Critically ill cancer patient's resuscitation: a Belgian/French societies' consensus conference.

To respond to the legitimate questions raised by the application of invasive methods of monitoring and life-support techniques in cancer patients admitted in the ICU, the European Lung Cancer Working Party and the Groupe de Recherche Respiratoire en Réanimation Onco-Hématologique, set up a consensus conference. The methodology involved a systematic literature review, experts' opinion and a final consensus conference about nine predefined questions1. Which triage criteria, in terms of complications and considering the underlying neoplastic disease and possible therapeutic limitations, should be used to guide admission of cancer patient to intensive care units?2. Which ventilatory support [High Flow Oxygenation, Non-invasive Ventilation (NIV), Invasive Mechanical Ventilation (IMV), Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)] should be used, for which complications and in which environment?3. Which support should be used for extra-renal purification, in which conditions and environment?4. Which haemodynamic support should be used, for which complications, and in which environment?5. Which benefit of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cancer patients and for which complications?6. Which intensive monitoring in the context of oncologic treatment (surgery, anti-cancer treatment …)?7. What specific considerations should be taken into account in the intensive care unit?8. Based on which criteria, in terms of benefit and complications and taking into account the neoplastic disease, patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit (or equivalent) should receive cellular elements derived from the blood (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets)?9. Which training is required for critical care doctors in charge of cancer patients?

Systemic treatments for thymoma and thymic carcinoma: A systematic review.

Thymic tumours are rare diseases that for most of the cases are cured with surgery and eventually adjuvant radiotherapy. However, about 30% of patients present with advanced stage or relapsing tumours, which require administration of chemotherapy. While cisplatin-adriamycin-cyclophosphamide combination is regularly prescribed, other drugs have been assessed in the literature. Our aim is to evaluate the effectiveness (response rate) of systemic treatments, whatever the therapeutic line, including chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapies, in thymoma and thymic carcinoma, using the principles of evidence-based medicine. A systematic review was designed using the PICO system, by an experienced librarian and clinicians' experts in thoracic oncology, through the Ovid Medline system. Only phase II-IV trials and retrospective studies including at least 14 patients treated with the same regimen were considered. Articles were independently selected by at least two investigators. Fifty-five eligible articles were retrieved. Sixty% were dealing with platinum-based regimens, mainly cisplatin, and showed overall similar activity (mostly response rate above 50%) independently of the line of treatment or histological type (thymoma versus thymic carcinoma). Non-platinum based regimens included octreotide-prednisone and capecitabine-gemcitabine. Promising data of immunotherapy with antiPDL1 antibody (pembrolizumab) requires confirmation. Based on available data, the most popular and active regimens are cisplatin-anthracycline (CAP or ADOC) or cisplatin-etoposide combinations that should be recommended when considering first-line chemotherapy in thymoma or thymic carcinoma.

A phase III randomised study comparing concomitant radiochemotherapy with cisplatin and docetaxel as induction versus consolidation treatment in patients with locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To assess if induction radiochemotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy (arm A) will improve survival in comparison with the same chemotherapy given as induction followed by consolidation concurrent radiochemotherapy (arm B) in patients with unresectable non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Chemotherapy consisted in a combination of cisplatin with docetaxel, with one initial course for each patient, two courses in single modality therapy and weekly administration during chest irradiation (66 Gy). RESULTS: A total of 125 patients were randomised before early closure of the study because of poor accrual and an unplanned blind interim analysis which suggested that the continuation of the study would have been futile. Mature survival results showed no significant difference between both modalities with median survival times, respectively in arms A and B, of 19.6 months and 18.3 months, two years survival rates of 44% and 44% and five years survival rates of 23% and 26%. Toxicity was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: Our randomised study did not demonstrate survival difference between induction concurrent radiochemotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy and induction chemotherapy followed by consolidation concurrent radiochemotherapy.

A Phase III Randomized Study Comparing a Chemotherapy with Cisplatin and Etoposide to a Etoposide Regimen without Cisplatin for Patients with Extensive Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: In a literature meta-analysis, we showed survival benefits for regimens including cisplatin [hazard ratio (HR) 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.57-0.66] and for those including etoposide (HR 0.65; 0.61-0.69). That benefit was mainly observed when etoposide alone or in combination with cisplatin was included in the chemotherapy regimens. Our objective was to determine if chemotherapy with both drugs improves survival in comparison to a non-platinum regimen with etoposide. METHODS: Extensive small-cell lung cancer patients were randomized between cisplatin-etoposide (CE) and ifosfamide + etoposide + epirubicin regimen (IVE) between 2000 and 2013. RESULTS: 176 and 170 eligible patients were allocated to CE and IVE (315 deaths were required before analysis), respectively. Objective response rates were not significantly different: 60% with CE and 59% with IVE. No statistically significant difference in median survival and 1-year and 2-year was observed with rates of 9.6 months, 31 and 5% for CE and 10 months, 39 and 9% for IVE, respectively. HR was 0.84 (95% CI 0.68-1.05, p = 0.16). Only two prognostic factors for survival were retained in multivariate analysis: sex with HR = 0.69 (95% CI 0.49-0.97, p = 0.03) and performance status with HR = 0.53 (95% CI 0.49-0.97, p < 0.0001). After adjustment for these prognostic factors, HR for survival was 0.83 (95% CI 0.65-1.08, p = 0.17). There was more thrombopenia in the CE regimen and more leukopenia with IVE. CONCLUSION: Combination of CE failed to improve survival in comparison to an etoposide-containing regimen without cisplatin. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00658580?term=ELCWP+01994&rank=1, identifier NCT00658580.

Autoimmune paraneoplastic syndromes associated to lung cancer: A systematic review of the literature Part 4: Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes, involving the peripheral nervous system and the neuromuscular junction and muscles.

The development of new immune treatment in oncology and particularly for lung cancer may induce new complications, particularly activation or reactivation of auto-immune diseases. In this context, a systematic review on the auto-immune paraneoplastic syndromes that can complicate lung cancer appears useful. This article is the fourth of a series of five and deals mainly with neurological paraneoplastic syndromes involving the peripheral nervous system and the neuromuscular junction and muscles.

Autoimmune paraneoplastic syndromes associated to lung cancer: A systematic review of the literature: Part 5: Neurological auto-antibodies, discussion, flow chart, conclusions.

The development of new immune treatment in oncology and particularly for lung cancer may induce new complications, particularly activation or reactivation of auto-immune diseases. In this context, a systematic review on the auto-immune paraneoplastic syndromes that can complicate lung cancer appears useful. This article is the last of a series of five and deals mainly with onconeural antibodies involved in neurological paraneoplastic syndromes and provides the final discussion.

Primary tumour standardised uptake value is prognostic in nonsmall cell lung cancer: a multivariate pooled analysis of individual data.

(18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (PET) complements conventional imaging for diagnosing and staging lung cancer. Two literature-based meta-analyses suggest that maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) on PET has univariate prognostic value in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We analysed individual data pooled from 12 studies to assess the independent prognostic value of binary SUVmax for overall survival.After searching the published literature and identifying unpublished data, study coordinators were contacted and requested to provide data on individual patients. Cox regression models stratified for study were used.Data were collected for 1526 patients (median age 64 years, 60% male, 34% squamous cell carcinoma, 47% adenocarcinoma, 58% stage I-II). The combined univariate hazard ratio for SUVmax was 1.43 (95% CI 1.22-1.66) and nearly identical if the SUV threshold was calculated stratifying for histology. Multivariate analysis of patients with stage I-III disease identified age, stage, tumour size and receipt of surgery as independent prognostic factors; adding SUV (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.27-1.96) improved the model significantly. The only detected interaction was between SUV and stage IV disease.SUV seems to have independent prognostic value in stage I-III NSCLC, for squamous cell carcinoma and for adenocarcinoma.

Imaging Tumor Response and Tumoral Heterogeneity in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Antiangiogenic Therapy: Comparison of the Prognostic Ability of RECIST 1.1, an Alternate Method (Crabb), and Image Heterogeneity Analysis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess computed tomography (CT) intratumoral heterogeneity changes, and compared the prognostic ability of the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1, an alternate response method (Crabb), and CT heterogeneity in non-small cell lung cancer treated with chemotherapy with and without bevacizumab. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients treated with chemotherapy (group C) or chemotherapy and bevacizumab (group BC) underwent contrast-enhanced CT at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 cycles of chemotherapy. Radiologic response was assessed using RECIST 1.1 and an alternate method. CT heterogeneity analysis generating global and locoregional parameters depicting tumor image spatial intensity characteristics was performed. Heterogeneity parameters between the 2 groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Associations between heterogeneity parameters and radiologic response with overall survival were assessed using Cox regression. RESULTS: Global and locoregional heterogeneity parameters changed with treatment, with increased tumor heterogeneity in group BC. Entropy [group C: median -0.2% (interquartile range -2.2, 1.7) vs. group BC: 0.7% (-0.7, 3.5), P=0.10] and busyness [-27.7% (-62.2, -5.0) vs. -11.5% (-29.1, 92.4), P=0.10] showed a greater reduction in group C, whereas uniformity [1.9% (-8.0, 9.8) vs. -5.0% (-13.9, 5.6), P=0.10] showed a relative increase after 1 cycle but did not reach statistical significance. Two (9%) and 1 (6%) additional responders were identified using the alternate method compared with RECIST in group C and group BC, respectively. Heterogeneity parameters were not significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The alternate response method described by Crabb identified more responders compared with RECIST. However, both criteria and baseline imaging heterogeneity parameters were not prognostic of survival.

Vorinostat in patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma who have progressed on previous chemotherapy (VANTAGE-014): a phase 3, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Vorinostat is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that changes gene expression and protein activity. On the basis of the clinical benefit reported in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma treated in a phase 1 study of vorinostat, we designed this phase 3 trial to investigate whether vorinostat given as a second-line or third-line therapy improved patients' overall survival. METHODS: This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was done in 90 international centres. Patients with measurable advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma and disease progression after one or two previous systemic regimens were eligible. After stratification for Karnofsky performance status, histology, and number of previous chemotherapy regimens, patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by use of an interactive voice response system with a block size of four to either treatment with vorinostat or placebo. Patients received oral vorinostat 300 mg (or matching placebo) twice daily on days 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17 of a 21-day cycle. The primary endpoints were overall survival and safety and tolerability of vorinostat. The primary efficacy comparison was done in the intention-to-treat population, and safety and tolerability was assessed in the treated population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00128102. FINDINGS: From July 12, 2005, to Feb 14, 2011, 661 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either vorinostat (n=329) or placebo (n=332) and included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Median overall survival for vorinostat was 30·7 weeks (95% CI 26·7-36·1) versus 27·1 weeks (23·1-31·9) for placebo (hazard ratio 0·98, 95% CI 0·83-1·17, p=0·86). The most common grade 3 or worse adverse events for patients treated with vorinostat were fatigue or malaise (51 [16%] patients in the vorinostat group vs 25 [8%] in the placebo group]) and dyspnoea (35 [11%] vs 45 [14%]). INTERPRETATION: In this randomised trial, vorinostat given as a second-line or third-line therapy did not improve overall survival and cannot be recommended as a therapy for patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma. FUNDING: Merck & Co.

Systematic qualitative review of randomised trials conducted in nonsmall cell lung cancer with a noninferiority or equivalence design.

The use of noninferiority randomised trials for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer has emerged during the past 10-15 years but has raised some issues related to their justification and methodology. The present systematic review aimed to assess trial characteristics and methodological aspects. All randomised clinical trials with a hypothesis of noninferiority/equivalence, published in English, were identified. Several readers extracted a priori defined methodological information. A qualitative analysis was then performed. We identified 20 randomised clinical trials (three phase II and 17 phase III), 11 of them being conducted in strong collaboration with industry. We highlighted some deficiencies in the reports like the lack of justification for both the noninferiority assumption and the definition of the noninferiority margin, as well as inconsistencies between the results and the authors' conclusions. CONSORT guidelines were better followed for general items than for specific items (p<0.001). Improvement in the reporting of the meth"odology of noninferiority/equivalence trials is needed to avoid misleading interpretation and to allow readers to be fully aware of the assumptions underlying the trial designs. They should be restricted to limited specific situations with a strong justification why a noninferiority hypothesis is acceptable.

VAC chemotherapy with valproic acid for refractory/relapsing small cell lung cancer: a phase II study.

Salvage chemotherapy (CT) for relapsing or refractory small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains disappointing. In vitro experiments showed that valproic acid increases apoptosis of SCLC cell lines exposed to doxorubicin, vindesine and bis(2-chloroethyl)amine. The primary objective of this phase II study was to determine whether epigenetic modulation with valproic acid in addition to a doxorubicin, vindesine and cyclophosphamide (VAC) regimen improves 6-month progression-free survival (PFS). Patients with pathologically proven SCLC refractory to prior platinum derivatives and etoposide were eligible. After central registration, patients received VAC plus daily oral valproic acid. 64 patients were registered, of whom six were ineligible. Seven patients did not receive any CT, leaving 51 patients assessable for the primary end-point. The objective response rate was 19.6%. Median PFS was 2.8 months (95% CI 2.5-3.6 months) and 6-month PFS was 6%. Median survival time was 5.9 months (95% CI 4.7-7.5 months). Toxicity was mainly haematological, with 88% and 26% grade 3-4 neutropenia and thrombopenia, respectively. Despite an interesting response rate, the addition of valproic acid to VAC did not translate into adequate PFS in relapsing SCLC or SCLC refractory to platinum-etoposide.

[Development of a laboratory test on dried blood spots for facilitating early diagnosis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency]. / Diagnostic biologique du déficit en alpha-1-antitrypsine : développement d'un test simplifié sur goutte de sang recueillie sur papier-filtre.

Alpha- 1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency is a hereditary autosomal codominant genetic disorder resulting in low circulating levels of A1AT and leading to lung and/or liver disease. It remains underdiagnosed and only 5 to 10% of PIZZ patients, the most common form of severe A1AT deficiency, would be actually identified in France. Facilitating early diagnosis of A1AT deficiency would allow a better management of this disease; therefore we have developed and standardized in three laboratories involved in this study, a diagnostic test on dried blood spots (DBS) including quantitative A1AT measurement, phenotyping by IEF electrophoresis and, if necessary, genotyping by SERPINA1 gene sequencing. We performed a quantitative assay on 90 DBS samples by immunoturbidimetric or immunonephelometric methods. We demonstrated that both methods were suitable for this type of sampling and the results obtained were highly correlated (R(2)>0.9) between the three laboratories: for a target value of 1.00 g/L, the results obtained from the three laboratories were between 1.00 and 1.02 g/L. Phenotyping and genotyping were performed under redefined operating conditions and adapted to the analysis of DBS samples. The results were comparable with those obtained for venous blood samples. Following this work, it becomes possible to provide pulmonologists with a reliable kit to perform a capillary blood sampling on filter paper which would allow a large-scale screening of A1AT deficiency in the population particularly affected by this genetic condition.

Targeted NGS gene panel identifies mutations in RSPH1 causing primary ciliary dyskinesia and a common mechanism for ciliary central pair agenesis due to radial spoke defects.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an inherited chronic respiratory obstructive disease with randomized body laterality and infertility, resulting from cilia and sperm dysmotility. PCD is characterized by clinical variability and extensive genetic heterogeneity, associated with different cilia ultrastructural defects and mutations identified in >20 genes. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies therefore present a promising approach for genetic diagnosis which is not yet in routine use. We developed a targeted panel-based NGS pipeline to identify mutations by sequencing of selected candidate genes in 70 genetically undefined PCD patients. This detected loss-of-function RSPH1 mutations in four individuals with isolated central pair (CP) agenesis and normal body laterality, from two unrelated families. Ultrastructural analysis in RSPH1-mutated cilia revealed transposition of peripheral outer microtubules into the 'empty' CP space, accompanied by a distinctive intermittent loss of the central pair microtubules. We find that mutations in RSPH1, RSPH4A and RSPH9, which all encode homologs of components of the 'head' structure of ciliary radial spoke complexes identified in Chlamydomonas, cause clinical phenotypes that appear to be indistinguishable except at the gene level. By high-resolution immunofluorescence we identified a loss of RSPH4A and RSPH9 along with RSPH1 from RSPH1-mutated cilia, suggesting RSPH1 mutations may result in loss of the entire spoke head structure. CP loss is seen in up to 28% of PCD cases, in whom laterality determination specified by CP-less embryonic node cilia remains undisturbed. We propose this defect could arise from instability or agenesis of the ciliary central microtubules due to loss of their normal radial spoke head tethering.

TNF induces the expression of the sialyltransferase ST3Gal IV in human bronchial mucosa via MSK1/2 protein kinases and increases FliD/sialyl-Lewis(x)-mediated adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

We have shown previously that the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF (tumour necrosis factor) could drive sLe(x) (sialyl-Lewis(x)) biosynthesis through the up-regulation of the BX transcript isoform of the ST3GAL4 (ST3 ß-galactoside α-2,3-sialyltransferase 4) sialyltransferase gene in lung epithelial cells and human bronchial mucosa. In the present study, we show that the TNF-induced up-regulation of the ST3GAL4 BX transcript is mediated by MSK1/2 (mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1/2) through the ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways, and increases sLe(x) expression on high-molecular-mass glycoproteins in inflamed airway epithelium. We also show that the TNF-induced sLe(x) expression increases the adhesion of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and PAK strains to lung epithelial cells in a FliD-dependent manner. These results suggest that ERK and p38 MAPK, and the downstream kinase MSK1/2, should be considered as potential targets to hamper inflammation, bronchial mucin glycosylation changes and P. aeruginosa binding in the lung of patients suffering from lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis or cystic fibrosis.

Prospective Validation Obtained in a Similar Group of Patients and with Similar High Throughput Biological Tests Failed to Confirm Signatures for Prediction of Response to Chemotherapy and Survival in Advanced NSCLC: A Prospective Study from the European Lung Cancer Working Party.

AIM: Cisplatin doublets are standard 1st line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), without accurate predictor for response and survival, but important toxicity. Our aims were to identify predictive (for response) and prognostic (for survival) biological signatures in patients with NSCLC using messenger RNAs (mRNA) and miRNA expression. METHODS: Patients with pathologically proven untreated NSCLC, receiving 1st line cisplatin-vinorelbine and with an assessable lesion were eligible. A bronchial biopsy was lysed into Tripure Isolation Reagent on ice, snap frozen, and stored at -80°C. mRNA expression was analyzed using microarrays Agilent Technologies. miRNA expression was assessed using TaqMan Low Density Arrays (756 human miR panel, Applied Biosystems). Validation was performed by RT-PCR on the selected genes. Survival was measured from the registration date and response assessed by WHO criteria. RESULTS: Biopsies for transcriptomic analyses were obtained from 60 consecutive patients. No statistically significant differences were observed according to the main clinical characteristics, response rate (43 vs. 41%) or survival (median 25 vs. 29 months) between derivation and validation sets. In the derivation set (n = 38 patients), two mRNA and one miRNA predictive signatures for response were obtained. One mRNA and one miRNA prognostic signatures were derived from the first set, allowing an adequate distinction of patients with good and poor overall and progression-free survivals. None of these signatures could be validated in the validation set (n = 22 patients). CONCLUSION: In this prospective study with advanced NSCLC treated with cisplatin-vinorelbine, we were able to derive with high throughput techniques predictive and prognostic signatures based on transcriptomic analyses. However, these results could not be reproduced in an independent validation set. The role of miRNA and mRNA as predictive or prognostic factors remains a research topic and the use of high throughput technology in that context questionable. The ClinicalTrials.gov study identifier is NCT00864266 (www.clinicaltrials.gov).

An ELCWP phase III trial comparing ifosfamide and cisplatin regimens in advanced NSCLC.

AIM: While meta-analyses and clinical trials show improved survival in advanced NSCLC treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy, there are few data concerning front-line platinum-free ifosfamide-based regimens. We aimed to compare cisplatin-based chemotherapy to ifosfamide-gemcitabine (IG) with pre-defined second-line docetaxel. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 693 Untreated advanced inoperable NSCLC cases were randomised to either GIP (gemcitabine, ifosfamide, cisplatin), DP (docetaxel, cisplatin) or IG. Primary outcome was overall survival. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 58 years with a predominance of males (75%), adenocarcinoma (56%), Karnofsky PS 80-100 (77%) and stage-IV disease (81%). Median survival times were 8.7, 8.8 and 8.3 months for IG, GIP and DP (p=0.79). GIP presented with (p<0.05) greater neutropenia, thrombopenia, vomiting, while greater cardiotoxicity, diarrhea, peripheral neuropathy were observed for DP and encephalopathy for IG. CONCLUSION: In advanced NSCLC, cisplatin-based CT is not superior to a platinum-free regimen (ifosfamide-gemcitabine) with a favourable toxicity profile.

Perfusion CT allows prediction of therapy response in non-small cell lung cancer treated with conventional and anti-angiogenic chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether CT can depict early perfusion changes in lung cancer treated by anti-angiogenic drugs, allowing prediction of response. METHODS: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer, treated by conventional chemotherapy with (Group 1; n = 17) or without (Group 2; n = 23) anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drug (bevacizumab) underwent CT perfusion before (TIME 0) and after 1 (TIME 1), 3 (TIME 2) and 6 (TIME 3) cycles of chemotherapy. The CT parameters evaluated included: (1) total tumour vascular volume (TVV) and total tumour extravascular flow (TEF); (2) RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours) measurements. Tumour response was also assessed on the basis of the clinicians' overall evaluation. RESULTS: In Group 1, significant reduction in perfusion was identified between baseline and: (1) TIME 1 (TVV, P = 0.0395; TEF, P = 0.015); (2) TIME 2 (TVV, P = 0.0043; TEF, P < 0.0001); (3) TIME 3 (TVV, P = 0.0034; TEF, P = 0.0005) without any significant change in Group 2. In Group 1: (1) the reduction in TVV at TIME 1 was significantly higher in responders versus non-responders at TIME 2 according to RECIST (P = 0.0128) and overall clinicians' evaluation (P = 0.0079); (2) all responders at TIME 2 had a concurrent decrease in TVV and TEF at TIME 1. CONCLUSION: Perfusion CT demonstrates early changes in lung cancer vascularity under anti-angiogenic chemotherapy that may help predict therapeutic response. KEY POINTS: • Perfusion CT has the potential of providing in vivo information about tumour vasculature. • CT depicts early and specific perfusion changes in NSCLC under anti-angiogenic drugs. • Specific therapeutic effects of anti-angiogenic drugs can be detected before tumour shrinkage. • Early perfusion changes can help predict therapeutic response to anti-angiogenic treatment. • Perfusion CT could be a non-invasive tool to monitor anti-angiogenic treatment.

Histology as a potential clinical predictor of outcome in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with vinorelbine and mitomycin combination chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The importance of clinical predictors in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has increased during the last decade. This retrospective study analyzed the combined patient-level data from two phase II trials that investigated the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The aim of this analysis was to determine if patients' baseline and disease characteristics, including histology, gender, smoking history, and expression of TTF-1, might be potential predictors of outcome. METHODS: Response rates, unadjusted survival times, and Cox covariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated. Results were reported separately for each subgroup in each individual trial and in the pooled data set. RESULTS: A total of 175 patients were included in this analysis. Adjusted HRs for both overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) favored the nonadenocarcinoma histology subgroup, achieving a statistical significance for OS in the pooled data (n = 175; HR 0.68; 95 % CI 0.49-0.94; p = 0.019). TTF-1-negative immunohistochemistry was associated with a significantly higher response rate (25 vs. 0 %; p = 0.04) and with a nonsignificant advantage in OS (n = 33; HR 1.23; 95 % CI 0.56-2.73; p = 0.608). Gender and smoking history were not strongly related to outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this analysis indicate that patients with nonadenocarcinoma histology might get superior benefit from combination chemotherapy with vinorelbine and mitomycin. These results should be confirmed in a prospective study.

Relevance of an extensive follow-up after surgery for nonsmall cell lung cancer.

There are no international guidelines for an appropriate and cost-effective follow-up for resected nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of NSCLC patients after curative surgery. Follow-up included physical examination and chest radiography every 3 months, and chest computed tomography (CT) scan, bronchoscopy, abdominal ultrasound, brain CT scan and bone scan every 6 months for 3 years, then every year over the following 2 years. Prognostic factors and costs were analysed. Median overall survival following surgery for NSCLC in 162 patients was 38.5 months. Recurrence occurred in 85 (52.5%) patients including 41 (48%) symptomatic subjects. Disease-free survival was similar between patients with asymptomatic recurrence versus symptomatic patients (11.4 versus 12 months; p=0.41). Recurrence was detected by physical examination or chest radiography in 47 (55.3%) patients. Curative-intent therapy was provided in 18 (41%) out of 44 patients with asymptomatic recurrence and in four (10%) out of 41 symptomatic cases (p=0.001). Median overall survival from time of recurrence was higher in asymptomatic patients than in symptomatic patients (15.5 versus 7.2 months; p=0.001). The cost per year of life gained was USD32 700 (€22 397). An extensive follow-up, with acceptable cost, may improve the outcome of patients with resected NSCLC through detection of asymptomatic recurrences; however, validation by prospective studies is required.