Gut Microbiota Signatures with Potential Clinical Usefulness in Colorectal and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers.

The application of bacterial metagenomic analysis as a biomarker for cancer detection is emerging. Our aim was to discover gut microbiota signatures with potential utility in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A prospective study was performed on a total of 77 fecal samples from CRC and NSCLC patients and controls. DNA from stool was analyzed for bacterial genomic sequencing using the Ion Torrent™ technology. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using the QIIME2 pipeline. We applied logistic regression to adjust for differences attributable to sex, age, and body mass index, and the diagnostic accuracy of our gut signatures was compared with other previously published results. The feces of patients affected by different tumor types, such as CRC and NSCLC, showed a differential intestinal microbiota profile. After adjusting for confounders, Parvimonas (OR = 53.3), Gemella (OR = 6.01), Eisenbergiella (OR = 5.35), Peptostreptococcus (OR = 9.42), Lactobacillus (OR = 6.72), Salmonella (OR = 5.44), and Fusobacterium (OR = 78.9) remained significantly associated with the risk of CRC. Two genera from the Ruminococcaceae family, DTU089 (OR = 20.1) and an uncharacterized genus (OR = 160.1), were associated with the risk of NSCLC. Our two panels had better diagnostic capacity for CRC (AUC = 0.840) and NSLC (AUC = 0.747) compared to the application of two other published panels to our population. Thus, we propose a gut bacteria panel for each cancer type and show its potential application in cancer diagnosis.

Role of Telomere Length in Survival of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Other Interstitial Lung Diseases.

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) constitute a group of more than 200 disorders, with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) being one of the most frequent. Telomere length (TL) shortening causes loss of function of the lung parenchyma. However, little is known about its role as a prognostic factor in ILD patients. With the aim of investigating the role of TL and telomerase activity in the prognosis of patients affected by ILDs, we analysed lung tissue samples from 61 patients. We measured relative TL and telomerase activity by conventional procedures. Both clinical and molecular parameters were associated with overall survival by the Kaplan-Meier method. Patients with IPF had poorer prognosis than patients with other ILDs (p = 0.034). When patients were classified according to TL, those with shortened telomeres reported lower overall survival (p = 0.085); differences reached statistical significance after excluding ILD patients who developed cancer (p = 0.021). In a Cox regression analysis, TL behaved as a risk-modifying variable for death associated with rheumatic disease (RD) co-occurrence (p = 0.029). Also, in patients without cancer, ferritin was significantly increased in cases with RD and IPF co-occurrence (p = 0.032). In relation to telomerase activity, no significant differences were detected. In conclusion, TL in lung tissue emerges as a prognostic factor in ILD patients. Specifically, in cases with RD and IPF co-occurrence, TL can be considered as a risk-modifying variable for death.

The Use of Fissios App© as a Complement to a Face-to-Face Respiratory Physiotherapy Program versus an Attendance-Only Face-to-Face Physiotherapy Program in Patients Scheduled for Thoracic Surgical Procedures Reduces the Risk of Developing Postoperative Pulmonary Complications-A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) increase the hospital length of stay (LOS) and the cost of healthcare associated with surgical procedures. Strategies to reduce PPCs begin before surgery and continue in the postoperative period. Fissios App© is a smartphone application that contains perioperative medical advice and a structured respiratory physiotherapy program. The objective was to implement the use of this app in a group of patients scheduled for a thoracic surgical procedure and determine its efficacy in reducing PPCs. This was a quasi-experimental study in which all patients attended a face-to-face respiratory physiotherapy program, and the intervention group used Fissios App© as a complement. We prospectively recorded the postoperative evolution of both groups, analyzed the categorical differences and quantitative variables, and created a binary logistic regression model. We recruited 393 patients (131 intervention and 262 control). The intervention group had a lower incidence of PPCs (12.2% versus 24% in the control group, p = 0.006), a shorter LOS (a median of 3 days (IQR = 2-5) versus 4 days (IQR = 3-6, p = 0.001) in the control group), and a reduction in the risk of developing PPCs by 63.5% (OR: 0.365, 95% CI: 0.17-0.78). The use of Fissios App© improved the clinical outcomes after surgery and reduced the probability of developing PPCs.

Preoperative detection and evaluation of the need for psychological intervention in cancer and non-cancer patients referred to thoracic surgery.

OBJECTIVES: (a) to evaluate and compare the psychological treatment needs of patients with cancer and non-cancer, who are going to undergo scheduled thoracic surgery, and (b) evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the screening tests of psychological treatment needs for cancer and non-cancer patients. METHOD: The need for psychological treatment was evaluated in a total of 169 patients prior to thoracic surgery, through a clinical interview. The screening tests used were: the physician's judgment (yes/no), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and, the single-item interview to assess depression "Do you feel depressed?" (DEPQ). RESULTS: The number of patients who needed psychological treatment in the total sample was 47 (27.81%), in non-cancer-patients: 22 (30.99%) and in cancer patients: 25 (25.51%). The participants with treatment needs were more often young women with primary education levels, with more fears and concerns regarding their disease. With respect to the screening tests, the HADS-T (cut-off point ≥13) obtained a sensitivity (SE) of 0.75 and Specificity (SP) of 0.81 in the total sample. In patients with cancer, the HADS total score (cut-off point ≥10) obtained an SE=0.84 and SP=0.80, and, in non-cancer patients, the HADS total score (cut-off point ≥13) showed an SE=0.59 and SP=0.84. The DEPQ and the physician's judgment did not achieve adequate levels of precision. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of patients have psychological treatment needs before performing thoracic surgery, which are similar for cancer and non-cancer patients. Preoperative detection of patients who need psychological intervention is feasible with a simple screening test: HADS, which achieves greater precision in cancer patients.

Preoperative detection and evaluation of the need for psychological intervention in cancer and non-cancer patients referred to thoracic surgery.

OBJECTIVES: (a) to evaluate and compare the psychological treatment needs of patients with cancer and non-cancer, who are going to undergo scheduled thoracic surgery, and (b) evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the screening tests of psychological treatment needs for cancer and non-cancer patients. METHOD: The need for psychological treatment was evaluated in a total of 169 patients prior to thoracic surgery, through a clinical interview. The screening tests used were: the physician's judgment (yes/no), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and, the single-item interview to assess depression "Do you feel depressed?" (DEPQ). RESULTS: The number of patients who needed psychological treatment in the total sample was 47 (27.81%), in non-cancer-patients: 22 (30.99%) and in cancer patients: 25 (25.51%). The participants with treatment needs were more often young women with primary education levels, with more fears and concerns regarding their disease. With respect to the screening tests, the HADS-T (cut-off point ≥13) obtained a sensitivity (SE) of 0.75 and Specificity (SP) of 0.81 in the total sample. In patients with cancer, the HADS total score (cut-off point ≥10) obtained an SE=0.84 and SP=0.80, and, in non-cancer patients, the HADS total score (cut-off point ≥13) showed an SE=0.59 and SP=0.84. The DEPQ and the physician's judgment did not achieve adequate levels of precision. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of patients have psychological treatment needs before performing thoracic surgery, which are similar for cancer and non-cancer patients. Preoperative detection of patients who need psychological intervention is feasible with a simple screening test: HADS, which achieves greater precision in cancer patients.

Implementing a distress screening program in a thoracic surgery service. / Implementación de un programa de cribado del malestar emocional en un servicio de cirugía torácica.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy of screening tests in detecting cases requiring psychological intervention among patients referred for thoracic surgery. METHODS: Emotional distress was evaluated in 105 patients referred for thoracic surgery by means of a diagnostic psychological interview (criterion variable). The screening ability of the following methods was analyzed: the physician's opinion (Yes/No), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), single-item interview: «Are you depressed?¼ (Depression Question, ADEP) (1-5) and the single-item interview: «Are you anxious?¼ (Anxiety Question, ANXQ) (1-5). RESULTS: According to the clinical interview, 34% of the patients were clinical cases requiring psychological intervention. The total HADS (cut-off point of 10) showed a sensitivity=0.89, specificity=0.75 and AUC=0.883; the ADEP scale (>1) showed a sensitivity=0.79, specificity=0.74 and AUC=0.795; the ANXQ scale (>1) showed a sensitivity=0.78, specificity=0.41 and AUC=0.690; and the physician's opinion showed a sensitivity=0.47 and specificity=0.86. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of patients referred for thoracic surgery required psychological intervention. The best instrument to identify those patients requiring psychological care, taking a psychological interview as the criterion variable, was the total HADS score. This test is brief, simple and well accepted by patients; it is easy to implement within a thoracic surgery service and has a good diagnostic accuracy.