Lung cancer screening program quality indicators - review & recommendations - An International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Delphi process study.

Introduction: Lung cancer screening (LCS) using low-dose-computed tomography reduces lung cancer mortality in high-risk individuals. Evaluating and monitoring LCS programs are important to ensure and improve quality, efficiency and participant outcomes. There is no agreement on LCS quality indicators (QIs).

Epidemiology, microbiology and clinical impacts of non-tuberculous mycobacteria in adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Due to its increasing prevalence and suboptimal treatment, non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection is an emerging problem in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Detailed description of regional NTM prevalence and distribution, and identification of predictors of NTM acquisition in CF are essential to optimise treatment and surveillance guidelines.

Methods: A retrospective, multi-center analysis was conducted between the years 2020 and 2022 on data from 232 adult patients registered in the Hungarian CF Registry in 2022.

Clinical importance of patient-reported outcome measures in severe asthma: results from U-BIOPRED.

Rationale: Knowledge about the clinical importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in severe asthma is limited.

Objectives: To assess whether and to what extent asthma exacerbations affect changes in PROMS over time and asthma-specific PROMs can predict exacerbations in adult patients with severe asthma in usual care.

Methods: Data of 421 patients with severe asthma (62% female; mean age 51.

Strengthening lung cancer screening in Europe: fostering participation, improving outcomes, and addressing health inequalities through collaborative initiatives in the SOLACE consortium.

The Strengthening the Screening of Lung Cancer in Europe (SOLACE) initiative, supported by Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, is dedicated to advancing lung cancer screening. This initiative brings together the most extensive pan-European network of respiratory and radiology experts, involving 37 partners from 15 countries. SOLACE aims to enhance equitable access to lung cancer screening by developing targeted recruitment strategies for underrepresented and high-risk populations.

We need better ways to help students avoid the harms of stress: Results of a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of school-based stress management interventions.

The level of psychological stress in children and adolescents has increased rapidly over the past decade. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based intervention programs targeting stress management and coping/resilience in school-aged children. The present study used more rigorous selection criteria than previous meta-analyses by only including randomized controlled trials to increase the validity of the meta-analysis.

From the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Early Detection and Screening Committee: Terminology Issues in Screening and Early Detection of Lung Cancer-International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Early Detection and Screening Committee Expert Group Recommendations.

Introduction: To facilitate global implementation of lung cancer (LC) screening and early detection in a quality assured and consistent manner, common terminology is needed. Researchers and clinicians within different specialties may use the same terms but with different meanings or different terms for the same intended meanings.

Methods: The Diagnostics Working Group of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Early Detection and Screening Committee has analyzed and discussed relevant terms used on a regular basis and suggests recommendations for consensus definitions of terminology applicable in this setting.

HUNCHEST projects-advancing low-dose CT lung cancer screening in Hungary.

Lung cancer, the leading cause of malignancy-related deaths worldwide, demands proactive measures to mitigate its impact. Low-dose computer tomography (LDCT) has emerged as a promising tool for secondary prevention through lung cancer screening (LCS). The HUNCHEST study, inspired by the success of international trials, including the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial and the Dutch NELSON study, embarked on the first LDCT-based LCS program in Hungary.

Modulated Electro-Hyperthermia Accelerates Tumor Delivery and Improves Anticancer Activity of Doxorubicin Encapsulated in Lyso-Thermosensitive Liposomes in 4T1-Tumor-Bearing Mice.

Modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) is an adjuvant cancer therapy that enables tumor-selective heating (+2.5 °C). In this study, we investigated whether mEHT accelerates the tumor-specific delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) from lyso-thermosensitive liposomal doxorubicin (LTLD) and improves its anticancer efficacy in mice bearing a triple-negative breast cancer cell line (4T1).

Unmet needs in EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations in Central and Eastern Europe: reimbursement, diagnostic procedures, and treatment availability.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Europe, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for approximately 85% of cases. NSCLC is a heterogeneous disease encompassing various oncogenic alterations. Among them, EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, constituting 0.

The Challenges of Vaccine Trial Participation among Underserved and Hard-to-Reach Communities: An Internal Expert Consultation of the VACCELERATE Consortium.

Underserved and hard-to-reach population groups are under-represented in vaccine trials. Thus, we aimed to identify the challenges of vaccine trial participation of these groups in member countries of the VACCELERATE network. Seventeen National Coordinators (NC), each representing their respective country (15 European countries, Israel, and Turkey), completed an online survey.

Adult Severe Asthma Registries: A Global and Growing Inventory.

Aim: The International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR; http://isaregistries.org/) uses standardised variables to enable multi-country and adequately powered research in severe asthma. This study aims to look at the data countries within ISAR and non-ISAR countries reported collecting that enable global research that support individual country interests.

Low levels of endogenous anabolic androgenic steroids in females with severe asthma taking corticosteroids.

Rationale: Patients with severe asthma are dependent upon treatment with high doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and often also oral corticosteroids (OCS). The extent of endogenous androgenic anabolic steroid (EAAS) suppression in asthma has not previously been described in detail. The objective of the present study was to measure urinary concentrations of EAAS in relation to exogenous corticosteroid exposure.

Tuberculosis incidence in foreign-born people residing in European countries in 2020.

BackgroundEuropean-specific policies for tuberculosis (TB) elimination require identification of key populations that benefit from TB screening.AimWe aimed to identify groups of foreign-born individuals residing in European countries that benefit most from targeted TB prevention screening.MethodsThe Tuberculosis Network European Trials group collected, by cross-sectional survey, numbers of foreign-born TB patients residing in European Union (EU) countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020 from the 10 highest ranked countries of origin in terms of TB cases in each country of residence.

The Role of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Cardiovascular Comorbidities in COPD.

Oxidative stress driven by several environmental and local airway factors associated with chronic obstructive bronchiolitis, a hallmark feature of COPD, plays a crucial role in disease pathomechanisms. Unbalance between oxidants and antioxidant defense mechanisms amplifies the local inflammatory processes, worsens cardiovascular health, and contributes to COPD-related cardiovascular dysfunctions and mortality. The current review summarizes recent developments in our understanding of different mechanisms contributing to oxidative stress and its countermeasures, with special attention to those that link local and systemic processes.

Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol conserves cardiovascular functions in a rat model of endotoxemia: Involvement of endothelial molecular mechanisms and oxidative-nitrative stress.

In endotoxemic models, the inflammatory parameters are altered to a favorable direction as a response to activation of cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2. The phytocannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is an agonist/partial antagonist of both cannabinoid receptors. This report targets the effects of THC on the cardiovascular system of endotoxemic rats.

Air Pollution and Lung Cancer: A Review by International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Early Detection and Screening Committee.

Introduction: The second leading cause of lung cancer is air pollution. Air pollution and smoking are synergistic. Air pollution can worsen lung cancer survival.

Large-Scale Plasma Proteome Epitome Profiling is an Efficient Tool for the Discovery of Cancer Biomarkers.

Current proteomic technologies focus on the quantification of protein levels, while little effort is dedicated to the development of system approaches to simultaneously monitor proteome variability and abundance. Protein variants may display different immunogenic epitopes detectable by monoclonal antibodies. Epitope variability results from alternative splicing, posttranslational modifications, processing, degradation, and complex formation and possesses dynamically changing availability of interacting surface structures that frequently serve as reachable epitopes and often carry different functions.

VACCELERATE Site Network: Real-time definition of clinical study capacity in Europe.

Background: The inconsistent European vaccine trial landscape rendered the continent of limited interest for vaccine developers. The VACCELERATE consortium created a network of capable clinical trial sites throughout Europe. VACCELERATE identifies and provides access to state-of-the-art vaccine trial sites to accelerate clinical development of vaccines.

Enhancing Public Health Communication Regarding Vaccine Trials: Design and Development of the Pan-European VACCELERATE Toolkit.

Background: The pan-European VACCELERATE network aims to implement the first transnational harmonized and sustainable vaccine trial Volunteer Registry, being a single entry point for potential volunteers of large-scale vaccine trials across Europe. This work exhibits a set of harmonized vaccine trial-related educational and promotional tools for the general public, designed and disseminated by the pan-European VACCELERATE network.

Objective: This study primarily aimed to design and develop a standard toolkit to increase positive attitudes and access to trustworthy information for better access and increased recruitment to vaccine trials for the public.