Simultaneous Vs Sequential Retroperitoneal, Thoracic and Cervical Resection of Post Chemotherapy Residual Masses in Patients With Metastatic Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors of the Testis

OBJECTIVE

To compare a simultaneous vs sequential approach to residual post chemotherapy mass resections in metastatic testis cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent retroperitoneal and thoracic/cervical resection of post chemotherapy residual masses between 2002 and 2018. Group 1: "Simultaneous" (Combined Retroperitoneal and Thoracic/Cervical resections on the same date); Group 2: "Sequential" (Retroperitoneal and Thoracic/Cervical resections at separate dates).

RESULTS

During the study period, 35 simultaneous and 17 sequential resections were performed. The median age at surgery was 28 years (Range 16-61). The median follow-up from last surgical procedure was 62.7 months (Range 0.4-194). Histology revealed teratoma in 38 (73.1%) patients, necrosis in 8 (15.4%) and viable tumor in 6 (11.5%). Discordant pathology findings between thoracic/cervical and abdominal resections were noted in 16 (30.8%) patients. No differences were observed between the simultaneous vs sequential groups in median operating time (585 minutes vs 545 minutes, P = .64), blood loss (1300 vs 1300 mls, P = .42), or length of stay (9 vs 11 days, P = .14). There was no difference between the 5-year (65.7% vs 68.6%) relapse-free survival between the 2 groups (P = .84) or the 5-year (88.6% vs 100%) overall and disease-specific survival (P = .25).

CONCLUSION

Simultaneous resection of retroperitoneal and thoracic/cervical post chemotherapy metastases is a feasible in some patients. It requires multidisciplinary collaboration and a longer primary procedure.

Outcomes of lung transplantation from organ donation after medical assistance in dying: First North American experience

Over 2.5% of deaths in Canada occur as a result from medical assisting in dying (MAID), and a subset of these deaths result in organ donation. However, detailed outcomes of lung transplant recipients using these donors is lacking. This is a retrospective single center cohort study comparing lung transplantation outcomes after donation using MAID donors compared to neurologically determined death and controlled donation after circulatory death (NDD/cDCD) donors from February 2018 to July 2021. Thirty-three patients received lungs from MAID donors, and 560 patients received lungs from NDD/cDCD donors. The donor diagnoses leading to MAID provision were degenerative neurological diseases (n = 33) and end stage organ failure (n = 5). MAID donors were significantly older than NDD/cDCD donors (56 [IQR 49-64] years vs. 48 [32-59]; p = .0009). Median ventilation period and 30 day mortality were not significantly different between MAID and NDD/cDCD lungs recipients (ventilation: 1 day [1-3] vs 2 days [1-3]; p = .37, deaths 0% [0/33] vs. 2% [11/560], p = .99 respectively). Intermediate-term outcomes were also similar. In summary, for lung transplantation using donors after MAID, recipient outcomes were excellent. Therefore, where this practice is permitted, donation after MAID should be strongly considered for lung transplantation as a way to respect donor wishes while substantially improving outcomes for recipients with end-stage lung disease.

Accelerated hypofractionated hemithoracic intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) followed by extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): Results of a phase I/II study

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Background: We developed a protocol with accelerated hypofractionated hemithoracic IMRT followed by EPP for MPM. Advantages include optimal delivery of radiation to the whole tumor bed in a short period limiting the risk of viable tumor cell spread during surgery. Methods: Patients with resectable clinical T1-3N0M0 histology proven MPM were eligible for the study. 25 Gy in 5 daily fractions over 1 week was delivered to the entire ipsilateral hemithorax by IMRT with concomitant boost of 5 Gy to volumes at high risk based on CT and PET scan findings. EPP was performed one week after the end of radiation. Adjuvant chemotherapy was offered to patients with ypN2 on final pathology. The primary end-point was treatment related mortality. Secondary endpoint included overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS). Initial sites of recurrence were also recorded. Results: Twenty five patients were accrued between 11/2008 and 10/2012. Patients had a median age of 64 years (range, 45-75), 76% were males, 64% had epithelioid histology. All patients completed IMRT and EPP. IMRT was well tolerated with no grade 3-5 toxicity. EPP was performed 6±2 days after completion of IMRT. Surgical complications occurred in 18 patients. One patient died from empyema at 88 days. All but one patient (stage IB) had stage III (n=11) or IV (n=13) disease on final pathology. Five out of 13 patients with ypN2 disease underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 19 months (range, 3-51), the estimated 3-year survival reached 62%. Survival was significantly better in epithelioid compared to biphasic pathologic subtypes (83% survival at 3 years vs 19%, respectively; p=0.004). 14 patients remain disease free after a median follow-up of 17 months (range, 3-37). 2-year DFS was 85% in stage III and 37% in stage IV disease (p=0.03). Recurrences occurred in the ipsilateral chest only (n=2), ipsilateral chest and distant sites (n=2), and distant sites only (n=6). Conclusions: Accelerated hypofractionated hemithoracic IMRT followed by EPP is feasible. This treatment could improve survival in selected patients with epithelial subtype. Clinical trial information: NCT00797719.

Pseudo Heparin Resistance After Pulmonary Endarterectomy: Role of Thrombus Production of Factor VIII

Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the main treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Postoperative unfractionated heparin dosing can be monitored by activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) or by anti-factor Xa activity (anti-Xa). In pseudo heparin resistance, APTT response to heparin is blunted due to elevated Factor VIII (FVIII) which can underestimate anticoagulation. We examined possible pseudo heparin resistance after PEA and assessed the impact of FVIII. APTT response to heparin before and after operation was determined in 13 PEA patients anticoagulated with unfractionated heparin. APTT and anti-Xa concordance was analyzed from paired postoperative samples, and antithrombin, fibrinogen and FVIII levels were measured. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to characterize FVIII gene expression in PEA specimens of 5 patients. APTT response to heparin was blunted after PEA. APTT and anti-Xa were discordant in 36% of postoperative samples and most common discordant patterns were subtherapeutic APTT with therapeutic (16%) or supratherapeutic (11%) anti-Xa. Overall, APTT underestimated anticoagulation relative to anti-Xa in one-third of the samples. FVIII levels were elevated before surgery, increased substantially 1 and 3 days (median 4.32 IU/mL) after PEA, and were higher in discordant than concordant samples. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed FVIII gene expression in PEA specimen endothelial cells. Pseudo heparin resistance is common after PEA likely due to highly elevated postoperative FVIII levels indicating that anti-Xa reflects postoperative heparinization better than APTT in these patients. FVIII production by the pulmonary artery endothelium may participate in local prothrombotic processes important for CTEPH pathogenesis.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Patients With Advanced Pleural Mesothelioma at an Academic Referral Centre

BACKGROUND

Overall survival (OS) for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in vulnerable subgroups remains poorly understood with scarce data available to guide treatment decisions. The study describes real-world detailed treatment patterns and outcomes of patients with advanced MPM overall and specifically in elderly and poor performance status (PS) patients.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was performed for all patients with histologically confirmed MPM seen at University Health Network/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (UHN-PM).

RESULTS

A total of 667 patients with MPM were identified and 304 advanced-disease MPM (aMPM) patients had continuing care at UHN-PM (UP-cohort). In the UP-cohort, 77% of patients received ≥ one line of systemic treatment. Systemic therapy trial participation was 39%. Patients not treated with systemic therapy (29%) were more likely to be ≥ 75 years and PS ≥ 2. Median OS was 15.3 months (95%CI 13.6-18.3), with longer survival in treated vs. untreated patients (17.4 vs. 10.6 months; P = .01). Longer survival with systemic treatment was seen in patients ≥75 years (12.7 vs. 6.6 months) and patients with poor PS (9.1 vs. 5.9 months). Median progression-free-survival (PFS) and OS for patients treated with second-line therapy was poor (3.0 and 8.9 months, respectively).

DISCUSSION

In our real-world analysis of patients with aMPM treated at an academic referral centre, systemic treatment was given to the majority of patients and benefit was seen even in the elderly and poor PS patients frequently underrepresented in clinical trials. Trial participation was potentially facilitated by the formation of a dedicated multidisciplinary MPM clinic.

Plasma osteopontin and the prognosis of pleural mesothelioma

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Background: Cytoreductive surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) should be reserved for patients with favorable tumor biology. Osteopontin (OPN) and the ratio of absolute neutrophil to absolute lymphocyte counts (NLR) have been reported as possible prognostic biomarkers. These were studied with other clinical/ laboratory variables in a mixed surgical/non-surgical MPM population to define independent predictors of survival (OS) and progression (TTP). Methods: Forty-four MPM patients (12 F, 32M; 26 cytoreduction, 18 no cytoreduction; 31 epithelial, 13 non-epithelial; 15 Stage I/II, 29 Stage III/IV) were examined with regard to pretreatment plasma OPN (ELISA, R&D, Minneapolis, MN), NLR age, gender, therapy, histology, stage, platelet count and WBC count. Cut points for age, OPN, NLR, platelets, and WBC were determined by X-tile Software (Yale, New Haven, CT) and univariate/multivariate Cox analyses performed. Results: Median OS were 11 m, 21m, and 8m for all 44 MPMs, cytoreduced and non-cytoreduced MPMs, respectively. Of platelet count, WBC, NLR, and OPN, only OPN was statistically significant between Stage I/II and Stage III/IV (80.3 ng/ml vs 148 ng/ml, p<0.018). The only independent covariate predictive of OS was plasma OPN. For TTP in cytoreduced patients, only age, stage, platelet count, and OPN were significant in univariate analysis, and multivariate modeling retained stage (p=0.04, HR=2.75, 95% CI=1.0517 to 7.1879) and OPN (p=0.0008, HR=17.471, 95% CI=3.3054 to 92.3461). Conclusions: Plasma OPN is promising for the stratification of tumors into good or bad risk categories and to help select potential candidates for cytoreduction and further postoperative therapy. [Table: see text]

Enhancing preoperative assessment in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: A comprehensive analysis of interobserver agreement and proximity-based CT pulmonary angiography scoring

Background

Surgical risk in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) depends on the proximity of thromboembolism on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). We assessed interobserver agreement for the quantification of thromboembolic lesions in CTEPH using a novel CTPA scoring index.

Methods

Forty CTEPH patients (mean age, 58 ± 16 years; 19 men) with preoperative CTPA who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) (08/2020-09/2021) were retrospectively included. Three radiologists scored each CTPA for chronic thromboembolism (occlusions, eccentric thickening, webs) using a 32-vessel model of the pulmonary vasculature, with interobserver agreement evaluated using Fleiss' kappa. CT level of disease was determined by the most proximal chronic thromboembolism: level 1 (main pulmonary artery), 2 (lobar), 3 (segmental) and 4 (subsegmental), and compared to surgical level at PEA.

Results

Interobserver agreement for CT level of disease was moderate overall (κ = 0.52). Agreement was substantial overall at the main/lobar level (κ, mean = 0.71) when excluding the left upper lobe (κ = 0.17). Though segmental and subsegmental agreement suffered (κ = 0.31), we found substantial agreement for occlusions (κ = 0.72) compared to eccentric thickening (κ = 0.45) and webs (κ = 0.14). Correlation between CT level and surgical level was strong overall (τb = 0.73) and in the right lung (τb = 0.68), but weak in the left lung (τb = 0.42) (p < 0.05). Radiologists often over- and underestimated the proximal extent of disease in right and left lung, respectively.

Conclusions

CT level of disease demonstrated good agreement between radiologists and was highly predictive of the surgical level in CTEPH. Occlusions were the most reliable sign of chronic thromboembolism and are important in assessing the segmental vasculature.

Long-term outcome after resection of non-small cell lung cancer invading the thoracic inlet

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to update our previous experience and describe long-term results after resection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading the thoracic inlet.

METHODS

Patients from a single center undergoing resection of NSCLC invading the thoracic inlet were reviewed with data retrieved retrospectively from their charts.

RESULTS

Sixty-five consecutive patients with a median age of 61 (32-76) years underwent resection of NSCLC invading the thoracic inlet from 1991 to 2011. Tumor location was divided into 5 anatomic zones from anterior to posterior. Fifty-two (80%) patients had induction therapy, mostly with 2 cycles of cisplatin-etoposide and 45 Gy of concurrent irradiation. All patients underwent at least first rib resection. Lobectomy was performed in 60 patients (92%). Twenty-four patients (37%) had vertebral resection. Arterial resections were performed in 7 patients (11%). Postoperative morbidity and mortality were 46% and 6%, respectively. Pathologic response to induction was complete (pCR) (n = 19) or nearly complete (pNR) (n = 12) in 31 patients (48%). Adjuvant treatment was administered in 14 (25%) patients. After a median follow-up of 20 (0-193) months, 34 patients are alive without recurrence. The overall 5-year survival reached 69%. Univariate analysis identified site of tumor within the thoracic inlet (p = 0.050), response to induction (p = 0.004), and presence of adjuvant treatment (p = 0.028) as survival predictors.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival after resection of NSCLC invading the thoracic inlet in highly selected patients reached 69% at 5 years. Tumor location within the thoracic inlet, pathologic response to induction therapy, and adjuvant treatments were significant survival predictors.

Immediate Versus Deferred Systemic Therapy in Patients With Mesothelioma

BACKGROUND

The 2018 ASCO pleural mesothelioma (PM) treatment guideline states that "a trial of expectant observation may be offered" in patients with asymptomatic inoperable epithelioid mesothelioma with low disease burden. The aim of our analysis was to evaluate clinical characteristics and outcomes in PM-patients managed with initial observation and deferred treatment initiation.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected clinicodemograhic and outcome data of patients with inoperable PM. Patients were assigned to 2 treatment decision groups: decision to start immediate systemic treatment (Immediate Treatment Group) versus observation and deferring treatment (Deferred Treatment group).

RESULTS

Of 222 patients with advanced PM, systemic treatment was started immediately in the majority of patients (189, 85%; immediate group); treatment was deferred in 33 (15%) patients (deferred group); systemic therapy was chemotherapy-based in 91% and 79% respectively. Patients in the deferred group were older (70 vs 67 years, p = .05), less likely to have stage IV disease (28% vs. 51%, p = .08) and more often had epithelioid histology (90% vs. 70%, p = .03). Nineteen patients (58%) in the deferred group eventually received treatment. With a median follow-up time of 10.9 months median overall survival (OS) in the entire cohort was 12.4 months and was significantly longer in the deferred group (20.6 months vs. 11.5 months, p = .02). No difference in median progression-free survival (PFS) in first-line treatment between groups was seen (5.4 and 5.3 months).

CONCLUSION

This real-world analysis suggests that deferral of systemic therapy and close observation may not impact OS or physician-assessed PFS in selected PM-patients.