Association of the postoperative white blood cells (WBC) count in peripheral blood after radical surgical treatment of left upper lobe non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with overall survival - single center results.

INTRODUCTION: The individual patient prognosis after radical surgery for Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of left upper lobe remains still unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the predictive value of elevated white blood cell count in peripheral blood as early indicator of postoperative NSCLC prognosis. METHODS: A retrospective statistical analysis was performed studying patients subject to radical treatment of left upper lobe NSCLC in period of five years with subsequent one to three-year monitoring of morbidity and mortality of the patient population. The statistical ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis of the WBC count in peripheral blood third day after the operation was used to evaluate the relationship with overall survival, with respect to patients surviving for at least 24 months. RESULTS: Based on the results of the ROC analysis with a total area under the curve (AUC) of 0.67, it is possible to confirm that the WBC count established third day after the operation allows us to classify patients into groups according to the 24-month overall survival. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm the potential of using WBC count to improve current protocols to establish postoperative prognosis for NSCLC of the upper left lobe (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 11).

[Effect of Erlotinib in 2nd and 3rd Line Anticancer Treatment in Patients with Squamous Cell Lung Cancer - Case Series]. / Efekt erlotinibu u pacientu se spinocelulárním karcinomem plic ve 2. a 3. linii protinádorové lécby - kazuistická sdelení.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (SCC) represents cca 30-40% of new cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the Czech Republic. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib is indicated as a 1st line treatment for patients with locally advanced and metastatic disease and activating mutations in endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), or as a 2nd or 3rd line treatment in EGFR-negative NSCLC patients after chemotherapeutic failure. OBSERVATION: We present three case reports of patients with SCC treated with erlotinib as a 2nd or 3rd line of treatment. All patients were verified by histological analysis of tumor samples. EGFR mutation status was negative in one patient, while the other samples were not suitable for genetic screening. RESULTS: The therapeutic response to erlotinib lasted for 68, 40, and 13 months, resp. The patient with the longest therapeutic response (patient no. 1) is still continuing erlotinib treatment (as of December 2016). The overall survival of the two patients who died was 50 and 43 months, resp. One patient died of an unknown cause with no signs of progression of the disease on CT scans. The other patient died of terminal progression of the oncological disease. All three patients experienced major therapeutic benefit from erlotinib treatment as shown by the long periods of progression-free survival and prolonged overall survival. CONCLUSION: The three case reports demonstrate that erlotinib may be effective as a 2nd or 3rd line treatment in patients with SCC, especially in patients with limited alternative anticancer treatment options.Key words: non-small cell lung cancer - squamous cell carcinoma - erlotinib - treatment - tyrosine kinase inhibitor The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 5. 8. 2016Accepted: 14. 12. 2016.

[Radiotherapy of Lung Tumours in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis]. / Radioterapie nádoru s plicní lokalizací u idiopatické plicní fibrózy.

BACKGROUND: This article is a joint statement of the Czech Pneumological and Physiological Society and the Czech Society for Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, and reviews current opinions on radiotherapy in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In general, radiotherapy of lung tumours is associated with risk of radiation pneumonitis (RP); moreover, IPF may be complicated by acute exacerbations (AE-IPF). Both complications may immediately threaten patients lives. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Assessment of individual radiotherapy modalities has shown that conventional radiotherapy is not appropriate, especially in large tumours. Up to 30% of patients are at risk of developing AE-IPF. As a result, as many as 83% of patients die within 3 months of initiation of lung cancer treatment. Fatal RP is most commonly observed within 2 months of radiotherapy. In IPF accompanied by early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) may be considered. NSCLC should be treated with chemotherapy. Several cases report severe exacerbations of subclinical IPF after SBRT even with minimal signs of previous interstitial involvement. Grade 2 RP has been reported in up to 50% of cases with any level of interstitial change detected by lung CT prior to radiotherapy. In palliative radiotherapy, external radiation may be considered as an exception if the main bronchi are involved. Similarly, brachytherapy may be indicated for certain cases of bronchial stenosis. RESULTS: The presence of any level of interstitial change suggests a risk for fatal RP and AE-IPF. This is also supported by the fact that, at the present time, there are no dose limitations for radiation therapy of lung cancer in IPF, irrespective of whether conventional fractionated radiotherapy or SBRT is used. Moreover, there are no reliable predictive factors for lung involvement. In some studies, RP was more frequently associated with high CRP and LDH levels, PS 2 and interstitial changes of 10% or more. Treatment depends on the severity of the involvement. In more severe forms, corticosteroids, antibiotics and oxygen therapy should be administered. Ventilation support is often needed. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy for patients with IPF and lung cancer or other chest tumours requires an individual approach depending on the local findings, the patients lung function and general condition, and the prognosis of the primary disease. Decision-making should take into consideration potential benefits and risks, and be carried out by a multidisciplinary team comprising a pulmonologist and clinical and radiation oncologists. Treatment should always be thoroughly discussed with the patient signing an informed consent form.Key words: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - chest radiotherapy - indications - radiation pneumonitis - acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - treatment This work was supported by grant AZV 16-32-318 A. The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 4. 5. 2017Accepted: 18. 5. 2017.

Eclampsia as a cause of secondary non-obstructive central sleep hypoventilation.

The central alveolar hypoventilation of Ondine's curse is a disorder characterized by absent or diminished ventilatory response to hypercapnia, hypoxia or both, with parallel decrease in saturation to 50%. The secondary form may begin mainly after insult that affects the brain stem. We present a case of a 24-years old primipara in the 41st gestational week with an uncomplicated course of pregnancy and with secondary non-obstructive sleeping hypoventilation which occurred after eclamptic seizure. This obstetric case provides evidence for the benefit of home BiPAP use for patients with secondary Ondine's curse.

[Screening of malnutrition risk versus indicators of nutritional status and systemic inflammatory response in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients]. / Screening rizika malnutrice versus ukazatelé nutricního stavu a systémové zánetlivé odpovedi u pacientu s nove diagnostikovaným karcinomem plic.

BACKGROUND: Most lung cancers are already advanced at the time of dia-gnosis. In these patients, a frequent symptom is protein energy malnutrition, often diagnosed prior to oncological treatment. Malnutrition results in poor tolerance of treatment and increased morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002 adapted for oncological patients was used to assess the risk of undernutrition in a group of 188 lung cancer patients. The risk was evaluated on a 6- point scale according to common signs of nutritional status and tumor and its treatment risk factors. A score of 3 and more (called "nutritional risk") means a significant risk of malnutrition. Furthermore, pretreatment nutritional characteristics were evaluated in patients (including the value of BMI) and laboratory values indicating malnutrition/ acute phase response (albumin/ C reactive protein - CRP). RESULTS: Acceptable NRS score was found in 50.6%, while in 45.3% was suggested into risk of malnutrition ("nutritional risk"). Only 6.6% of our patients had a BMI less than 20 kg/ m2. Significant differences in albumin and CRP values in various categories of NRS were confirmed. CONCLUSION: Initial signs of cancer malnutrition may be overlooked in patients who fall within or above the range of BMI for adequate weight, although these patients may be at significant risk of malnutrition. The indicators of nutritional status and systemic inflammatory responses were significantly associated with resulting values NRS score.

[Tobacco dependence treatment]. / Lécba závislosti na tabáku.

BACKGROUND: Nicotine is a highly addictive drug with long-term effects on somatic and nervous systems of an individual. The tobacco dependence is a chronic disease which requires an intensive and complex treatment. The treatment should be focused on physical as well as psychological dependence. Nicotine dependence is a disease with a high relapse tendency, therefore requiring long-term therapy as well as patients determination and motivation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have focused on evaluation of results of our tobacco dependence center over previous 3 years (2010, 2011, 2012). The treatment success is evaluated one year after the first visit at the center (therefore the results for 2012 are not yet available). RESULTS: In 2010, 57 new patients visited our tobacco dependence center (34 men and 23 women); the average age of the patients was 42.3 years. The treatment was successful in 15 out of 57 patients (26.3%). In 2011, 40 new patients (23 men and 17 women) visited the center; the average age was 45 years. The treatment was successful in 13 out of 40 patients (32.5%). In 2012, 50 new patients visited the center, the average age of the patients was 44.4 years. As the success of the treatment is evaluated in yearly intervals, the results for 2012 are not yet available. CONCLUSION: Treatment of nicotine dependence is essential for the prevention of cardiovascular, pulmonary and oncological diseases. In previous 3 years, 147 new patients visited our tobacco dependence center. The average age of patients coming to the center in order to start treatment was 43.9 years, and their nicotine dependence was fully developed. In the future, we would like to focus on younger age groups, where in general the onset of the dependence is very frequent.

[Sarcoidosis--diagnostics, prognosis and therapy. A retrospective analysis]. / Diagnostika, prognostické faktory a lécba sarkoidózy - retrospektivní analýza.

Sarcoidosis is systematic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology which can affect any organ. Sarcoidosis belongs to diseases called interstitial lung diseases. Our study is a retrospective analysis of 169 patients (100 females and 69 males), whom we diagnosed sarcoidosis at our pulmonary department in years 2005-2010. Aim of the analysis was to find out prognostic factors and to describe the course of disease. Median age of sarcoidosis patients was 48 years (20-79). Females : males ratio was 1.5 : 1. Non smoker : smoker (or former smoker) ratio was 2.2 : 1. Familial occurrence was observed in 4 patients (2.4%). At diagnosis, stage 0 was present in 6 (3.5%) patients, stage I in 58 (34%) patients, stage II in 84 (49.5%) patients, stage III in 18 (11%) patients, and stage IV in 3 (2%) patients. Diagnosis was confirmed by histology in 111 patients. In 76 patients there was extrapulmonary sarcoidosis. The coincidence of sarcoidosis with autoimmune diseases was observed in 10 patients; 6 patients developed trombembolic disease. One patient suffered from sarcoidosis with cystic fibrosis. Spontaneous resolution was seen in 65 (38.5%) patients; 37 (64%) stage I patients, 26 (31%) stage II patients, and 2 (11%) stage III patients. One hundred one patients (60%) received corticosteroids. Adverse events of corticosteroid therapy were observed in 28 (26%) patients. In sarcoidosis patients with spontaneous resolution, no relapse of disease was observed. On the other hand, eleven (11%) patients treated with glucocorticosteroids relapsed. Median time to sarcoidosis relapse was 6 months (2-34). The age under 40 years, the X-ray stage I or II, the high CD4/CD8 ratio in bronchoalveolar fluid, pulmonary involvement, and therapy need for a period shorter than 2 years were assessed as a significant good prognostic factors. Observed lethality of our patient cohort was 1.2% (2 patients; both deaths related to sarcoidosis).

[Hidden cystic fibrosis in patient suffering from sarcoidosis]. / Skrytá cystická fibróza u nemocného se sarkoidózou.

We describe a case of an adult patient, whom sarcoidosis was diagnosed at first and cystic fibrosis was also discovered 2 years later on. Cystic fibrosis and sarcoidosis are uncommon diseases that only rarely occur together. On the other hand, the coincidence of sarcoidosis and cystic fibrosis is possible, and, moreover, one of the diseases can remain undiagnosed long time. Relationship between sarcoidosis and cystic fibrosis seems not to be probable, in accordance with recent medical reports, and the coincidence of both conditions appears as sporadic.

[Treatment of acute exacerbation of the obstructive pulmonary disease with hospitalization at an intensive care unit]. / Lécba akutní exacerbace chronické obstrukcní plicní nemoci za hospitalizace a na luzku intenzivní péce.

Bronchodilatation is preferably achieved with beta-2-agonists (SABA), salbutamol. Therapy is intensified with anticholinergics (ipratropium bromide monohydrate). A combined preparation may also be used (ipratropium bromide monohydrate and fenoterole hydrobromide). Methylxantines (theophylline) are the second line option. Corticosteroids are administered orally (prednisolone) or intravenously (methylprednisolone or hydrocortisone). Patients who have problems expectorating are administered mucolytics (ambroxol hydrochloride or bromhexine hydrochloride). Some patients are treated with antibiotics. Oxygenotherapy is indicated in patients with hypoxemia. Insufficient treatment effect and progression of respiratory insufficiency warrants application of mechanical or non-invasive ventilation.

Lung cancer - dia nosis and early detection.

Decisions about the treatment of a patient with lung cancer depend on the clinical stage of the disease, morphological diagnosis, examination of predictive markers and overall clinical condition; the wishes of a well-informed patient must also be taken into account. Accurate diagnosis is essential for the future of a patient with lung cancer. The epidemiology of lung cancer is related to cigarette consumption. The risk of the disease increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. The relative risk for smokers is 22.4, for very heavy smokers with a load of more than 25 packets, it can reach up to 50. Most cases of lung cancer are caught in the advanced stages of the disease, when surgery and sometimes other active treatments are no longer possible. Searching for lung cancer in at-risk groups is essential for reducing lung cancer mortality, leading to the detection of the disease at a low stage when the tumor is operable.

[Care for patients on mechanical ventilation from the perspective of an internal medicine physician]. / Péce o nemocné na umelé plicní ventilaci z pohledu lékare internisty.

At times of respiratory insufficiency, mechanical ventilation (MV) provides support for or a substitution ofcertain components of the respiratory system. The aim of ventilation therapy is to achieve appropriate ventilation and oxygenation parameters and to minimize adverse events of MV. The main examples of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) are Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP). The main benefit of NIV is a minimal need for tracheal intubation. To perform invasive mechanical ventilation, it is necessary to secure the airways with intubation or tracheotomy. We aim for the shortest possible duration of mechanical ventilation and intubation; their duration is a risk factor in development of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

[Localized tracheobronchial amyloidosis, type AA, and its differentiation from the systemic form of amyloidosis in clinical practice]. / Lokalizovaná tracheobronchiálni amyloidóza typu AA a její odliseni od systémové amyloidózy v praxi.

67-year-old patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic pansinusitis suffered from attacks of dyspnea, cough and common cold repeatedly. The chest X-ray was without clear pathology. Because of repeated difficulties, a bronchoscopic examination was made and a diagnosis of amyloidosis was made twice (bronchial biopsy, excision). The patient in our case suffered from a tracheobronchial form of amyloidosis (type AA most probably) together with chronic pansinusitis.

[Treatment of non small cell lung cancer]. / Lécebné postupy u nemalobunecného karcinomu plic.

According to the recent data lung cancer in Czech republic is the most common malignancy in men (incidence 93/100 000) and is the leading cause of cancer death in men (mortality 90/100 000). In women is the incidence of lung cancer 30/100 000. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 70% to 75% of all lung cancers, while small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for 25% to 30% of cases. These two types of lung cance have a different biological characteristics which leads to a different approach in the treatment of NSCLC and SCLC. The treatment of NSCLC is based on clinical stage of disease and different treatment modalities alone or in combination are used: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and recently a novel treatment strategy--targeted therapy with biologic agents.

[Superior vena cava syndrome (definition, aetiology, physiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment)]. / Syndrom horní duté ziliy: definice, etiologie, fyziologie, symptomy, diagnostika a lécba.

Superior vena cava syndrome is a group of symptoms arising from reduced blood flow from the superior vena cava to the right atrium. The causes of superior vena cava syndrome can be malignant or benign. Nearly 95% of cases are, however, the result of malignant diseases. Superior vena cava syndrome is characterised by swelling of the face, neck or upper limbs with visible dilation of the veins in the neck or chest. Frequent symptoms are breathlessness and coughing. The treatment of the syndrome depends on the aetiology of the obstruction, the seriousness and prognosis of the disease. Treatment should begin as early as possible.

[Fever of unknown origin--etiology and diagnostic algorithm]. / Teplota nejasné etiologie: príciny a diagnostický postup.

Fever of unknown origin is a frequent and significant diagnostic problem often faced by physicians. The first part of the text is dedicated to its definition and wide-ranging aetiology. On the one hand, fever may be a banal and benign condition, on the other, it can be the symptom of a life threatening disease. The second part presents our suggestions for diagnostic approach to fever of unknown origin. We believe this text may become a useful tool for this extremely complex and interesting differential diagnostic. In view of extension and complexity of the topic, the text of this part is presented in full.

Mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase domain and associations with clinicopathological features in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Somatic tyrosine kinase (TK) domain mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are associated with sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI's), however their incidence in distinct populations is not clarified. We sequenced exons 18-21 of the EGFR TK domain from 60 Greek and Czech patients, enrolled in an adjuvant chemotherapy trial following total resection for stages I-IIIa disease. Somatic mutations were found in 9/60 patients (15.0%), several being novel. EGFR mutations were more common in Stage I tumors (p = 0.023), they were also more common in women and never smokers; however, no other significant association of clinicopathological features with mutations was found. Median TTP and OS of patients with and without mutations were 13.2 and 40 months compared to 22.9 and 43.2 months, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. K-ras (5/60, 8%) and EGFR mutations were found to be mutually exclusive. We identified a wide spectrum of somatic EGFR TK mutations reporting a relatively high incidence (15%) in NSCLC patients of Greek and Czech origin. As ethnicity seems to be a factor for the origin of these mutations, further studies in distinct populations are warranted.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinases 3, 10 and 11 (stromelysins 1, 2 and 3) and matrix metalloproteinase 7 (matrilysin) by cancer cells in non-small cell lung neoplasms. Clinicopathologic studies.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP's) 3, 10 and 11 (also known as stromelysins 1, 2 and 3, respectively), and matrix metalloproteinase 7 (also known as matrilysin), produced by stromal fibroblast-like cells in the vicinity of various malignancies, are suspected to have an ability to degrade components of extracellular matrix, thus promoting spread of the tumor. MMP's also have been found in epithelial tumor cells in various cancers. Tissue sections from 95 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were immunostained with antibodies against MMP 3, MMP 10 and MMP 11 and sections from 99 cases of NSCLC were immunostained with an antibody against MMP 7. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity in the tumor cells was semiquantitatively scored for intensity and distribution and correlated with tumor type, tumor grade, stage, tumor size, lymph node positivity, metastasis and survival. Overexpression of MMP 10 and MMP 11 correlated with higher grade for NSCLC (p = 0.029 and p = 0.016, respectively), and also in a subset of adenocarcinomas (AC) (p = 0.015 and p = 0.009, respectively). Also, MMP 10 and MMP 11 correlated with lymph node involvement in NSCLC (p = 0.025 and p = 0.027 respectively). No correlation was found for MMP 3. Overexpression of MMP-7 correlated with tumor stage (p = 0.0001) and was associated with adverse clinical outcome (p = 0.0001) in NSCLC and also in separate squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (p = 0.003) and AC (p = 0.004) tumor groups.

[Non-invasive ventilation support in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]. / Neinvazivní ventilacní podpora u pacientu s akutní exacerbací chronické obstrukcní plicní nemoci (CHOPN).

AIM: To verify that the use of noninvasive ventilatory support in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease leads to decreasing the number of deaths, shortening in-hospital stay and decreasing number of endotracheal intubations (ETI). SETTING: The study was conducted at a respiratory department's ICU in 2002-2004. METHODS: Patients hospitalized on ICU with acute exacerbation of COPD, respiratory acidosis and global respiratory failure were randomised into two groups. Patients in group A were treated by conservative medical therapy (oxygen, bronchodilator, corticosteroid), patients in group B received noninvasive ventilation with face mask. The parameters followed were: decrease in the number of deaths, shortening of ICU stay, reduction of ETI, faster improvement of breathing frequency, heart rate, pH, PaO2, PaCO2, lactate, dyspnoea symptom score and lung functions. RESULTS: Each group consisted of 30 randomised patients. There were 10 intubated patients in group A, as opposed to 3 in group B (N = 60; P = 0.034). Average length of ICU stay was 9.8 days in group A and 7.1 days in group B (N = 60; P = 0.756). Mortality rate was identical in both groups: 3 patients survived, 7 patients died. We found faster decrease of breathing frequency after one hour of noninvasive ventilation in group B (28.3 +/- 7.1 vs. 24.6 +/- 6.3, N = 59, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: No difference was found in mortality rate. We observed decreasing of ETI rate with NIV. We found a tendency to shortening of ICU stay. There was faster improvement of breathing frequency after one hour of NIV.

[The role of bronchial artery embolization in the treatment of hemoptysis]. / Postavení embolizace bronchiální tepny v terapii klinicky významné hemoptýzy.

BACKGROUND: Moderate and severe hemoptysis is a potential life-threatening condition which requires immediate medical examination and intervention. AIM: Retrospective evaluation of the effectiveness of bronchial artery embolization in the management of hemoptysis (over 50 ml per 24 hours) in the university hospital (from 1998 to 2005). METHODS: A retrospective case study. Forty seven consecutive patients with hemoptysis over 50 ml per 24 hours were reviewed and data collected from medical documentation (medical history, chest X-ray, bronchoscopy, thorax spiral CT, pulmonary and bronchial angiography). RESULTS: Forty seven patients, 34 men and 13 women aged between 19-87 years, mean age of 57.1 years, were included in this study. All patients had clinically important hemoptysis (more than 50 ml blood in 24 hours), 23 patients 50-200 ml, 14 patients 200-500 ml, 10 patients over 500 ml. Twenty eight patients had reccurent hemoptysis and nineteen patients had the first stage of hemoptysis. Within the study group we recorded the following clinical causes of hemoptysis: 12 COPD with bronchiectasis, 11 pulmonary malignancy, 11 idiopatic hemoptysis, 5 arterioarterial shunts, 3 pneumonia, 2 aspergillomas, 1 posttuberculous scars, 1 pulmonary trauma, 1 pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. All 47 patients underwent angiography. Thirty seven bronchial artery embolizations (BAE) were performed on the side with greater bronchoscopy and CT abnormality. Polyvinyl-alcohol (sponge particles 45-350 pm) or acrylate glue were used as embolizing agents. We did not observe any complication during this procedures (BAE). Immediate success i.e. cessation of hemoptysis was achieved in 36 patients (97%). Follow-up lasted 4-63 months (33 patients). BAE resulted in long-term success i.e. no recurrent hemoptysis for 28 patients (85%). CONCLUSION: Transcatheter bronchial artery embolization is an effective and safe procedure for patients suffering from clinically important hemoptysis. Short-term control of hemoptysis can be achieved in 97% and long-term control in 85% of cases. Bronchial artery embolization is a treatment which can reduce the need for acute thoracic surgery.