Treatment of clinical T4 stage superior sulcus non-small cell lung cancer: a propensity-matched analysis of the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database

Construction, validation and, visualization of a web-based nomogram to identify the best candidates for primary tumor resection in advanced cutaneous melanoma patients

Background

Existing studies have shown whether primary site resection (PSR) in cutaneous melanoma (CM) patients with stage IV is controversial. Our study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of CM patients with stage IV who benefited from PSR on a population-based study.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed stage IV CM patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015. Patients were divided into surgical and non-surgical groups according to whether PSR was performed or not. According to the median cancer-specific survival (CSS) time of the non-surgery group, the surgical group was divided into the surgery-benefit group and the non-surgery-benefit group. Multivariate cox regression analysis was used to explore independent CSS prognostic factors in the surgical group. Then, based on the independent prognostic factors of the surgical group, we established a web-based nomogram based on logistics regression.

Results

A total of 574 stage IV CM patients were included in our study, and 491 (85.60%) patients were included in the surgical group. The clinical characteristics (benefit group and non-benefit group) included age, M stage, lesion location, and ulceration status. These independent prognostic factors were includeed to construct a web-based nomogram.

Conclusions

We constructed a web-based nomogram. This model was suitable for identifying the best candidates suitable for PSR in stage IV CM patients.

Short-chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase: A novel vital oncogene or tumor suppressor gene in cancers

The reprogramming of cellular metabolism is frequently linked to tumorigenesis. Glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids are the specific substrates involved in how an organism maintains metabolic equilibrium. The HADH gene codes for the short-chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH), a crucial enzyme in fatty acid oxidation that catalyzes the third phase of fatty acid oxidation in mitochondria. Increasing data suggest that HADH is differentially expressed in various types of malignancies and is linked to cancer development and progression. The significance of HADH expression in tumors and its potential mechanisms of action in the onset and progression of certain cancers are summarized in this article. The possible roles of HADH as a target and/or biomarker for the detection and treatment of various malignancies is also described here.

Predicted outcomes of subdividing M1-stage metastatic lung cancer based on the prognosis and the response to local consolidative therapy

Background

For stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, systemic therapy is the main strategy, and local consolidative therapy tends to be performed for patients with oligometastases. The porpose of this article is to evaluate the prognostic effects of local consolidative therapy for patients with stage IV NSCLC and divide these patients into different subcategories to stratify the prognoses.

Methods

A total of 30,583 patients with stage IV NSCLC were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. To identify factors related to high cancer-specific mortality (CSM) rates and compare the prognostic effects of different treatment strategies, a competing risk model was developed. Furthermore, independent prognostic factors identified through multivariable analysis were employed to supplement the current M1 subcategory. Cumulative incidence curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare prognostic differences.

Results

The CSM rates of M1a, M1b, and M1c patients were significantly different [M1b versus M1a: subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR), 1.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.31-1.45; P<0.001; M1c vs. M1a: SHR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.67-1.85; P<0.001]. Patients were divided into five groups depending on the M1 subcategory and liver involvement (Group A, M1c NSCLC with liver involvement; Group B, M1c NSCLC without liver involvement; Group C, M1b NSCLC with liver involvement; Group D, M1b NSCLC without liver involvement; and Group E, M1a NSCLC). Univariable analysis showed that liver involvement was associated with increased cancer-specific mortality (CSM) rates in both M1b and M1c patients (A vs. B: SHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.30-1.43; P<0.001; C vs. D: SHR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.20-1.35; P<0.001). Primary tumor surgery plus chemotherapy may substantially benefit patients, especially M1b patients (surgery alone: SHR, 0.425; 95% CI, 0.361-0.500; P<0.001 vs. chemotherapy alone: SHR, 0.366; 95% CI, 0.352-0.382; P<0.001 vs. chemotherapy plus surgery: SHR, 0.194; 95% CI, 0.165-0.228; P<0.001; no treatment used as reference).

Conclusions

Subdivision of M1 disease and awareness of liver involvement may help to inform the prognosis of stage IV NSCLC patients and facilitate treatment planning.

A nationwide population-based cohort study of surgical care for patients with superior sulcus tumors: Results from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit for Surgery (DLCA-S)

OBJECTIVES

Data on national patterns of care for patients with superior sulcus tumors (SST) is currently lacking. We investigated the distribution of surgical care and outcome for patients with SST in the Netherlands.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data was retrieved from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit for Surgery (DLCA-S) for all patients undergoing resection for clinical stage IIB-IV SST from 2012 to 2019. Because DLCA-S is not linked to survival data, survival for a separate cohort (2015-2017) was obtained from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR).

RESULTS

In the study period, 181 patients had SST surgery, representing 1.03% (181/17488) of all lung cancer pulmonary resections. For 2015-2017, the SST resection rate was 14.4% (79/549), and patients with stage IIB/III SST treated with trimodality had a 3-year overall survival of 67.4%. 63.5% of patients were male, and median age was 60 years. Almost 3/4 of tumors were right sided. Surgery was performed in 20 hospitals, with average number of annual resections ranging from ≤ 1 (n = 17) to 9 (n = 1). 39.8% of resections were performed in 1 center and 63.5% in the 3 most active centers. 12.7% of resections were extended (e.g. vertebral resection). 85.1% of resections were complete (R0). Morbidity and 30-day mortality were 51.4% and 3.3% respectively. Despite treating patients with a higher ECOG performance score and more extended resections, the highest volume center had rates of morbidity/mortality, and length of hospital stay that were comparable to those of the medium volume (n = 2) and low-volume centers (n = 1).

CONCLUSION

In the Netherlands, surgery for SST accounts for about 1% of all lung cancer pulmonary resections, the number of SST resections/hospital/year varies widely, with most centers performing an average of ≤ 1/year. Morbidity and mortality are acceptable and survival compares favourably with the literature. Although further centralisation is possible, it is unknown whether this will improve outcomes.