Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: a comprehensive critical review.

Despite treatment advances through immunotherapies, including anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies, the overall prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains poor, underscoring the need for novel approaches that offer long-term clinical benefit. This review examined the literature on the subject over the past 20 years to provide an update on the evolving landscape of dendritic cell-based immunotherapy to treat NSCLC, highlighting the crucial role of dendritic cells (DCs) in immune response initiation and regulation. These cells encompass heterogeneous subsets like cDC1s, cDC2s, and pDCs, capable of shaping antigen presentation and influencing T cell activation through the balance between the Th1, Th2, and Th17 profiles and the activation of regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg). The intricate interaction between DC subsets and the high density of intratumoral mature DCs shapes tumor-specific immune responses and impacts therapeutic outcomes. DC-based immunotherapy shows promise in overcoming immune resistance in NSCLC treatment. This article review provides an update on key clinical trial results, forming the basis for future studies to characterize the role of different types of DCs in situ and in combination with different therapies, including DC vaccines.

Development and validation of an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in adult asthma patients in Brazil. METHODS: A 34-item self-report questionnaire was constructed and administered to adult asthma patients and adult controls. The maximum total score was 34. RESULTS: The questionnaire was shown to be discriminatory, with good reliability and reproducibility. The mean score for asthma patients and controls was, respectively, 21.47 +/- 4.11 (range: 9-31) and 17.27 +/- 5.11 (range: 7-28; p < 0.001). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.53, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity demonstrated a satisfactory suitability of the data to factor analysis (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the total scores obtained in the first and in the second application of the questionnaire within a two-week interval (p = 0.43). The internal consistency reliability (KR-20 coefficient) was 0.69. CONCLUSIONS: This study has validated an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in Brazil.

Development and validation of an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in Brazil / Desenvolvimento e validação de um questionário de conhecimento em asma para uso no Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in adult asthma patients in Brazil. METHODS: A 34-item self-report questionnaire was constructed and administered to adult asthma patients and adult controls. The maximum total score was 34. RESULTS: The questionnaire was shown to be discriminatory, with good reliability and reproducibility. The mean score for asthma patients and controls was, respectively, 21.47 ± 4.11 (range: 9-31) and 17.27 ± 5.11 (range: 7-28; p < 0.001). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.53, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity demonstrated a satisfactory suitability of the data to factor analysis (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the total scores obtained in the first and in the second application of the questionnaire within a two-week interval (p = 0.43). The internal consistency reliability (KR-20 coefficient) was 0.69. CONCLUSIONS: This study has validated an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in Brazil.

OBJETIVO: Desenvolver e validar um questionário de conhecimento em asma para pacientes adultos asmáticos no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Um questionário autoaplicável com 34 itens foi desenvolvido e aplicado em asmáticos e controles adultos. A pontuação total máxima era 34. RESULTADOS: O questionário mostrou-se discriminante, com boa confiabilidade e reprodutibilidade. O escore médio para os asmáticos e controles foi, respectivamente, 21,47 ± 4,11 (variação: 9-31) e 17,27 ± 5,11 (variação: 7-28; p < 0,001). O teste de Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin revelou uma medida de adequação de 0,53, e o teste de esfericidade de Bartlett demonstrou uma adequação satisfatória dos dados para a análise fatorial (p < 0,001). Não houve diferença significativa entre os escores totais obtidos na primeira e na segunda aplicação do questionário, com um intervalo de duas semanas (p = 0,43). O coeficiente de consistência interna (coeficiente KR-20) foi 0,69. CONCLUSÕES: Este estudo validou um questionário de educação em asma para uso no Brasil.