Incidence and types of laryngotracheal sequelae of prolonged invasive ventilation in COVID-19 patients.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 outbreak has led to an increasing number of acute laryngotracheal complications in patients subjected to prolonged mechanical ventilation, but their incidence in the short and mid-term after ICU discharge is still unknown. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the incidence of these complications in a COVID-19 group of patients and to compare these aspects with non-COVID-19 matched controls. METHODS: In this cohort study, we retrospectively selected patients from November 1 to December 31, 2020, according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The follow-up visits were planned after 6 months from discharge. All patients were subjected to an endoscopic evaluation and completed two questionnaires (VHI-10 score and MDADI score). RESULTS: Thirteen men and three women were enrolled in the COVID-19 group while nine men and seven women were included in the control group. The median age was 60 [56-66] years in the COVID-19 group and 64 [58-69] years in the control group. All the patients of the control group showed no laryngotracheal lesions, while five COVID-19 patients had different types of lesions, two located in the vocal folds and three in the trachea. No difference was identified between the two groups regarding the VHI-10 score, while the control group showed a significantly worse MDADI score. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients subjected to prolonged invasive ventilation are more likely to develop a laryngotracheal complication in the short and medium term. A rigorous clinical follow-up to allow early identification and management of these complications should be set up after discharge.

Improved diagnosis of pulmonary embolism causing cardiac arrest by combined endobronchial ultrasound and echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disease difficult to diagnose and manage in severe hemodynamic unstable patients. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is considered useful to improve diagnosis, but such approach has physical limitations for the interposition of the airways preventing the clear assessment of the left pulmonary artery. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a recently developed technique carried out using a modified bronchoscope having a small ultrasound convex probe at the tip allowing to perform ultrasonography examination of the mediastinum, can extensively visualize the pulmonary arteries on both sides. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the first use of EBUS to rapidly diagnose and subsequently treat a 64 years old woman with history of lateral amyotrophic sclerosis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for severe dyspnoea and rapidly experiencing a cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Combined bedside EBUS and echocardiography allowed to rapidly diagnose the cause of cardiac arrest and avoid risks related to transferring the critical patient to the radiology department.

Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration: effectiveness and accuracy in non-small cell lung cancer staging.

INTRODUCTION: Endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has a cardinal role in the diagnosis and staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), providing an accurate nodal staging in a less invasive way than surgical biopsy. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA in the pre-operative NSCLC mediastinal staging, as well as to evaluate EBUS-TBNA specificity and sensibility in our cohort. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data of NSCLC patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA followed by major pulmonary resection between January 2020 and December 2022. EBUS-TBNA was performed in patients with NSCLC (central T ≤ 3 cm, peripheral/central T > 3 cm), following the ESTS guidelines. The target nodes were selected on the basis of their radiologic/metabolic characteristics. Each procedure was conducted together with rapid on-site cytological evaluation (ROSE). RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were included (M/F = 17/8). At least three needle passages on each target lymph node were performed. No complications during or after the procedures occurred. We found a 100% correspondence between ROSE on the sampled nodes and postoperative pathologic findings. An upstaging occurred in three cases (12%) because of the involvement of stations 5 and 6 (not accessible via EBUS), while the only case of downstaging (N2 → N0, 4%) was probably due to intercurrent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In all cases, EBUS-TBNA has proved to achieve a diagnostic procedure on the target nodes. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA is a safe and effective procedure that offers high sensitivity and specificity when performed together with ROSE, which improves the accuracy of sampling. Doubt on nodal stations 5 and 6 involvement should be settled by other techniques.

Validation of a Gene Expression Approach for the Cytological Diagnosis of Epithelioid and Biphasic Pleural Mesothelioma on a Consecutive Series.

Cytological diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma (PM) is controversial, even using ancillary markers (BAP1, MTAP and CDKN2A). Here, we aimed to prospectively validate a previously developed 117-gene expression panel for the differential cytological diagnosis of epithelioid, biphasic PM and mesothelial hyperplasia. Seventy-seven pleural effusions were classified using the 117-gene expression levels (NanoString system). Sixty-eight cases were also screened for ancillary markers. The performance of both gene panel and ancillary markers was evaluated using ROC metrics. A score using the top consistently deregulated genes between epithelioid and biphasic PM was built to subtype malignant effusions. The panel alone reached a diagnostic accuracy (0.89) comparable to the best marker combination (BAP1 plus MTAP: 0.88). Ancillary tests missed 8 PMs, 7 of which were correctly classified by the panel. The score built by averaging the expression levels of MSLN, CLDN15 and CFB showed an accuracy of 0.80 in subtyping epithelioid and biphasic effusions. The 117-gene panel is effective for PM cytological diagnosis of epithelioid and biphasic PM. This tool can be complementary to ancillary markers, reducing invasive procedures and allowing an earlier diagnosis. Finally, the possibility to subtype PM on effusions strengthens the panel's role in PM diagnosis and management.

[Tracheal rupture treated with robotic surgery: the importance of evidence-based practice in nursing management. A case report]. / Rottura tracheale trattata con chirurgia robotica: l'importanza dell'evidence-based practice nella gestione infermieristica. Un caso clinico.

. Tracheal rupture treated with robotic surgery: the importance of evidence-based practice in nursing management. A case report. Tracheal rupture is a very rare condition with high morbidity and mortality. While it has a multifactorial etiology, however it occurs most frequently after orotracheal intubation. The case of a 76-year-old woman who underwent out-of-hospital orotracheal intubation for severe respiratory failure due to a state of coma is described. The patient suddenly developed a subcutaneous emphysema extending from the chest to the skull due to tracheal laceration. The management of the case is described with special focus on nursing goals to prevent ventilator associated pneumonia and mediastinitis, avoid the endotracheal tube dislocation and further tracheal injuries. The case presented underlines the importance of a systematic recourse to evidence-based practice (EBP), which allowed to effectively manage a complex situation.

Surgical treatment of tracheal stenosis during Covid-19 era: a single-center experience and lessons learnt on the field.

SARS-CoV2 outbreak led to several healthcare system challenges, especially concerning respiratory support to Covid-19 patients. In the first 2 years of pandemic (2020-2021), we assisted to a marked increase of post-invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) tracheal stenosis incidence, many of them requiring surgical treatment, namely resection and primary end-to-end anastomosis. Our aim is to describe our experience during the abovementioned biennium, focusing on postoperative outcomes of patients who have had Covid-19 ("post-Covid"). We retrospectively collected pre-, intra- and postoperative data on all patients who underwent tracheal surgery for benign stenosis in our Unit from May 2020 to October 2021, including previous Covid-19. Comparison between "post-Covid-19" and "non-Covid-19" groups' outcomes was then performed. Patients were 9 males and 6 females, and mean age was 57.4 ± 13.21 years. Nine patients had previous Covid-19 (60%). All patients underwent multidisciplinary preoperative evaluation. Almost every operation was conducted by cervicotomy, and the mean length of the resected specimen was 23.9 ± 6.5 mm. Postoperative complications were: dysphonia (3 cases), wound infection (1), bleeding (1), ab-ingestis pneumonia (1), anastomosis dehiscence (2), and stenosis recurrence (1). Thirty-day mortality rate was 6.7% (1 patient). No significant differences between "post-Covid-19" and "non-Covid-19" groups were identified. Pathology revealed, in 5 "post-Covid-19" patients, signs of vasculitis or perivascular inflammatory infiltrate. Tracheal stenosis' surgical treatment has always been known as a challenging procedure because of high perioperative morbidity and mortality rates. Our experience shows that previous Covid-19 and ongoing pandemic did not significantly affect perioperative outcomes of patients who underwent tracheal resection and primary end-to-end anastomosis in a high-volume Center and after multidisciplinary workup.

Adoption of Improved Reprocessing Decreased Microbiological Non-Compliance for Bronchoscopes.

BACKGROUND: In the past few decades, the inadequate reprocessing of bronchoscopes has been associated with several serious outbreaks caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. In this study we evaluated the improvement in the quality of reprocessing in a Bronchoscopy Unit (BU), after the introduction of a new procedure. METHODS: In 2019, observational and clinical audits were conducted in the BU. After the introduction of an improved procedure in 2020, a microbiological surveillance plan was implemented in 2021. RESULTS: In 2019, 13 of 22 bronchoscopes (59%) resulted as non-compliant, 18% as high concern organisms (HCO) and 36.4% as high microbial count (≥100 CFU/all channels) and HCO. The most frequent microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus (38.5%) and NDM-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.4%). The bronchoscopes were stored inside their transport cases, which in some cases were found to be contaminated by the same strains isolated on the bronchoscopes (Enterobacter gergoviae and Vibrio alginolyticus). In 2021, all 31 bronchoscopes were sampled at least three times and 13/99 (13.1%) resulted as non-compliant, mostly K. pneumoniae (4.04%). Contamination level increases weakly in bronchoscopes in use for more than 14 years (R = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of an improved reprocessing procedure decreased the non-compliance of bronchoscopes, increasing the quality of the process and patient safety.

Percutaneous Tracheostomy in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients: Experience from 30 Consecutive Procedures.

Introduction Percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a well-established practice that shows a reduced risk of wound infection compared with surgical tracheostomy, thus facilitating mechanical ventilation, nursing procedures, reduction in sedation and early mobilization. Objective This is an observational case-control study that compares the results of PT in ICU patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prospectively enrolled to a similar group of subjects, retrospectively recruited, without COVID-19. Methods Ninety-eight consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU at Pisa Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana between March 11th and May 20 th , 2020 were prospectively studied. Thirty of them underwent PT using different techniques. Another 30 non-COVID-19 ICU patients were used as a control-group. The main outcome was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of PT in COVID-19 patients. We measured the rate of complications. Results Percutaneous tracheostomy was performed with different techniques in 30 of the 98 COVID-19 ICU patients admitted to the ICU. Tracheostomy was performed on day 10 (mean 10 ± 3.3) from the time of intubation. Major tracheal complications occurred in 5 patients during the procedure. In the control group of 30 ICU patients, no differences were found with regards to the timing of the tracheostomy, whereas a statistically significant difference was observed regarding complications with only one tracheal ring rupture reported. Conclusion Percutaneous tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients showed a higher rate of complications compared with controls even though the same precautions and the same expertise were applied. Larger studies are needed to understand whether the coronavirus disease itself carries an increased risk of tracheal damage.

Evaluation of the Incidence and Potential Mechanisms of Tracheal Complications in Patients With COVID-19.

Importance: Full-thickness tracheal lesions and tracheoesophageal fistulas are severe complications of invasive mechanical ventilation. The incidence of tracheal complications in ventilated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unknown. Objective: To evaluate whether patients with COVID-19 have a higher incidence of full-thickness tracheal lesions and tracheoesophageal fistulas than matched controls and to investigate potential mechanisms. Design, Setting, and Participants: This is a retrospective cohort study in patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a tertiary referral hospital. Among 98 consecutive patients with COVID-19 with severe respiratory failure, 30 underwent prolonged (≥14 days) invasive mechanical ventilation and were included in the COVID-19 group. The control group included 45 patients without COVID-19. Patients with COVID-19 were selected from March 1 to May 31, 2020, while the control group was selected from March 1 to May 31, 2019. Exposures: Patients with COVID-19 had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection diagnosed by nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs and were treated according to local therapeutic procedures. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary study outcome was the incidence of full-thickness tracheal lesions or tracheoesophageal fistulas in patients with prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation. Results: The mean (SD) age was 68.8 (9.0) years in the COVID-19 group and 68.5 (14.1) years in the control group (effect size, 0.3; 95% CI, -5.0 to 5.6). Eight (27%) and 15 (33%) women were enrolled in the COVID-19 group and the control group, respectively. Fourteen patients (47%) in the COVID-19 group had full-thickness tracheal lesions (n = 10, 33%) or tracheoesophageal fistulas (n = 4, 13%), while 1 patient (2.2%) in the control group had a full-thickness tracheal lesion (odds ratio, 38.4; 95% CI, 4.7 to 316.9). Clinical and radiological presentations of tracheal lesions were pneumomediastinum (n = 10, 71%), pneumothorax (n = 6, 43%), and/or subcutaneous emphysema (n = 13, 93%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, almost half of patients with COVID-19 developed full-thickness tracheal lesions and/or tracheoesophageal fistulas after prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation. Attempts to prevent these lesions should be made and quickly recognized when they occur to avoid potentially life-threatening complications in ventilated patients with COVID-19.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Developing Fistula or Organ Perforation in Patients Treated with Lenvatinib for Radioiodine-Refractory Thyroid Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors represent a better treatment in patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC). Lenvatinib is usually well-tolerated, but sometimes, it is associated with serious and even life-threatening side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and the potential risk factors for fistula and/or organ perforation in RAI-R DTC patients treated with lenvatinib. METHODS: This study included data from advanced and progressive RAI-R DTC patients treated with lenvatinib from February 2011 to February 2020 who were followed up at a single center. The clinical-pathological features and the biochemical and morphological results of the patients were collected at the time of starting lenvatinib and during the follow-up. RESULTS: Fourteen of 95 (14.7%) locally advanced or metastatic RAI-R DTC patients treated with lenvatinib developed a fistula or organ perforation. Nine of 14 (64.3%) patients had tumor infiltration of the trachea, bronchus, esophagus, pleura, or bladder. Five of 14 (35.7%) had a bowel perforation, but only 2 had preexisting diverticulosis. Evaluation of the risk factors for developing a fistula or organ perforation showed that the presence of tumor infiltration and the tumor histology (papillary and poorly differentiated vs. follicular and Hurthle thyroid cancer) were significantly correlated with the development of a fistula or organ perforation (p = 0.003 and p = 0.02, respectively). In the subgroup of patients with tumor infiltration, we found that the papillary thyroid cancer histotype was the only potential predictor of fistula development. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT), the starting dose of lenvatinib, and the duration of treatment were not relevant for the development of fistula. CONCLUSIONS: In metastatic thyroid cancer patients treated with lenvatinib, the presence of tumor infiltration and histological type should be considered as potential risk factors for the development of fistula or organ perforation, although they do not represent an absolute contraindication. Although EBRT and the presence of diverticulosis were not significantly associated with the development of fistula and organ perforation, they should be regarded as potential additional reasons for the development of these complications. According to our findings, there is no reason to start lenvatinib at a lower daily dose when tumor infiltration is present.

COVID-19 Emergency Management: From the Reorganization of the Endoscopy Service to the Verification of the Reprocessing Efficacy.

Microbiological surveillance carried out in order to verify the effectiveness of endoscope reprocessing does not include the research of viruses, although endoscopes may be associated with the transmission of viral infections. This paper reports the experience of the University Hospital of Pisa in managing the risk from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during an endoscopy. A review of the reprocessing procedure was conducted to assess whether improvement actions were needed. To verify the reprocessing efficacy, a virological analysis was conducted both before and after the procedure. Five bronchoscopes and 11 digestive endoscopes (6 gastroscopes and 5 colonoscopes) were sampled. The liquid samples were subjected to concentration through the use of the Macrosep Advance Centrifugal Devices (PALL Life Sciences, Port Washington, NY, USA) and subsequently analyzed using the cobas® SARS-CoV-2 Test (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland), together with eSwab 490 CE COPAN swabs (COPAN, Brescia, Italy), which were used to sample surfaces. In accordance with the first ordinance regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency issued by the Tuscany Region in March 2020, a procedure dedicated to the management of the COVID-19 emergency in endoscopic practices was prepared, including the reprocessing of endoscopes. The virological analysis carried out on samples collected from endoscopes after reprocessing gave negative results, as well as on samples collected on the endoscopy column surfaces and the two washer-disinfectors that were dedicated to COVID-19 patients. The improvement in endoscope reprocessing implemented during the COVID-19 emergency was effective in ensuring the absence of SARS-CoV-2, thus reducing the risk of infections after an endoscopy on COVID-19 patients.

Differential Diagnosis of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma on Cytology: A Gene Expression Panel versus BRCA1-Associated Protein 1 and p16 Tests.

Pleural effusions are among the first clinical manifestations of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and often constitute the only available material for diagnosis. Although an MPM diagnosis can be reliable on cytology, the reported sensitivity is low (30% to 75%). Particularly, it can be hard to discriminate epithelioid MPM, the most common histotype, from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia (MH). Currently, BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) and CDKN2A (p16), evaluated by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridization, respectively, are the most valuable markers to discriminate MPM and MH. Both markers have a high specificity, but their sensitivity is not always satisfying, even when used together. We have recently developed a 117-gene expression panel, based on Nanostring technology, able to differentiate epithelioid MPM from MH pleural tissues better than BAP1 and p16. Herein, we evaluated the efficacy of the same panel on an independent retrospective cohort of 23 MPM and 11 MH pleural effusions (cell blocks and smears). The overall sensitivity and specificity of the panel were equal to 0.9565 and 1, respectively. Moreover, the panel performance was compared with BAP1 and p16 on 25 cell blocks. Sensitivity levels of gene panel, BAP1 alone, p16 alone, and BAP1 plus p16 were 1, 0.5882, 0.4706, and 0.7647, respectively. Specificity was always 1. Although further validation is needed, this gene panel could really facilitate patients' management, allowing a definitive MPM diagnosis directly on pleural effusions.

Lenvatinib Administered via Nasogastric Tube in Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are indicated for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic progressive thyroid carcinoma (CDT), refractory to radioactive iodine. The following report describes the efficacy of lenvatinib administered through a nose-gastric tube (SNG) in a patient affected with a poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) which determined a stenosis of the esophagus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A patient was followed up for papillary thyroid carcinoma follicular variant (T3NxMx), subjected to total thyroidectomy and treated with iodine-131 radio metabolic therapy. Two years after surgery, following the onset of dysphonia and dysphagia, patient was submitted to a computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck that showed the presence of a lesion of 6 × 2.5 × 3.5 cm, which determined trachea deviation and cervical esophagus compression. The biopsy indicated the presence of PDTC, triggering tracheal lumen reduction and sub-stenosis of the cervical esophagus for an ab-extrinsic compression. A nose-gastric tube (SNG) was placed and lenvatinib was started at a dose of 20 mg/day, administered via this probe after opening the capsules and diluting the drug in 10 ml of saline solution. RESULTS: One month later, CT showed a significant cervical lesion reduction. Bronchoscopy confirmed tracheal infiltration, but the residual caliber was improved from 50% to 75%. At the esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS), the sub stenosis of the cervical esophagus was no longer appreciated; however, a double perforation of the esophagus was found, without fistula. CONCLUSION: Lenvatinib therapy is effective also when administered via SNG. Our result is of particular relevance in the management of thyroid cancer patients, especially in the presence of subjects unable to swallow. Further studies are needed to validate the administration of lenvatinib by SNG, in order to extend the indications to this alternative administration way, beside the oral one.

Analysis of Fusion Genes by NanoString System: A Role in Lung Cytology?

CONTEXT: - Patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring ALK receptor tyrosine kinase ( ALK), ROS proto-oncogene 1 ( ROS1), and ret proto-oncogene ( RET) gene rearrangements can benefit from specific kinase inhibitors. Detection of fusion genes is critical for determining the best treatment. Assessing rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancer remains challenging, particularly for lung cytology. OBJECTIVE: - To examine the possible application of the multiplex, transcript-based NanoString system (NanoString Technologies, Seattle, Washington) in the evaluation of fusion genes in lung adenocarcinoma samples. DATA SOURCES: - This study is a narrative literature review. Studies about NanoString, gene fusions, and lung adenocarcinoma were collected from PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, Bethesda, Maryland). We found 7 articles about the application of the NanoString system to detect fusion genes on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues and one article evaluating the adequacy of lung cytologic specimens for NanoString gene expression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: - To maximize the yield of molecular tests on small lung biopsies, the NanoString nCounter system has been suggested to detect fusion genes. NanoString fusion gene assays have been successfully applied on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. Although there are only a few studies available, the application of NanoString assays may also be feasible in lung cytology. According to available data, the NanoString system could strengthen the routine molecular characterization of lung adenocarcinoma.

Squamous cell transformation and EGFR T790M mutation as acquired resistance mechanisms in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor: A case report.

The present case report describes the infrequent coexistence of squamous cell transformation and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation as resistance mechanisms to first line treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The patient was a 44-year-old female, diagnosed with a primitive advanced lung adenocarcinoma with bone metastases. The tumor was positive for the EGFR exon 19 deletion, therefore the patient was treated with afatinib (40 mg/day, orally) and radiotherapy for bone lesions. After 16 months, the patient developed resistance. Cytological examination of the pleural effusion confirmed an adenocarcinoma positive for the EGFR exon 19 deletion and the T790M mutation within exon 20, while a biopsy from the upper left bronchus revealed a keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma positive for the EGFR exon 19 deletion. In addition, the EGFR mutations were concomitantly detected in circulating cell-free tumour DNA. Due to the presence of the T790M mutation, the patient underwent osimertinib therapy (80 mg/day, orally), which resulted in a partial tumour regression at the 2-month follow-up, whereas the squamous lesions were treated with radiotherapy. The adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma components may share the same origin, according to the presence of the EGFR exon 19 deletion in both lesions. More accurate characterization of resistance mechanisms may lead to the development of improved treatment regimens.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: from clinicopathology to genetics and advanced therapies.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare malignancy, accounting for 1-2% of all thyroid cancers. Although rare, ATC accounts for the majority of deaths from thyroid carcinoma. ATC often originates in a pre-existing thyroid cancer lesion, as suggested by the simultaneous presence of areas of differentiated or poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma. ATC is characterized by the accumulation of several oncogenic alterations, and studies have shown that an increased number of oncogenic alterations equates to an increased level of dedifferentiation and aggressiveness. The clinical management of ATC requires a multidisciplinary approach; according to recent American Thyroid Association guidelines, surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy should be considered. In addition to conventional therapies, novel molecular targeted therapies are the most promising emerging treatment modalities. These drugs are often multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, several of which have been tested in clinical trials with encouraging results so far. Accordingly, clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of these new agents. This Review describes the updated clinical and pathological features of ATC and provides insight into the molecular biology of this disease. The most recent literature regarding conventional, newly available and future therapies for ATC is also discussed.

Aberrant expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase in lung adenocarcinoma: Analysis of circulating free tumor RNA using one-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements respond well to approved ALK inhibitors. However, to date, limited evidence is available regarding whether using circulating free tumor mRNA to identify aberrant ALK expression is possible, and its feasibility remains to be clearly addressed. The present study evaluated ALK expression by a one-step reverse transcription­polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay on the circulating free tumor mRNA from 12 lung adenocarcinoma patients. Additionally, the present study tested for ALK rearrangements by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry. A molecular genetic characterization was performed on tumor tissues and plasma samples. Aberrant ALK expression was detected in 2/12 patients using mRNA purified from plasma specimens and the results agreed with the FISH and immunohistochemistry findings of solid biopsy samples. The detection of aberrant ALK expression on circulating free tumor RNA may be feasible using a one­step real­time PCR assay and may be particularly helpful when a solid biopsy sample is not available.

Percutaneous Tracheostomy in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients: Experience from 30 Consecutive Procedures

Abstract Introduction Percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a well-established practice that shows a reduced risk of wound infection compared with surgical tracheostomy, thus facilitating mechanical ventilation, nursing procedures, reduction in sedation and early mobilization. Objective This is an observational case-control study that compares the results of PT in ICU patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prospectively enrolled to a similar group of subjects, retrospectively recruited, without COVID-19. Methods Ninety-eight consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU at Pisa Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana between March 11th and May 20th, 2020 were prospectively studied. Thirty of them underwent PT using different techniques. Another 30 non-COVID-19 ICU patients were used as a control-group. The main outcome was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of PT in COVID-19 patients. We measured the rate of complications. Results Percutaneous tracheostomy was performed with different techniques in 30 of the 98 COVID-19 ICU patients admitted to the ICU. Tracheostomy was performed on day 10 (mean 10 ± 3.3) from the time of intubation. Major tracheal complications occurred in 5 patients during the procedure. In the control group of 30 ICU patients, no differences were found with regards to the timing of the tracheostomy, whereas a statistically significant difference was observed regarding complications with only one tracheal ring rupture reported. Conclusion Percutaneous tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients showed a higher rate of complications compared with controls even though the same precautions and the same expertise were applied. Larger studies are needed to understand whether the coronavirus disease itself carries an increased risk of tracheal damage.

Small cell lung cancer transformation and the T790M mutation: A case report of two acquired mechanisms of TKI resistance detected in a tumor rebiopsy and plasma sample of EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma.

The present study describes the case of a 45-year-old man diagnosed with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma, which harbored a deletion within exon 19 of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. The patient was subsequently treated with gefitinib (250 mg/day orally from May 2013 to March 2014), but developed acquired resistance to the drug following 11 months of treatment. Tumor burden molecular analysis was performed on a tumor rebiopsy and plasma sample, and histological analysis was also performed on the tumor rebiopsy. A small cell transformation retaining the original EGFR mutation was detected in the tumor rebiopsy, while the T790M mutation together with the activating ex19del mutation were identified only in the plasma sample. The patient was treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy (off-label schedule with epirubicin 80 mg/mq and paclitaxel 160 mg/mq every 21 days for 6 cycles) and radiation (50.4 Gy administered in 28 fractions of 1.8 Gy once daily for 5.5 weeks) specific for small cell lung cancer, and may also have benefitted from treatment with a third generation T790M-specific EGFR-TKI. To better describe the mechanisms of resistance to TKI inhibitors and to optimize therapeutic regimens, the simultaneous analysis of tumor biopsies and circulating tumor DNA should be considered.

EGFR and KRAS mutational analysis in a large series of Italian non-small cell lung cancer patients: 2,387 cases from a single center.

Activating EGFR mutations are important genetic alterations that have strong therapeutic implications for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, the role of KRAS mutations in this process is still under evaluation. Here, we report on the feasibility of a large­scale EGFR and KRAS mutation analysis in the daily routine of a single center. NSCLCs from 2,387 patients were screened for EGFR and KRAS mutations from January 2010 to September 2015. Mutational analyses were performed in a single laboratory using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)-Sanger sequencing and matrix­assisted laser desorption ionization­time of flight (MALDI­TOF) on Sequenom platform for EGFR and pyrosequencing for KRAS. Activating EGFR mutations were found in 14.1% of all tumors, whereas KRAS mutations were found in 30.5% of all tumors. Direct sequencing showed analyzable cytological, small biopsy and surgical specimen percentages of 90.3, 90.9 and 98.1%, respectively, whereas the MALDI­TOF platform showed analyzable cytological samples, small biopsies and surgical specimens percentages of 94.6, 95.7 and 96.9%, respectively. The mean analytical turnaround times (TAT) were 4 and 3 days for direct sequencing and the MALDI­TOF platform, respectively. Our results confirm that small biopsy or cytological samples can be used for reliable EGFR and KRAS mutation testing and indicate that adopting the MALDI­TOF platform reduces the rate of missed samples among the samples. Moreover, the 3-day analytical TAT of the MALDI-TOF multi-target technique is appropriate for clinical management and reduces the overall treatment decision time.