Pathological Pleural Invasion is a Risk Factor for Late Recurrence in Long-Term Survivors of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer after Complete Resection.

BACKGROUND: Information regarding late recurrence after pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is limited. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors for late recurrence after surgery for NSCLC in the current era. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent complete resection for pathological I-III NSCLC between 2006 and 2015. Late recurrence was defined as a recurrence that met the following conditions: (1) the patient underwent chest computed tomography (CT) at or after 54 months after surgery and recurrence was not detected at that time, and (2) recurrence that occurred more than 5 years after surgery. The factors influencing late recurrence, relapse-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) after surgery were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1275 with 5-year relapse-free survival after surgery were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the patients was 66.4 years and 54% of the patients were men. The median interval between surgery and the latest follow-up examination was 98 months. In total, 35 patients (2.7%) experienced late recurrence and 138 patients have died thus far. The cumulative recurrence, RFS, and OS rates at 10 years were 3.9%, 84.9%, and 86.3%, respectively. A multivariate analysis revealed that pleural invasion was an independent risk factor for late recurrence. Pleural invasion was a poor prognostic factor for both RFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: Pleural invasion was a predictor of late recurrence. Age > 67 years, preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) > 5 ng/ml, non-adenocarcinoma, and pleural invasion were poor prognostic factors for RFS.

[Giant Mature Cystic Teratoma Causing Loss of Consciousness before Surgery].

A 30-year-old woman who presented loss of consciousness was diagnosed as having large anterior mediastinal tumor. Computed tomography (CT) showed a 17.0×13.0×7.3 cm cystic mass with internal calcification in the anterior mediastinum that was markedly compressing the heart, great vessels, trachea and bronchi. A mature cystic teratoma was suspected, and the mediastinal tumor was resected through a median sternotomy. At the induction of anesthesia to prevent the development of the respiratory and circulatory collapse, the patient was consciously intubated under the right lateral decubitus position while preparing for percutaneous cardiopulmonary support by cardiac surgeons, and the surgery was safely performed. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as a mature cystic teratoma, and symptoms such as loss of consciousness have disappeared.

Chemotherapy resumption in breast cancer patient after COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: While many studies have verified the effect of recent anti-cancer treatment in patients with COVID-19, there are no data on the optimal time for cancer treatment resumption, as well as the safety of chemotherapy in COVID-19 patients. As many cancer patients are recovering from COVID-19, there is an urgent need for reliable clinical information. Herein, we report a case of invasive ductal carcinoma in which we were able to successfully resume chemotherapy after infection with SAR-CoV-2. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 38-year-old non-smoking Japanese woman with no significant medical history. She had fever on days 5 and 6 of her second course of adjuvant FEC therapy, and on day 7, she tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. She was hospitalized for 11 days. We resumed the therapy on day 25 after discharge, as she had no remaining clinical symptoms. The patient completed four courses of the initial chemotherapy without any major adverse events nor the recurrence of COVID-19, and subsequently completed four courses of docetaxel as her second regimen therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating the risk for each patient is essential when resuming anti-cancer therapy in cancer patient's post-COVID-19.