[Predictive relevance of KRAS mutational status in bone metastatic lung adenocarcinoma treated with bisphosphonate therapy]

The therapeutic impact of KRAS mutations remains controversial in bone metastatic lung adenocarcinoma (LADC). Therefore, our aim was to investigate the effects of KRAS mutational status on overall survival (OS) in these patients according to bisphosphonate therapy (BTx) and radiation therapy (RTx). In total, 134 LADC patients diagnosed with simultaneous bone metastasis were included in this study. The results of the univariate (p=0.008) and multivariate (p=0.004) survival analyses indicated that KRAS mutation is a negative prognostic factor. Both BTx and RTx can increase the OS with a pronounced benefit for patients with KRAS wild-type tumors. Importantly, the concomitant use of BTx and RTx might increase the OS irrespective of KRAS status compared to BTx or RTx alone. In summary, our results might contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches with regards to KRAS mutational status in bone metastatic LADC.

Jobb oldali videoasszisztált thoracoscopos thymectomia a thymoma nélküli, felnőttkori myasthenia gravis sebészi kezelésében

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A myasthenia gravis javallatával végzett csecsemőmirigy-eltávolítás sebésztechnikai szempontból lényegesen megváltozott az elmúlt közel 30 évben. A standard műtétnek számító transsternalis és transcervicalis thymectomia mellett elterjedt a videoasszisztált thoracoscopos sebészeti (VATS), később pedig a robot sebészeti megoldás is. Két intézetünkben 2011-2012-ben vezettük be a VATS thymectomiát. Módszer: A többféle technikai megoldás közül a mediastinumot a jobb mellüreg felől megközelítő utat választottuk. Eleinte 3, később 2 pontos perimammaris portot készítettünk a thymus elérésére a beteg háton fekvő helyzetében. Minden esetben ultrahangos vágóeszközt alkalmaztunk. Kiterjesztett thymectomiára törekedve a perithymikus zsírszövetet is eltávolítottuk, szélesen megnyitva a bal oldali mellüreget is. A betegek kiválasztásában az átlagos testsúlyú vagy soványabb betegeket részesítettük előnyben. Eredmények: 8 év és 4 hónap alatt 92 beteget műtöttünk a fenti módszerrel thymoma nélküli myasthenia gravis alapbetegséggel. 20 férfi és 72 nő. Átlagéletkor 33,1 év (19-75 év). A műtéti idő 35-160 percig terjedt, átlagosan 82,3 perc volt. A tömegesebb mediastinalis zsírszövet néhány betegnél nehezítette a tájékozódást és a maradéktalan eltávolítást. Műtét alatt 4 esetben érsérülés és 3 ellenoldali tüdősérülés következett be. Két konverziót végeztünk (1-1 sternotomia és thoracotomia). Idegsérülés nem történt. Tíz beteg igényelt néhány órás művi lélegeztetést a műtét után, a többi beteget a műtőasztalon extubáltuk. Reintubáció, tracheostomia, légzési elégtelenség, műtéti halálozás nem volt. Az intenzív ápolási idő átlaga: 1,1 (0-11) nap. A teljes kórházi ápolási idő átlaga: 4,8 (3-15) nap. A drenázsidő 1-4 nap, átlagosan 1,16 nap. Két beteg (2,41%) halt meg a műtétet követően 1 és 5 éven belül. További 81 beteg 12-108 (átlag: 48) hónapos követése során a myastheniás állapotban 21 (25,3%) betegnél komplett, 4 (4,82%) betegnél gyógyszeres remisszió, 20 (24,1%) betegnél minimális manifesztáció, 28 (33,73%) betegnél egyéb javulás volt megállapítható. 4 (4,82%) beteg állapota változatlan maradt, 4 (4,82%) betegé pedig romlott. Következtetés: A VATS thymectomia teljesen új utat jelent a transsternalis módszerben járatos sebészek számára. A tömegesebb mediastinalis zsírszövet nagyon megnehezíti a műtétet. A perioperatív szak nagyon kedvező a betegek számára, és a késői eredmények is elfogadhatóak. Kérdéses, hogy a thymus minden esetben maradéktalanul eltávolítható-e ezzel a módszerrel.

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

Surgical technique of thymectomy performed for treatment of myasthenia gravis has considerably changed in the last almost 30 years. In addition to standard interventions - transsternal and transcervical thymectomy -, video-assisted thoracoscopic interventions (VATS), later on robotic surgery came into general use. In our two institutions, we apply VATS thymectomy since 2011.

METHODS

There are several different surgical techniques for this purpose; we approached the mediastinum through the right thoracic cavity. We prepared initially 3, later on 2 perimammal ports for the access of the thymus; the patients were in supine position during surgery. We used an ultrasonic cutting device in all cases. In order to perform extended thymectomy, we removed the fatty tissue around the thymus and opened widely the left thoracic cavity, too. During patient enrollment, we preferred patients with normal or lower body weight.

RESULTS

During 8 years and 4 months, we operated on 92 patients using this method for myasthenia gravis without thymoma; there were 20 male and 72 female patients at the age of 33 years on average (19-75 years). Duration of surgery was 35-160 minutes, 82.3 minutes on average. The bulky fatty tissue around the thymus made the orientation and the complete removal more difficult in a few patients. We experienced vascular injury in 4 cases and injury of the contralateral lung in 3 cases. Conversion was necessary in 2 cases (1 sternotomy and 1 thoracotomy), there were no nerve injuries. Assisted ventilation was necessary in case of ten patients in the postoperative period for a few hours; all other patients were extubated on the operating table. There was no need for repeated intubation and tracheostomy; there was no respiratory insufficiency and perioperative mortality. Duration of ICU care was 1.1 days on the average (0-11 days), that of the total hospital care 4.8 days on average (3-15 days). Duration of thoracic drainage was 1.16 days on average (1-4 days). Two patients (2.41%) died within one and five years after surgery. During 12-108 months (48 months on average) follow-up of 81 patients, 21 patients (25.3%) suffering from myasthenia total recovery was observed, pharmacologic remission was achieved in 4 patients (5.3%), minimal manifestation remained in 23 patients (24.1%), while in 28 patients (33.73%) other improvement was observed. The status of 4 patients (4.82%) remained unchanged and that of 4 patients (5.3%) worsened.

CONCLUSION

VATS thymectomy represents a completely new surgical method for surgeons having experience in transsternal surgical technique. Bulky mediastinal fatty tissue makes surgery very difficult. The perioperative period is advantageous for the patients and also the long term follow-up results are acceptable. It is questionable that the thymus can be completely removed with this method in all cases.

[Therapeutic possibilities in KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma]

KRAS mutations are the most common gain-of-function alterations in lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) in the western countries. Although the different mutations of the KRAS gene have been identified decades ago, the development of drugs targeting the KRAS protein directly have not been successful due to the lack of small molecule binding sites and the extremely high affinity to cellular GTP. Indirect strategies to inhibit KRAS (e.g. inhibitors of farnesyltransferase, prenylation, synthetic lethal partners and KRAS downstream signaling) have so far also failed. In recent times, however several compounds have been developed that target subtype- specific KRAS mutations. Covalent KRAS G12C-specific inhibitors showed the most promising preclinical results. Below, we summarize the predictive and prognostic value of KRAS mutations in LADC as well as the current targeting strategies.

Antibody-Mediated Rejection in a Multiple Lung Transplant Patient: A Case Report

Lung transplant is an effective way to treat many end-stage lung diseases. However, one of the main barriers of allograft organ transplant is still the immunologic rejection of transplanted tissue, which is a response of the HLA molecules. Rejection is a complex process involving both T-cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions and antibody-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to histocompatibility molecules on foreign grafts. We report the case of a 25-year-old female patient with cystic fibrosis who underwent 2 lung transplants because of her initial diagnosis and appearance of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after the first transplant. Only 13 months after the second transplant, despite the therapies applied, a new rejection occurred associated with high mean fluorescent intensity donor-specific antibody levels, which resulted later in the death of the patient. The present case draws attention to the importance of matching HLA molecules between donor and recipient in addition to immunosuppressive therapy.

A magyar tüdőtranszplantációs program indulása és első eredményei

Abstract:

The first lung transplantation in Hungary was performed on 12th of December, 2015. It was a joint effort of the National Institute of Oncology and the Semmelweis University. Hereby we summarise the results and experiences from the first three years. Until August, 2018, 55 lung transplantations were performed in Hungary. This was a retrospective analysis. All patients were listed according to the recommendation of the Lung Transplantation Committee. All implanted lungs have been procured from brain dead donors. Postoperative treatment and rehabilitation of the patients were continued at the Semmelweis University. Between 12. 12. 2015 and 31. 07. 2018, our team performed 76 organ retrievals: out of 45 Hungarian offers, 23 came from Eurotransplant countries and 8 outside of the Eurotransplant region. From these donations, 54 double and 1 single side transplantations were successfully performed. The surgical approach was single side thoracotomy (n = 1), bilateral thoracotomy (n = 1) and in the majority of the cases clamshell incision (n = 53). For the intraoperative veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support was used. The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support had to be prolonged in 3 patients into the early postoperative period, two other recipients were bridged to transplant with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. In the same time period, one combined lung-kidney transplantation was also performed. The distribution of recipients according to the underlying disease was: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 28); idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n = 8); cystic fibrosis (n = 12); primary pulmonary hypertension (n = 2); hystiocytosis-X (n = 1); bronchiectasis (n = 2); lymphangioleiomyomatosis (n = 1); and re-transplantation following bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (n = 1), respectively. The mean age of recipients was 47.5 ± 15.18 years. The youngest recipient was 13 years old. We unfortunately lost 12 patients on our waiting list. The mean intensive care unit stay was 24.6 ± 18.18 days. Two patients were lost in the early postoperative phase. Tracheostomy was necessary in 13 cases due to the need of prolonged ventilation. 1-year survival of the recipients was 82.96% (until 31. 07. 2018). When looking at the first three years of the program, the case numbers elevated quickly throughout the years which is rather unique when compared to other centres in their starting period. Perioperative mortality and morbidity is comparable with high-volume lung transplantation centres. In the future we would like to increase the number of patients on the waiting list, thus increasing the total number of transplantations performed, and we are also planning to implement the use of the ex vivo lung perfusion system (EVLP) in our program. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(46): 1859–1868.