Impact and interactions between smoking and traditional prognostic factors in lung cancer progression

Prognostic role of minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope for perioperative morbidity and long-term survival in resectable patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer: a prospective study using propensity score overlap weighting

BACKGROUND

The role of minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production ( / CO 2 ) slope, a ventilation efficiency marker, in predicting short-term and long-term health outcomes for patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing lung resection has not been well investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective cohort study consecutively enrolled NSCLC patients who underwent a presurgical cardiopulmonary exercise test from November 2014 to December 2019. The association of / CO 2 slope with relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and perioperative mortality was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards and logistic models. Covariates were adjusted using propensity score overlap weighting. The optimal cut-off point of the E/ CO 2 slope was estimated using the receiver operating characteristics curve. Internal validation was completed through bootstrap resampling.

RESULTS

A cohort of 895 patients [median age (interquartile range), 59 (13) years; 62.5% male] was followed for a median of 40 (range, 1-85) months. Throughout the study, there were 247 relapses or deaths and 156 perioperative complications. The incidence rates per 1000 person-years for relapses or deaths were 108.8 and 79.6 among patients with high and low E/ CO 2 slopes, respectively [weighted incidence rate difference per 1000 person-years, 29.21 (95% CI, 7.30-51.12)]. A E/ CO 2 slope of greater than or equal to 31 was associated with shorter RFS [hazard ratio for relapse or death, 1.38 (95% CI, 1.02-1.88), P =0.04] and poorer OS [hazard ratio for death, 1.69 (1.15-2.48), P =0.02] compared to a lower / CO 2 slope. A high E/ CO 2 slope increased the risk of perioperative morbidity compared with a low E/ CO 2 slope [odds ratio, 2.32 (1.54-3.49), P <0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with operable NSCLC, a high E/ CO 2 slope was significantly associated with elevated risks of poorer RFS, OS, and perioperative morbidity.

Patient-reported impact of symptoms in lung cancer (PRISM-LC)

Background

Individuals with lung cancer (LC) face a variety of symptoms that significantly impact their lives. We use extensive patient input to determine the relative importance and prevalence of these symptoms and identify which demographic features are associated with a higher level of disease burden.

Methods

We performed semi-structured qualitative interviews with participants with LC to identify potentially important symptoms. We then conducted a cross-sectional study, in which participants rated the relative importance of 162 individual symptoms covering 14 symptomatic themes. Participant responses were analyzed by age, sex, disability status, disease duration, LC stage, type of treatment received, and smoking history, among other categories.

Results

Our cross-sectional study had 139 participants with LC. The most prevalent symptomatic themes reported by this population were fatigue (85.5%), impaired sleep and daytime sleepiness (73.5%), and emotional issues (73.0%). The symptomatic themes that had the greatest average impact (on a scale of 0 to 4, with 4 being the most impactful) were social role dissatisfaction (1.67), inability to do activities (1.64), and fatigue (1.60). Disability status had the strongest association with symptomatic theme prevalence. LC stage (stage IV), receipt of therapy, and smoking experience were also associated with higher frequency of symptomatic themes.

Conclusions

Individuals with LC face diverse and disease-specific symptoms that affect their daily lives. Patient insight on the prevalence and relative importance of these symptoms is invaluable to advance meaningful therapeutic interventions.

Prognosis of primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma after surgical resection in small-breed dogs: 52 cases (2005-2021)

BACKGROUND

Tumor size is an important prognostic factor in lung cancer in dogs, and the canine lung carcinoma stage classification (CLCSC) recently has been proposed to subdivide tumor sizes. It is unclear if the same classification scheme can be used for small-breed dogs.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether the tumor size classification of CLCS is prognostic for survival and progression outcomes in small-breed dogs with surgically resected pulmonary adenocarcinomas (PACs).

ANIMALS

Fifty-two client-owned small-breed dogs with PAC.

METHODS

Single-center retrospective cohort study conducted between 2005 and 2021. Medical records of dogs weighing <15 kg with surgically resected lung masses histologically diagnosed as PAC were examined.

RESULTS

The numbers of dogs with tumor size ≤3 cm, >3 cm to ≤5 cm, >5 cm to ≤7 cm, or >7 cm were 15, 18, 14, and 5, respectively. The median progression-free interval (PFI) and overall survival time (OST) were 754 and 716 days, respectively. In univariable analysis, clinical signs, lymph node metastasis, margin, and histologic grade were associated with PFI, and age, clinical signs, margin, and lymph node metastasis were associated with OST. Tumor size classification of CLCS was associated with PFI in all categories, and tumor size >7 cm was associated with OST. In multivariable analysis, tumor size >5 cm to ≤7 cm and margin were associated with PFI, and age was associated with OST.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

The tumor size classification of CLCS would be an important prognostic factor in small-breed dogs with surgically resected PACs.

Population-Based Analysis of Sex-Dependent Risk Factors for Mortality in Thoracic Surgery for Lung Cancer

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> Sex is an important predictor for lung cancer survival and a favorable prognostic indicator for women compared to men. Specific surgery-related sex differences of patients with lung cancer remain unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze sex-specific differences after lung cancer resections to identify factors for an unfavorable prognosis. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This is a retrospective analysis of a German nationwide discharge register of every adult inpatient undergoing pulmonary resection for lung cancer from 2014 until 2017. DRG data and OPS procedures were analyzed with the help of the Federal Statistical Office using remote controlled data. A multivariable regression model was established in a stepwise process to evaluate the effect of sex on inpatient mortality. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 38,806 patients underwent surgical resection for lung cancer between January 2014 and December 2017 in Germany. Women were significantly younger at admission than men (mean 64.7 years [SD 10.1] vs. 66.6 years [SD 9.5]; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001). They had fewer unreferred admissions (risk ratio 0.83 [0.77, 0.90], <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001) and were significantly less likely to have recorded comorbidities. Raw in-hospital mortality was 1.8% for women and 4.1% for men. In the multivariable analysis of in-hospital mortality, the likelihood of death for women compared to men was 21% reduced (OR 0.79 [CI: 0.66, 0.93, <i>p</i> = 0.005]). The risk of postoperative complications such as ventilation &#x3e;48 h, ARDS, tracheotomy, or pneumonia was significantly lower for women. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Women undergoing lung cancer surgery were younger and had less comorbidities than men in Germany. Female sex was associated with lower mortality and less postoperative complications.

Discrimination Between Solitary Brain Metastasis and Glioblastoma Multiforme by Using ADC-Based Texture Analysis: A Comparison of Two Different ROI Placements

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To explore the value of texture analysis based on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and the effect of region of interest (ROI) placements in distinguishing glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) from solitary brain metastasis (sMET).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-two patients with pathologically confirmed GBM (n = 36) and sMET (n = 26) were retrospectively included. All patients underwent diffusion-weighted imaging with b values of 0 and 1000 s/mm², and the ADC maps were generated automatically. ROIs were placed on the largest whole single-slice tumor (ROI1) and the enhanced solid portion (ROI2) of the ADC maps, respectively. The texture feature metrics of the histogram and gray-level co-occurrence matrix were then extracted by using in-house software. The parameters of the texture analysis were compared between GBM and sMET, using the Mann-Whitney U test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the best parameters for distinguishing between GBM from sMET.

RESULTS

Homogeneity and the inverse difference moment (IDM) of GBM were significantly higher than those of sMET in both ROIs (ROI1, p = 0.014 for homogeneity and p = 0.048 for IDM; ROI2, p< 0.001 for homogeneity and p = 0.029 for IDM). According to the ROC curve analysis, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of homogeneity in ROI1 (AUC, 0.682, sensitivity, 72.2%, specificity, 61.5%) was significantly lower than that of ROI2 (AUC, 0.886, sensitivity, 83.3%, specificity, 76.9%; p= 0.012), whereas the IDM showed no statistical significance between two ROIs (p> 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The ADC-based texture analysis can help differentiate GBM from sMET, and the ROI on the solid portion would be recommended to calculate the ADC-based texture metrics.

Lung cancer in Spain: information from the Thoracic Tumors Registry (TTR study)

Background

Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Although Spain contributes to global statistics related to cancer, it is difficult to discern aspects linked to clinical presentation of the disease or molecular testing. The Thoracic Tumor Registry (TTR) was created with the aim of filling this gap.

Methods

Observational cohort multicenter study performed in Spain, including patients with lung cancer or other types of thoracic tumors undergoing active treatment or palliative care only. Enrollment took place between August 2016 and December 2018. The evaluation included a review of demographic, epidemiological, clinical and molecular data.

Results

A total of 6,600 patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were recruited at 56 Spanish hospitals. The mean age at diagnosis was 64 years. The majority of patients (80%) presented with advanced disease, being adenocarcinoma the most frequent histological type. Up to 86% of patients were current- or ex-smokers, with men starting to smoke earlier than women (average age 17.9 vs. 19.2 years). Sixty-seven percent of patients underwent some type of molecular testing. Mutations in EGFR and KRAS genes were found in 18% and 28% of patients, respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the TTR study accurately describes the clinical reality of lung cancer in Spain, including useful information on smoking status as well as molecular profiling and tumor histology, and can therefore be used to drive improvements in health care. Social and political pressure to reduce tobacco consumption among the population should be reinforced, particularly among youth.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of nonsurgically treated patients with pneumonic-type adenocarcinoma

Pneumonic-type adenocarcinoma (P-ADC) is a subtype of lung adenocarcinoma with high mortality, which often requires lobectomy surgery. Nonsurgically treated P-ADC patients usually have more advanced or complex conditions, which remain poorly understood and pose a major challenge in clinical management. We aimed to describe the clinical profiles and prognosis of non-surgically treated P-ADC patients. We enrolled 71 patients with pathologically proven P-ADC from a university hospital in China. Clinical and laboratory data were retrieved from medical record. Their median age was 62 years, including 45% men and 35% smokers. Clinical manifestations were dominated by cough, sputum, and dyspnea. Main chest imaging features included nodules, shadow, consolidation, and air bronchogram. Nearly half or more of patients showed higher levels of inflammation and cancer biomarkers including cytokeratin-19-fragment (CYFRA 21-1) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Majority of patients were classified at the stage IIIB or IV. Palliative care was the most popular treatment option but provided a shorter overall survival compared to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, standard chemotherapy, and sequential therapy while there were no significant differences in the survival among the latter 3 options. Higher serum CEA was associated with longer survival and better prognosis while higher serum CYFRA 21-1 could predict a poor prognosis. Detailed understanding the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in nonsurgically treated P-ADC may allow the identification of patients with particular risk factors and initiation of early and specific treatment in order to optimize outcomes.

AHRR (cg05575921) methylation extent of leukocyte DNA and lung cancer survival

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have shown that AHRR (cg05575921) hypomethylation may be a marker of smoking, lung cancer risk and potentially lung cancer survival (in some lung cancer subtypes). It is unknown if AHRR (cg05575921) hypomethylation is associated with reduced survival among lung cancer patients.

METHODS

In bisulfite treated leukocyte DNA from 465 lung cancer patients from the Copenhagen prospective lung cancer study, we measured AHRR (cg05575921) methylation. 380 died during max follow-up of 4.4 years. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze survival as a function of AHRR (cg05575921) methylation.

RESULTS

We observed the expected inverse correlation between cumulative smoking and AHRR methylation, as methylation (%) decreased (Coefficient -0.03; 95% confidence interval, -0.04- -0.02, p = 8.6x10-15) for every pack-year. Cumulative smoking > 60 pack-years was associated with reduced survival (hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval 1.48; 1.05-2.09), however, AHRR (cg05575921) methylation was not associated with survival when adjusted for sex, body mass index, smoking status, ethnicity, performance status, TNM Classification, and histology type of lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

AHRR (cg05575921) methylation is linked to smoking but does not provide independent prognostic information in lung cancer patients.

Development and Validation of Web-Based Nomograms to Precisely Predict Conditional Risk of Site-Specific Recurrence for Patients With Completely Resected Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Multiinstitutional Study

BACKGROUND

There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal postoperative follow-up strategy for patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to develop web-based nomograms to precisely predict site-specific postoperative recurrence in patients with NSCLC and to guide individual surveillance strategies including when to follow up and what diagnostic tests to perform.

METHODS

We investigated the pattern of recurrence in a series of 2,017 patients with NSCLC (squamous cell carcinoma and nonlepidic invasive adenocarcinoma) who underwent complete surgical resection at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (development cohort), and developed web-based clinicopathologic prediction models for conditional risk of site-specific recurrence based on Cox regression. The variables used in the analysis included sex, age, smoking history, tumor size, tumor histology, lymphovascular invasion, visceral pleural invasion, and pathologic TNM stage. A separate cohort of 3,308 patients with NSCLC from Shanghai Chest Hospital was used for external validation.

RESULTS

In the development cohort and the external validation cohort for the established nomograms to predict overall recurrence, thorax recurrence, abdomen recurrence, neck recurrence, brain recurrence, and bone recurrence, the C-statistics of Harrell et al were 0.743 and 0.748, 0.728 and 0.703, 0.760 and 0.749, 0.779 and 0.757, 0.787 and 0.784, and 0.777 and 0.739, respectively. The calibration plots showed optimal agreement between nomogram-predicted 3-year recurrence-free survival and actual 3-year recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

These user-friendly nomograms can precisely predict site-specific recurrence in patients with completely resected NSCLC, based on clinicopathologic features. They may help physicians to make individual postoperative follow-up plans.

A high ratio of IL-12Rβ2-positive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes indicates favorable prognosis in laryngeal cancer

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to elucidate IL-12Rβ2's roles as a tumor-associated immunological molecule, delineate the complex roles of IL-12Rβ2⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor cell IL-12Rβ2 expression in the tumor microenvironment, and determine the correlation of IL-12Rβ2⁺ TILs and tumor cell IL-12Rβ2 expression with clinical prognosis.

METHODS

We assessed mRNA and protein levels in matched laryngeal cancer tissues (LTs) and adjacent normal mucous membrane tissues (ANMMTs) from 3 laryngeal cancer (LC) patients and ratios of IL-12Rβ2⁺ TILs in matched LTs and ANMMTs from 61 LC patients. We used the Kaplan-Meier log-rank test and Cox regression hazard ratios to analyze survival.

RESULTS

Comparative proteomic and transcriptomic assays revealed that matched LTs and ANMMTs from the 3 patients had significantly different IL-12Rβ2 and IFN-γ expression; the ratio of IL-12Rβ2⁺ TILs decreased with lower degrees of tumor differentiation. Among all 61 LC patients, the IL-12Rβ2⁺ TIL ratio in ANMMTs (38.5% ± 22.8%) was significantly higher than that in LTs (29.7% ± 19%; p<.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with an IL-12Rβ2⁺ TIL ratio ≥35% had significantly better survival than those with an IL-12Rβ2⁺ TIL ratio <35% (log rank p=0.041). Multivariable analysis showed a significant association between a high IL-12Rβ2⁺ TIL ratio and overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.77).

CONCLUSION

Tumor cell differentiation is associated with TILs' expression of IL-12Rβ2, and an IL-12Rβ2⁺ TIL ratio ≥35%) indicates favorable prognosis in LC.

[Prognostic factors of advanced stage non-small-cell lung cancer]

INTRODUCTION

Primary lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men in the world. Although the introduction of new drugs, new therapeutic strategies and despite therapeutic advances, the prognosis is relatively improved during the last years.

AIM

To evaluate the prognosis of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to identify prognostic factors at these stages.

METHODS

A retrospective study, including 140 cases of locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC diagnosed in our department between 2003 and 2013.

RESULTS

The average age was 61±10 years (35 to 90 years). Sex ratio was 18. The delays management were 80±25 days for presentation, 45±20 days for the diagnostic, while the treatment delay was 8±2.33 days. The cancer was at stage IIIA in 14%, IIIB in 27% and IV in 59%. Six months and one-year survival was between 50 and 74% and between 9 and 25%, respectively. Better survival was observed in patients with NSCLC on stage III, having better performance status, having comorbid conditions, with prolonged delays management, a short therapeutic delay and patients who received specific antitumor treatment.

CONCLUSION

The prognostic factors in locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC in our patients were: stage of cancer, performance status, comorbid conditions, delay of management and specific antitumoral treatment. These factors should be considered in the management of patients with advanced NSCLC.

Optimal delivery of follow-up care following pulmonary lobectomy for lung cancer

Introduction

The rationale for oncologic surveillance following pulmonary lobectomy is to detect recurrent disease or a second primary lung cancer early enough so that an intervention can increase survival and/or improve quality of life. Therefore, we reviewed literature for international guidelines and reorganized these useful factors associated with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) recurrence as remedies in postoperative follow-up.

Method

The population of interest for this review was patients who had been treated with complete resection for primary NSCLC and were in follow-up.

Result

Guidelines on follow-up care for NSCLC vary internationally. Because of the production of progressive medical modalities, the current follow-up care should be corrected.

Conclusion

The specific follow-up schedule for computed tomography imaging may be more or less frequent, depending upon risk factors for recurrence. Many different predictors of postoperative recurrence may help to optimize the patient selection for specified surveillance guidelines and personalized adjuvant therapies to prevent possibly occult micrometastases and to get a better outcome.

Proportion of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients that Would Have Been Eligible for Lung Cancer Screening

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer screening is recommended for current smokers (CS) and former smokers (FS) who meet specific age and smoking criteria. We used existing criteria to estimate the proportion of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients that would have been screening-eligible.

METHODS

We identified 2030 NSCLC patients at our institution from 1994 to 2014 and recorded their cigarette smoking status and history. Using criteria from the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) and from other organizations, we ascertained the proportions of screening-eligible patients. Associations among smoking status, gender, race/ethnicity, and insurance type were assessed using Chi-Square test.

RESULTS

In our cohort, 31.0% (n = 630) were CS, 43.0% (n = 873) were FS, and 26.0% (n = 527) were never smokers. There were 698 patients (34.4%) who met all USPSTF screening criteria. Among 1503 CS and FS, 77.5% (n = 1165) were between age 55 and 80 years, and 67.9% (n = 1021) had smoked ≥ 30 pack-years. Among FS, 50.4% (n = 440) had quit within 15 years of diagnosis. Median pack-years smoked was 40 (interquartile range, 20-55 pack-years). CS were more likely to meet screening criteria than FS (67.5% vs. 31.3%; P < .0001). Significant differences were found among individuals meeting criteria by gender, race/ethnicity, and insurance type.

CONCLUSION

Only a third of patients diagnosed with NSCLC were eligible for lung cancer screening based on USPSTF criteria. FS were less likely to meet all screening criteria due to only half meeting the quit-time criterion. Additional evidence is needed to evaluate the utility of restricting screening among FS to those who quit within 15 years.

Urinary N1, N12-diacetylspermine is a non-invasive marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Early detection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and accurate prognostic risk assessment could improve patient outcome. We examined the significance of urinary N(1), N(12)-diacetylspermine (DiAcSpm) in the detection and prognostic stratification of NSCLC patients.

METHODS

A DiAcSpm/cutoff ratio (DASr) was established for 260 NSCLC patients, 99 benign lung disease patients, and 140 healthy volunteers, using colloidal gold aggregation methods. The DASr was compared between patients and healthy controls, and the prognostic significance of DASr was examined.

RESULTS

The median urinary DASr of NSCLC patients was significantly higher than that of healthy controls (0.810 vs 0.534, P<0.001). The DASr was higher in squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) patients than in adenocarcinoma patients (1.18 vs 0.756, respectively, P=0.039). An increased urinary DASr value was significantly associated with pathological stage, other histological invasive factors and unfavourable outcomes in patients with completely resected NSCLC. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that increased urinary DASr was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio=4.652, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.092-10.35; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary DASr was significantly increased in NSCLC, especially in SqCC. Urinary DASr was an independent poor prognostic indicator in patients with completely resected NSCLC. The DASr could be a useful biomarker for detecting malignancies and predicting prognosis.

The role of IRES trans-acting factors in carcinogenesis

Regulation of protein expression through RNA metabolism is a key aspect of cellular homeostasis. Upon specific cellular stresses, distinct transcripts are selectively controlled to modify protein output in order to quickly and appropriately respond to stress. Reprogramming of the translation machinery is one node of this strict control that typically consists of an attenuation of the global, cap-dependent translation and accompanying switch to alternative mechanisms of translation initiation, such as internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-mediated initiation. In cancer, many aspects of the RNA metabolism are frequently misregulated to provide cancer cells with a growth and survival advantage. This includes changes in the expression and function of RNA binding proteins termed IRES trans-acting factors (ITAFs) that are central to IRES translation. In this review, we will examine select emerging, as well as established, ITAFs with important roles in cancer initiation and progression, and in particular their role in IRES-mediated translation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Translation and Cancer.

Combining COPD with clinical, pathological and demographic information refines prognosis and treatment response prediction of non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Accurate assessment of a patient’s risk of recurrence and treatment response is an important prerequisite of personalized therapy in lung cancer. This study extends a previously described non-small cell lung cancer prognostic model by the addition of chemotherapy and co-morbidities through the use of linked SEER-Medicare data.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Data on 34,203 lung adenocarcinoma and 26,967 squamous cell lung carcinoma patients were used to determine the contribution of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to prognostication in 30 treatment combinations. A Cox model including COPD was estimated on 1,000 bootstrap samples, with the resulting model assessed on ROC, Brier Score, Harrell’s C, and Nagelkerke’s R² metrics in order to evaluate improvements in prognostication over a model without COPD. The addition of COPD to the model incorporating cancer stage, age, gender, race, and tumor grade was shown to improve prognostication in multiple patient groups. For lung adenocarcinoma patients, there was an improvement on the prognostication in the overall patient population and in patients without receiving chemotherapy, including those receiving surgery only. For squamous cell carcinoma, an improvement on prognostication was seen in both the overall patient population and in patients receiving multiple types of chemotherapy. COPD condition was able to stratify patients receiving the same treatments into significantly (log-rank p<0.05) different prognostic groups, independent of cancer stage.

Conclusion/Significance

Combining patient information on COPD, cancer stage, age, gender, race, and tumor grade could improve prognostication and prediction of treatment response in individual non-small cell lung cancer patients. This model enables refined prognosis and estimation of clinical outcome of comprehensive treatment regimens, providing a useful tool for personalized clinical decision-making.

Early lung cancer in the elderly: sublobar resection provides equivalent long-term survival in comparison with lobectomy

Aim of the study

The worldwide population shift towards older ages will inevitably lead to more elderly patients being diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It still remains controversial whether sublobar resection is effective in such cases at an early stage. To answer this question, we need to understand the clinical characteristics of these tumors.

Material and methods

From 2004 to 2010, a total of 167 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of age ≥ 70 years underwent complete resection in our institution. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed as regards gender, stage of disease, histology, smoking status, smoking amount, drinking status, surgical approaches and overall survival. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

Results

The overall 5-year survival rate was 62.4%. There were 122 (73.1%) patients who underwent standard lobectomy resection and 45 (26.9%) patients underwent sublobar resection. Patients with different surgical approaches (lobectomy and sublobar resection) had nearly the same 5-year survival rate (60.9% vs. 63.4%, p = 0.558). Gender (p = 0.023), smoking status (p = 0.045) and smoking amount (p = 0.007) significantly influenced the prognosis.

Conclusions

In elderly stage I NSCLC patients, sublobar resection is considered to be an appropriate treatment in comparison with lobectomy, as this procedure provides equivalent long-term survival.

Prognostic and predictive role of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in recurrent pulmonary adenocarcinoma after curative resection

OBJECTIVES

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment prolongs the progression-free survival of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harbouring EGFR mutations. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors influencing survival after recurrence, and the effectiveness of EGFR-TKIs in patients with recurrent pulmonary adenocarcinoma after curative resection.

METHODS

EGFR mutations were prospectively evaluated in 594 patients who underwent curative surgical resection for pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Among them, 138 patients who had postoperative recurrent disease were enrolled in the study. Potential prognostic factors for post-recurrence survival (PRS) were evaluated, and predictive factors of responsiveness to EGFR-TKIs were also analysed.

RESULTS

Among the 138 patients who had postoperative recurrent disease, EGFR mutations were identified in 73 (52.9%) patients. In multivariable analysis, never-smoking status [hazard ratio (HR), 0.522; P = 0.012], adjuvant radiotherapy (HR, 1.995; P = 0.016), disease-free interval of less than 1 year from initial resection to recurrence (HR, 2.382; P = 0.001), surgical treatment for recurrence (HR, 0.346; P = 0.002) and EGFR mutation (HR, 0.552; P = 0.013) were independent prognostic factors for PRS. Among patients treated with EGFR-TKI, EGFR mutation status was the only predictor of response to EGFR-TKI (P < 0.001), and patients with EGFR mutation showed better PRS (3- and 5-year survival rates after recurrence, 68.8 and 41.1%, respectively) than those without EGFR mutations (3- and 5-year survival rates after recurrence, 39.1 and 15.7%, respectively; P = 0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that EGFR mutation is an independent prognostic factor for PRS. Considering that EGFR mutations were the only independent predictors for response to EGFR-TKIs, selecting patients for EGFR-TKI therapy according to EGFR mutation status may lead to a better prognosis in patients with recurrent pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

The influence of smoking intensity on the clinicopathologic features and survival of patients with surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Smoking is a well-known carcinogen for lung cancer. However, whether smoking affects the biological behavior of lung cancer remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the influences of smoking intensity on the clinicopathologic characteristics of and survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 2238 consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for NSCLC between 1990 and 2010. Smoking intensity was defined as pack-years (PY). The patients were divided into three groups according to the median value of smoking intensity (40 PY): group A (never smokers), group B (smoking intensity less than 40 PY) and group C (smoking intensity more than 40 PY).

RESULTS

There were 1629 (72.8%) male patients, and the mean age was 61.71 ± 13.17 years. Adenocarcinoma was reported in 1058 (47.3%) patients. The median follow-up period was 30.7 months (range: 0.0-261.7 months). The 5-year overall survivals for groups A, B and C were 60.1%, 51.6% and 43.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). In subset analysis by histology, the 5-year overall survival was significantly different according to smoking intensity in adenocarcinoma (p < 0.001), but there was no difference in the non-adenocarcinoma. In adenocarcinoma, the incidences of vascular invasion (p = 0.028), pleural invasion (p = 0.013) and poor differentiation (p < 0.001) were higher and tumor sizes (p < 0.001) were greater in group C than others. On multivariate analysis, smoking intensity was an adverse risk factor for overall survival in surgically treated adenocarcinoma patients (hazard ratio = 1.008, p = 0.028).

CONCLUSION

Smoking intensity was an adverse prognostic factor after surgical resection of adenocarcinoma. Heavy smoking was correlated with poor pathologic characteristics in adenocarcinoma.

Quantified smoking status and non-small cell lung cancer stage at presentation: analysis of a North Indian cohort and a systematic review of literature

BACKGROUND

There are variable observations in published literature regarding smoking status and stage of lung cancer (LC) with positive, negative and no associations being reported. In particular, data regarding the association of quantified smoking status (QSS) with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stage at the time of diagnosis is limited. In India, bidi - the hand rolled form of tobacco wrapped in the dried tendu leaf - is the most common smoking product. The current study was conducted to assess stage differences, if any, based upon QSS, among newly diagnosed LC patients.

METHODS

A systematic review of English literature was performed for previous publications that had assessed NSCLC stage differences in relation to QSS. Collected data on demographic and disease characteristics of 654 LC patients presenting to the authors' institute was also analyzed. Smoking index (SI) was used for QSS and was defined as number of bidis and cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by years smoked. Patients were categorized as never-smokers [Group I, n=151]; light/moderate smokers (SI=1-300) [Group II, n=202] and heavy smokers (SI ≥301) [Group III, n=301]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (LRA) was performed to derive adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Among the 520 NSCLC patients, mean [standard deviation (SD)] age in groups I, II and III was 54.5 (12.5), 58.6 (9.9) and 61.2 (9.4) years respectively (P<0.001). Percentage of males in the three groups was 48.1%, 88.0%, and 97.9% (P<0.001). Age and gender differences between groups I, II and III were also significant among 134 small cell lung cancer patients with mean (SD) ages of 44.0 (10.6), 55.7 (10.3) and 58.9 (9.3) years (P<0.001) and percentage of males being 50.0%, 90.4% and 95.5% respectively (P<0.001). Among NSCLC patients, distribution in groups I, II and III respectively of squamous (28.1%, 50.0% and 57.9%) and non-squamous histologies (59.3%, 37.3% and 27.2%) differed significantly (P<0.001). Stage distribution observed for NSCLC patients in groups I, II and III respectively was as follows: stages I-IIIA (8.1%, 19.3 and 18.7%), stage IIIB (24.4%, 34.7% and 42.1%) and stage IV (67.4%, 46.0% and 39.1%). The difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Differences remained significant (P<0.001) for presence of extrathoracic disease [ETD] (41.5%, 28.0% and 16.6%). On multivariate LRA, SI ≥301 was the only variable that was independently associated with both advanced stage (IIIB-IV) [OR=0.25 (95% CI=0.11-0.61)] and ETD [OR=0.29 (95% CI=0.16-0.53)] at presentation.

CONCLUSIONS

Among newly diagnosed NSCLC patients in North India, significant differences exist, based upon SI, for disease stage. Heavy smoking was independently associated with lower odds of having advanced stage as well as with lower odds of having ETD at the time of diagnosis. This observation of the current study however requires confirmation by larger prospective studies.

Histology as a potential clinical predictor of outcome in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with vinorelbine and mitomycin combination chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

The importance of clinical predictors in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has increased during the last decade. This retrospective study analyzed the combined patient-level data from two phase II trials that investigated the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The aim of this analysis was to determine if patients' baseline and disease characteristics, including histology, gender, smoking history, and expression of TTF-1, might be potential predictors of outcome.

METHODS

Response rates, unadjusted survival times, and Cox covariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated. Results were reported separately for each subgroup in each individual trial and in the pooled data set.

RESULTS

A total of 175 patients were included in this analysis. Adjusted HRs for both overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) favored the nonadenocarcinoma histology subgroup, achieving a statistical significance for OS in the pooled data (n = 175; HR 0.68; 95 % CI 0.49-0.94; p = 0.019). TTF-1-negative immunohistochemistry was associated with a significantly higher response rate (25 vs. 0 %; p = 0.04) and with a nonsignificant advantage in OS (n = 33; HR 1.23; 95 % CI 0.56-2.73; p = 0.608). Gender and smoking history were not strongly related to outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this analysis indicate that patients with nonadenocarcinoma histology might get superior benefit from combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin. These results should be confirmed in a prospective study.

Causes of death of patients with lung cancer

CONTEXT

The causes of death for patients with lung cancer are inadequately described.

OBJECTIVE

To categorize the immediate and contributing causes of death for patients with lung cancer.

DESIGN

The autopsies from 100 patients who died of lung cancer between 1990 and February 2011 were analyzed.

RESULTS

Tumor burden was judged the immediate cause of death in 30 cases, including 26 cases of extensive metastases and 4 cases with wholly or primarily lung tumor burden (causing respiratory failure). Infection was the immediate cause of death for 20 patients, including 8 with sepsis and 12 with pneumonia. Complications of metastatic disease were the immediate causes of death in 18 cases, including 6 cases of hemopericardium from pericardial metastases, 3 from myocardial metastases, 3 from liver metastases, and 3 from brain metastases. Other immediate causes of death were pulmonary hemorrhage (12 cases), pulmonary embolism (10 cases, 2 tumor emboli), and pulmonary diffuse alveolar damage (7 cases). From a functional (pathophysiologic) perspective, respiratory failure could be regarded as the immediate cause of death (or mechanism of death) in 38 cases, usually because of a combination of lung conditions, including emphysema, airway obstruction, pneumonia, hemorrhage, embolism, resection, and lung injury in addition to the tumor. For 94 of the 100 patients, there were contributing causes of death, with an average of 2.5 contributing causes and up to 6 contributing causes of death.

CONCLUSIONS

The numerous and complex ways lung cancer kills patients pose a challenge for efforts to extend and improve their lives.

Pathway-based identification of a smoking associated 6-gene signature predictive of lung cancer risk and survival

OBJECTIVE

Smoking is a prominent risk factor for lung cancer. However, it is not an established prognostic factor for lung cancer in clinics. To date, no gene test is available for diagnostic screening of lung cancer risk or prognostication of clinical outcome in smokers. This study sought to identify a smoking associated gene signature in order to provide a more precise diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer in smokers.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

An implication network based methodology was used to identify biomarkers by modeling crosstalk with major lung cancer signaling pathways. Specifically, the methodology contains the following steps: (1) identifying genes significantly associated with lung cancer survival; (2) selecting candidate genes which are differentially expressed in smokers versus non-smokers from the survival genes identified in Step 1; (3) from these candidate genes, constructing gene coexpression networks based on prediction logic for the smoker group and the non-smoker group, respectively; (4) identifying smoking-mediated differential components, i.e., the unique gene coexpression patterns specific to each group; and (5) from the differential components, identifying genes directly co-expressed with major lung cancer signaling hallmarks.

RESULTS

A smoking-associated 6-gene signature was identified for prognosis of lung cancer from a training cohort (n=256). The 6-gene signature could separate lung cancer patients into two risk groups with distinct post-operative survival (log-rank P<0.04, Kaplan-Meier analyses) in three independent cohorts (n=427). The expression-defined prognostic prediction is strongly related to smoking association and smoking cessation (P<0.02; Pearson's Chi-squared tests). The 6-gene signature is an accurate prognostic factor (hazard ratio=1.89, 95% CI: [1.04, 3.43]) compared to common clinical covariates in multivariate Cox analysis. The 6-gene signature also provides an accurate diagnosis of lung cancer with an overall accuracy of 73% in a cohort of smokers (n=164). The coexpression patterns derived from the implication networks were validated with interactions reported in the literature retrieved with STRING8, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, and Pathway Studio.

CONCLUSIONS

The pathway-based approach identified a smoking-associated 6-gene signature that predicts lung cancer risk and survival. This gene signature has potential clinical implications in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer in smokers.

Difference in survival and prognostic factors between smokers and never-smokers with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Our aims were to investigate whether the association between smoking and survival is significant when adjusted for prognostic factors including use of epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the Glasgow Prognostic Score, an established score for inflammation, and to explore prognostic factors.

METHODS

We analyzed 244 patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small-cell lung cancer in a registry, including only chemotherapy-receiving outpatients with performance status zero.

RESULTS

Of 244 patients, 170 had died and the median follow-up time for the 74 surviving patients was 12.0 months. In multivariate Cox regression, smoker (hazard ratio compared to never-smoker: 1.67, P < 0.01), stage IV (hazard ratio compared to IIIB: 1.72, P < 0.01), and elevated C-reactive protein level (hazard ratio per 1 mg/dL increase: 1.08, P < 0.01) were significantly associated with shorter survival. The association between survival and smoking was significant, even after adjustment for the Glasgow Prognostic Score and regimens of chemotherapy (hazard ratio: 1.72, P = 0.02). In never-smokers, increased neutrophils were a major determinant of shorter survival and the interaction test between smoking and neutrophils was significant (hazard ratio per 1,000/mm(3) increase for smokers: 1.01; hazard ratio per 1,000/mm(3) increase for never-smokers: 1.44, P for interaction <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Known factors including treatment response or inflammatory process are not responsible for the fact that advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients without any history of smoking have better survival than those who have smoked.

Outcome of advanced NSCLC patients harboring sensitizing EGFR mutations randomized to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors or chemotherapy as first-line treatment: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are effective as first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations (EGFR-M+).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a literature-based meta-analysis to quantify the magnitude of benefit with upfront EGFR TKI in EGFR-M+ patients. Meta-regression and sensitivity analyses were also carried out to identify additional predictors of outcome and to assess the influence of trial design.

RESULTS

Five trials (805 patients) were identified (three trials prospectively enrolling EGFR-M+ patients and two retrospective analyses of EGFR-M+ patients). TKI significantly increased progression-free survival (PFS) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36-0.58, P < 0.0001] and overall response rate (ORR) (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.75-2.46, P < 0.0001)] over chemotherapy, while significantly decreasing neutropenia. No significant difference was observed in overall survival. The rate of exon-19 mutations, female gender, and nonsmoking status were identified as additional predictors of outcome at meta-regression analysis. A significant interaction with trial design was found for both PFS (P = 0.028) and ORR (P = 0.008), suggesting a larger advantage for patients treated within prospective trials.

CONCLUSIONS

In EGFR-M+ patients, first-line TKI increase both PFS and ORR by ~25%, while significantly decreasing toxicity. The role of additional predictive factors and the influence of trial design on the magnitude of the observed benefit warrant further investigation.

A gene expression signature from peripheral whole blood for stage I lung adenocarcinoma

Affordable early screening in subjects with high risk of lung cancer has great potential to improve survival from this deadly disease. We measured gene expression from lung tissue and peripheral whole blood (PWB) from adenocarcinoma cases and controls to identify dysregulated lung cancer genes that could be tested in blood to improve identification of at-risk patients in the future. Genome-wide mRNA expression analysis was conducted in 153 subjects (73 adenocarcinoma cases, 80 controls) from the Environment And Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology study using PWB and paired snap-frozen tumor and noninvolved lung tissue samples. Analyses were conducted using unpaired t tests, linear mixed effects, and ANOVA models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was computed to assess the predictive accuracy of the identified biomarkers. We identified 50 dysregulated genes in stage I adenocarcinoma versus control PWB samples (false discovery rate ≤0.1, fold change ≥1.5 or ≤0.66). Among them, eight (TGFBR3, RUNX3, TRGC2, TRGV9, TARP, ACP1, VCAN, and TSTA3) differentiated paired tumor versus noninvolved lung tissue samples in stage I cases, suggesting a similar pattern of lung cancer-related changes in PWB and lung tissue. These results were confirmed in two independent gene expression analyses in a blood-based case-control study (n = 212) and a tumor-nontumor paired tissue study (n = 54). The eight genes discriminated patients with lung cancer from healthy controls with high accuracy (AUC = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.74-0.87). Our finding suggests the use of gene expression from PWB for the identification of early detection markers of lung cancer in the future.

The prognostic impact of cigarette smoking on patients with non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

The purposes of this study are to investigate the association between cigarette smoking and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to evaluate its significance as a predictor of recurrence after resection.

METHODS

A total of 2295 consecutive patients with NSCLC underwent complete resection with systematic node dissection between August 1992 and December 2006 at the National Cancer Center Hospital East.

RESULTS

A statistically significant difference in the 5-year overall survival rate was observed between never and ever smokers in patients with stage I (92% and 76%, respectively, p < 0.001) NSCLC, whereas no difference was observed in stage II (57% and 52%, respectively, p = 0.739) and stage III (30% and 33%, respectively, p = 0.897). In patients with stage I NSCLC, 5-year recurrence-free proportions (RFPs) for never and ever smokers were 89% and 80%, respectively (p < 0.001). In contrast, the 5-year RFPs for never smokers were lower than those for ever smokers in stage II (44% and 60%, respectively, p = 0.049) and stage III (17% and 31%, respectively, p = 0.004). In stage I patients, significant difference in 5-year RFP was observed between never and ever smokers (89% and 83%, respectively) in patients with adenocarcinoma, but not in patients with nonadenocarcinoma (82% and 76%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking history showed different impact on postoperative recurrence in patients with NSCLC between stage I and stages II and III, and depending on histology in stage I patients. Disease stages should be considered while evaluating smoking history as a predictor of recurrence.

Female gender is an independent prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

It is not clear whether women with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) live significantly longer than men. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies to quantitatively compare NSCLC survival data between genders.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A MEDLINE Web search for computer-archived bibliographic data regarding overall survival differences between genders was performed. DerSimonian-Laird random effects analysis was used to estimate the pooled hazard ratio (HR).

RESULTS

We selected 39 articles as appropriate data sources, involving 86 800 patients including 32 701 women and 54 099 men. Combined HRs for women vs. men in studies using univariate and multivariate analyses respectively were 0.79 (p <0.0001) and 0.78 (p <0.0001). Pooled HRs for 3 study subgroups having (1) fewer than 30% stage I cases, (2) fewer than 50% adenocarcinoma cases, and (3) statistical adjustment for smoking status all indicated the survival advantage of women.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis of published data concerning NSCLC patients indicated significantly better survival for women.

Association of cigarette smoking with interval to biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy: results from the SEARCH database

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the association between cigarette smoking and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy among men from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) cohort.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 1267 subjects from the SEARCH cohort treated from 1998 to 2008 with smoking status available from the preoperative notes. A comparison of the baseline patient and disease characteristics between the current smokers and nonsmokers (past and never smokers combined) was performed using the chi-square and rank sum tests. The univariate and multivariate associations between smoking status and BCR-free survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plots, the log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

Of the 1267 patients, 408 (32%) were active smokers and 859 (68%) were nonsmokers at surgery. The current smokers were younger (P < .001), more likely to be black (P < .001), and had a lower body mass index (P < .001), a greater percentage of positive biopsy cores (P = .039), a greater preoperative prostate-specific antigen level (P = .003), more extracapsular extension (P = .003) and seminal vesicle invasion (P = .029), and lower prostate volumes (P = .002). On univariate analysis, smokers had a risk of BCR similar to that of nonsmokers (hazard ratio 1.19, P = .129). On multivariate analysis, smoking was associated with an increased risk of BCR when adjusted for body mass index only (hazard ratio 1.37, P = .008). However, after adjustment for multiple preoperative characteristics, the association was attenuated and no longer statistically significant (hazard ratio 1.12, P = .325). After additional adjustment for postoperative features, such as tumor grade and stage, smoking was unrelated to the risk of BCR (hazard ratio 0.91, P = .502).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients undergoing radical prostatectomy in the SEARCH cohort, cigarette smoking was associated with slightly more advanced disease but a similar risk of BCR.

Gender-associated differences in lung cancer: clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in women

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. In recent years the incidence of lung cancer in men has been declining, while in women it has been increasing. A number of population-based studies have demonstrated gender-based differences in clinical and pathologic factors, as well as in survival related to lung cancer. Disparities in age, smoking practices, and histological subtypes are among the differences that have been identified. Gender disparity also has been observed in outcomes, with improved survival observed for women in a number of clinical trials. This article reviews the gender-related differences in clinical and pathologic factors and outcomes of patients with lung cancer observed in population-based studies and clinical trials.