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Jansen JP, Incerti D, Trikalinos TA. Multi-state network meta-analysis of progression and survival data. Stat Med 2023; 42:3371-3391. [PMID: 37300446 PMCID: PMC10865415 DOI: 10.1002/sim.9810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Multiple randomized controlled trials, each comparing a subset of competing interventions, can be synthesized by means of a network meta-analysis to estimate relative treatment effects between all interventions in the evidence base. Here we focus on estimating relative treatment effects for time-to-event outcomes. Cancer treatment effectiveness is frequently quantified by analyzing overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). We introduce a method for the joint network meta-analysis of PFS and OS that is based on a time-inhomogeneous tri-state (stable, progression, and death) Markov model where time-varying transition rates and relative treatment effects are modeled with parametric survival functions or fractional polynomials. The data needed to run these analyses can be extracted directly from published survival curves. We demonstrate use by applying the methodology to a network of trials for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. The proposed approach allows the joint synthesis of OS and PFS, relaxes the proportional hazards assumption, extends to a network of more than two treatments, and simplifies the parameterization of decision and cost-effectiveness analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen P. Jansen
- Center for Translational and Policy Research on Precision Medicine, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- PRECISIONheor, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Devin Incerti
- Previously at PRECISIONheor, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Thomas A. Trikalinos
- Departments of Health Services, Policy and Practice and of Biostatistics and Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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Greenhalgh J, Boland A, Bates V, Vecchio F, Dundar Y, Chaplin M, Green JA. First-line treatment of advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation positive non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021; 3:CD010383. [PMID: 33734432 PMCID: PMC8092455 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd010383.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation positive (M+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an important subtype of lung cancer comprising 10% to 15% of non-squamous tumours. This subtype is more common in women than men, is less associated with smoking, but occurs at a younger age than sporadic tumours. OBJECTIVES To assess the clinical effectiveness of single-agent or combination EGFR therapies used in the first-line treatment of people with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR M+ NSCLC compared with other cytotoxic chemotherapy (CTX) agents used alone or in combination, or best supportive care (BSC). The primary outcomes were overall survival and progression-free survival. Secondary outcomes included response rate, symptom palliation, toxicity, and health-related quality of life. SEARCH METHODS We conducted electronic searches of the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2020, Issue 7), MEDLINE (1946 to 27th July 2020), Embase (1980 to 27th July 2020), and ISI Web of Science (1899 to 27th July 2020). We also searched the conference abstracts of the American Society for Clinical Oncology and the European Society for Medical Oncology (July 2020); Evidence Review Group submissions to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; and the reference lists of retrieved articles. SELECTION CRITERIA Parallel-group randomised controlled trials comparing EGFR-targeted agents (alone or in combination with cytotoxic agents or BSC) with cytotoxic chemotherapy (single or doublet) or BSC in chemotherapy-naive patients with locally advanced or metastatic (stage IIIB or IV) EGFR M+ NSCLC unsuitable for treatment with curative intent. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently identified articles, extracted data, and carried out the 'Risk of bias' assessment. We conducted meta-analyses using a fixed-effect model unless there was substantial heterogeneity, in which case we also performed a random-effects analysis as a sensitivity analysis. MAIN RESULTS Twenty-two trials met the inclusion criteria. Ten of these exclusively recruited people with EGFR M+ NSCLC; the remainder recruited a mixed population and reported results for people with EGFR M+ NSCLC as subgroup analyses. The number of participants with EGFR M+ tumours totalled 3023, of whom approximately 2563 were of Asian origin. Overall survival (OS) data showed inconsistent results between the included trials that compared EGFR-targeted treatments against cytotoxic chemotherapy or placebo. Erlotinib was used in eight trials, gefitinib in nine trials, afatinib in two trials, cetuximab in two trials, and icotinib in one trial. The findings of FASTACT 2 suggested a clinical benefit for OS for participants treated with erlotinib plus cytotoxic chemotherapy when compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy alone, as did the Han 2017 trial for gefitinib plus cytotoxic chemotherapy, but both results were based on a small number of participants (n = 97 and 122, respectively). For progression-free survival (PFS), a pooled analysis of four trials showed evidence of clinical benefit for erlotinib compared with cytotoxic chemotherapy (hazard ratio (HR) 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.39 ; 583 participants ; high-certainty evidence). A pooled analysis of two trials of gefitinib versus paclitaxel plus carboplatin showed evidence of clinical benefit for PFS for gefitinib (HR 0.39; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.48 ; 491 participants high-certainty evidence), and a pooled analysis of two trials of gefitinib versus pemetrexed plus carboplatin with pemetrexed maintenance also showed evidence of clinical benefit for PFS for gefitinib (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.46 to 0.74, 371 participants ; moderate-certainty evidence). Afatinib showed evidence of clinical benefit for PFS when compared with chemotherapy in a pooled analysis of two trials (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.53, 709 participants high-certainty evidence). All but one small trial showed a corresponding improvement in response rate with tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) compared to chemotherapy. Commonly reported grade 3/4 adverse events associated with afatinib, erlotinib, gefitinib and icotinib monotherapy were rash and diarrhoea. Myelosuppression was consistently worse in the chemotherapy arms; fatigue and anorexia were also associated with some chemotherapies. Seven trials reported on health-related quality of life and symptom improvement using different methodologies. For each of erlotinib, gefitinib, and afatinib, two trials showed improvement in one or more indices for the TKI compared to chemotherapy. The quality of evidence was high for the comparisons of erlotinib and gefitinib with cytotoxic chemotherapy and for the comparison of afatinib with cytotoxic chemotherapy. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib and icotinib are all active agents in EGFR M+ NSCLC patients, and demonstrate an increased tumour response rate and prolonged PFS compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy. We found a beneficial effect of the TKI compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy in adverse effect and health-related quality of life. We found limited evidence for increased OS for the TKI when compared with standard chemotherapy, but the majority of the included trials allowed participants to switch treatments on disease progression, which will have a confounding effect on any OS analysis. Single agent-TKI remains the standard of care and the benefit of combining a TKI and chemotherapy remains uncertain as the evidence is based on small patient numbers. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is less effective in EGFR M+ NSCLC than erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib or icotinib and is associated with greater toxicity. There are no data supporting the use of monoclonal antibody therapy. Icotinib is not available outside China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janette Greenhalgh
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Angela Boland
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Victoria Bates
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Fabio Vecchio
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Yenal Dundar
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Australia
| | - Marty Chaplin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - John A Green
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Bebington, UK
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Franek J, Cappelleri JC, Larkin-Kaiser KA, Wilner KD, Sandin R. Systematic review and network meta-analysis of first-line therapy for advanced EGFR-positive non-small-cell lung cancer. Future Oncol 2019; 15:2857-2871. [PMID: 31298572 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2019-0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we compare the relative clinical efficacy of EGFR-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) for EGFR-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The authors systematically searched 11 electronic databases from January 2004 to August 2018 for randomized controlled trials measuring clinical efficacy of first-line TKI therapies. Clinical efficacy outcomes included overall survival and progression-free survival. Bayesian network meta-analysis was used to assess the relative efficacy of first-line EGFR TKIs for overall survival and progression-free survival. This network meta-analysis showed that dacomitinib and osimertinib resulted in improved efficacy outcomes compared with afatinib, erlotinib and gefitinib. Both osimertinib and dacomitinib should be considered as standard first-line treatment options for patients diagnosed with advanced EGFR-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Franek
- Medlior Health Outcomes Research Ltd, Calgary, Alberta, T2C 5P9, Canada
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Erikson AK, Yu NY, Sheedy JT, Shoudis SN, Paripati HR, Sio TT. Erlotinib-Associated Rash Exacerbated by Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy: A Patient's Case Report. Pract Radiat Oncol 2019; 9:128-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prro.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Batson S, Mitchell SA, Windisch R, Damonte E, Munk VC, Reguart N. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor combination therapy in first-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Onco Targets Ther 2017; 10:2473-2482. [PMID: 28503070 PMCID: PMC5426468 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s134382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The introduction of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has improved the outlook for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR+ mutations. However, most patients develop resistance, with the result that median progression-free survival (PFS) iŝ12 months. Combining EGFR-TKIs with other agents, such as bevacizumab, is a promising approach to prolonging remission. This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) were undertaken to assess available evidence regarding the benefits of first-line combination therapy involving EGFR-TKIs in patients with advanced NSCLC. METHODS Literature searches were performed using relevant search terms. Study-level pseudo-individual patient-level data (IPD) were recreated from digitized Kaplan-Meier curve data, using a published algorithm. Study IPD were analyzed using both the proportional hazards and the acceleration failure time (AFT) survival models, and it was concluded that the AFT model was most appropriate. An NMA was performed based on acceleration factors (AFs) using a Bayesian framework to compare EGFR-TKIs and chemotherapy. RESULTS Nine randomized controlled trials were identified that provided data for EGFR-TKI therapy in patients with EGFR+ tumors. These included studies of afatinib (n=3), erlotinib (n=3), erlotinib plus bevacizumab (n=1) and gefitinib (n=2). Erlotinib plus bevacizumab produced the greatest increase in PFS compared with chemotherapy, with 1/AF being 0.24 (95% credible interval [CrI] 0.17, 0.34). This combination also produced greater increases in PFS compared with EGFR-TKI monotherapy: 1/AF versus afatinib, 0.51 (95% CrI 0.35, 0.73); versus erlotinib, 0.53 (95% CrI 0.39, 0.72) and versus gefitinib, 0.46 (95% CrI 0.32, 0.66). All three EGFR-TKI monotherapies prolonged PFS compared with chemotherapy; estimates of treatment effect ranged from 1/AF 0.53 (95% CrI 0.48, 0.60) for gefitinib to 1/AF 0.46 (95% CrI 0.40, 0.53) for erlotinib. There was no evidence for differences between EGFR-TKI monotherapies, as all 95% CrIs included the null value. CONCLUSION Although data for erlotinib plus bevacizumab came from a single Phase 2 study, the results of the NMA suggest that adding bevacizumab to erlotinib may be a promising approach to improving the outcomes achieved with EGFR-TKI monotherapy in patients with advanced EGFR+ NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Noemi Reguart
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Clinic.,Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
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Giuliani J, Bonetti A. The Pharmacological Costs for the Management of Skin Toxicity in Patients With Cancer Treated With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Inhibitors. Clin Lung Cancer 2016; 17:471-473. [PMID: 27245292 DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Revised: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Giuliani
- Department of Oncology, Mater Salutis Hospital, Legnago, Italy.
| | - Andrea Bonetti
- Department of Oncology, Mater Salutis Hospital, Legnago, Italy
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Greenhalgh J, Dwan K, Boland A, Bates V, Vecchio F, Dundar Y, Jain P, Green JA. First-line treatment of advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation positive non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016:CD010383. [PMID: 27223332 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd010383.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation positive (M+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is emerging as an important subtype of lung cancer comprising 10% to 15% of non-squamous tumours. This subtype is more common in women than men and is less associated with smoking. OBJECTIVES To assess the clinical effectiveness of single -agent or combination EGFR therapies used in the first-line treatment of people with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR M+ NSCLC compared with other cytotoxic chemotherapy (CTX) agents used alone or in combination, or best supportive care (BSC). The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes included progression-free survival, response rate, toxicity, and quality of life. SEARCH METHODS We conducted electronic searches of the the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2015, Issue 6), MEDLINE (1946 to 1 June 2015), EMBASE (1980 to 1 June 2015), and ISI Web of Science (1899 to 1 June 2015). We also searched the conference abstracts of the American Society for Clinical Oncology and the European Society for Medical Oncology (1 June 2015); Evidence Review Group submissions to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; and the reference lists of retrieved articles. SELECTION CRITERIA Parallel randomised controlled trials comparing EGFR-targeted agents (alone or in combination with cytotoxic agents or BSC) with cytotoxic chemotherapy (single or doublet) or BSC in chemotherapy-naive patients with locally advanced or metastatic (stage IIIB or IV) EGFR M+ NSCLC unsuitable for treatment with curative intent. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently identified articles, extracted data, and carried out the 'Risk of bias' assessment. We conducted meta-analyses using a fixed-effect model unless there was substantial heterogeneity, in which case we also performed a random-effects analysis as a sensitivity analysis. MAIN RESULTS Nineteen trials met the inclusion criteria. Seven of these exclusively recruited people with EGFR M+ NSCLC; the remainder recruited a mixed population and reported results for people with EGFR M+ NSCLC as subgroup analyses. The number of participants with EGFR M+ tumours totalled 2317, of whom 1700 were of Asian origin.Overall survival (OS) data showed inconsistent results between the included trials that compared EGFR-targeted treatments against cytotoxic chemotherapy or placebo.Erlotinib was the intervention treatment used in eight trials, gefitinib in seven trials, afatinib in two trials, and cetuximab in two trials. The findings of one trial (FASTACT 2) did report a statistically significant OS gain for participants treated with erlotinib plus cytotoxic chemotherapy when compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy alone, but this result was based on a small number of participants (n = 97). For progression-free survival (PFS), a pooled analysis of 3 trials (n = 378) demonstrated a statistically significant benefit for erlotinib compared with cytotoxic chemotherapy (hazard ratio (HR) 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 0.38).In a pooled analysis with 491 participants administered gefitinib, 2 trials (IPASS and NEJSG) demonstrated a statistically significant PFS benefit of gefitinib compared with cytotoxic chemotherapy (HR 0.39; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.48).Afatinib (n = 709) showed a statistically significant PFS benefit when compared with chemotherapy in a pooled analysis of 2 trials (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.53).Commonly reported grade 3/4 adverse events for afatinib, erlotinib, and gefitinib monotherapy were rash and diarrhoea. Myelosuppression was consistently worse in the chemotherapy arms, fatigue and anorexia were also associated with some chemotherapies.No statistically significant PFS or OS benefit for cetuximab plus cytotoxic chemotherapy (n = 81) compared to chemotherapy alone was reported in either of the two trials.Six trials reported on quality of life and symptom improvement using different methodologies. For each of erlotinib, gefitinib, and afatinib, 2 trials showed improvement in one or more indices for the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) compared to chemotherapy.The quality of evidence was high for the comparisons of erlotinib and gefitinib with cytotoxic chemotherapy and for the comparison of afatinib with cytotoxic chemotherapy. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Erlotinib, gefitinib, and afatinib are all active agents in EGFR M+ NSCLC patients, and demonstrate an increased tumour response rate and prolonged progression-free survival compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy. We also found a beneficial effect of the TKI compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, we found no increase in overall survival for the TKI when compared with standard chemotherapy. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is less effective in EGFR M+ NSCLC than erlotinib, gefitinib, or afatinib and is associated with greater toxicity. There were no data supporting the use of monoclonal antibody therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janette Greenhalgh
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Sherrington Building, Ashton Street, Liverpool, UK, L69 3GE
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Hohenforst-Schmidt W, Zarogoulidis P, Steinheimer M, Benhassen N, Tsiouda T, Baka S, Yarmus L, Stratakos G, Organtzis J, Pataka A, Tsakiridis K, Karapantzos I, Karapantzou C, Darwiche K, Zissimopoulos A, Pitsiou G, Zarogoulidis K, Man YG, Rittger H. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for the Elderly. J Cancer 2016; 7:687-93. [PMID: 27076850 PMCID: PMC4829555 DOI: 10.7150/jca.14819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Until few years ago non-specific cytotoxic agents were considered the tip of the arrow as first line treatment for lung cancer. However; age > 75 was considered a major drawback for this kind of therapy. Few exceptions were made by doctors based on the performance status of the patient. The side effects of these agents are still severe for several patients. In the recent years further investigation of the cancer genome has led to targeted therapies. There have been numerous publications regarding novel agents such as; erlotinib, gefitinib and afatinib. In specific populations these agents have demonstrated higher efficiency and this observation is explained by the overexpression of the EGFR pathway in these populations. We suggest that TKIs should administered in the elderly, and with the word elderly we propose the age of 75. The treating medical doctor has to evaluate the performance status of a patient and decide the best treatment in several cases indifferent of the age. TKIs in most studies presented safety and efficiency and of course dose modification should be made when necessary. Comorbidities should be considered in any case especially in this group of patients and the treating physician should act accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Zarogoulidis
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Michael Steinheimer
- 1. Medical Clinic I, ''Fuerth'' Hospital, University of Erlangen, Fuerth, Germany
| | - Naim Benhassen
- 1. Medical Clinic I, ''Fuerth'' Hospital, University of Erlangen, Fuerth, Germany
| | - Theodora Tsiouda
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sofia Baka
- 3. Oncology Department, "Interbalkan" European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Lonny Yarmus
- 4. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Cardiovascular & Critical Care Tower, Baltimore, U.S.A
| | - Grigoris Stratakos
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - John Organtzis
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasia Pataka
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Kosmas Tsakiridis
- 5. Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ilias Karapantzos
- 6. Ear, Nose and Throat Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Chrysanthi Karapantzou
- 6. Ear, Nose and Throat Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Kaid Darwiche
- 8. Department of Interventional Pneumology, Ruhrlandklinik, University Hospital Essen, University of Essen-Duisburg, Tueschener Weg 40, 45239 Essen, Germany
| | - Athanasios Zissimopoulos
- 9. Nuclear Medicine Department, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Thrace, Greece
| | - Georgia Pitsiou
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Zarogoulidis
- 2. Pulmonary Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Yan-Gao Man
- 7. Research Laboratory and International Collaboration, Bon Secours Cancer Institute, VA, USA
| | - Harald Rittger
- 1. Medical Clinic I, ''Fuerth'' Hospital, University of Erlangen, Fuerth, Germany
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