A Phase II Study of Tailored-dose S-1 Plus Carboplatin Followed by Maintenance S-1 for Advanced Squamous Cell Lung Cancer: OSAKA-LCSG 1102.

Objective A subset analysis of the LETS study suggested that S-1 plus carboplatin was more beneficial than paclitaxel plus carboplatin in terms of the overall survival (OS) in squamous cell lung cancer. However, the benefit of maintenance therapy for squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is still unknown. We herein report a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a tailored dose of S-1 plus carboplatin followed by maintenance S-1 in chemotherapy-naive advanced squamous cell NSCLC.

Tumor necrosis factor- and interleukin-6-producing high-grade B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified in the pleura.

A 65-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with left-sided chest and back pain and dyspnea. Computed tomography demonstrated a marked circumferential left pleural thickening. A thoracoscopic pleural biopsy led to a diagnosis of high-grade B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (HGBL, NOS).

Association Between Imaging Findings of Airway Obstruction Adjacent to Lung Tumors and the Onset of Interstitial Lung Disease After Nivolumab.

Background: Compared to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown a significant efficacy in the treatment of lung cancer. Although interstitial lung disease (ILD) is an important adverse event in immunotherapy, risk factors for ILD remain unclear.

Patients And Methods: In this multicenter cohort study (UMIN000025908), 201 patients who were treated with nivolumab were retrospectively reviewed.

Metastatic site as a predictor of nivolumab efficacy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A retrospective multicenter trial.

Purpose: To conduct a retrospective multicenter trial to determine the significance of metastatic site as a predictor of nivolumab efficacy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: This study was conducted across three medical centers in Japan. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who commenced nivolumab treatment at these centers between December 17, 2015 and July 31, 2016.

Mandatory dexamethasone strictly monitored by pharmacists reduces the severity of pemetrexed-induced skin rash.

Objective: The present study aimed to retrospectively examine the effectiveness of mandatory dexamethasone (m-DEX) strictly monitored by pharmacists collaborating with medical physicians and nurses for reducing pemetrexed (PEM)-induced skin rash in patients with non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (ns-NSCLC).

Methods: We compared the rash grades during the first cycle of PEM-containing regimens between patients who received m-DEX after February 2012 and those who received dexamethasone (DEX) at their physician's discretion (d-DEX) before January 2012.

Results: Of 163 patients with ns-NSCLC included in this study, 89 received d-DEX and 74 received m-DEX.

Differential efficacy of cisplatin plus pemetrexed between L858R and Del-19 in advanced EGFR-mutant non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: LUX-Lung 3 showed afatinib improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with cisplatin plus pemetrexed in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. In this study, chemotherapy efficacy tended to differ between patients with Leu858Arg (L858R) point mutation and Exon 19 deletion (Del-19); PFS in L858R patients (8.1 months) was greater than in Del-19 patients (5.

Analysis of Early Death in Japanese Patients With Advanced Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Treated With Nivolumab.

Background: The increased risk for early death owing to anti-programmed cell death 1 inhibitors is a major disadvantage that requires special management. We evaluated the frequency, causes, and risk factors of early death during nivolumab treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a Japanese clinical setting.

Patients And Methods: The medical records of patients with NSCLC who started receiving nivolumab between December 17, 2015 and July 31, 2016 in 3 Japanese institutes were collected.

Phase1 study of cisplatin plus pemetrexed with erlotinib and bevacizumab for chemotherapy-naïve advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations.

Background Cisplatin and pemetrexed are very effective against advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without EGFR mutations. Erlotinib plus bevacizumab are highly effective against advanced NSCLCs with activating EGFR mutations. We performed this phase I 'Quartet Trial' to determine the safety and efficacy of all 4 agents as a first-line treatment for non-squamous NSCLC patients harboring activating EGFR mutations.

Minimally invasive surgical procedures for thymic disease in Asia.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) procedures for thymic tumors and myasthenia gravis were introduced in Asia in the middle 1990s in at least two regions, Hong Kong and Japan. To overcome difficulties in obtaining a wide view of the anterior mediastinum, several methods for lifting the sternum or anterior chest wall have been presented, mainly by Japanese surgeons. More recently, single port VATS through a subxiphoid incision was also introduced in Japan.

Results of treatment for thymic neuroendocrine tumours: multicentre clinicopathological study.

Objectives: A thymic neuroendocrine tumour (TNET) is rare, and few comprehensive reports of treatment results have been presented. To clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of TNET in affected patients, outcomes were retrospectively examined using cases accumulated in a multicentre survey.

Methods: Thirty patients (25 men and 5 women) who underwent surgical resection or biopsy procedures at 10 institutions of the Thoracic Surgery Study Group of Osaka University (TSSGO) between January 1986 and June 2015 and pathologically diagnosed with TNET were enrolled.

Dose Escalation Study of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy With the Use of Involved-field Conformal Radiotherapy and Accelerated Hyperfractionation in Combination With Cisplatin and Vinorelbine Chemotherapy for Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: The Final Report.

Objectives: A phase I study to determine a recommended dose of thoracic radiotherapy using accelerated hyperfractionation for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer was conducted.

Materials And Methods: We used chemotherapy of a cisplatin doublet and 2 dose levels of radiation with accelerated hyperfractionation. The radiation dose levels were: a total dose of 60 Gy in 40 fractions at level 1, and 66 Gy in 44 fractions at level 2.

JLCS medical practice guidelines for thymic tumors: summary of recommendations.

The Guideline Committee of the Japan Lung Cancer Society (JLCS) for Thymic Tumors published the Medical Practice Guideline for Thymic Tumors in Japanese as Chapter 3 of the Medical Practice Guidelines for Lung Cancers according to evidence-based medicine in December 2016. This medical practice guideline is the first for thymic epithelial tumors in Japan, and comprises a set of recommendations covering clinical diagnosis, treatment and pathological diagnosis. Thymic epithelial tumors include thymoma, thymic carcinoma and thymic neuroendocrine tumor.

Spontaneous Regression of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Mycosis Due to Curvularia lunata.

Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) is a pulmonary hypersensitivity disease mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. The mainstay treatment for ABPM is systemic corticosteroid therapy. A 25-year-old man presented with pulmonary infiltrates.

The Association Between Chemotherapy Immediately Before Nivolumab and Outcomes Thereafter.

Background/aim: We investigated whether the efficacy and type of pre-nivolumab chemotherapy influence outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer patients following nivolumab treatment.

Patients And Methods: In this multicenter study, 199 patients treated with nivolumab were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed the relationships between the clinical response to nivolumab and to chemotherapy administered immediately beforehand.

Multicentre phase II study of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: Nivolumab is a fully human IgG4 programmed cell death 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC.

Methods: In this multicentre phase II study, patients with advanced or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC, which had progressed after platinum-containing chemotherapy, were treated with nivolumab 3 mg/kg, intravenously every 2 weeks until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity was observed.

Cystic lesions of the parotid gland: radiologic-pathologic correlation according to the latest World Health Organization 2017 Classification of Head and Neck Tumours.

The latest World Health Organization 2017 Classification of Head and Neck Tumours includes a new chapter on tumors and tumor-like lesions of the neck and lymph nodes. Tumor-like lesions include a variety of cystic lesions of the parotid gland. Cystic lesions of the parotid gland can be divided into three groups: non-neoplastic cysts, benign tumors with macrocystic change, and malignant tumors with macrocystic change.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Penetration Rate and Efficacy of Afatinib in Patients with EGFR Mutation-positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer with Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

Background: Afatinib is an effective first-line treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, few reports have addressed the influence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) penetration rate on the efficacy of afatinib in patients with central nervous system metastases. Therefore, we conducted a prospective multicenter trial to evaluate the CSF penetration rate and efficacy of afatinib in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.

Carboplatin plus weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel in elderly patients with previously untreated advanced squamous non-small-cell lung cancer selected based on Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form scores: a multicenter phase 2 study.

Purpose: This multicenter, single-arm, open-label, phase 2 study assessed the efficacy and safety of carboplatin plus weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel in elderly patients with previously untreated advanced squamous non-small-cell lung cancer, selected based on the Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form scores (MNA-SF).

Methods: Patients received carboplatin (area under the curve: 6) on Day 1, and nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (100 mg/m) on Days 1, 8, and 15, every 28 days for ≤4 cycles. Eligibility criteria included an MNA-SF score of ≥8 points.

Surgical resection for advanced lung cancer using the hemi-clamshell approach.

Objectives: The hemi-clamshell (HCS) approach consists of partial sternotomy with antero-lateral thoracotomy. This study evaluated the utilities and outcomes of the HCS approach in advanced lung cancer patients.

Methods: We retrospectively investigated 45 patients who underwent surgery for advanced lung cancer via the HCS procedure between 2000 and 2014, the indications for surgery being tumour invasion extending to the aorta arch in 5, descending aorta in 9, main pulmonary artery in 5, superior vena cava in 6, right or left atrium in 4, apical thoracic dome in 7 patients and mediastinal lymphadenopathy for left-sided lung cancer in 12.

Deposition Dosages of Three Cromolyn Forms by Cascade Impactor.

Among inhaled asthma therapies, the present study aimed to identify factors for selecting the type of inhalation therapy for asthma. Three methods are used to deliver inhaled cromoglycate, and the airway deposition rate was evaluated using a cascade impactor with 3 dosage forms: dry powder (DP), pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI), and solution (jet- and mesh-types). The percentage of particles with diameters of 2-6 m was 17.

Phase II study of S-1 plus bevacizumab combination therapy for patients previously treated for non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of S-1 and bevacizumab combination therapy for patients previously treated for advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: This was a prospective, multi-center, single-arm phase II study. Patients with non-squamous NSCLC who had experienced progression after cytotoxic chemotherapy were enrolled.

Clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and mutational analyses of pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma: usefulness of SATB2 and β-catenin immunostaining for differentiation from metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

Pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma (PEA) is a rare variant of pulmonary adenocarcinoma; it is sometimes difficult to discriminate between PEA and metastatic colorectal carcinoma (MCRC) because of their morphological and immunohistochemical resemblance. Here, we conducted clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and mutational analyses of PEA with special focus on its differentiation from MCRC. We comparatively analyzed 8 surgically resected PEA tumors (7 patients) and 20 cases of MCRC.

Efficacy and safety of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Unlabelled: Limited treatment options are available for stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nivolumab, a programmed cell death-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody, has been shown to be effective for the treatment of NSCLC. The present study investigated the effectiveness and safety of nivolumab in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent squamous NSCLC that progressed after platinum-containing chemotherapy.

Osimertinib in Pretreated T790M-Positive Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: AURA Study Phase II Extension Component.

Purpose Osimertinib is an irreversible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) selective for both EGFR-TKI sensitizing ( EGFRm) and T790M resistance mutations. AURA (NCT01802632) is a phase I/II clinical trial to determine the dose, safety, and efficacy of osimertinib. This article reports the results from the phase II extension component.