endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer (EGC) is widely performed. However, there is still a paucity of strong evidence regarding long-term outcomes after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the expanded indication criteria of the Japanese guidelines (ver. 2010).

Efficacy and safety of perampanel monotherapy in patients with focal-onset seizures with newly diagnosed epilepsy or recurrence of epilepsy after a period of remission: The open-label Study 342 (FREEDOM Study).

Objective: Our study assessed perampanel monotherapy in patients (aged ≥12 years) with focal-onset seizures (FOS) with or without focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS) in Japan and South Korea.

Methods: Study 342 (NCT03201900; FREEDOM) is a single-arm, open-label, Phase III study. Patients initially received perampanel in a 32-week 4-mg/d Treatment Phase (6-week Titration; 26-week Maintenance Periods).

Comparison of performances of artificial intelligence versus expert endoscopists for real-time assisted diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (with video).

Background And Aims: Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is currently regarded as the standard modality for diagnosing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We developed a computerized image-analysis system for diagnosing esophageal SCC by NBI and estimated its performance with video images.

Methods: Altogether, 23,746 images from 1544 pathologically proven superficial esophageal SCCs and 4587 images from 458 noncancerous and normal tissue were used to construct an artificial intelligence (AI) system.

Psychologic stress and disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Psychologic stress can affect the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the precise contribution of psychologic stress to IBD remains unclear. We investigated the association of psychologic stress with disease activity in patients with IBD, especially in terms of mental state and sleep condition.

Methods: This was a multi-center observational study comprising 20 institutions.

Immunohistochemical analysis using cell block technique leads accurate diagnosis of ovarian malignant lymphoma: A case report.

Introduction: Ovarian malignant lymphoma is a rare gynecologic disease and some patients show marked ascites, similar to that observed in advanced ovarian cancer. Although radical surgery improves prognosis of ovarian cancer, treatment of lymphoma is based on chemotherapy, therefore, differential diagnosis is crucial.

Presentation Of Case: A 65-year-old woman presented with a 1-month history of abdominal distention.

[The Current Status of Palliative Care for Cancer on a Questionnaire Survey].

We evaluated the current status of palliative care for cancer by questionnaire survey in 34 medical institutions belonging to the Hyogo Society for Oncology of the Colon and Rectum. Although 29 institutions(85%)had palliative care teams, the profiles of team members differed between the institutions. The inclusion rates of psychiatrists, nutritionists, medical social workers, clinical psychologists, and rehabilitation therapists was half or less.

[A Case of Successful Surgical Treatment for Paraaortic Lymph Nodes Recurrence of Gallbladder Cancer].

Cholecystectomy with gallbladder bed resection and regional lymphadenectomy was performed in a 75-year-old man with advanced gallbladder cancer. Pathological examination revealed adenocarcinoma in the gallbladder with regional lymph node metastases. Cancer recurrence was found in paraaortic lymph nodes behind the duodenum 9 months after the surgery.

Association Between Early Immune-related Adverse Events and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Introduction: Previous studies have described an association between immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and better outcomes in patients administered nivolumab for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. However, the patients in previous studies were not stratified by potential predictive factors, such as programmed cell death ligand 1 status and treatment lines. Additionally, little is known of whether the timing and type of irAEs can inform the prediction of outcomes.

Predictors of invasive cancer of large laterally spreading colorectal tumors: A multicenter study in Japan.

Background And Aim: Although colorectal laterally spreading tumors (LSTs) can be classified into four subtypes, the histopathological characteristics are known to differ among these subtypes. We therefore performed a logistic regression analysis to determine whether the risk of pathological T1 cancer of large colorectal LSTs can be predicted based on factors such as endoscopic findings in a large group of patients enrolled in a multicenter study in Japan.

Methods: In the main study, we assessed 1236 colorectal adenomas or early cancers that were classified as LSTs measuring 20 mm or more in diameter and treated endoscopically.