Pitfalls in diagnosis with the use of circulating tumor-derived epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in lung cancer harboring pretreatment T790M

The circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay has recently been approved for the selection of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors as first-line treatment in lung cancer. However, it remains to be determined whether this assay can detect all complex EGFR mutations within a single tumor. We report a case of an elderly woman with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, in which EGFR mutation assays detected L858R and pretreatment T790M from a tissue biopsy. In contrast, the circulating tumor DNA assay detected L858R, but not pretreatment T790M in the plasma, regardless of the fact that similar amounts of each mutation were present in the biopsy specimen. Treatment with afatinib was not effective, but subsequent treatment with osimertinib remarkably regressed the tumor. Our findings indicate that physicians should accurately evaluate EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor-insensitive mutations using tissue samples in the first-line setting, even when L858R and exon 19 deletions are detected in the plasma.

Remarkable response of nivolumab-refractory lung cancer to salvage chemotherapy

Promising outcomes of salvage chemotherapy after nivolumab therapy have been reported; however, little is known about the detailed clinical and immunologic features in lung cancer patients in whom nivolumab is unsuccessful. We report two cases of nivolumab‐refractory lung cancer, in which chemotherapy resulted in rapid regression of the lung cancer. Upon initial diagnosis, the biopsy specimens showed PD‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1)‐expressing cancer cells, accompanied by tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes with a favorable CD8/CD4 ratio. Immunosuppressive regulatory T cells and cells positive for TIM‐3 were also observed. Physicians should take caution in treating lung cancer patients after progression on nivolumab. Further studies with a large cohort are warranted to identify the patients that may benefit from salvage chemotherapy.

Relationship between UGT1A1*27 and UGT1A1*7 polymorphisms and irinotecan-related toxicities in patients with lung cancer

Background

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of gene polymorphisms, including UGT1A1*7, *27, and *29, on the safety of irinotecan therapy.

Methods

The eligibility criteria were: lung cancer patients scheduled to undergo irinotecan therapy, aged ≥ 20 years, with a performance status of 0–2. Thirty‐one patients were enrolled and their blood was collected and used to examine the frequency of UGT1A1*6, *7, *27, *28, and *29 polymorphisms and the concentrations of irinotecan, SN‐38, and SN‐38G after irinotecan therapy.

Results

The patients’ characteristics were as follows: male/female 25/6, median age 71 years (range 55–84), stage IIB/IIIA/IIIB/IV 2/6/11/12, and adenocarcinoma/squamous cell carcinoma/small cell carcinoma/other 14/10/3/4, respectively. The −/−, *6/−, *7/−, *27/−, *28/−, and *29/− UGT1A1 gene polymorphisms were observed in 10 (32%), 10 (32%), 2 (6%), 2 (6%), 7 (23%), and 0 (0%) cases, respectively. The UGT1A1*27 polymorphism occurred separately from the UGT1A1*28 polymorphism. The lowest leukocyte counts of the patients with the UGT1A1*27 and UGT1A1*6 gene polymorphisms were lower than those observed in the wild‐type patients. SN‐38 tended to remain in the blood for a prolonged period after the infusion of irinotecan in patients with UGT1A1*27 or UGT1A1*28 polymorphisms. No severe myelotoxicity was seen in the patients with UGT1A1*7.

Conclusion

UGT1A1*27 can occur separately from UGT1A1*28 and is related to leukopenia during irinotecan treatment. UGT1A1*7 is less relevant to irinotecan‐induced toxicities, and UGT1A1*29 seems to have little clinical impact.

Efficacy and pharmacokinetics of ME1100, a novel optimized formulation of arbekacin for inhalation, compared with amikacin in a murine model of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Background

Arbekacin is an aminoglycoside that shows strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA, as well as Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The therapeutic effectiveness of arbekacin is directly related to C max at the infection site. To maximize drug delivery to the respiratory tract and minimize the systemic toxicity, arbekacin optimized for inhalation, ME1100, is under development. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of ME1100 in a murine model of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by P. aeruginosa by using a customized investigational nebulizer system.

Methods

The mice were treated for 5 min, once daily, with placebo, 3, 10 or 30 mg/mL ME1100 or 30 mg/mL amikacin.

Results

In the survival study, the survival rate was significantly improved in the 10 and 30 mg/mL ME1100 treatment groups compared with that in the placebo group. The number of bacteria in the lungs was significantly lower in the 30 mg/mL ME1100 treatment group at 6 h after the initial treatment, compared with all other groups. In the pharmacokinetic study, the C max in the 30 mg/mL ME1100 treatment group in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and plasma was 31.1 and 1.2 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, we compared the efficacy of ME1100 with that of amikacin. Although there were no significant differences in ELF and plasma concentrations between 30 mg/mL of ME1100 and 30 mg/mL of amikacin, ME1100 significantly improved the survival rate compared with amikacin.

Conclusions

The results of our study demonstrated the in vivo effectiveness of ME1100 and its superiority to amikacin.

A case of mild phenotype Alport syndrome caused by COL4A3 mutations

In a case of 41-year-old man with mild nephropathy, Alport syndrome (AS) was diagnosed from the renal biopsy. However, the α5 chain of type IV collagen expressed in the glomerular basement membrane, which was the atypical staining pattern of AS. Genetic testing suggested autosomal recessive AS from heterozygous mutations at two positions in the type IV collagen α3 chain. These two gene mutations represented a new pattern of mutation and was suggested the association with an atypical α5 chain expression and mild phenotype.

Nivolumab infusion reaction manifesting as plantar erythema and pulmonary infiltrate in a lung cancer patient

Infusion reaction is an adverse event of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Nivolumab, an anti-programmed death-1 antibody, directly activates T cells, which could probably interact with endothelial cells. The etiology of infusion reaction induced by nivolumab may differ from that of other antibodies; however, the detailed clinical features are unknown. We report a case of lung cancer treated with nivolumab, in which the infusion reaction manifested as plantar erythema, followed by a transient local pulmonary infiltrate around the tumor. Physicians should be aware that an infusion reaction induced by anti-programmed death-1 antibodies could appear as local cutaneous and pulmonary adverse events.

Phase I study of pemetrexed and concurrent radiotherapy for previously untreated elderly patients with locally advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, it is disputed whether this treatment is suitable for patients aged ≥75. This study was conducted to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of pemetrexed for use in concurrent radiotherapy for elderly patients with locally advanced non-squamous NSCLC.

METHODS

The eligibility criteria were as follows: aged ≥75 with inoperable stage IIIA or IIIB non-squamous NSCLC, no history of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, a performance status of 0 or 1, and adequate organ function. The patients were scheduled to receive pemetrexed on days 1, 22, 43, and 64 with concurrent once daily thoracic radiotherapy (60 Gy). The initial pemetrexed dose was 400 (level 1), and it was planned to increase the dose to 500 mg/m² (level 2).

RESULTS

Two patients were enrolled in this trial. In the first case, the patient suffered prolonged leukocytopenia, and treatment was discontinued on day 35. In the second case, febrile neutropenia occurred on day 32, and the patient developed drug-induced pneumonitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Both patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities; therefore, the level 1 dose was considered to be the MTD.

CONCLUSIONS

During combined treatment with pemetrexed and concurrent radiotherapy, a pemetrexed dose of 400 mg/m² was the MTD; we did not set up a phase II study. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy might be too toxic for elderly patients aged ≥75 with locally advanced NSCLC.

Evaluation of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability in Elderly Patients with Pneumonia

Elderly pneumonia patients have various underlying diseases and social backgrounds, and it is difficult to predict their mortality using the current severity assessment tools. However, aspiration is a risk factor for mortality in pneumonia patients. In the evaluation of aspiration, endoscopic and video fluoroscopic methods are reliable but cannot be performed in all pneumonia patients. We evaluated the significance of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) in these patients. This study was prospectively performed between December 2014 and June 2015, and all adult hospitalized patients with pneumonia were consecutively enrolled. The MASA score was evaluated soon after admission. The outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, a recurrence of pneumonia within 30 days, 6-month mortality, and the detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A total of 153 patients were ultimately included. The proportion of in-hospital mortality was greater among the severe MASA score patients than normal score patients (p < 0.01), as was the proportion of recurrence of pneumonia (p < 0.01) and 6-month mortality (p < 0.01). In addition, patients with a moderate MASA score more often experienced recurrence of pneumonia than normal score patients (p < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with a mild MASA score more often experienced recurrence of pneumonia (p < 0.01) and 6-month mortality (p < 0.05) than normal score patients. The areas under the curve were 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.82) for in-hospital mortality, 0.75 (95% CI, 0.68-0.82) for recurrence of pneumonia, 0.72 (95% Cl, 0.64-0.81) for 6-month mortality, and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.46-0.73) for detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A multivariate analysis showed an abnormal MASA score to be an independent risk factor for the recurrence of pneumonia (p = 0.001) and 6-month mortality (p = 0.005). The MASA is useful for predicting the mortality and recurrence of pneumonia in elderly patients.

Bacteriological incidence in pneumonia patients with pulmonary emphysema: a bacterial floral analysis using the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

Pulmonary emphysema is an important radiological finding in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, but bacteriological differences in pneumonia patients according to the severity of emphysematous changes have not been reported. Therefore, we evaluated the bacteriological incidence in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of pneumonia patients using cultivation and a culture-independent molecular method. Japanese patients with community-acquired pneumonia (83) and healthcare-associated pneumonia (94) between April 2010 and February 2014 were evaluated. The BALF obtained from pneumonia lesions was evaluated by both cultivation and a molecular method. In the molecular method, ~600 base pairs of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA genes in the BALF were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and clone libraries were constructed. The nucleotide sequences of 96 randomly selected colonies were determined, and a homology search was performed to identify the bacterial species. A qualitative radiological evaluation of pulmonary emphysema based on chest computed tomography (CT) images was performed using the Goddard classification. The severity of pulmonary emphysema based on the Goddard classification was none in 47.4% (84/177), mild in 36.2% (64/177), moderate in 10.2% (18/177), and severe in 6.2% (11/177). Using the culture-independent molecular method, Moraxella catarrhalis was significantly more frequently detected in moderate or severe emphysema patients than in patients with no or mild emphysematous changes. The detection rates of Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were unrelated to the severity of pulmonary emphysematous changes, and Streptococcus species – except for the S. anginosus group and S. pneumoniae – were detected more frequently using the molecular method we used for the BALF of patients with pneumonia than using culture methods. Our findings suggest that M. catarrhalis is more frequently detected in pneumonia patients with moderate or severe emphysema than in those with no or mild emphysematous changes on chest CT. M. catarrhalis may play a major role in patients with pneumonia complicating severe pulmonary emphysema.

Tedizolid inhibits MUC5AC production induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in human airway epithelial cells

The innate immune system plays an important role in early immunity against respiratory tract infection. Although airway epithelial cells produce mucus to eliminate pathogens and irritants, hypersecretion of mucus is harmful for the host as it may cause airway obstruction and inhibit influx of antimicrobial agents. It has been reported that several antimicrobial agents have an immunomodulatory effect in vitro and in vivo, but little is known about whether tedizolid, a novel oxazolidinone, can modulate immune responses. In this study, we evaluated whether tedizolid can suppress MUC5AC production in human airway epithelial cells stimulated by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Compared with the control, tedizolid significantly inhibited MUC5AC protein production and mRNA overexpression at concentrations of both 2 and 10 μg/mL (representative of trough and peak concentrations in human epithelial lining fluid). Among the mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors tested, only extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation was inhibited by tedizolid as indicated by western blot analysis. These results indicate that tedizolid inhibits the overproduction of MUC5AC protein by inhibiting phosphorylation of ERK1/2. This study revealed that tedizolid suppresses excessive mucin production in human airway epithelial cells. The immunomodulatory effect of tedizolid may improve outcomes in patients with severe respiratory infectious diseases caused by MRSA.

Abstract 4133: Amrubicin is effective for synovial sarcoma

Background: Synovial sarcoma (SS) is representative sarcoma types, which is account for 6% of sarcomas. Although the gold-standard of treatment is surgery, SS is often diagnosed in an advanced clinical stage. Chemotherapy is the primary treatment modality. Amrubicin (AMR), an anthracycline agent, is converted in the body to amrubicinol (AMRol) by reduction of the 13-position ketone, which has a higher antitumor activity than the parentmolecule. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness in vitro and in vivo.

Materials and Methods: Cell lines and reagent. The SS cell lines, SW982, HSSYII and SS1. Cell viability assay. WST-1 mixture was used. Cell-cycle analysis. To evaluate the cell cycle, FITC BrdU Kit Flow Kit was used. HSSY-II, SW982 were treated with AMRol for 4 hours and analyzed by flow cytometry using BD FACSVerseTM. Animal experiments. Severe Combined Immuno-Deficiency mice were used. SS cells were injected subcutaneously or into right intrathoracic space. These mice were assigned randomly to AMR group and normal saline group (NS). Micro-computed tomography (μCT). The R-mCT system was used to measure the diameter of tumor in intrathoracic space.

Statistical analysis: All of the results are expressed as meanSEM. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival. Treatment groups were compared using a two-sided log-rank test.

Results: Cell viability assay. AMR was highly metabolized into AMRol in tumor tissue and AMRol was more toxic than AMR. AMRol was used to in vitro assay. AMRol was equivalent to, or even more toxic than DXR in this experiments. Cell-cycle analysis. After AMRol treatment, more cells were found in S-phase compared with no treatment control. Subcutaneous SS model. AMR showed cytostatic effect compared with normal saline (NS) in each of HSSYII and SW982. Intrathoracic space SS model. SS-1 was established from primary pleural SS patient. In preliminary experiments, location of tumor was confirmed on μCT. Tumor growth was suppressed in AMR group compared with in NS group and AMR showed cytostatic effect. In survival analysis, it was shown that AMR group was tend to survive longer than NS group.

Discussion: It was shown that AMR is effective for SS in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest an alternative treatment of SS patients, including primary pleural SS. The effectiveness and safety should be addressed in future studies.

Citation Format: Shinnosuke Takemoto, Hiroshi Gyotoku, Hiroaki Senjuu, Takayuki Suyama, Noritaka Honda, Kosuke Mizoguchi, Takaya Ikeda, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Katsumi Nakatomi, Yoichi Nakamura, Minoru Fukuda, Hiroshi Mukae. Amrubicin is effective for synovial sarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4133. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4133

Abstract 5032: The relationship between the UGT1A1*27 and UGT1A1*7 genetic polymorphisms and irinotecan-related toxicities in patients with lung cancer

Background: Genetic polymorphisms in the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1), UGT1A7, and UGT1A9 genes are associated with interindividual differences in irinotecan toxicities. The UGT1A1*7, *27, and *29 gene polymorphisms occur within the common exons of UGT1A1 isoforms and cause substantial reductions in their functional activity; however, few clinical studies have examined the effects of these polymorphisms.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of gene polymorphisms, including UGT1A1*7, *27, and *29, on the safety of irinotecan therapy.

Patients and methods: The eligibility criteria were as follows: lung cancer patients who were scheduled to undergo irinotecan therapy, aged ≥20 years, and had a performance status of 0-2. After informed consent had been obtained, patients were enrolled, and their blood was collected and used to examine the frequency of the UGT1A1*6, *7, *27, *28, and *29 polymorphisms and the drug concentrations of irinotecan, SN-38, and SN-38G after irinotecan therapy. Results: Thirty-one patients were enrolled. The patients’ characteristics were as follows: male/female = 25/6, median age (range) = 71 (55-84), stage IIB/IIIA/IIIB/IV = 2/6/11/12, and Ad/Sq/Sm/Oth = 14/10/3/4. The -/-, *6/-, *7/-, *27/-, *28/-, and *29/- UGT1A1 gene polymorphisms were observed in 10 (32%), 10 (32%), 2 (6%), 2 (6%), 7 (23%), and 0 (0%) cases, respectively. There were no homozygous or complex heterozygous polymorphisms. The UGT1A1*27 polymorphism occurred separately from the UGT1A1*28 polymorphism. The lowest leukocyte counts of the patients with the UGT1A1*27 and UGT1A1*6 gene polymorphisms were lower than those seen in the wild-type patients. SN-38 tended to remain in the blood for a prolonged period after the infusion of irinotecan in patients with the UGT1A1*27 or UGT1A1*28 polymorphism. No severe myelotoxicity was seen in the patients with UGT1A1*7.

Conclusions: UGT1A1*27 and UGT1A1*7 are both rare gene polymorphisms. UGT1A1*27 can occur separately from UGT1A1*28 in some circumstances and is related to leukopenia during irinotecan treatment. UGT1A1*7 is less relevant to irinotecan-induced toxicities, and UGT1A1*29 seems to have little clinical impact.

Citation Format: Minoru Fukuda, Manabu Okumura, Tomomi Iwakiri, Arimori Kazuhiko, Shinnosuke Takemoto, Takaya Ikeda, Takuya Honda, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Katsumi Nakatomi, Kazuma Kobayashi, Mitsuko Masutani, Mikio Oka, Kazuto Ashizawa, Hiroshi Mukae. The relationship between the UGT1A1*27 and UGT1A1*7 genetic polymorphisms and irinotecan-related toxicities in patients with lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5032. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5032

Adverse renal effects of anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors and the response to alectinib of an ALK+ lung cancer patient with renal dysfunction

A 62-year-old female patient with renal dysfunction and pulmonary adenocarcinoma developed postoperative recurrence and received carboplatin/pemetrexed and maintenance pemetrexed. As an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene translocation was identified, the therapy was changed to crizotinib. However, the patient’s blood creatinine level increased, and her physical status worsened. Alectinib also induced exacerbation of renal dysfunction but was controlled by dose reduction of 140 mg twice daily for 2 weeks treatment and 2 weeks break were repeated, and exhibited a partial response for 16 months. Here, we describe the case in which alectinib treatment had beneficial clinical effects on ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma, which controlled the adverse renal effects by dose reduction and drug breaks.

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2012: General view of the pathogens' antibacterial susceptibility

The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from the patients in Japan was conducted by Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese association for infectious diseases and Japanese society for Clinical Microbiology in 2012. The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period between January and December in 2012 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institutes. Susceptibility testing was evaluated in 1236 strains (232 Staphylococcus aureus, 225 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 16 Streptococcus pyogenes, 231 Haemophilus influenzae, 147 Moraxella catarrhalis, 167 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 218 Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Ratio of methicillin-resistant S. aureus was 51.3%, and those of penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae was 0.4%. Among H. influenzae, 5.6% of them were found to be β-lactamase-producing ampicillin-resistant strains, and 37.2% to be β-lactamase-non-producing ampicillin-resistant strains. Extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae and multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa with metallo β-lactamase were 4.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Continuous national surveillance is important to determine the actual situation of the resistance shown by bacterial respiratory pathogens to antimicrobial agents.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Peramivir Compared With Oseltamivir in High-Risk Patients Infected With Influenza A and B Viruses: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study

Background

Clinical studies comparing the different neuraminidase inhibitors for treatment of at-risk patients with influenza have not been performed. To optimize such treatments, we assessed the efficacy and safety of intravenous peramivir compared with oral oseltamivir in treating seasonal influenza A or B virus infection.

Methods

A multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted from December 2012 to May 2014 in high-risk patients infected with seasonal influenza. A total of 92 adult inpatients and outpatients with high risk factors (HRFs) were treated by either a single intravenous infusion of peramivir (600 mg) or oral administration of oseltamivir (75 mg, twice per day for 5 days).

Results

The median times to clinical stability (time to reach <37°C) were 40.0 hours (95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.3–64.5) and 37.8 hours (95% CI = 26.3–45.3) in the peramivir and oseltamivir groups, respectively; these values did not reveal a significant difference. The virus titer and change of mean total symptom scores decreased similarly with both treatments. Results of step-wise regression suggested that virus type was a significantly effective prognostic factor with respect to illness resolution. Adverse events (AEs) with peramivir and oseltamivir occurred in 2.2% (n = 1/46) and 13.0% (n = 6/46) of patients, respectively. The severity of AEs was mild in all cases except 2 patients who showed pneumonia or COPD aggravation; both were in the oseltamivir group.

Conclusions

Intravenous peramivir was effective based on the result of direct comparison with oral oseltamivir. Thus our data show that peramivir is a useful option for the treatment of influenza-infected patients with HRFs.

Impact of MET inhibition on small-cell lung cancer cells showing aberrant activation of the hepatocyte growth factor/MET pathway

Small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for approximately 15% of all lung cancers, and is characterized as extremely aggressive, often displaying rapid tumor growth and multiple organ metastases. In addition, the clinical outcome of SCLC patients is poor due to early relapse and acquired resistance to standard chemotherapy treatments. Hence, novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of SCLC are urgently required. Accordingly, several molecular targeted therapies were evaluated in SCLC; however, they failed to improve the clinical outcome. The receptor tyrosine kinase MET is a receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and aberrant activation of HGF/MET signaling is known as one of the crucial mechanisms enabling cancer progression and invasion. Here, we found that the HGF/MET signaling was aberrantly activated in chemoresistant or chemorelapsed SCLC cell lines (SBC‐5, DMS273, and DMS273‐G3H) by the secretion of HGF and/or MET copy number gain. A cell‐based in vitro assay revealed that HGF/MET inhibition, induced either by MET inhibitors (crizotinib and golvatinib), or by siRNA‐mediated knockdown of HGF or MET, constrained growth of chemoresistant SCLC cells through the inhibition of ERK and AKT signals. Furthermore, treatment with either crizotinib or golvatinib suppressed the systemic metastasis of SBC‐5 cell tumors in natural killer cell‐depleted SCID mice, predominantly through cell cycle arrest. These findings reveal the therapeutic potential of targeting the HGF/MET pathway for inhibition, to constrain tumor progression of SCLC cells showing aberrant activation of HGF/MET signaling. We suggest that it would be clinically valuable to further investigate HGF/MET‐mediated signaling in SCLC cells.

Risk Factors for Acquisition of Fluoroquinolone or Aminoglycoside Resistance in Addition to Carbapenem Resistance in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Background:

Carbapenems, fluoroquinolones (FQs), and aminoglycosides (AGs) are key drugs for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, and accumulation of drug resistances make antibiotic therapy difficult.

Methods:

We evaluated 169 patients with imipenem (IPM)-resistant P. aeruginosa and compared patient background and microbiological characteristics between groups with or without FQ resistance. Similar analyses were performed for AG.

Results:

Of the 169 IPM-resistant strains, 39.1% showed resistance to FQs and 7.1% to AGs. The frequency of exposure to FQs within 90 days previously was higher in the group with FQ resistance (45.5%) than in the group without FQ resistance (13.6%). Similarly, 33.3% of patients in the group with AG resistance had been previously administered AGs, higher than the 7.6% of patients without AG resistance. Frequencies of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) production were higher in the group with FQ or AG resistance (16.7% or 33.3%) than in the group without FQ or AG resistance (2.9% or 6.4%). Multivariate analyses showed exposures to FQs or AGs were related to the respective resistances. MBL production was a common factor for resistance to FQs or AGs, in addition to IPM-resistant P. aeruginosa.

Conclusion:

As well as promoting appropriate use of antibiotics, MBL production should be detected as a target of intervention for infection control.

A Comparative Study of the Hemoglobin-Maintaining Effects Between Epoetin-β Pegol and Darbepoetin-α in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease During 3 Months Before Dialysis Initiation

Background and Objective

We compared the hemoglobin-maintaining effects between continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (CERA) and darbepoetin-α (DA) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) during the 3 months before dialysis initiation.

Methods

This study was conducted with 37 CERA-administered patients and 26 DA-administered patients who had initiated dialysis at a participating facility between January 2012 and December 2014. We investigated clinical laboratory data 3 months before and at dialysis initiation, and compared these data between the CERA and DA groups.

Results

No significant differences in hemoglobin level or reticulocyte count were found between the two groups 3 months before dialysis initiation. However, at dialysis initiation, the hemoglobin level (CERA 9.82 ± 1.52 vs. DA 8.79 ± 1.07 g/dL; P = 0.003) and the reticulocyte count (CERA 5.21 ± 2.95 vs. DA 3.15 ± 1.62 × 10⁴/μL; P = 0.004) were significantly higher in the CERA group than in the DA group. Moreover, the extent of changes in the erythropoietin resistance index during the 3 months before dialysis initiation was significantly increased in the DA group compared with the CERA group.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that CERA may be more effective than DA in maintaining hemoglobin levels in patients with CKD during 3 months before dialysis initiation.

Phase I study of amrubicin and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) in limited-disease small cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC)

e20023

Background: Amrubicin and cisplatin is one of active regimens for patients with extensive-disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). Combined modality of combination chemotherapy and concurrent thoracic radiotherapy has been recognized as standard treatment for LD-SCLC. This study aimed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and dose limiting toxicity (DLT) of amrubicin and cisplatin with concurrent TRT in LD-SCLC. Methods: Patients fulfilling the following eligibility criteria were enrolled: chemotherapy-naïve, PS0-1, age = < 75, LD-SCLC, and adequate organ function. Patients received escalating doses of amrubicin on days 1, 2, and 3, under a fixed 60 mg/m2 of cisplatin on day 1. Four cycles of chemotherapy were repeated every 4 weeks. TRT of once-daily 2Gy/day commenced on day 2 of the first cycle of chemotherapy. The initial doses of amrubicin was 20 mg/m2, and the dose was escalated to 25 and 30 mg/m2. Results: Eight patients (male/female = 3/5; PS 0/1 = 4/4; median age (range) = 68.5 (60-73)) were enrolled at three dose levels. Three patients in 20 mg/m2 and three patients in 25 mg/m2 dose levels did not experienced DLT. Two of two patients in 30 mg/m2 dose level experienced DLTs. The presentation of DLTs included grade4 neutropenia and leukopenia lasting more than four days. Evaluation of responses were 7 partial response and 1 progressive disease (response rate 87.5%) and the median survival time was 24.7 months. The MTD of amrubicin and cisplatin were determined as 30 mg/m2 and 60 mg/m2. A dose of 25 mg/m2 amrubicin and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 was recommended in this regimen. Conclusions: This regimen with concurrent TRT in LD-SCLC is associated with an acceptable tolerability profile, and warrants evaluation in the phase II setting. Clinical trial information: UMIN000005816.

Pneumonia Severity Assessment Tools for Predicting Mortality in Patients with Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

In contrast to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), no specific severity assessment tools have been developed for healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVES

In this review, we assessed the clinical significance of severity assessment tools for HCAP.

METHODS

We identified related articles from the PubMed database. The eligibility criteria were original research articles evaluating severity scoring tools and reporting the outcomes of mortality in patients with HCAP.

RESULTS

Eight articles were included in the meta-analysis. The PORT score and CURB-65 were evaluated in 7 and 8 studies, respectively. Using cutoff values of ≥IV and V for the PORT score, the diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) were 5.28 (2.49-11.17) and 3.76 (2.88-4.92), respectively, and the areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.68 (0.64-0.72) and 0.71 (0.67-0.75), respectively. Conversely, the AUCs for ≥IV and V were 0.71 (0.67-0.76) and 0.74 (0.70-0.78), respectively, when applied only to nonimmunocompromised patients. In contrast, when using cutoff values of ≥2 and ≥3 for CURB-65, the DORs were 3.35 (2.26-4.97) and 2.65 (2.05-3.43), respectively, and the AUCs were 0.65 (0.61-0.69) and 0.66 (0.62-0.70), respectively. Conversely, the AUCs for ≥2 and ≥3 were 0.65 (0.61-0.69) and 0.68 (0.64-0.72), respectively, when applied only to nonimmunocompromised patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The PORT score and CURB-65 do not have substantial power compared with the tools for CAP patients, although the PORT score is more useful than CURB-65 for predicting mortality in HCAP patients. According to our results, however, these tools, especially the PORT score, can be more useful when limited to nonimmunocompromised patients.

The utility of electron microscopy in detecting asbestos fibers and particles in BALF in diffuse lung diseases

Background

In patients with diffuse lung diseases, differentiating occupational lung diseases from other diseases is clinically important. However, the value of assessing asbestos and particles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in diffuse lung diseases by electron microscopy (EM) remains unclear. We evaluated the utility of EM in detecting asbestos fibers and particles in patients with diffuse lung diseases.

Methods

The BALF specimens of 107 patients with diffuse lung diseases were evaluated. First, detection of asbestos by EM and light microscopy (LM) were compared. Second, the detection of asbestos using surgically obtained lung tissues of 8 of 107 patients were compared with the results of EM and LM in BALF. Third, we compared the results of mineralogical components of particles in patients with (n = 48) and without (n = 59) a history of occupational exposure to inorganic dust.

Results

BALF asbestos were detected in 11 of 48 patients with a history of occupational exposure by EM; whereas asbestos as asbestos bodies (ABs) were detected in BALF in 4 of these 11 patients by LM. Eight of 107 patients in whom lung tissue samples were surgically obtained, EM detected BALF asbestos at a level of >1,000 fibers/ml in all three patients who had ABs in lung tissue samples by LM at a level of >1,000 fibers/g. The BALF asbestos concentration by EM and in lung tissue by LM were positively correlated. The particle fractions of iron and phosphorus were increased in patients with a history of occupational exposure and both correlated with a history of occupational exposure by a multiple regression analysis.

Conclusions

EM using BALF seemed to be superior to LM using BALF and displayed a similar sensitivity to LM using surgically-obtained lung tissue samples in the detection of asbestos. Our results also suggest that detection of elements, such as iron and phosphorus in particles, is useful for evaluating occupational exposure. We conclude that the detection of asbestos and iron and phosphorus in particles in BALF by EM is very useful for the evaluation of occupational exposure.