Epidemiological features and survival outcomes in patients with malignant pulmonary blastoma: a US population-based analysis

Pulmonary blastoma with a good prognosis: a case report and review of the literature

Pulmonary blastoma (PB) is a rare, highly malignant tumor prone to distant metastasis and recurrence, and the prognosis of these patients is often poor. We report a case of metastatic PB with a good prognosis with the aim of providing data to support a clinical diagnosis and treatment. In December 2015, a 43-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital because of a cough and blood-stained sputum. Positron emission-computed tomography showed massive high-density imaging in the lower lobe of the right lung, with a maximum cross-section of 76 × 58 mm. Thoracoscopic-assisted right lower lobectomy with lymph node dissection was performed. After 1 month, computed tomography showed a high possibility of metastasis. The patient then received docetaxel and cisplatin chemotherapy for a total of six courses. After chemotherapy, enhanced computed tomography showed considerable absorption of pleural effusion, and a left lobe pulmonary nodule was not detected. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was PB, and epithelial and mesenchymal differentiation components were observed. The patient continued to visit the hospital regularly for re-examination and imaging examinations. Currently, no signs of recurrence or distant metastasis have been detected.

Predictive Factors of Mortality in Pediatric Pleuropulmonary Blastoma: A Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Database Analysis

Purpose

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare malignancy associated with mutations in the DICER1 gene. Early-stage disease (PPB type I) mimics cystic lung malformations and develops in infants <1 year of age, and PPB type II and III arises in older children. The objective of this study was to analyze predictive factors of mortality in pediatric patients aged 0-19 years diagnosed with PPB between 2000 and 2019 in the USA.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of pediatric patients (0-19 years) in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database was conducted from 2000 to 2019 with a diagnosis of PPB using International Classification of Disease for Oncology, third edition code 8973/3 and rare tumor code 45. Demographics, incidence, staging, treatment, and mortality were extracted. A mortality risk predictive equation was developed using logistic regression. Statistical analysis was conducted through Microsoft Excel Analysis ToolPak and Solver.

Results

There were a total of 71 new cases of PPB during the study period, with 16 (22%) deaths. The demographic analysis demonstrated that 40/71 (56.3%) patients were female, 57/71 (80.3%) were White, and 64/71 (90.1%) resided in metropolitan areas. Regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between mortality and stage (P = 0.029), need for chemotherapy (P = 0.047), and female sex (P = 0.019). There was no significant correlation between mortality and need for radiation, race, or age at diagnosis. Multiple logistic regression analysis generated a predictive equation of mortality dependent on the stage of PPB, need for chemotherapy, and sex. This equation has an 82% accuracy, 81% sensitivity, and an 18% false positive rate.

Conclusion

PPB is a rare disease. Distinguishing PPB from benign cystic lung malformations in infancy is important to avoid progression to Type II and III PPB. Advanced stages of PPB have a greater need for systemic chemotherapy and radiation with a poor prognosis.

Patient Characteristics, Treatment, and Survival in Pleuropulmonary Blastoma: An Analysis from the National Cancer Database

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare childhood tumor originating from the lung or pleura, typically treated with surgery, chemotherapy (CTx), and/or radiation therapy (RTx). This study aimed to assess patient and tumor features, treatment methods, and survival rates in PPB. We retrospectively analyzed PPB patients under 18 from 2004 to 2019, using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). We assessed 5-year overall survival (OS) rates based on disease presentation and treatment regimens, using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional regression. Among 144 cases identified, 45.9% were female, with a median age of 2 years (interquartile range 1-3). In all, 62.5% of tumors originated from the lung, and 10.4% from the pleura. Moreover, 6.9% were bilateral, and the median tumor size was 8.9 cm, with 4.2% presenting with metastases. The 5-year OS rate was 79.6%, with no significant change over time (2004-2009, 77.6%; 2010-2014, 90.8%; 2015-2019, OS 75.3%; p = 0.08). In all, 5.6% received CTx alone, 31.3% surgery alone, 45.8% surgery/CTx, and 17.4% surgery/CTx/RTx. The OS rates were comparable between the surgery/CTx/RTx (80.0%) and surgery/CTx (76.5%) groups (adjusted Hazard Ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 0.57-5.19; p = 0.34). Therefore, due to the unchanged survival rates over time, further prospective multicenter studies are needed to determine the optimal multimodal treatment regimens for this rare pediatric tumor.

Pulmonary blastoma is successfully treated with immunotherapy and targeted therapy

Pulmonary blastomas (PB) are an extremely rare type of lung cancer. Currently, no standard treatment exists for PB. Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenesis treatments has been an effective method for lung cancer; however, studies on PB treatment are lacking. Herein, we present a case report of successful conversion therapy with immunotherapy and targeted therapy for PB. After receiving treatment with a PD-1 inhibitor (penpulimab) and a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (anlotinib) treatment, the patient showed an impressive response and underwent a successful operation. We also summarized and reviewed literature reports on PubMed from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2022, using the keyword "pulmonary blastoma", discussing the efficacy and specifics of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Immunotherapy, in combination with targeted therapy, should be considered a potential therapeutic strategy for PB.

Adult Pulmonary Blastoma: A Case Report with Spectrum of Rare Manifestations

Pulmonary blastoma (PB) is an exceedingly rare and aggressive malignant lung neoplasm that has distinct biphasic morphology. In this report, we document rare manifestations and molecular alterations in PB. A 59-year-old non-smoker female, presented with cough and hemoptysis for 4 months. The high-resolution computed tomography chest scan showed a 3.5x2.7 cm mass in the basal segment of the left lung. Positron emission tomography and computed tomography revealed a fluorodeoxyglucose avid lobulated mass in the superior segment of the lower lobe of the left lung. On core biopsy, the diagnosis of pleomorphic carcinoma in a background of adenocarcinoma was made. A definite diagnosis of pulmonary blastoma was established on the left lung lobectomy specimen based on morphological and immunohistochemical findings. Post-surgical biopsy from the scalp swelling showed metastatic deposits. On Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), in addition to conventional CTNNB1 gene mutation, new pathogenic MYCN and ATM gene mutations were detected. Post-chemotherapy, the patient was doing well after 10 months of close follow-up. PB exhibited rare associations in the form of non-smoker status, scalp metastasis, and MYCN and ATM gene mutations on NGS in addition to conventional CTNNB1 gene mutation. Large cohort studies are required to discover the incidence, significance and therapeutic implications of these co-existing pathogenic molecular alterations in PB.

Survival analysis and nomogram for pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma: an SEER analysis and external validation

OBJECTIVE

Uncommon and particularly deadly, pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is an aggressive type of lung cancer. This research aimed to create a risk categorisation and nomogram to forecast the overall survival (OS) of patients with PSC.

METHODS

To develop the model, 899 patients with PSC were taken from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from the USA. We also used an exterior verification sample of 34 individuals with PSC from Fujian Provincial Hospital in China. The Cox regression hazards model and stepwise regression analysis were done to screen factors in developing a nomogram. The nomogram's ability to discriminate was measured employing the area under a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the concordance index (C-index) and the calibration curve. Decision curve analysis (DCA) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to evaluate the nomogram to the tumour-node-metastasis categorisation developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC-TNM), eighth edition, and an additional sample confirmed the nomogram's accuracy. We further developed a risk assessment system based on nomogram scores.

RESULTS

Six independent variables, age, sex, primary tumour site, pathological group, tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) clinical stage and therapeutic technique, were chosen to form the nomogram's basis. The nomogram indicated good discriminative ability with the C-index (0.763 in the training cohort and 0.746 in the external validation cohort) and time-dependent AUC. Calibration plots demonstrated high congruence between the prediction model and real-world evidence in both the validation and training cohorts. Nomogram outperformed the AJCC-TNM eighth edition classification in both DCA and IDI. Patients were classified into subgroups according to their risk ratings, and significant differences in OS were observed between them (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

We conducted a survival analysis and nomogram for PSC. This developed nomogram holds potential to serve as an efficient tool for clinicians in prognostic modelling.

Pulmonary blastoma treatment response to anti-PD-1 therapy: a rare case report and literature review

Pulmonary blastoma (PB) is a rare and invasive malignancy of the lungs with a poor prognosis. Although the mainstay treatment of PB is surgery, and radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been reported, no standard therapy exists for patients inoperable in advanced stages. Moreover, little is known about driver mutation status and immunotherapy efficacy. This paper presents a male patient diagnosed with classic biphasic PB using CT-guided lung biopsy pathology and immunohistochemistry. The patient's symptoms included cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, and hypodynamia. The primary focus of this paper is to discuss the impact of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy on PB. The patient experienced progression-free survival (PFS) of over 27 months following sintilimab second-line anti-PD-1 therapy. The patient has currently survived for nearly 40 months with a satisfactory quality of life.

Pulmonary blastoma that was first diagnosed as dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma using medical thoracoscopy: A case report

RATIONALE

Pulmonary blastoma is an extremely rare and highly aggressive tumor. Only a few hundred cases of pulmonary blastoma have been reported. In other cases, a definitive diagnosis is often made through surgical resection. The use of preoperative histopathological sampling in diagnosing was of limited value because of the variety of pulmonary blastoma histology. And there was no literature that the first biopsy was attempted with medical thoracoscopy for diagnosis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 65-year-old man presented to our hospital with pleural effusion and lung mass.

DIAGNOSES

The patient was initially diagnosed with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma by medical thoracoscopic biopsy but the final diagnosis was pulmonary blastoma through bilobectomy.

INTERVENTIONS

Medical thoracoscopy, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (bilobectomy) followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.

OUTCOMES

After surgical resection of the tumor, adjuvant chemotherapy has been performed 5 cycles at 3 weeks intervals, and there was no evidence of recurrence on follow-up computed tomography performed 4 months after surgery.

LESSONS

Medical thoracoscopy is useful for the diagnosis of indeterminate pleural effusion; however, caution is needed when confirming rare malignancies, such as pulmonary blastoma. Although surgical resection is the treatment of choice, appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy to improve the prognosis may be necessary if there is pleural metastasis.

Establishment of a Competing Risk Nomogram in Patients with Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma

Background and aim: Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare subtype of nonsmall cell lung cancer with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes among patients with PSC, lung squamous cell cancer (SCC), and lung adenocarcinoma (LAC), and to construct a competing risk nomogram for patients with PSC. Method: Data of 3 groups of patients diagnosed with PSC, SCC, or LAC from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database between 1988 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to balance the baseline data of patients. Independent risk factors associated with survival outcomes were screened by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and further determined by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analyses. The overall survival (OS) of patients was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis and compared with a log-rank test. The cumulative incidence function was used to estimate the 5-year probabilities of the cancer-specific mortality of PSC. A nomogram was constructed to illustrate the competing risk model to predict the 3- and 5-year OS, and corresponding concordance indexes (C-indexes) and calibration curves were used to assess and validate the competing risk nomogram. Results: A total of 2285 patients with PSC were included in this study. Compared with SCC and LAC patients, the Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that patients with PSC had a worse prognosis, with a median survival of 5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5-6 months) and a 5-year OS rate of 15.3% (95% CI: 13.9%-16.9%). Similar outcomes were demonstrated after 1:1 PSM. Moreover, the competing risk model showed that age, T stage, M stage, tumor size, lymph node ratio (LNR), surgery, and chemotherapy were associated with PSC-specific mortality. The 5-year C-index of the nomogram was 0.718. Calibration curves illustrated that the nomogram was well-validated and had great accuracy. Conclusions: Patients with PSC had a worse survival outcome compared with SCC or LAC patients. Age, T stage, M stage, tumor size, LNR, surgery, and chemotherapy were associated with PSC-specific mortality. The competing risk nomogram displayed excellent discrimination in predicting PSC-specific mortality.

Adult pulmonary blastoma in an adult with urothelial cancer: A case report

Pulmonary blastoma is an aggressive lung cancer with incidence ranging from 0.25–0.5 of all the reported lung cancers. Although, pulmonary blastoma is seen commonly in childhood its very rare in adults.

Surgical treatment is often the treatment of choice, but benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy are unclear.

People with DICER1 syndrome commonly develop Pulmonary blastoma and do have concomitant or previous history of benign or malignant tumours in extra pulmonary site like kidney, thyroid, ovary cervix testicle and eye.

As per our knowledge, this is the first case of adult pulmonary blastoma previously diagnosed with urothelial cancer and a strong familial predilection of malignancy, with negative genetic test for DICER1 mutations.

Classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma (CBPB): a rare primary pulmonary malignancy

Classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma (CBPB) is a very rare primary pulmonary malignancy with distinctive clinical and pathological features. Usually CBPB presents with either non specific symptoms or is diagnosed incidentally. Histologically CBPB is composed of a mixture of malignant epithelial and stromal cells resembling fetal lung tissue. Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment with further chemotherapy or radiotherapy on a case-by-case basis. However, due to its rarity, no definite treatment guidelines are available. CBPB overall has a very poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only 15%. Our patient presented with cough and haemoptysis. Her chest radiograph demonstrated a large right-sided lung mass. Further investigations included CT, CT-guided biopsy and PET CT which were discussed at multidisciplinary team meetings. The patient then underwent complete surgical excision. We report this rare malignancy with radiological and pathological features, comparing them with previously reported cases.