Staging: The key to rational management of lung cancer

Prognostic outcome of treatment modalities for epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated advanced lung cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated lung cancer cases has shown remarkable development in the past two decades. However, there have been limited studies comparing the prognostic effects of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and other treatment modalities. Therefore, we compared the survival outcomes of patients treated with EGFR-TKIs versus those treated with other treatment modalities.

METHODS

Patient data were collected from the Korean National Health Insurance Database, National Health Insurance Service- National Sample Cohort 2002 to 2015, which was released by the Korean National Health Insurance Service in 2015. The lung cancer group included patients (n = 2,003) initially diagnosed with lung cancer between January 2010 and December 2013. The main outcome was all-cause mortality. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to calculate the relative risk of mortality.

RESULTS

Among the newly diagnosed lung cancer cases, 1,004 (50.1%) were included in the analysis. A 15.1-month median survival benefit was observed in the EGFR-TKI group than that of the multimodality therapy group. The risk of mortality was as follows: EGFR-TKI treatment group (n = 142; hazard ratio [HR], 5.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.57 to 7.86) and multimodality therapy group (n = 326; HR, 7.42; 95% CI, 5.19 to 10.63) compared to surgery only (n = 275).

CONCLUSION

Patients with advanced lung cancer harbouring EGFR mutations treated with EGFR-TKIs showed better median survival and lower risk of mortality than those in the multimodality therapy group. In the case of EGFR-mutated advanced lung cancer, there is room for downstaging in the TNM classification.

Inhibiting of Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Lung Cancer Induced by Silencing Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein 1 (IFITM1)

Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 1 (IFITM1), a 17-kDa membrane protein, is generally known as a modulator in many cellular functions. Recent studies showed overexpression of IFITM1 in cancers and relationship between IFITM1 overexpression and tumor progression. However, the role of IFITM1 in lung cancer remains unclear. Here, we presented the overexpression of IFITM1 in lung cancer tissues and cell lines A549 and H460 using quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR. In vitro assay indicated IFITM1 silencing inhibited lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Further, in vivo assay showed that IFITM1 silencing markedly suppressed cell growth and metastasis of lung cancer in tumor-bearing BALB/c nude mice. Mechanistically, we found that IFITM1 silencing significantly alleviated the protein levels of β-catenin, cyclin D1, and c-Mycin lung cancer cells and tumor samples. Taken together, our study revealed the role of IFITM1 as a tumor promoter during lung cancer development and the possible molecular mechanism.

Accuracy of diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI with background signal suppression (MR-DWIBS) in diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

PURPOSE

To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with background signal suppression (MR-DWIBS) for detecting mediastinal lymph node metastasis of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MR-DWIBS was performed in 42 consecutive patients (27 men, 15 women; age range, 42-78 years; median age, 55 years) with histologically proven NSCLC. The visualization rate of metastatic lymph node (MLN) and benign lymph node (BLN) of enlarged lymph nodes (ELN) and normal-sized lymph nodes (NLN) was compared by using a chi-square test or Fisher's exact test on a per-nodal basis. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of MLN and BLN was measured and compared by using two-tailed unpaired Student's t-test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the overall diagnostic accuracy of ADC for ELN and NLN. The optimal cutoff value was determined and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy was calculated.

RESULTS

Thirty-five out of 119 lymph resected nodes were confirmed to be metastatic by histologic examination. The visualization rate of MLN was significantly higher than that of BLN for ELN (P < 0.001) and for NLN (χ(2) = 7.506, P = 0.006). For both ELN and NLN, ADC of MLN was significantly lower than that of BLN (t = -5.380, P < 0.001 and t = -6.435, P < 0.001). ADC was significant for detection of MLN for both ELN (Az = 0.975, P < 0.001) and NLN (Az = 0.919, P < 0.001). For NLN, the optimal cutoff value of ADC was 2.04 mm(2)/s, where the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 75.0%, 90.9%, 66.7%, 93.8%, and 87.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

MR-DWIBS may be clinically useful to visually detect mediastinal lymph nodes and ADC measurement can aid in malignant node discrimination.

Detection and comparison of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in cells and fluid of malignant pleural effusion in non-small cell lung cancer

Cells or cell-free fluid of malignant pleural effusion could be important clinical specimen for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation screening in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, their usefulness in mutation detection has not been well compared. In this study we recruited 26 East Asian NSCLC patients with malignant pleural effusion, determined the mutation status of EGFR in both cells and matched cell-free fluid with the use of sequencing and mutant-enriched PCR. After comparing the mutation spectrums, we found both the cells and cell-free pleural fluid may be feasible clinical specimen for EGFR mutation detection in unresectable NSCLC given sensitive genotyping assays employed. Direct sequencing could miss a significant portion of mutations in these heterogeneous specimens. More sensitive methods, such as mutant-enriched PCR and gene scan, could provide more reliable mutational information.

Can endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration predict response to chemoradiation in non-small cell lung cancer? A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Accurate prediction of pathologic response to chemoradiation (CHEMO-XRT) has a significant impact on the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and mediastinal lymph node (LN) metastasis (N2 disease).

OBJECTIVE

This pilot study evaluates the ability of EUS-FNA to predict pathologic response in LN following CHEMO-XRT in NSCLC patients with N2 disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on patients with NSCLC and biopsy-proven N2 disease who underwent restaging by EUS following CHEMO-XRT. At restaging, FNA was performed on the same LN, if present, or any other visible LN in the posterior mediastinum. Response to therapy (N0 disease) was defined by either absence of mediastinal LN or residual disease on FNA. Those staged N0 by EUS underwent tumor resection with complete LN dissection.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients met the criteria for evaluation. Restaging by EUS suggested disease response in 7 patients and residual disease in 6; tissue yield was unsatisfactory in 1 patient. Eleven of 14 patients in whom mediastinal LN were seen at restaging by EUS underwent FNA: the aspirate was benign in 4, residual disease was found in 6, and an inadequate sample was obtained in 1 patient. In 3 patients no mediastinal LN were evident at EUS. Final diagnosis on the 7 patients in whom EUS suggested N0 disease was established at surgery: EUS was true negative in 6 and false negative in 1. Of the 6 patients with residual disease, 5 underwent palliative CHEMO-XRT and 1 underwent extended tumor resection. The patient in whom tissue sampling was inadequate was found to have residual disease at surgery. The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA for predicting mediastinal response to preoperative CHEMO-XRT was 86%.

CONCLUSIONS

EUS-FNA appears to qualify as an accurate, safe and minimally invasive diagnostic technique for restaging of mediastinal LN after CHEMO-XRT in NSCLC patients. Given this promising preliminary data, a prospective evaluation is justified.

Molecular diagnostics of non-small cell lung cancer using mediastinal lymph nodes sampled by endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle aspiration

Non-small cell lung cancer is a common cancer with significant mortality. Accurate and early staging of this cancer has a significant impact on outcome. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of involved mediastinal lymph nodes is critical for staging. Several molecular markers have been identified recently in association with non-small cell carcinoma of the lung that are promising to make early detection of metastatic disease more reliable.

Late Stage (III and IV) Non-small Cell Cancer of the Lung: Results of Surgical Resection at Inova Fairfax Hospital

One hundred forty-two patients underwent surgery and related treatment for advanced stage (III, IV) non-small cell cancer of the lung. One hundred seventeen patients underwent up-front surgery, with a hospital mortality rate of 1.7% (2/117). Kaplan-Meier 5-year survival in this group was 31% (+/- 5). Twenty-five patients underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgical resection, with respective rates of hospital mortality, complete pathologic response, and major pathologic response of 0%, 16%, and 64%. Kaplan-Meier 5-year survival in this latter group was 34% (+/- 11). Of the 16 patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy who had complete pathologic response or significant downstaging from stage III disease, Kaplan-Meier 5-year survival was 61% (+/- 15). Three clinical observations of interest emerged regarding survival. First, in those patients with postresection FEV1 < 1.0 L, hospital mortality rate was 20%, and there were no 5-year survivors (P < 0.0001). Second, where neoadjuvant therapy was associated with complete pathologic response or significant downstaging of disease, there was a trend for improved survival in the downstaged group, but it did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.14). Third, adjuvant therapy was associated with improved 5-year survival (P = 0.03), particularly for combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy (P = 0.02).

Classification of parietal pleural invasion at adhesion sites with surgical specimens of lung cancer and implications for prognosis

Parietal pleural invasion of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a factor for poor prognosis, and a tumor of any size that invades the parietal pleura is classified as T3. However, with microscopic invasion beyond elastic fibers of the visceral pleura but no penetration to the parietal pleura at tight adhesion sites (we term this p1-3), classification as to the T factor is unclear. Among 1,179 consecutive patients with NSCLCs who underwent curative surgery between 1980 and 2002, 20 were in this category. Here, a comparison was made with subgroups of p stages IB, II, and IIIA with regard to histology, pleural invasion, and survival rates. To maximize the power of assessing prognostic potential, we set the significance level at 0.10, one-sided. The p1-3 condition sites of the 20 cases were the parietal pleura for 17 cases and the pericardium, diaphragm, and chest wall for one each of the remainder. The 5-year survival rate for these p1-3 patients was 71.6%. Significant differences were observed between p1-3 and IIIA groups. Although the 5-year survival rates did not significantly differ between p1-3 and T3N0 or unequivocal T3 subgroups, the prognosis of p1-3 patients was rather better than that of T3 and identical to T2. It was demonstrated that p1-3 status is not a factor warranting T3 classification for NSCLCs. Considering the prognosis, pathologic p1-3 tumors should be managed as a T2 disease for the present.

Endoscopic Ultrasound for Thoracic Malignancy: A Review

Accurate cancer staging is critical in providing the most appropriate therapy for patients with lung cancer. The decision to attempt a curative surgery or avoid an unnecessary surgery is dependent on accurate staging. In the case of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most important parameters for optimal treatment and prognosis are the presence of cancer spread to the lymph nodes within the mediastinum and to distant organs. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become an important tool for the assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes and in some cases, distant organ metastases, because of its minimally invasive access to these sites through a transesophageal, transgastric, or transduodenal approach. The capability of performing fine needle aspiration (FNA) has greatly improved the accuracy and acceptability of EUS for lung cancer staging. This review will outline the basic principals of EUS-guided lung cancer staging and EUS-FNA techniques and outline the indications and contraindications to EUS staging of thoracic malignancy.

Accurate Molecular Detection of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Metastases in Mediastinal Lymph Nodes Sampled by Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Needle Aspiration

OBJECTIVES

The recurrence of disease after the complete resection of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indicates that undetected metastases were present at the time of surgery. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a highly sensitive technique for detecting rare gene transcripts that may indicate the presence of cancer cells, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive technique for the nonoperative sampling of mediastinal lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to determine whether these two techniques could enhance the preoperative detection of occult metastases.

METHODS

Patients with NSCLC were evaluated with chest CT and positron emission tomography scans. Those patients without evidence of metastases (87 patients) underwent EUS-guided FNA. Lymph nodes from levels 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 were sampled and evaluated by standard cytopathology and real-time RT-PCR. Normal control FNA specimens were obtained from patients without cancer who were undergoing EUS for benign disease (17 control specimens). For each sample, messenger RNA was extracted and real-time RT-PCR was used to quantitate the expression of six lung cancer-associated genes (ie, CEA, CK19, KS1/4, lunx, muc1, and PDEF) relative to the expression of an internal control gene (beta(2)-microglobulin).

RESULTS

Clinical thresholds of marker positivity were set at 100% specificity, as determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Of the cytology-positive lymph nodes (27 lymph nodes), the expression of the KS1/4 gene was above its respective clinical threshold in 25 of 27 samples (93%), making this the most sensitive marker for the detection of metastatic NSCLC. At least one of the six lung cancer-associated genes was overexpressed in 18 of 61 cytology-negative patients (30%), of which KS1/4 was overexpressed in 15 of 61 patients (25%).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the high accuracy of EUS-guided FNA/RT-PCR, we predict that some of the patients in the cytology-negative/marker-positive category will have high NSCLC recurrence rates. Among the genes used in our marker panel, KS1/4 appears particularly useful for the detection of overt or occult metastatic disease.

A pragmatic and successful approach to treating nonsmall-cell lung carcinoma

Lung cancer is the single leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women combined. Nonsmall-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), which results largely from smoking tobacco, accounts for 87% of all lung cancer cases. Methods of patient selection, preoperative and intraoperative care, and postoperative outcomes for patients with NSCLC who were treated from 1991 through 2003 at Inova Fairfax Hospital are discussed. All patients were treated with surgery, some selectively and progressively with a combination of preoperative neoadjuvant therapy, to try to downstage the disease to make complete resection feasible. Outcomes from this data collection period match or exceed the best results for treatment of late-stage (ie, III and IV) disease reported anywhere to date.

Lunx is a superior molecular marker for detection of non-small cell lung cancer in peripheral blood [corrected]

The clinical management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) would benefit greatly by a test that was able to detect small amounts of NSCLC in the peripheral blood. In this report, we used a novel strategy to enrich tumor cells from the peripheral blood of 24 stage I to IV NSCLC patients and determined expression levels for six cancer-associated genes (lunx, muc1, KS1/4, CEA, CK19, and PSE). Using thresholds established at three standard deviations above the mean observed in 15 normal controls, we observed that lunx (10 of 24, 42%), muc1 (5 of 24, 21%), and CK19 (5 of 24, 21%) were overexpressed in 14 of 24 (58%) peripheral blood samples obtained from NSCLC patients. Patients who overexpressed either KS1/4 (n = 2) or PSE (n = 1) also overexpressed either lunx or muc1. Of patients with presumed curable and resectable stage I to II disease (n = 7), at least one marker was overexpressed in three (43%) patients. In advanced stage III to IV patients (n = 17), at least one marker was overexpressed in 11 patients (65%). These results provide evidence that circulating tumor cells can be detected in NSCLC patients by a high throughput molecular technique. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical relevance of gene overexpression.

Endoscopic ultrasound in lung cancer patients with a normal mediastinum on computed tomography

BACKGROUND

Computed tomography (CT) is the most common method of staging lung cancer. We have previously shown endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) to be highly accurate in staging patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes on CT scan. In this study we report the accuracy and yield of EUS-FNA in staging patients without enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes by CT.

METHODS

Patients with NSCLC and CT scan showing no enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes (> 1 cm for all nodes except > 1.2 cm for subcarinal) in the mediastinum underwent EUS. Fine needle aspiration was performed on at least one lymph node, if present, in the upper mediastinum, aortopulmonary window, subcarinal, and periesophagus regions. Each specimen was evaluated with on-site cytopathology and confirmed with complete cytopathologic examination.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients without enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes were evaluated. Endoscopic ultrasound detected malignant mediastinal lymph nodes in 14 of 69 patients as well as other advanced (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] stage III/IV) in 3 others (1 left adrenal, and 2 with mediastinal invasion of tumor) for a total of 17 of 69 (25%, 95% confidence interval: 16% to 34%) patients. Eleven additional patients were found to have advanced disease by bronchoscopy (2), mediastinoscopy (2), and thoracotomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection (7). The sensitivity of EUS for advanced mediastinal disease was 61% (49% to 75%), and the specificity was 98% (95% to 100%).

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration can detect advanced mediastinal disease and avoid unnecessary surgical exploration in almost one of four patients who have no evidence of mediastinal disease on CT scan. In addition to previously reported results in patients with enlarged lymph nodes on CT, these data suggest that all potentially operable patients with nonmetastatic NSCLC may benefit from EUS staging.

Intraoperative sentinel lymph node mapping in non-small-cell lung cancer improves detection of micrometastases

PURPOSE

Lymph node metastases are the most significant prognostic factor in localized non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nodal micrometastases may not be detected with current standard histologic methods. We performed intraoperative technetium-99m ((99m)Tc) sentinel lymph node (SN) mapping in patients with resectable NSCLC. This study aimed to identify the first station of nodal drainage of operable lung cancers. Serial section histology and immunohistochemistry were used to validate the SN and to identify the presence of micrometastatic disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred patients with potentially resectable suspected NSCLC were enrolled. At thoracotomy, the primary tumor was injected with 0.25 to 2 mCi (99m)Tc. Intraoperative scintigraphic readings of both the primary tumor and lymph nodes were obtained with a hand-held gamma counter. Anatomic resection with a mediastinal node dissection was then performed.

RESULTS

Nine of the 100 patients did not have NSCLC (seven benign lesions and two metastatic tumors) and were excluded. Seventy-eight (86%) of 91 patients had a SN identified and a complete resection. Sixty-nine (88.5%) out of the 78 SNs were classified as true-positive with no metastases found in other intrathoracic lymph nodes without concurrent SN involvement. In nine patients, the SN was the only positive node. In seven of these nine patients, the SN was found to harbor only micrometastatic disease.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperative SN mapping with (99m)Tc is an accurate way to identify the first site of lymphatic tumor drainage in NSCLC. This method may also improve the precision of pathologic staging.

Lung Cancer: A Bronchoscopic Approach

The unfavourable epidemiological data of lung cancer has not been changed during the past ten years. The only possibility to cure this malignancy is surgical resection. The five year survival rate after surgery is highly dependent on early discovery of the tumor. Today, bronchoscopy plays a central role in the diagnosis staging and therapy of lung cancer. The main indications of diagnostic bronchoscopy are the identification of the tumor and the determination of its extent. The aim of therapeutic bronchoscopy - laser photocoagulation, high dose rate afterloading irradiation and stent implantation - is to provide an acceptable quality of life and to manage symptoms such as bleeding, cough and dyspnea.

Is there a role for routine mediastinoscopy in patients with peripheral T1 lung cancers?

BACKGROUND

The role of surgical staging of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to evolve. This report describes our findings utilizing routine cervical mediastinoscopy in the evaluation of peripheral T1 (<3 cm) lung tumors.

METHODS

Retrospectively 30 patients with peripheral T1 lesions and CT scans negative for pathologic adenopathy were identified over a 3-year period. Cervical mediastinoscopy was performed prior to VATS/thoracotomy during the same operative session.

RESULTS

Mediastinoscopy was performed in 29 of 30 patients. For patients with malignancy (27 of 30), 3 of 27 (11%) had mediastinoscopy positive for malignancy and no further resection performed. Overall the subgroup of patients with bronchogenic carcinomas had positive mediastinal involvement identified in 5 of 24 (21%) after mediastinoscopy or complete resection.

CONCLUSION

A significant number of patients with small peripheral lung cancers harbor radiographically occult lymph node involvement. Mediastinoscopy facilitates identification of patients with regionally advanced disease prior to resection, allowing neoadjuvant therapy and avoiding unnecessary resections.

Assessing the prognostic value of the extent of mediastinal lymph node infiltration in surgically-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Although there have been several attempts in dividing N2 patients into several subgroups on the basis of different prognoses, the correct treatment for these patients is still a moot point. Even multimodal treatment, which is the most common therapy used, does not result in a consistent outcome. The aim of our study is to assess the prognostic value of the extent of mediastinal lymph node infiltration in surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From January 1990 to December 1997, 682 patients underwent surgery for NSCLC at the Thoracic Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Siena, 87 of which (12%) had mediastinal involvement. Studies on the number of lymph node stations show that those with one station involved tend to have a better 5-year survival rate with respect to the others. We studied the number of lymph node stations by using a new critique based on the percentage of lymph node infiltration. The percentage is obtained from a ratio of the number of involved nodes to the total number of nodes removed. The result was an improved 5-year survival ratio in patients with lymph node infiltration, lower than 50% with respect to the others, and the difference was significant (P=0.0001). It appears that surgery may be the most suitable option for treating those N2 patients that we consider to be in 'early N2 phase', in view of long term survival. Although an invasive technique like mediastinoscopy seems to be the appropriate indicator in selecting N2 patients, it does not allow the calculation of the ratio a priori.

Pathological Examination and the Reporting of Lung Cancer Specimens

The Lung Cancer Disease Site Group (DSG) of the Cancer Care Ontario Practice Guidelines Initiative first met in January of 1994. Included in the membership were three pathologists who, with the other members of the DSG, felt that a useful contribution to the work of the group would be a recommendation on standardized examination and reporting of lung cancer specimens. This review summarizes the consensus of the Lung Cancer DSG pathologists based on their review of the literature and proposes a standard synoptic report, the Primary Lung Cancer Check-Off Sheet. If generally adopted, this standard would improve the quality of reporting of clinical and pathological stage information. Such high-quality staging information is essential to define patient populations for clinical trials and for outcome analyses.

Clinical and surgical staging of non-small cell lung cancer

The necessity for a compulsive attitude toward preoperative assessment of lung cancer is to be emphasized, since rational treatment and prognosis depend largely on the stage of disease at the time of diagnosis. In the preoperative setting, the techniques used should be sequential, logical, and help to identify patients suitable for treatment with curative intent. With regard to the primary tumor (T status), the accuracy of CT or MRI to predict the need for extended resections is limited. Similarly, all noninvasive methods to determine the nodal status (N) are valuable, but mediastinoscopy has a greater sensitivity and specificity than either CT or MRI. The role of routine organ screening for the detection of distant occult metastasis in the asymptomatic patient is still controversial. Ultimately, the prognosis of the resected patient with lung cancer is based on complete intraoperative staging, which can be done by either systematic node sampling or complete lymphadenectomy. At present, neither of these techniques has been shown to improve the quality of staging or survival.

Is video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy a unified approach?

BACKGROUND

Few surgeons worldwide currently perform video-assisted thoracoscopic (VAT) lobectomy. We conducted a questionnaire survey of this selected group of surgeons to gain insight into their current practice.

METHODS

A survey with 25 questions on VAT lobectomy including operative approaches, techniques, its role in their practice, and limitations were mailed to 45 thoracic surgeons worldwide who are believed to perform this operation.

RESULTS

Thirty-three completed questionnaires were analyzed. Among those surgeons practicing VAT lobectomy, the vast majority work in an academic or government institution and have at least 5 years of practice experience. Two thirds reported that at least 40% of all their thoracic procedures are currently performed using VAT techniques. However, considerable variations exist regarding preference for VAT lobectomy (one third uses VAT techniques in less than 10% of all lobectomies performed, whereas another third uses it in more than 40% of lobectomies), their approaches to mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes, and their operative techniques. The latter range from a purely endoscopic technique to one that is more appropriately termed minithoracotomy with video-assistance when the surgeons operate primarily by looking through the utility thoracotomy. There were no significant differences in the practices of surgeons working in different continents, except that Asian surgeons were more likely to use suture ligation as opposed to a staple-cutter on pulmonary vessels.

CONCLUSIONS

Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy is not a unified approach. Considerable variations exist among the small group of surgeons performing this procedure, in their approach to surgical oncology as well as the operative technique. Distinctions in these different operative approaches must be made before one can make a meaningful comparison of results. Different terms should probably be introduced to further clarify the exact techniques used.

Surgical management of adrenal metastases from lung cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Adrenal metastases from lung cancer usually indicate systemic disease and incurability. However, a small subset of patients with isolated adrenal metastases may achieve long-term survival with aggressive surgical resection of the adrenal gland. To clarify the role of adrenalectomy for metastatic lung cancer, we undertook a review of the published literature on this topic.

METHODS

The English-language medical literature was searched for papers reporting surgical resection of adrenal metastases from lung cancer. Eleven articles were retrieved and their data pooled for analysis.

RESULTS

Sixty patients (including seven previously reported from our institution) formed the basis of this collective review. Thirty-two patients pooled from small series and case reports had a median survival of 24 months, and approximately one-third were 5-year survivors. Twenty-eight patients reported in two large series had a less favorable survival (approximately 14 months median survival).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical resection of isolated adrenal metastases from lung cancer appears to have a modest survival advantage over nonoperative therapy, and it occasionally results in long-term survival. However, the relatively encouraging survival results reported in the literature could be related to careful patient selection for this aggressive therapy, publication bias in favor of positive treatment outcomes, or a combination of the two. Nevertheless, the results are encouraging enough to justify further investigation of this aggressive treatment strategy. Practical guidelines for management are proposed.

Long-term survival after bilateral adrenalectomy for metastatic lung cancer: a case report

Selected patients with solitary metastases from non-small cell lung cancer can benefit from an aggressive treatment approach that includes resection of the metastases. This approach has been used for solitary adrenal metastases, but successful long-term treatment of bilateral adrenal metastases has not been previously reported. This is the report of a patient with bilateral adrenal metastases from lung cancer who is disease-free 9 years after bilateral adrenalectomy and chemotherapy. From this evidence, one may hypothesize that adrenal metastases are occasionally lymphatic in origin and that metastases with this route of spread are more amenable to aggressive curative treatment than adrenal metastases of hematogenous origin.

Treatment principles in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for more than three quarters of all lung tumours and is the leading cause of deaths due to cancer in Australia. More than half of the patients with NSCLC present with advanced disease. Radiation therapy has been the mainstay of active treatment for these patients. There is increasing evidence supporting the benefit of chemotherapy as an addition to radiation therapy in locally advanced non-metastatic disease. The use of cisplatin-based chemotherapy prior to radiation therapy would appear to be a new standard of care in patients with stage III B NSCLC. In advanced (metastic) disease, palliation of symptoms remains the major goal of current treatment programmes. This can be achieved with the best supportive care, radiotherapy, and, in selected patients, platinum-based chemotherapy. Clinical trials to test new treatments, with survival, quality of life and cost-benefit as endpoints, are essential. The present study discusses the current status of conventional and newer treatment methods in locally advanced and metastatic disease.

Perioperative therapy for locoregional nonsmall-cell lung cancer

Surgical therapy remains the treatment of choice for resectable nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the 5-year survival results of surgical therapy is 40-70%, which is far from acceptable. In this report, past results of perioperative therapies were reviewed to identify the future direction of effort in improving the therapy of NSCLC. Two perioperative modes of treatment that may possibly improve postsurgical survival were identified, i.e., neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable NSCLC and postoperative specific active immunotherapy.

Routine video-assisted thoracoscopy prior to thoracotomy

We investigated the role of routine video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) prior to thoracotomy. From June 1993 to May 1995, we routinely performed VAT prior to all our elective thoracotomies in adults. Patients who planned to have video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), those who underwent emergency thoracotomy, and patients younger than 10 years old were excluded from this study. There were 63 patients (47 men and 16 women; age range, 16 to 84 years), of whom 39 (62%) had malignant disease and 24 (38%) had benign disease. In four cases, VAT could not be performed because of either pleural symphysis or inability to adequately collapse the upper lung. In six cases, thoracoscopic findings influenced subsequent management. Pleural metastases were found in two cases that led to abandonment of thoracotomy; in four cases, identification of chest wall involvement by a malignant or benign process led to proper planning of subsequent thoracotomy. There was no added morbidity from this procedure which took, on average, 6.2 min to complete (range, 3 to 17 min). There was no added cost for consumables. We concluded that: (1) routine VAT is a safe procedure; (2) it adds little to the overall cost or operating time; (3) it can provide useful information that could alter subsequent operative strategy. We recommend routine VAT prior to thoracotomy in patients with known or suspected intrathoracic malignancy and those suspected of having chest wall involvement on CT scans.

The surgery of lung cancer

Surgery remains the best chance of cure in lung cancer, and should be offered to between 10% and 20% of patients. The success of surgery depends on accurate assessment of patient fitness and tumour stage. Surgery has an established role in stages I and II and some subtypes of stage III non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. The combination of surgery with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy may have survival benefit. A multidisciplinary approach is essential for optimum patient care and the promotion of further research into this terrible disease.

Video-assisted thoracoscopy and the staging of lung cancer

Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) provides an opportunity for evaluation and biopsy within the pleural space and at the pulmonary hilum. The application of a standardized approach for VAT in patients with primary lung cancers was evaluated. Of 49 patients, 6 patients could not be evaluated due to intrapleural adhesions. Of the remaining 43 patients, an unsuspected parietal pleural metastasis was identified in 2, obviating further surgery. The other 41 patients underwent anatomic resection after VAT staging, which was carried out during the same operative procedure. Pathologic staging of the specimens revealed 20 T1 N0, 10 T2 N0, 5 T1 N1, and 6 T2 N1 lesions. Among the T2 lesions, 10 of 16 (63%) involved visceral pleural invasion, all of which were identified at VAT staging. Among the N1 lesions, 6 of 11 (55%) were identified at VAT staging; in the remainder, N1 nodes were not accessible to biopsy. No morbidity or mortality was noted. Routine VAT staging in patients with lung cancer is a safe technique, reduces the need for an exploratory thoracotomy, and may identify patients with localized lung cancers who are at high risk for postoperative recurrence.