Initial Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

Circulating tumor cells: advancing personalized therapy in small cell lung cancer patients

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive cancer with a dismal 5-year survival of < 7%, despite the addition of immunotherapy to first-line chemotherapy. Specific tumor biomarkers, such as delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) and schlafen11 (SLFN11), may enable the selection of more efficacious, novel immunomodulating targeted treatments like bispecific T-cell engaging monoclonal antibodies (tarlatamab) and chemotherapy with PARP inhibitors. However, obtaining a tissue biopsy sample can be challenging in SCLC. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have the potential to provide molecular insights into a patient's cancer through a "simple" blood test. CTCs have been studied for their prognostic ability in SCLC; however, their value in guiding treatment decisions is yet to be elucidated. This review explores novel and promising targeted therapies in SCLC, summarizes current knowledge of CTCs in SCLC, and discusses how CTCs can be utilized for precision medicine.

Diagnostic outcomes of radial endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy guided by manual navigation in the evaluation of peripheral pulmonary lesions: An observational study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Manual navigation (MN), drawing a bronchoscopic road map simply by looking at the consecutive computed tomography (CT), is feasible and economical. However, scant data about the use of MN in radial endobronchial ultrasound (r-EBUS) bronchoscopy have been documented till now. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of r-EBUS bronchoscopy guided by MN for diagnosing peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) and to determine clinical factors affecting the diagnostic yield.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective, cohort study of consecutive patients with PPLs who underwent r-EBUS bronchoscopic biopsy via guidance of MN from May 2020 to June 2021 in our Respiratory Endoscopic Division. The overall diagnostic yield of MN-guided r-EBUS, the factors affecting the yield, and the diagnostic performance for malignancy were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 102 patients (103 lesions) were evaluated. The overall diagnostic yield of MN-guided r-EBUS was 82.0%, and it ranged from 79.6% to 82.5%, assuming the undermined cases were all positive cases (79.6%) or negatives (82.5%). The sensitivity of MN-guided r-EBUS for malignancy was 71.4%, ranging from 68.2% to 71.4%, the specificity was 100%, the positive predictive value was 100%, and the negative predictive value was 67.3%, ranging from 63.8% to 69.0%. The multivariate logistic regression showed that "bronchus sign on CT" was the only predictor of the overall diagnostic yield (odds ratio = 11.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.9-70.9, P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

MN-guided r-EBUS is feasible in diagnosing PPLs, especially for lesions with bronchus sign on CT.

Management of screening-detected ground glass nodules: a narrative review

Wide-scale application of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in lung cancer screening has led to an increased detection of ground glass nodule (GGN) lesions. However, there is still no clear management plan for these lesions after detection. Clinicians are usually faced with a dilemma in choosing the best initial management approach that not only limits overtreatment but also avoids the possibility of lesions growing into invasive carcinoma. Most current and past guidelines favor surveillance with computed tomography (CT) as the initial management approach based on the notion that the majority of GGN lesions are indolent tumors. Immediate surgery is generally considered overtreatment and is usually only recommended when the lesion grows in size, persists, or increases its solid component during follow-up CT surveillance. However, due to evolution of surgery to minimal invasive procedures, such as uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery, and the development of enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery protocols, modern surgery is now safer and associated with less postoperative mortality. Additionally, intraoperative frozen sections can be used to guide resection, making initial management via surgery more attractive than before. Based on these developments, this review recommends that immediate surgery should be considered at the same level as follow-up CT surveillance when making multidisciplinary team decisions for screening-detected GGNs, as it provides both a diagnostic and treatment role.

Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy: A Comprehensive Review of System Functions and Analysis of Outcome Data

The past two decades have witnessed a revolutionary era for peripheral bronchoscopy. Though the initial description of radial endobronchial ultrasound can be traced back to 1992, it was not until the mid-2000s that its utilization became commonplace, primarily due to the introduction of electromagnetic navigation (EMN) bronchoscopy. While the diagnostic yield of EMN-assisted sampling has shown substantial improvement over historical fluoroscopy-assisted bronchoscopic biopsy, its diagnostic yield plateaued at around 70%. Factors contributing to this relatively low diagnostic yield include discrepancies in computed tomography to body divergence, which led to unsuccessful lesion localization and resultant unsuccessful sampling of the lesion. Furthermore, much of peripheral bronchoscopy utilized a plastic extended working channel whose tips were difficult to finely aim at potential targets. However, the recent introduction of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, and its associated stability within the peripheral lung, has ignited optimism for its potential to significantly enhance the diagnostic performance for peripheral lesions. Moreover, some envision this technology eventually playing a pivotal role in the therapeutic delivery to lung tumors. This review aims to describe the currently available robotic-assisted bronchoscopy technologies and to discuss the existing scientific evidence supporting these.

CT-Guided vs. Navigational Bronchoscopic Biopsies for Solitary Pulmonary Nodules: A Single-Institution Retrospective Comparison

OBJECTIVE

Lung cancer is the second most common cause of death by cancer. Multiple modalities can be used to obtain a tissue sample from a pulmonary nodule. We aimed to compare the yield and adverse events related to transthoracic needle aspiration (TTNA) and Electromagnetic Navigation Biopsy (ENB) at our institution.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective study in which all patients referred for evaluation of a pulmonary lesion over 5 years (1 January 2013 to 31 December 2018) were identified. Our primary outcome was to compare the accuracy of TTNA to that of ENB in establishing the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions. Secondary outcomes included the evaluation of the adverse events and the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value of each modality.

RESULTS

A total of 1006 patients were analyzed. The mean age of patients in the TTNA and the ENB group was 67.2 ± 11.2 years and 68.3 ± 9.2 years respectively. Local anesthesia was predominantly used for TTNA and moderate sedation was more commonly used in the ENB group. We found ENB to have an accuracy of 57.1%, with a sensitivity of 40.0%, a specificity of 100.0%, a positive predictive value of 100.0%, and a negative predictive value of 40.0%. As for the TTNA, the accuracy was 75.9%, with a sensitivity of 77.5%, a specificity of 61.5%, a positive predictive value of 95.0%, and a negative predictive value of 22.5%. The rate of clinically significant complications was higher in the TTNA group (8.2%) as compared to the ENB group (4.7%) with a p-value < 0.001.

CONCLUSION

TTNA was superior to ENB-guided biopsy for the diagnostic evaluation of lung nodules. However, the complication rate was much higher in the TTNA group as compared to the ENB group.

Invasive Diagnostic Procedures from Bronchoscopy to Surgical Biopsy-Optimization of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Samples for Molecular Testing

Background and Objectives: Treatment of advanced lung cancer (LC) has become increasingly personalized over the past decade due to an improved understanding of tumor molecular biology and antitumor immunity. The main task of a pulmonologist oncologist is to establish a tumor diagnosis and, ideally, to confirm the stage of the disease with the least invasive technique possible. Materials and Methods: The paper will summarize published reviews and original papers, as well as published clinical studies and case reports, which studied the role and compared the methods of invasive pulmonology diagnostics to obtain adequate tumor tissue samples for molecular analysis, thereby determining the most effective molecular treatments. Results: Bronchoscopy is often recommended as the initial diagnostic procedure for LC. If the tumor is endoscopically visible, the biopsy sample is susceptible to molecular testing, the same as tumor tissue samples obtained from surgical resection and mediastinoscopy. The use of new sampling methods, such as cryobiopsy for peripheral tumor lesions or cytoblock obtained by ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), enables obtaining adequate small biopsies and cytological samples for molecular testing, which have until recently been considered unsuitable for this type of analysis. During LC patients' treatment, resistance occurs due to changes in the mutational tumor status or pathohistological tumor type. Therefore, the repeated taking of liquid biopsies for molecular analysis or rebiopsy of tumor tissue for new pathohistological and molecular profiling has recently been mandated. Conclusions: In thoracic oncology, preference should be given to the least invasive diagnostic procedure providing a sample for histology rather than for cytology. However, there is increasing evidence that, when properly processed, cytology samples can be sufficient for both the cancer diagnosis and molecular analyses. A good knowledge of diagnostic procedures is essential for LC diagnosing and treatment in the personalized therapy era.

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 2023 Expert Consensus Document: Staging and multidisciplinary management of patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

Novel targeted therapy and immunotherapy drugs have recently been approved for use in patients with surgically resectable lung cancer. Accurate staging, early molecular testing, and knowledge of recent trials are critical to optimize oncologic outcomes in these patients.

Novel Screening Tools for Lung Cancer

Screening with low-dose computed tomography has been shown to decrease lung cancer mortality. However, the issues of low detection rates and false positive results remain, highlighting the need for adjunctive tools in lung cancer screening. To this end, researchers have investigated easily applicable, minimally invasive tests with high validity. We herein review some of the more promising novel markers utilizing plasma, sputum, and airway samples.

A Novel Simulator for Teaching Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Needle Biopsy

BACKGROUND

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has become standard for the diagnosis of lung cancer, and there is an increasing need for procedural competence in trainees. We evaluate a low-cost, gelatin-based EBUS-TBNA training simulator to assess pulmonary fellows' baseline skills and facilitate procedural development.

METHODS

A low-cost ($30) gelatin-based, high-fidelity simulator was created to represent the airways, major vessels, and lymph node stations essential to identify for EBUS-TBNA. Trainees had a baseline skills assessment using the simulator and were then provided a 1-hour didactic session on EBUS-TBNA and additional practice time with the simulator. Trainees then underwent a postsimulation skills assessment using a modified endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-Skills and Tasks Assessment Tool (STAT) performance assessment tool. Simulator fidelity and trainee procedural confidence was assessed using a 10-point scale.

RESULTS

Ten fellows received training on the EBUS-TBNA simulator. First-year trainees scored the lowest on the 18-point performance scale with a mean score of 9, while third-year trainees scored highest with a mean score of 17.5. Mean 18-point performance score improvement after simulator training and didactics was 4.31 points for all trainees with the largest change in first-year trainees amounting to 8.25 points. First-year trainees experienced the greatest improvement in EBUS procedural confidence by a mean of 2.5 points on a 10-point confidence survey.

CONCLUSION

A low-cost EBUS simulator effectively differentiated early and advanced learners based on graded procedural performance scores. Simulation-based practice significantly improved learners' procedural performance, and the degree of improvement correlated with learner inexperience. The simulation significantly increased early learner confidence in EBUS-TBNA technique.

Factors related to the diagnosis of lung cancer by transbronchial biopsy with endobronchial ultrasonography and a guide sheath

BACKGROUND

Transbronchial biopsy (TBB) with endobronchial ultrasonography and a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) is an effective examination tool for the diagnosis of lung cancer. Factors related to making the diagnosis are still not fully understood.

METHODS

A total of 367 patients who underwent EBUS-GS and were diagnosed with lung cancer in Saga University Hospital were investigated retrospectively. Clinical characteristics were compared between 244 patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer and 123 patients who were not diagnosed by TBB with EBUS-GS but were diagnosed by other examinations.

RESULTS

Size of target lesion, rate of patients with target lesion size ≥20 mm, presence of the bronchus sign, and detection by EBUS imaging were significantly associated with making the diagnosis (all p < 0.01). In patients whose lesion was detected by EBUS imaging, patients with positive findings within the lesion were significantly more often diagnosed by TBB with EBUS-GS than those with positive findings adjacent to the lesion (p < 0.01). The odds ratio (OR) of patients whose lesion was detected by EBUS imaging (OR [95% confidence interval] 14.5 [8.0-26.4]) tended to be higher compared to the ORs of size of lesion ≥20 mm (3.9 [2.2-6.8]) and the bronchus sign (7.5 [4.6-12.2]).

CONCLUSION

Targeted lesion diameter ≥20 mm, bronchus sign, and detection by EBUS imaging, especially within the lesion, are important factors for the diagnosis of lung cancer by TBB with EBUS-GS.

EMM-LC Fusion: Enhanced Multimodal Fusion for Lung Cancer Classification

Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the UK due to delayed diagnosis. The existing literature establishes a variety of factors which contribute to this, including the misjudgement of anatomical structure by doctors and radiologists. This study set out to develop a solution which utilises multiple modalities in order to detect the presence of LC. A review of the existing literature established failings within methods to exploit rich intermediate feature representations, such that it can capture complex multimodal associations between heterogenous data sources. The methodological approach involved the development of a novel machine learning (ML) model to facilitate quantitative analysis. The proposed solution, named EMM-LC Fusion, extracts intermediate features from a pre-trained modified AlignedXception model and concatenates these with linearly inflated features of Clinical Data Elements (CDE). The implementation was evaluated and compared against existing literature using F1 score, average precision (AP), and area under curve (AUC) as metrics. The findings presented in this study show a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) upon the previous fusion method, with an increase in F-Score from 0.402 to 0.508. The significance of this establishes that the extraction of intermediate features produces a fertile environment for the detection of intermodal relationships for the task of LC classification. This research also provides an architecture to facilitate the future implementation of alternative biomarkers for lung cancer, one of the acknowledged limitations of this study.

A Direct Comparative Study of Bronchoscopic Navigation Planning Platforms for Peripheral Lung Navigation: The ATLAS Study

BACKGROUND

The use of mapping to guide peripheral lung navigation (PLN) represents an advance in the management of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL). Software has been developed to virtually reconstruct computed tomography images into 3-dimensional airway maps and generate navigation pathways to target PPL. Despite this there remain significant gaps in understanding the factors associated with navigation success and failure including the cartographic performance characteristics of these software algorithms. This study was designed to determine whether differences exist when comparing PLN mapping platforms.

METHODS

An observational direct comparison was performed to evaluate navigation planning software packages for the lung. The primary endpoint was distance from the terminal end of the virtual navigation pathway to the target PPL. Secondary endpoints included distal virtual and segmental airway generations built to the target and/or in each lung.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patient chest computed tomography scans with 41 PPL were evaluated. Virtual airway and navigation pathway maps were generated for each scan/nodule across all platforms. Virtual navigation pathway comparison revealed differences in the distance from the terminal end of the navigation pathway to the target PPL (robotic bronchoscopy 9.4 mm vs. tip-tracked electromagnetic navigation 14.2 mm vs. catheter based electromagnetic navigation 17.2 mm, P=0.0005) and in the generation of complete distal airway maps.

CONCLUSION

Comparing PLN planning software revealed significant differences in the generation of virtual airway and navigation maps. These differences may play an unrecognized role in the accurate PLN and biopsy of PPL. Further prospective trials are needed to quantify the effect of the differences reported.

Diagnostic Yield of Transbronchial Cryobiopsy Guided by Radial Endobronchial Ultrasound and Fluoroscopy in the Radiologically Suspected Lung Cancer: A Single Institution Prospective Study

Transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) is being studied in the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions; however, there are only a few clinical studies around the world. The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic values and safety of transbronchial cryobiopsy for radiologically suspected peripheral lung cancer. The prospective clinical study was executed from September 2019 to September 2021 at a tertiary clinical centre in Lithuania. A total of 48 patients out of 102 underwent combined procedures of transbronchial forceps biopsy (TBFB) and TBCB. Diagnostic values and safety outcomes of TBFB and TBCB were analysed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy were 72.9%, 100%, 100%, 7.7%, and 88.0% for TBFB, 85.1%, 100%, 100%, 12.5%, and 93% for TBCB, as well as 91.5%, 100%, 100%, 20.0% and 96.7% for the combined procedures, respectively, with a significantly higher accuracy for cryobiopsies compared to forceps biopsies (p < 0.05). The diagnostic values for transbronchial cryobiopsies were similar, irrespective of the radial mini probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS) position, lesion size or bronchus sign, however, the sensitivity of the combined procedures in cases with RP-EBUS adjacent to the target was significantly higher compared to TBFB (86.2% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.016). Samples of cryobiopsies were significantly larger than forceps biopsies (34.62 mm2 vs. 4.4 mm2, p = 0.001). The cumulative diagnostic yield of transbronchial cryobiopsy was 80.0% after the second biopsy and reached a plateau of 84.1% after four biopsies. No severe bleeding, pneumothorax, respiratory failure or death was registered in our study. TBCB is a potentially safe procedure, which increases diagnostic values in diagnosing peripheral lung lesions compared to TBFB.

Diagnostic usefulness of bronchoscopy for peripheral pulmonary lesions in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background

As lung cancers arising in a background of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are known to show high malignancy grades, early pathologic diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) is important. Meanwhile, the risk of complications associated with diagnostic procedures is high, which prompted us to investigate the role of bronchoscopy, a relatively safe diagnostic procedure. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the usefulness of bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of PPLs in patients with IPF.

Methods

Data of consecutive patients with IPF who underwent bronchoscopy under radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) guidance for PPLs at our institution between April 2014 and March 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. IPF was defined as usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) or probable UIP, in accordance with the classification in the latest global guidelines. The diagnostic outcomes and the factors independently related to the diagnostic yield were analyzed.

Results

A total of 92 patients were included in the analysis. The median (range) size of the target PPLs was 27.1 (11.4-75.3) mm, and the diagnostic yield was 82.6%. Multivariable analysis identified a larger size [P=0.017; odds ratio (OR), 5.33; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29-22.01], positive bronchus sign (P=0.035; OR, 4.99; 95% CI, 1.12-22.18), and not involved with UIP/probable UIP pattern (P=0.023; OR and 95% CI, unmeasurable) as being associated with a significantly higher diagnostic yield. Meanwhile, none of the patients developed acute exacerbation of IPF or pneumothorax following the diagnostic bronchoscopy.

Conclusions

Bronchoscopy using R-EBUS was safe and showed an acceptable diagnostic yield for PPLs, even in patients with IPF.

Bronchoscopic diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Over the last decades, in addition to the traditional fluoroscopy, various and innovative guidance systems have been adopted in clinical practice for transbronchial approach to peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). The aim of this article is to summarize the most recent data on available guidance systems and sampling tools, evaluating also advantages and limitations of each technique.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although several studies have been published over the last years, large randomized studies comparing the different techniques are scanty. Fluoroscopy is the traditional and still most widely utilized guidance system. New guidance systems (electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, ultrasound miniprobe, cone beam computed tomography) seems to provide a better sensitivity, especially for small lesions not visualized by fluoroscopy. Among the sampling instruments, there is a good evidence that flexible transbronchial needle provides the better diagnostic yield and that sensitivity may increase if more than one sampling instrument is used.

SUMMARY

Even if great progress has been done since the first articles on the transbronchial approach to PPLs, better scientific evidence and more reliable randomized trials are needed to guide interventional pulmonologists in choosing the best technique according to different clinical scenarios and source availability.

Prognosis of Patients with Bronchopulmonary Neuroendocrine Neoplasms in a Tertiary Neuroendocrine Tumor Centre of Excellence

INTRODUCTION

The European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) reports variables of prognostic significance in bronchopulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms (BP-NENs). The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic factors, recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) for patients with typical carcinoid (TC), atypical carcinoid (AC), and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Current follow-up practices vary as the evidence is sparse, and we aimed to explore the relevance of routine bronchoscopy in follow-up.

METHODS

This was a cohort study of 208 patients with BP-NENs followed at Aarhus University Hospital in 2008-2019. RFS and OS were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method for the variables such as primary tumor, primary treatment, smoking status, gender, and histological subtypes.

RESULTS

The study included 153 patients with TC, 29 with AC, and 26 with LCNEC. Median follow-up was 48 months. The majority of patients (n = 191) received surgical resection, of which 22 (11%) recurred over time. Seventeen patients had nonsurgical treatment, of which 10 (59%) progressed. The 5-year OS rate was 86% for operated and 9% for nonoperated patients (p < 0.05). Patients with TC had a 5-year OS of 90% compared with 63% and 39% for AC and LCNEC, respectively. As for prognostic factors, nonsmokers did not secure a significant difference in OS compared with current/previous smokers (p = 0.51). In the follow-up period, only 2 (9%) of the 22 recurrences were found on a routine bronchoscopy. Both of these recurrences were also found by diagnostic imaging.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical treatment, especially, and diagnosis of TC were associated with a good prognosis. Furthermore, our data did not support routine bronchoscopy as part of a follow-up program for bronchial carcinoids.

Optical coherence tomography for identification of malignant pulmonary nodules based on random forest machine learning algorithm

OBJECTIVE

To explore the feasibility of using random forest (RF) machine learning algorithm in assessing normal and malignant peripheral pulmonary nodules based on in vivo endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT).

METHODS

A total of 31 patients with pulmonary nodules were admitted to Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, and underwent chest CT, EB-OCT and biopsy. Attenuation coefficient and up to 56 different image features were extracted from A-line and B-scan of 1703 EB-OCT images. Attenuation coefficient and 29 image features with significant p-values were used to analyze the differences between normal and malignant samples. A RF classifier was trained using 70% images as training set, while 30% images were included in the testing set. The accuracy of the automated classification was validated by clinically proven pathological results.

RESULTS

Attenuation coefficient and 29 image features were found to present different properties with significant p-values between normal and malignant EB-OCT images. The RF algorithm successfully classified the malignant pulmonary nodules with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 90.41%, 77.87% and 83.51% respectively.

CONCLUSION

It is clinically practical to distinguish the nature of pulmonary nodules by integrating EB-OCT imaging with automated machine learning algorithm. Diagnosis of malignant pulmonary nodules by analyzing quantitative features from EB-OCT images could be a potentially powerful way for early detection of lung cancer.

Rapid non-destructive volumetric tumor yield assessment in fresh lung core needle biopsies using polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography

Adequate tumor yield in core-needle biopsy (CNB) specimens is essential in lung cancer for accurate histological diagnosis, molecular testing for therapeutic decision-making, and tumor biobanking for research. Insufficient tumor sampling in CNB is common, primarily due to inadvertent sampling of tumor-associated fibrosis or atelectatic lung, leading to repeat procedures and delayed diagnosis. Currently, there is no method for rapid, non-destructive intraprocedural assessment of CNBs. Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is a high-resolution, volumetric imaging technique that has the potential to meet this clinical need. PS-OCT detects endogenous tissue properties, including birefringence from collagen, and degree of polarization uniformity (DOPU) indicative of tissue depolarization. Here, PS-OCT birefringence and DOPU measurements were used to quantify the amount of tumor, fibrosis, and normal lung parenchyma in 42 fresh, intact lung CNB specimens. PS-OCT results were compared to and validated against matched histology in a blinded assessment. Linear regression analysis showed strong correlations between PS-OCT and matched histology for quantification of tumors, fibrosis, and normal lung parenchyma in CNBs. PS-OCT distinguished CNBs with low tumor content from those with higher tumor content with high sensitivity and specificity. This study demonstrates the potential of PS-OCT as a method for rapid, non-destructive, label-free intra-procedural tumor yield assessment.

A 56-Year-Old Man With Chronic Cough, Hemoptysis, and a Left Lower Lobe Infiltrate

CASE PRESENTATION

A 56-year-old man presented to the lung nodule clinic with abnormal chest imaging prompted by a chronic cough and hemoptysis. Approximately 2.5 years earlier, while kneeling beside his car fixing a flat tire, he fell backwards while holding the tire cap in his mouth, causing him to inhale sharply and aspirate the cap. He immediately developed an intractable cough productive of flecks of blood. He presented to an emergency room but left before being seen because of a long wait time and his lack of health-care insurance. He self-medicated for severe cough and chest discomfort with codeine, eventually developing a dependency. Approximately 3 weeks after aspirating the tire cap, his cough became productive, and he developed fever and chills. His symptoms improved transiently with antibiotics and additional narcotics. Ultimately, his chronic cough with intermittent hemoptysis affected his ability to work, and 30 months later he sought medical attention and was diagnosed with pneumonia and reactive airway disease. He was prescribed doxycycline, steroids, inhaled albuterol, and dextromethorphan, with initial improvement, but his symptoms recurred multiple times despite quitting smoking, leading to repeated medication courses.

Increased microRNA-30a levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as a diagnostic biomarker for lung cancer

Background

MicroRNA-30a (miRNA-30a) levels have been shown to increase in the plasma of lung cancer patients. Herein, we evaluated the miRNA-30a levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of lung cancer patients as a potential biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis.

Methods

BALF miRNA-30a expression of 174 subjects was quantified using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and compared between lung cancer patients and control patients with benign lung diseases. Moreover, its diagnostic value was evaluated by performing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

The relative BALF miRNA-30a expression was significantly higher in the lung cancer patients than in the controls (0.74 ±  0.55 versus 0.07 ±  0.48, respectively, p < 0.001) as well as in lung cancer patients with stage I–IIA disease than in those with stage IIB–IV disease (0.98 ±  0.64 versus 0.66 ±  0.54, respectively, p < 0.05). Additionally, miRNA-30a distinguished benign lung diseases from lung cancers, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.822. ROC analysis also revealed an AUC of 0.875 for the Youden index-based optimal cut-off points for stage I–IIA adenocarcinoma. Thus, increased miRNA-30a levels in BALF may be a useful biomarker for non-small-cell lung cancer diagnosis.

Application of a classifier combining bronchial transcriptomics and chest computed tomography features facilitates the diagnostic evaluation of lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers

Lung cancer screening by computed tomography (CT) reduces mortality but exhibited high false-positive rates. We established a diagnostic classifier combining chest CT features with bronchial transcriptomics. Patients with CT-detected suspected lung cancer were enrolled. The sample collected by bronchial brushing was used for RNA sequencing. The e1071 and pROC packages in R software was applied to build the model. Eventually, a total of 283 patients, including 183 with lung cancer and 100 with benign lesions, were included into final analysis. When incorporating transcriptomic data with radiological characteristics, the advanced model yielded 0.903 AUC with 81.1% NPV. Moreover, the classifier performed well regardless of lesion size, location, stage, histologic type or smoking status. Pathway analysis showed enhanced epithelial differentiation, tumor metastasis, and impaired immunity were predominant in smokers with cancer, whereas tumorigenesis played a central role in nonsmokers with cancer. Apoptosis and oxidative stress contributed critically in metastatic lung cancer; by contrast, immune dysfunction was pivotal in locally advanced lung cancer. Collectively, we devised a minimal-to-noninvasive, efficient diagnostic classifier for smokers and nonsmokers with lung cancer, which provides evidence for different mechanisms of cancer development and metastasis associated with smoking. A negative classifier result will help the physician make conservative diagnostic decisions.

Diagnostic Outcomes and Safety of Cryobiopsy Added to Conventional Sampling Methods: An Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Cryobiopsy enables specialists to perform high-quality, large, entirely circumferential biopsies; therefore, it may improve the diagnostic yield of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs), as has been previously observed regarding endobronchial tumors and interstitial lung diseases.

RESEARCH QUESTION

How do the diagnostic accuracy and safety change by cryobiopsy when performed alongside conventional biopsy for PPLs?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Consecutive patients who underwent cryobiopsy in addition to conventional biopsies for PPL diagnosis at our institution between June 2017 and May 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The target location was estimated and sampling was performed using conventional devices (ie, forceps, brush, aspiration needle), and cryobiopsy was performed at the same location. Diagnostic outcomes and cryobiopsy safety when performed in addition to conventional sampling methods were analyzed in this observational study.

RESULTS

In total, 257 patients were analyzed, and the overall diagnostic yield was 89.9%. Among them, 22 lesions were diagnosable by cryobiopsy exclusively, which improved the rate of diagnosis by 8.6%. Advantages of the use of cryobiopsy were the most apparent when lesions were adjacent to areas assessed via radial endobronchial ultrasound (69.4% vs 84.3%). Multivariable analysis identified bronchus sign (positive/negative, P = .001), lobe (other lobes/right upper lobe and left upper segment, P = .028), and visibility on radiograph (visible/invisible, P = .047) as factors that significantly affected diagnostic yield. On the other hand, three instances of severe hemorrhage (1.2%) and two of pneumothorax (0.8%) occurred. Although most complications were minor, two patients required hospitalization because of cerebral infarction and lung abscess.

INTERPRETATION

Cryobiopsy improves the diagnostic yield of PPLs when combined with other conventional sampling methods; however, caution is required because of the possibility of complications.

Reproducibility of peripheral branches in virtual bronchoscopic navigation using VINCENT and LungPoint software for peripheral lung lesions

BACKGROUND

Recently, virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) has become frequently used for the pathological specimen collection of peripheral lung lesions using various VBN software packages. Herein, we examined the reproducibility of peripheral branches in VBN software using LungPoint and VINCENT versions 4.0 and 5.5.

METHODS

This study included patients suspected of malignant peripheral lung lesions who underwent bronchoscopy at our hospital from February 2016 to April 2017. Computed tomography was taken at a thickness of 1.25 mm in all cases, and VB images were created based on the computed tomography data using LungPoint, or VINCENT version 4.0 or 5.5. One observer read the program-generated VB images and compared how many branches could be visualized with the lobe bronchus as the primary branch.

RESULTS

A total of 129 patients (n = 131 lesions) underwent bronchoscopy, with 82 cases of primary lung cancer. Pathological bronchoscopic diagnosis was done in 63 cases, resulting to a diagnostic rate of 76.8%. VB images generated by LungPoint, and VINCENT versions 4.0 and 5.5 reproduced an average of 4.3, 3.47, and 5.12 branches, respectively, with significant differences (p < 0.05) between them.

CONCLUSIONS

VINCENT version 5.5 exhibits better reproducibility of peripheral branches than LungPoint for VBN.

Image-guided lymph node fine-needle aspiration: the Johns Hopkins Hospital experience

INTRODUCTION

Although the diagnostic utility of lymph node fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is well established in the evaluation of metastatic malignancy, its value in the diagnosis of lymphoma is more controversial; yet, there is a growing trend among practitioners towards less-invasive procedures such as FNA and core needle biopsy (CNB). The guidelines recently published by the American Society for Clinical Pathology/College of American Pathology (CAP) regarding the workup of lymphoma include recommendations on the value and limitations of FNA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed 1237 image-guided lymph node aspirates from 695 procedures (410 nodes from 360 ultrasound [US]-guided cases, 799 from 309 endobronchial ultrasound [EBUS], 25 from 23 endoscopic ultrasound [EUS], and 3 from 3 computed tomography [CT]).

RESULTS

The majority (40 of 46, 87%) of lymph nodes suspected of lymphomatous involvement were aspirated under ultrasound. Core needle biopsy [CNB] was obtained for 41 (89%) lymph nodes, including all 40 US specimens. Flow cytometry (FC) was performed on 37 (80%) aspirates; aspirates without FC were from patients who had a history of Hodgkin lymphoma, or showed granulomata or non-hematologic malignancy onsite. Thirty-one (67%) lymph nodes were sent for review by hematopathology. Forty-two (91%) lymph node FNA/CNB yielded actionable diagnoses. Seventeen of 241(7%) cases aspirated for other indications (14 US, 3 EBUS) were involved by a lymphoproliferative process. All were reviewed by hematopathology. All 14 US cases had FC and CNB.

CONCLUSION

Our institutional approach towards lymph node cytopathology for lymphoma workup appears to be in accordance with the new CAP guidelines, and demonstrates a potential triage and workflow model for lymph node FNA specimens that allows for accurate diagnosis in cases where lymphoma is a consideration.

Should sublobar resection be offered for screening-detected lung nodules?

The increasing use of low-dose CT for screening for lung cancer will inevitably identify many small, asymptomatic lung nodules and ground-glass opacities (GGOs). Current guidelines for the management of screening-detected lesions tend to advise a conservative approach based on serial imaging and intervention only if ‘suspicious’ features emerge. However, more recent developments in thoracic surgery and in the understanding of the screening-detected lesions themselves prompt some pertinent questions over this conservatism. Is CT surveillance sufficiently reliable to exclude malignancy? Is it really necessary to hold back on operative biopsy and resection given modern surgical safety and efficacy? Is the option for early surgical therapy a viable one—especially with the availability of sublobar resection today? Modern data suggests that the risk of inaction for some screening-detected lesions may be higher than expected, whereas the potential harm of surgical intervention may be substantially reduced by sublobar resection and the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques. A more pro-active approach towards offering surgery for screening-detected lesions should now be considered.

Invasive modalities for the diagnosis of peripheral lung nodules

INTRODUCTION

Lung nodules are being increasingly discovered either incidentally or through lung cancer screening chest CT scans. Some of these will turn out to be malignant and therefore it is important to obtain an accurate and timely diagnosis of lung cancer when suspected.

AREAS COVERED

This review will cover various invasive diagnostic modalities available to sample lung nodules. Data from key studies, obtained from PubMed searches, will be reviewed. Emerging technologies such as cone-beam CT and robotic-assisted bronchoscopies will be discussed along with ddata available currently to support their use.

EXPERT OPINION

The best approach to diagnosing a lung nodule - whether found incidentally or because of lung cancer screening - is continuously evolving. While CT-guided lung nodule biopsy has a high diagnostic yield, the risk of pneumothorax is often a concern. Bronchoscopy has a better safety profile, but diagnostic ability falls short of CT-guided biopsy. Existing technologies such as electromagnetic navigation have not demonstrated a high diagnostic yield. Factors responsible for this relatively lower low diagnostic yield will be discussed in detail. Emerging technologies such as cone-beam CT scan and robotic bronchoscopy have addressed some of these issues and initial experience has demonstrated better diagnostic yield.

Cryobiopsy in Lung Cancer Diagnosis-A Literature Review

Optimizing the diagnosis of lung cancer represents a challenge, as well as a necessity, for improving the low survival of these patients. Flexible bronchoscopy with forceps biopsy is one of the key diagnostic procedures used for lung tumors. The small sample size and crush artifacts are several factors that can often limit access to a complete diagnosis, therefore leading to the need of repeating the bronchoscopy procedure or other invasive diagnostic methods. The bronchoscopic cryobiopsy is a recent technique that proved its utility in the diagnosis of both endobronchial and peripheral lung tumors. In comparison with conventional forceps biopsy, studies report a higher diagnostic yield and a superior quality of the collected samples for both the histopathological and the molecular diagnosis of lung cancer. This method shows promising results in sampling lung tissue, alone, or in conjunction with fluoroscopy or radial endobronchial ultrasound (r-EBUS). With a good safety and cost-benefit profile, this novel method has the potential to improve the diagnosis, and therefore the management of lung cancer patients. The objective of this narrative review is to provide a comprehensive review of the recent data regarding the advantages of cryobiopsy and r-EBUS in lung cancer diagnosis.

Detection of EGFR mutation of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in sputum using droplet digital PCR

Background

It is still unclear whether epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation of primary lung adenocarcinoma can be detected on sputum samples. This study aimed to examine EGFR mutations of primary lung adenocarcinoma in sputum samples using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and compare it with an EGFR mutation in surgically resected lung cancer.

Methods

Sputum was prospectively collected from the patients before complete resection of the primary lung cancer at Kanagawa Cancer Center from September 2014 to May 2016. ddPCR was performed to detect EGFR exon 21 L858R point mutation (Ex21) and EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation (Ex19) in sputum samples from patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The concordance of EGFR mutation status in sputum samples and tumors in surgically resected specimen was evaluated for each positive and negative cytology group.

Results

One hundred and eighteen patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma provided sputum samples. Sputum cytology was positive in 13 patients (11.0%). ddPCR detected two cases of Ex21 and two cases of Ex19 in sputum cytology positive cases. Compared to surgically resected specimens, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of EGFR mutation (Ex19 and Ex21) detection were 80.0%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, in sputum cytology positive cases. In contrast, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of EGFR mutation (Ex19 and Ex21) detection were 3.1%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, in sputum cytology negative cases.

Conclusions

EGFR mutations in primary lung adenocarcinoma can be detected with high sensitivity in sputum samples if sputum cytology is positive.

[A Case of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Diagnosed as Recurrent Pulmonary Metastases Diagnosed by Transbronchial Biopsies 18 Years After Surgery]

We report a 79-year-old woman, who had undergone surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma 18 years previously and lung adenocarcinoma 15 years previously. She didn't receive any follow-up because she had no recurrence for 5 years in both diseases. She visited a local doctor with precordial pain and thorax discomfort as her chief complaints, where chest computed tomography indicated a 14 mm-sized nodule in the right lower lobe and 5-7 mm-sized small nodules in both lungs. Using endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) for the diagnosis in our department, the lesions were confirmed by ultrasonography, and a transbronchial biopsy was carried out under fluoroscopy. Pathologically, a sufficient amount of tumor cells were collected, and the findings of adenocarcinoma were obtained. Her condition was diagnosed as recurrent pulmonary metastases of thyroid papillary carcinoma because of the atypical columnar epithelial cells with nuclear variants and the papillary proliferation of intranuclear inclusion, and because of the positive findings in immunohistochemical staining for thyroglobulin. Since papillary thyroid carcinoma is positive for thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), which is widely used as a marker of lung adenocarcinoma, it cannot be used to differentiate between the two. It is often difficult to diagnose papillary thyroid carcinoma by bronchoscopy, because its progress is slow and the origin of the metastatic lung tumor is not in the bronchus, unlike primary lung cancer. However, a devised transbronchial biopsy procedure for slowly progressive metastatic lung tumors such as papillary thyroid carcinoma is considered to be a useful technique for diagnosis.

Diagnostic Value of Virtual Bronchoscopic Navigation Combined With Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Lung Biopsy for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions

Objective:

X-ray guided transbronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial lung biopsy (EBUS-TBLB) can improve the diagnostic yield of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs), but it needs special requirements. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical value of virtual bronchoscopy navigation (VBN) combined with EBUS-TBLB in the diagnosis of PPLs without X-ray guidance.

Methods:

The 105 patients with PPLs underwent EBUS-TBLB with or without VBN randomly. The diagnostic yield, the operation time and complications were evaluated in the 2 groups.

Results:

No significant difference was found between the VBN+EBUS group and the EBUS group (76.0% vs. 65.5%, P = 0.287). The operation time of VBN+EBUS group was significantly shorter than that of EBUS group (20.6 ± 12.8 min vs. 28.6 ± 14.3 min, P = 0.023). No severe procedure related complications occurred.

Conclusions:

VBN can shorten the operation time. The combination of VBN and EBUS-TBLB is a safe and effective diagnosis technique for PPLs.

Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial cryobiopsy versus forceps biopsy in peripheral lung lesions

INTRODUCTION

Radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS) is a modern technique for diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions. It is assumed that the addition of transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) could increase the diagnostic value for RP-EBUS.

OBJECTIVES

The main objectives were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RP-EBUS-guided TBCB for diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions and comparing it with RP-EBUS-guided transbronchial forceps biopsy.

METHODS

Sixty patients with peripheral lung diseases were divided into two groups. Group I included 45 patients who were eligible for TBCB and they subjected to forceps transbronchial biopsy (forceps TBB) and TBCB guided by RP-EBUS. Fifteen patients who were not eligible for TBCB were included in group II and they were subjected to forceps TBB and/or cytology retrieval procedures guided by RP-EBUS.

RESULTS

In group I, forceps TBB had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of; 67.5%, 100%, 100%, 18.8%, and 69.8%, respectively, while TBCB had sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of 75%, 100%, 100%, 23.1%, and 76.7%, respectively. The sensitivity in group II was 80% and the overall results including both groups were sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of 85.2%, 100%, 100%, 42.8%, and 86.7%, respectively. Regarding the complications, only one patient (1.7%) had significant bleeding. One patient (1.7%) had pneumothorax and another patient (1.7%) suffered from hypoxemia.

CONCLUSIONS

RP-EBUS-guided TBCB is a safe and effective technique for diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions. TBCB has achieved higher diagnostic values and better quality of samples.

Improving diagnostic yield of navigational bronchoscopy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: a review of advancing technology

With recommendations for low dose CT scan for lung cancer screening, there has been an increase in the finding of lung nodules and peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). Additionally, when there is concern for malignancy, guidelines have recommended performing the least invasive evaluation. Conventional bronchoscopy diagnostic yields for PPLs have reportedly been quite low and prior electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) studies have reported variable yields. Navigation bronchoscopy in addition to endobronchial ultrasound allows a physician to evaluate peripheral lung lesions along with mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes for the diagnosis and staging of suspected malignancy in one procedure. More recent advances in navigational bronchoscopy including the use of augmented fluoroscopy (AF), cone beam CT, and robotic bronchoscopy have pushed the boundaries of capability in evaluating PPLs. These added bronchoscopic technologies have shown to improve diagnostic yield especially when modalities are used in combination. The ultimate goal of endoscopically localized ablative and therapeutic treatment for peripheral lung lesions will require a high level of physician confidence, accuracy, and precision. This article will review the innovative characteristics and data of some of the more recently available navigational bronchoscopy devices.

Diagnostic Value of Rapid On-Site Evaluation for CT-Guided Percutaneous Fine Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Occupying Lesions

Objective

Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) is an effective and efficient auxiliary examination, but its value for CT-guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in the diagnosis of pulmonary occupying lesions is unclear. This study is aimed at evaluating the clinical utility of ROSE for CT-guided percutaneous FNA.

Methods

We reviewed 234 patients from September 2018 to April 2019. The result using ROSE was compared with the final pathological diagnosis of CT-guided percutaneous FNA, and we also compared the complications between the ROSE group and the NO-ROSE group. The final pathological diagnosis results served as the gold standard. We also analyzed the diagnostic rate of FNA and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of malignancy. The correlation between diverse pathological types of lung cancer was also taken into consideration.

Results

In total, 132 patients underwent CT-guided percutaneous FNA with ROSE (ROSE group), and 102 did not (NO-ROSE group). The diagnostic rate, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the ROSE group were 91.6%, 89.1%, 94.1%, 93.4%, and 90.1%, respectively. The complication rates of the ROSE group and the NO-ROSE group were 8.33% and 16.67%, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In subsets of adenocarcinoma (AC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, the ROSE result was highly consistent with the final pathological result.

Conclusion

CT-guided percutaneous FNA combined with ROSE has a high diagnostic rate, sensitivity, and specificity for pulmonary occupying lesions and an acceptable rate of complications. This method is worthy of wide use given its high efficiency and safety.

Preoperative mediastinal staging in patients with cT1-3NxM0 non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Endosonography is accepted as the initial procedure for mediastinal staging in patients with suspected non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the diagnostic value of different staging methods in specific subgroups is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance and outcome of mediastinal staging in lung cancer in a general teaching hospital.

Methods

The records of 870 consecutive patients with potentially resectable NSCLC (cT1‐3NxM0) were analyzed in a retrospective cohort study between January 2010 and December 2016. Patients were divided into four different groups according to ESTS guidelines. The primary endpoint was the rate of unforeseen mediastinal metastasis in these groups and the sensitivity of different staging methods.

Results

Mediastinal staging was performed in 336 patients of whom 112 (33%) underwent lobectomy. Unforeseen mediastinal metastasis was seen in 10 (9%) patients after negative mediastinal staging. Sensitivity after combined mediastinal staging (endosonography with mediastinoscopy) in the overall group was 94%. In patients without suspected mediastinal lymph nodes but with suspected hilar lymph nodes (N1), or a peripheral tumor >3 cm, sensitivity of endosonography was 33% and mediastinoscopy 75%. Biopsy of at least level 4L, 4R and 7 was taken in 18% of the endosonographies and 58% of the mediastinoscopies.

Discussion

Combined mediastinal staging (endosonography with mediastinoscopy) is reliable with a sensitivity of 94%. However, the diagnostic value of endosonography in patients with suspected hilar lymph nodes or a peripheral tumor >3 cm is questionable, and in these patients, performing direct mediastinoscopy should be considered.

Key points

Significant findings of this study

The diagnostic value of endosonography in patients without suspected mediastinal lymph nodes but with potential risk factors (suspected N1 disease or peripheral tumor >3 cm) is questionable. Therefore, mediastinoscopy as the first choice should be considered in these patients.

What this study adds?

Accurate mediastinal nodal staging is essential in patients with suspected NSCLC to avoid unnecessary lobectomy. Detailed knowledge about sensitivity and specificity of mediastinal staging techniques in different patient groups can make a difference.

Beyond tissue biopsy: a diagnostic framework to address tumor heterogeneity in lung cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The objective of this review is to discuss the strength and limitations of tissue and liquid biopsy and functional imaging to capture spatial and temporal tumor heterogeneity either alone or as part of a diagnostic framework in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

RECENT FINDINGS

NSCLC displays genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity - a detailed knowledge of which is crucial to personalize treatment. Tissue biopsy often lacks spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, NSCLC needs to be characterized by complementary diagnostic methods to resolve heterogeneity. Liquid biopsy offers detection of tumor biomarkers and for example, the classification and monitoring of EGFR mutations in NSCLC. It allows repeated sampling, and therefore, appears promising to address temporal aspects of tumor heterogeneity. Functional imaging methods and emerging image analytic tools, such as radiomics capture temporal and spatial heterogeneity. Further standardization of radiomics is required to allow introduction into clinical routine.

SUMMARY

To augment the potential of precision therapy, improved diagnostic characterization of tumors is pivotal. We suggest a comprehensive diagnostic framework combining tissue and liquid biopsy and functional imaging to address the known aspects of spatial and temporal tumor heterogeneity on the example of NSCLC. We envision how this framework might be implemented in clinical practice.

Lung Cancer Cytology: Can Any of the Cytological Methods Replace Histopathology?

Background:

Diagnosis of lung cancer can be made in two ways: histopathological and cytopathological. Cytological methods in the diagnosis of lung lesions are generally thought to be one of the most successful tactics.

Aims:

This study aimed at comparing the efficiency of selected cytological techniques in lung lesions by correlating them with histopathological diagnosis. In addition, we had answered the question whether any of the cytological methods can replace histopathology.

Materials and Methods:

The study group consisted of 633 patients and 1085 cytological specimens. Cytology samples included: induced sputum, bronchial washing (BW), bronchial brushing (BB), fine needle aspiration (FNA), and cell block (CB). In every case of CB immunocytochemistry (ICC) was performed. For each cytological method sensitivity, specificity, effectiveness, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were assessed.

Results:

BW and BB showed the lowest diagnostic parameters. The most valuable diagnostic procedure was CB based on FNA. Close by CB, FNA had the highest diagnostic rate. However, possibility to evaluate tumor cell structure and apply the ICC, give CB an advantage over FNA. Using only morphologic criteria, we had subclassified nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) as 60.04% of SCC and 32.52% of AC. The use of CB and ICC decreased the NSCLC diagnoses from 22.1% to 2.8% while the percentage of AC and SCC diagnoses increased from 4.11% to 12.64% and from 6.64% to 11.06%, respectively. Metastatic lung tumors were diagnosed based on both the cell morphology and according to the ICC results.

Conclusion:

Despite the limitations of the cytological procedures, we recommend using CB and ICC to evaluate cytological samples derived from FNA. It can in many cases replace a conventional histopathology.

Molecular testing on bronchial washings for the diagnosis and predictive assessment of lung cancer

Cytopathological analyses of bronchial washings (BWs) collected during fibre‐optic bronchoscopy are often inconclusive for lung cancer diagnosis. To address this issue, we assessed the suitability of conducting molecular analyses on BWs, with the aim to improve the diagnosis and outcome prediction of lung cancer. The methylation status of RASSF1A, CDH1, DLC1 and PRPH was analysed in BW samples from 91 lung cancer patients and 31 controls, using a novel two‐colour droplet digital methylation‐specific PCR (ddMSP) technique. Mutations in ALK, BRAF, EGFR, ERBB2, KRAS, MAP2K1, MET, NRAS, PIK3CA, ROS1 and TP53 and gene fusions of ALK, RET and ROS1 were also investigated, using next‐generation sequencing on 73 lung cancer patients and 14 tumour‐free individuals. Our four‐gene methylation panel had significant diagnostic power, with 97% sensitivity and 74% specificity (relative risk, 7.3; odds ratio, 6.1; 95% confidence interval, 12.7–127). In contrast, gene mutation analysis had a remarkable value for predictive, but not for diagnostic, purposes. Actionable mutations in EGFR, HER2 and ROS1 as well as in other cancer genes (KRAS, PIK3CA and TP53) were detected. Concordance with gene mutations uncovered in tumour biopsies was higher than 90%. In addition, bronchial‐washing analyses permitted complete patient coverage and the detection of additional actionable mutations. In conclusion, BWs are a useful material on which to perform molecular tests based on gene panels: aberrant gene methylation and mutation analyses could be performed as approaches accompanying current diagnostic and predictive assays during the initial workup phase. This study establishes the grounds for further prospective investigation.

Role of Computed Tomography-guided Biopsies in the Era of Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy: A Retrospective Study of Factors Predicting Diagnostic Yield in Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy and Computed Tomography Biopsies

Objectives:

Over 25% of the high-risk population screened for lung cancer have an abnormal computed tomography (CT) scan. Conventionally, these lesions have been biopsied with CT guidance with a high diagnostic yield. Electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) with transbronchial biopsy has emerged as a technology that improves the diagnostic sensitivity of conventional bronchoscopic biopsy. It has been used to biopsy lung lesions, due to the low risk of pneumothorax. It is, however, a new technology that is expensive and its role in the diagnosis of the solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) is yet to be determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of CT-guided biopsy (CTB) following non-diagnostic ENB biopsy and identify characteristics of the lesion that predicts a low diagnostic yield with ENB, to ensure appropriate use of ENB in the evaluation of SPN.

Materials and Methods:

One hundred and thirty-five lung lesions were biopsied with ENB from January 2017 to August 2019. Biopsies were considered diagnostic if pathology confirmed malignancy or inflammation in the appropriate clinical and imaging setting. We evaluated lesions for several characteristics including size, lobe, and central/peripheral distribution. The diagnostic yield of CTB in patients who failed ENB biopsies was also evaluated. Logistic regression was used to identify factors likely to predict a non-diagnostic ENB biopsy.

Result:

Overall, ENB biopsies were performed in 135 patients with solitary lung lesions. ENB biopsies were diagnostic in 52% (70/135) of the patients. In 23 patients with solitary lung lesions, CTBs were performed following a non-diagnostic ENB biopsy. The CTBs were diagnostic in 87% of the patients (20/23). ENB biopsies of lesions <21.5 mm were non-diagnostic in 71% of cases (42/59); 14 of these patients with non-diagnostic ENB biopsies had CTBs, and 86% of them were diagnostic (12/14). ENB biopsies of lesions in the lower lobes were non- diagnostic in 59% of cases (35/59); 12 of these patients with non-diagnostic ENB biopsies had CTBs, and 83% were diagnostic (10/12). ENB biopsies of lesions in the outer 2/3 were non-diagnostic in 57% of cases (50/87); 21 of these patients with non-diagnostic ENB biopsies had CTBs, and 86% were diagnostic (18/21).

Conclusion:

CTBs have a high diagnostic yield even following non-diagnostic ENB biopsies. Lesions <21.5 mm, in the outer 2/3 of the lung, and in the lower lung have the lowest likelihood of a diagnostic yield with ENB biopsies. Although CTBs have a slightly higher pneumothorax rate, these lesions would be more successfully diagnosed with CTB as opposed to ENB biopsy, in the process expediting the diagnosis and saving valuable medical resources.

Cone beam navigation bronchoscopy: the next frontier

Navigation bronchoscopy has reached a new horizon in its evolution. Combining with real-time imaging modalities, such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and augmented fluoroscopy (AF), navigation success can finally be confirmed with high degree of accuracy in real-time. With utilization of this modality, additional clinical observations are being made to help address the CT-body divergence problem and further improve navigation accuracy. This review focuses on description of CBCT navigation technique, provide tips on addressing CT-Body divergence, and review evidence for CBCT applications in navigation bronchoscopy.

Exhaustive Review on Lung Cancers: Novel Technologies

BACKGROUND

Lung cancers or (Bronchogenic-Carcinomas) are the disease in certain parts of the lungs in which irresistible multiplication of abnormal cells leads to the inception of a tumor. Lung cancers consisting of two substantial forms based on the microscopic appearance of tumor cells are: Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer (NSCLC) (80 to 85%) and Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer (SCLC) (15 to 20%).

DISCUSSION

Lung cancers are existing luxuriantly across the globe and the most prominent cause of death in advanced countries (USA & UK). There are many causes of lung cancers in which the utmost imperative aspect is the cigarette smoking. During the early stage, there is no perspicuous sign/symptoms but later many symptoms emerge in the infected individual such as insomnia, headache, pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, coughing etc. Lung cancers can be diagnosed in many ways, such as history, physical examination, chest X-rays and biopsy. However, after the diagnosis and confirmation of lung carcinoma, various treatment approaches are existing for curing of cancer in different stages such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immune therapy. Currently, novel techniques merged that revealed advancements in detection and curing of lung cancer in which mainly includes: microarray analysis, gene expression profiling.

CONCLUSION

Consequently, the purpose of the current analysis is to specify and epitomize the novel literature pertaining to the development of cancerous cells in different parts of the lung, various preeminent approaches of prevention, efficient diagnostic procedure, and treatments along with novel technologies for inhibition of cancerous cell growth in advance stages.

Transbronchial biopsy of peripheral lung lesions using fluoroscopic guidance combined with an enhanced ray-summation display

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of guidance assistance during transbronchial biopsy (TBB) to achieve an appropriate pathway to small and peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) using a combination of fluoroscopy and specialized ray-summation (Ray-sum_TBB) images, which were processed from preprocedural lung computed tomography (CT) images. To improve the visibility of the correct pathway to the PPLs, three-dimensional spatial resolution enhancement and CT number conversion processes were applied to the original CT images. The Ray-sum_TBB images reconstructed from the processed CT images were used as additional guides. We compared the rates of successful tumor localization and biopsy (arrival rate) between the trial (with Ray-sum_TBB) and control (without Ray-sum_TBB) groups. The fluoroscopy and examination times were also compared. The arrival rate of the trial group (73.1%) was significantly better than that of the control group (42.3%) (p = 0.048). The fluoroscopy and examination times did not differ significantly between the trial and control groups. No complications were identified in the trial group. Our results suggest that Ray-sum_TBB improves the diagnostic accuracy of TBB.

Sensitivity of Radial Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Bronchoscopy for Lung Cancer in Patients With Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions: An Updated Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Registry trials have found radial endobronchial ultrasound (r-EBUS) sensitivity to vary between institutions, suggesting that in clinical practice, r-EBUS sensitivity may be lower than reported in clinical trials. We performed a meta-analysis to update the estimates of r-EBUS sensitivity and to explore factors contributing to heterogeneity of results.

METHODS

A systematic review using PubMed was performed through July 2018 to determine the sensitivity of r-EBUS for lung cancer, and to construct a summary receiver operating characteristic curve. The DerSimonian and Laird method was used to weight results. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression was used to identify sources of heterogeneity. Study quality was assessed using the QUADAS tool, and publication bias was tested using funnel plots.

RESULTS

Fifty-one studies with a total of 7,601 patients were included. r-EBUS pooled sensitivity was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.70-0.75), and area under the sROC curve was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.94-0.97). Significant heterogeneity was observed (I² = 76%; heterogeneity P < .01). We failed to demonstrate an association between sensitivity and air bronchus sign, average nodule size, use of fluoroscopy, virtual bronchoscopy, guide sheath, cancer prevalence, multicenter status, or consecutive enrollment. Rapid onsite cytology was associated with increased sensitivity (P = .01). The pooled pneumothorax rate was 0.7% (95% CI, 0.3%-1.1%). Funnel plots were asymmetrical, demonstrating sample size-related effects and possible publication bias.

CONCLUSIONS

r-EBUS has an excellent safety profile, but there is significant between-study heterogeneity. Sample size-related effects and possibly publication bias have led to overly optimistic estimates of the sensitivity of r-EBUS.

Quality Gaps and Comparative Effectiveness in Lung Cancer Staging and Diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Guidelines recommend mediastinal sampling first for patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy with suspected lung cancer. The objective of this study was to describe practice patterns and outcomes of diagnostic strategies in patients with lung cancer.

METHODS

This study included a retrospective cohort of 15,914 patients with lung cancer with T1-3N1-3M0 disease diagnosed from 2004 to 2013 in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results or Texas Cancer Registry Medicare-linked databases. Patients who had mediastinal sampling as their first invasive test were classified as guideline consistent; all others were guideline inconsistent. Propensity matching was used to compare the number of tests performed, and multivariable logistic regression was used to compare the incidence of complications.

RESULTS

Guideline-consistent care increased from 23% to 34% of patients from 2004 to 2013 (P < .001). Use of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration increased from 0.1% to 25% of all patients (P < .001), and mediastinal sampling increased from 54% to 64% (P < .0001). Guideline-consistent care was associated with fewer thoracotomies (38% vs 71%; P < .001) and CT scan-guided biopsies (10% vs 75%; P < .001) than guideline-inconsistent care but more transbronchial needle aspirations (59% vs 12%; P < .001). Guideline-consistent care was associated with fewer pneumothoraxes (5.1% vs 22%; P < .001), chest tubes (0.9% vs 4.4%; P < .001), hemorrhages (3.5% vs 5.8%; P < .001), and respiratory failure events (2.7% vs 3.7%; P = .047) than guideline-inconsistent care. Bronchoscopic mediastinal sampling was associated with fewer complications than surgical mediastinal sampling.

CONCLUSIONS

Guideline-consistent care with mediastinal sampling first was associated with fewer tests and complications. Quality gaps decreased with the introduction of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration but persist. Gaps include failure to sample the mediastinum first, failure to sample the mediastinum at all, and overuse of thoracotomy.

Navigation Bronchoscopy

With the advent of lung cancer screening, and the increasingly frequent use of computed tomography (CT) scanning for investigating non-pulmonary pathology (for example CT coronary angiogram), the number of pulmonary nodules requiring further investigation has risen significantly. Most of these nodules are found in the lung periphery, which presents challenges to biopsy, and many centers rely on trans-thoracic needle biopsy performed under image guidance by radiologists. However, the desire to minimize complications is driving the development of increasingly accurate navigation bronchoscopy platforms, something that will be crucial in the new era of bronchoscopic therapeutics for lung cancer. This review describes these platforms, summarizes the current evidence for their use, and takes a look at future developments.

Application of endobronchial ultrasonography using a guide sheath and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of atypical bacteriologically-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

Background

In the absence of a positive sputum bacteriological result, pathological and bacteriological examinations of lung lesion biopsies are important methods to confirm bacteriological-negative tuberculosis. Endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath (EBUS-GS) and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) are two new endobronchial diagnostic techniques, the combination of which has greatly facilitated the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions and is an especially useful, minimally invasive, effective diagnostic method for bacteriologically-negative tuberculosis cases.

Methods

A total of 78 patients were included in this study with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis based on clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. The patients underwent a high-resolution chest CT scan before bronchoscopy, A method was selected (EBUS-GS alone, or EBUS-GS + ENB) based on the lesion site and the level and angle of the bronchus involved. After the lesion was found, a puncture needle, biopsy forceps, and brushing forceps were used to collect a tissue sample.

Results

Forty-four patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis; 1, nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease; 15, lung cancer; 15, pulmonary infection; 1, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA); and 2, pneumoconiosis. A total of 25 patients of TB (56.8%) were successfully diagnosed with EBUS-GS plus ENB. Among the patients with confirmed diagnosis, 9 were diagnosed with pathological examination; 4, genetic analysis; 11, positive smear; and 14, positive culture.

Conclusions

The introduction of EBUS and ENB in China has provided a new direction for the diagnosis of atypical bacteriological-negative tuberculosis, as the techniques are less invasive and less expensive than thoracoscopy.