Targeted therapeutic options in early and metastatic NSCLC-overview

The complex therapeutic strategy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has changed significantly in recent years. Disease-free survival increased significantly with immunotherapy and chemotherapy registered in perioperative treatments, as well as adjuvant registered immunotherapy and targeted therapy (osimertinib) in case of EGFR mutation. In oncogenic-addictive metastatic NSCLC, primarily in adenocarcinoma, the range of targeted therapies is expanding, with which the expected overall survival increases significantly, measured in years. By 2021, the FDA and EMA have approved targeted agents to inhibit EGFR activating mutations, T790 M resistance mutation, BRAF V600E mutation, ALK, ROS1, NTRK and RET fusion. In 2022, the range of authorized target therapies was expanded. With therapies that inhibit KRASG12C, EGFR exon 20, HER2 and MET. Until now, there was no registered targeted therapy for the KRAS mutations, which affect 30% of adenocarcinomas. Thus, the greatest expectation surrounded the inhibition of the KRAS G12C mutation, which occurs in ∼15% of NSCLC, mainly in smokers and is characterized by a poor prognosis. Sotorasib and adagrasib are approved as second-line agents after at least one prior course of chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. Adagrasib in first-line combination with pembrolizumab immunotherapy proved more beneficial, especially in patients with high expression of PD-L1. In EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation of lung adenocarcinoma, amivantanab was registered for progression after platinum-based chemotherapy. Lung adenocarcinoma carries an EGFR exon 20, HER2 insertion mutation in 2%, for which the first targeted therapy is trastuzumab deruxtecan, in patients already treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Two orally administered selective c-MET inhibitors, capmatinib and tepotinib, were also approved after chemotherapy in adenocarcinoma carrying MET exon 14 skipping mutations of about 3%. Incorporating reflex testing with next-generation sequencing (NGS) expands personalized therapies by identifying guideline-recommended molecular alterations.

[Metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a potential mimicker of choroidal melanoma]

While metastases are the most common intraocular malignancies, ocular metastases of renal cell carcinoma are rare. The most frequent primary malignancy of the eye is uveal melanoma. The common ocular localization is the choroid in both cases. The clinical differentiation of choroidal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma and choroidal melanoma malignum is a diagnostic challenge for the ophthalmologist. We present two cases where renal cell carcinoma had metastasized to the choroid. Enucleation was performed in a 61- and a 71-year-old male patient with suspected advanced choroidal malignant melanoma following biomicroscopic and B-scan ultrasonography examination. Histopathological examination confirmed clear-cell renal cell carcinoma in both cases. The clinical and ultrasonographic appearance of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma metastasis may mimic choroidal malignant melanoma, and may only be suspected if a primary renal cell carcinoma is already established.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Inpatient Volume at a Tertiary Eye Care Center in Germany with Corneal Main Specialization

BACKGROUND

To estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency inpatient volume in a tertiary eye care center in Germany with corneal main subspecialization.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective review of ocular emergency patients who attended the inpatient unit of the Department of Ophthalmology of Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic, between 1 March and 30 April 2020, in comparison to the same time period in 2019. For each subject, clinical history and surgical reports were reviewed. After 24 March 2020, PCR examinations for SARS-CoV-2 were performed from throat swab specimens in all patients using real-time RT-PCR.

RESULTS

Totally, 135 patients were admitted in 2019 and 115 patients in 2020 as emergency cases. The patient age at the time of admission did not differ significantly between the two time periods (63.6 ± 17.9 years vs. 62.5 ± 19.6 years) (p = 0.792), but the average length of hospital stays increased significantly for 2020 (4.0 ± 3.6 vs. 4.4 ± 2.7 days, p = 0.043). The percentage of admissions due to acute corneal hydrops (0% vs. 3.5%) increased significantly from 2019 to 2020 (χ² = 4.772, p = 0.028), however, there was not a significant difference between the two years for any other diagnosis (χ² ≤ 3.564, p ≥ 0.059). From 2019 to 2020, the percentage of acute intravitreal anti-VEGF injections decreased significantly (7.9% vs. 1.3%, χ² = 3.985, p = 0.045), but the proportion of other emergency surgeries did not differ between the two years (χ² ≤ 3.617, p ≥ 0.057). COVID-19 PCR examination was performed in 66 (57.4%) cases in 2020 and all samples (100%) were negative.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID pandemic did not change emergency inpatient volume in our department, but duration of hospital stay was extended on average by 8 hours, mainly due to additional COVID-19-PCR examinations. The proportion of the most frequently performed surgeries did not change remarkably between 2019 and 2020, but with the introduction of Muraine's sutures in 2019, the percentage of admissions with acute corneal hydrops (with or without subsequent surgery) increased for 2020. No urgent surgery had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic at our department; all operations were performed successfully.

[Heterogeneity of small cell lung cancer: biological and clinicopathological implications]

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC; comprising approximately 14% of all lung cancer cases in Hungary) is an aggressive tumor type characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis. Although SCLC is a particularly malignant form of cancer, targeted therapies in its treatment have remained largely unsuccessful and thus there were no major therapeutic advances in the last three decades. SCLC was once considered a molecularly homogeneous malignancy. However, recent analyses led to the classification of neuroendocrine and molecular subtypes, based on the dominant expression of one of the following four transcriptional regulator genes: ASCL1, NEUROD1, YAP1 and POU2F3. Because these genetically and biologically distinct subtypes might contribute to therapeutic resistance, the better understanding of their biological and clinicopathological characteristics may help in the development of more effective SCLC therapies.

Differential diagnosis and management of melanocytic lesions of the ocular surface

Our purpose is to summarize the actual knowledge about melanocytic lesions of the ocular surface (conjunctival nevus, primary acquired melanosis and conjunctival melanoma),especially their clinical appearance, differential diagnosis and treatment. Conjunctival nevus is the most common benign, conjunctival melanocytic lesion. Primary acquired melanosis mainly presents in middle-aged or elderly individuals, characterized by proliferation of melanocytes of the conjunctival epithelial layer. Conjunctival melanoma is a rare tumor, it is the second most common malignant ocular surface tumor after ocular surface squamous neoplasia and the third most common ocular malignancy following choroideal malignant melanoma and ocular surface squamous neoplasia. Early recognition and proper management of conjunctival melanoma is indispensable due to its high malignant and metastatic potential. Due to frequent recurrences, the knowledge and use of intra- and postoperative adjuvant treatment modalities, and regular follow-up are necessary. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(15): 563–574.

Evaluation of femtosecond laser-assisted and manual clear corneal incisions and their effect on surgically induced astigmatism and higher-order aberrations

PURPOSE

To evaluate femtosecond laser-assisted and manual clear corneal incisions and their effect on surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) and corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs).

METHODS

In a prospective randomized study, conventional phacoemulsification with a 2.8-mm clear corneal incision using a disposable keratome was performed in 20 eyes of 20 patients (manual group), and femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery with a 2.8-mm biplanar clear corneal tunnel created by a femtosecond laser (LenSx; Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Aliso Viejo, CA) was performed in 20 eyes of 20 patients (femtosecond laser group). Corneal topography readings and corneal wavefront aberrations (diameter: 9.0 mm) were obtained using a Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam HR; Oculus Optikgerate, Wetzlar, Germany) preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in SIA between the groups (femtosecond laser group: 0.47 ± 0.13 vs manual group: 0.41 ± 0.14; P = .218), but the axis deviation of the SIA axis from the previously planned axis was significantly smaller in the femtosecond laser group compared to the manual group (4.47°± 2.59° vs 7.38°± 4.72°, respectively; P = .048). Corneal HOAs increased significantly in both groups (femtosecond laser group: 0.13 ± 0.09 to 0.18 ± 0.12, P = .025; manual group: 0.13 ± 0.05 to 0.15 ± 0.05, P = .002), but preoperative and postoperative values did not differ significantly between them (P = .472 and .078, respectively). Lower-order and total corneal aberration values remained stable in both groups (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no difference in SIA and induced HOAs between manual and femtosecond laser-created clear corneal incisions.