18F-FDG positron emission tomography in oncology: main indications. / Tomografía por emisión de positrones con 18F-FDG en oncología: principales indicaciones.

The development of molecular and functional imaging with new imaging techniques such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography (PET) among others, has greatly improved the detection of tumors, tumor staging, and the detection of possible recurrences. Furthermore, the combination of these different imaging modalities and the continual development of radiotracers for PET have advanced our understanding and knowledge of the different pathophysiological processes in cancer, thereby helping to make treatment more efficacious, improving patients' quality of life, and increasing survival. PET is one of the imaging techniques that has attracted the most interest in recent years for its diagnostic capabilities. Its ability to anatomically locate pathologic foci of metabolic activity has revolutionized the detection and staging of many tumors, exponentially broadening its potential indications not only in oncology but also in other fields such as cardiology, neurology, and inflammatory and infectious diseases.

[Recommendations for radiological diagnosis and assessment of treatment response in lung cancer: a national consensus statement by the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology]. / Recomendaciones para el diagnóstico radiológico y la valoración de la respuesta terapéutica en el cáncer de pulmón. Consenso nacional de la Sociedad Española de Radiología Médica y la Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica.

The last decade has seen substantial progress in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to lung cancer, thus meaning that its prognosis has improved. The Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM) and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) have therefore produced a national consensus statement in order to make recommendations for radiological diagnosis and assessment of treatment response in patients with lung cancer. This expert group recommends multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) as the technique of choice for investigating this disease. The radiology report should include a full assessment by the TNM staging system. Lastly, when the patient is on immunotherapy, response evaluation should employ not only Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST 1.1) but also Immune-Related Response Criteria (irRC).

Pulmonary radiofrequency ablation (Part 1): current state.

The risks involved in surgical treatment and conventional radiotherapy in patients with early lung cancer or lung metastases often make these treatments difficult to justify. However, on the other hand, it is also unacceptable to allow these lesions to evolve freely because, left untreated, these neoplasms will usually lead to the death of the patient. In recent years, alternative local therapies have been developed, such as pulmonary radiofrequency ablation, which has proven to increase survival with a minimal risk of complications. There are common recommendations for these treatments, and although the specific indications for using one technique or another have yet to be established, there are clearly defined situations that will determine the outcome of the treatment. It is important to know these situations, because appropriate patient selection is essential for therapeutic success. This article aims to describe the characteristics and constraints of pulmonary radiofrequency ablation and to outline its role in thoracic oncology in light of the current evidence.

[Overdiagnosis in cancer screening]. / Sobrediagnóstico en cribado de cáncer.

In screening programs, overdiagnosis is defined as the detection of a disease that would have gone undetected without screening when that disease would not have resulted in morbimortality and was treated unnecessarily. Overdiagnosis is a bias inherent in screening and an undesired effect of secondary prevention and improved sensitivity of diagnostic techniques. It is difficult to discriminate a priori between clinically relevant diagnoses and those in which treatment is unnecessary. To minimize the effects of overdiagnosis, screening should be done in patients at risk.

Is lung surgery a good option for octogenarians?

INTRODUCTION: The number of geriatric patients with lung cancer is expected to increase in the next few years, especially patients over 80, and therefore it is important to know where the therapeutic limits should be drawn. Is surgery a good option in patients over 80? OBJECTIVE: To show the results of lung resection in patients over 80 years of age to evaluate the safety and short-term results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 21 patients who underwent lung resection between October 1999 and October 2011. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 82 ± 2; 13 lobectomies were performed,5 transegmental resections, 2 segmentectomies, and 1 pneumonectomy. Postoperative complications (28.6%) were: respiratory 66.6%, cardiological 16.7% and digestive 16,7%. Perioperative mortality was 9,5% (2). There was a significant association between mortality and age (P=.023), or pneumonectomy (P=.002). We studied COPD as a risk factor for mortality and found a statistically significant relation with the need for ICU (P<.007), and the appearance of complications (P<.044). CONCLUSIONS: Resective lung surgery is feasible and safe in selected patients over 80 years of age. In our experience, squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent tumor. The most common procedure was lobectomy which is a safe technique with a low complication rate in elderly patients. Pneumonectomy should be avoided, as we have found a significant association with perioperative mortality.

[Resected non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma stage pIIIA-N2. Which patients will benefit most from adjuvant therapy?]. / Carcinoma broncogénico no microcítico resecado, estadio pIIIA-N2. ¿En qué pacientes la adyuvancia ofrece mayor beneficio?

BACKGROUND: Controversy persists as regards the indications and results of surgery in the treatment of patients with stage pIIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study was to analyze the overall survival of a multicentre series of these patients and the role of adjuvant treatment, looking for factors that may define subgroups of patients with an increased benefit from this treatment. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 287 patients, with stage pIIIA-N2 NSCLC subjected to complete resection, taken from a multi-institutional database of 2.994 prospectively collected consecutive patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer. Adjuvant treatment was administered in 238 cases (82.9%). Analyses were made of the age, gender, histological type, administration of induction and adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy treatments. RESULTS: The 5-year survival was 24%, with a median survival of 22 months. Survival was 26.5% among patients receiving with adjuvant treatment, versus 10.7% for those without it (P=.069). Age modified the effect of adjuvant treatment on survival (interaction P=.049). In patients under 70 years of age with squamous cell carcinoma, adjuvant treatment reduced the mortality rate by 37% (hazard ratio: 0,63; 95% CI; 0,42-0,95; P=.036). CONCLUSIONS: Completely resected patients with stage pIIIA-N2 NSCLC receiving adjuvant treatment reached higher survival rates than those who did not. Maximum benefit was achieved by the subgroup of patients under 70 years of age with squamous cell carcinoma.

[Lung cancer screening]. / Cribado del cáncer de pulmón.

Lung cancer is a very important disease, curable in early stages. There have been trials trying to show the utility of chest x-ray or computed tomography in Lung Cancer Screening for decades. In 2011, National Lung Screening Trial results were published, showing a 20% reduction in lung cancer mortality in patients with low dose computed tomography screened for three years. These results are very promising and several scientific societies have included lung cancer screening in their guidelines. Nevertheless we have to be aware of lung cancer screening risks, such as: overdiagnosis, radiation and false positive results. Moreover, there are many issues to be solved, including choosing the appropriate group to be screened, the duration of the screening program, intervals between screening and its cost-effectiveness. Ongoing trials will probably answer some of these questions. This article reviews the current evidence on lung cancer screening.

Prospective study for the early detection of lung carcinoma in patients with HIV infection (GESIDA study 8815).

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer (LC) screening detects tumors early. The prospective GESIDA 8815 study was designed to assess the usefulness of this strategy in HIV + people (PLHIV) by performing a low-radiation computed tomography (CT) scan. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 371 heavy smokers patients were included (>20 packs/year), >45 years old and with a CD4+ <200 mm3 nadir. One visit and CT scan were performed at baseline and 4 for follow-up time annually. RESULTS: 329 patients underwent the baseline visit and CT (CT0) and 206 completed the study (CT1 = 285; CT2 = 259; CT3 = 232; CT4 = 206). All were receiving ART. A total >8 mm lung nodules were detected, and 9 early-stage PCs were diagnosed (4 on CT1, 2 on CT2, 1 on CT3 and 2 on CT4). There were no differences between those who developed LC and those who did not in sex, age, CD4+ nadir, previous lung disease, family history, or amount of packets/year. At each visit, other pathologies were diagnosed, mainly COPD, calcified coronary artery and residual tuberculosis lesions. At the end of the study, 38 patients quit smoking and 75 reduced their consumption. Two patients died from LC and 16 from other causes (p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The design of the present study did not allow us to define the real usefulness of the strategy. Adherence to the test progressively decreased over time. The diagnosis of other thoracic pathologies is very frequent. Including smokers in an early diagnosis protocol for LC could help to quit smoking.

Sex-specific Difference for Small Cell Lung Cancer from Immunotherapy Advancement.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of lung cancer has witnessed significant progress, leading to improved survival rates among patients. It is important to assess the individual contributions of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) to overall lung-cancer incidence and mortality trends based population, especially sex difference. METHODS: We analyzed lung cancer mortality based on subtype, gender, and calendar year. The Joinpoint software was used to identify any changes in incidence and trends in mortality. RESULTS: Incidence and incidence-based mortality declined from 2001 to 2019 both NSCLC and SCLC annually. The most significant decrease occurred between 2016 and 2019 with annual percent change of 5.71%. From 2012 to 2016, the incidence-based mortality of SCLC in women changed by 2.7% in tandem with incidence decreased 2.84%. Remarkably, the incidence-based mortality for women declined notably by 5.23% between 2016 and 2019, even as the incidence showed a less extent of decreasing (-2.59%). The survival rate for women was 15.2% in 2001, 19.3% in 2016, it had increased to 21.3% in 2018 but similar trends not in men. The survival curve showed the change in survival outcomes over time among men and women (median overall survival: 13 vs 23months) receiving immunotherapy for SCLC. CONCLUSION: Population-level mortality from NSCLC and SCLC in the United States fell sharply from 2016 to 2019 as incidence deceased, and survival improved substantially. Our analysis suggests that approval for and use of immunotherapy may explain the mortality reduction observed during this period, with significant benefits especially for SCLC patient in women.

A serial image analysis architecture with positron emission tomography using machine learning combined for the detection of lung cancer.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer is the second type of cancer with the second highest incidence rate and the first with the highest mortality rate in the world. Machine learning through the analysis of imaging tests such as positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has become a fundamental tool for the early and accurate detection of cancer. The objective of this study was to propose an image analysis architecture (PET/CT) ordered in phases through the application of ensemble or combined machine learning methods for the early detection of lung cancer by analyzing PET/CT images. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted utilizing a public dataset entitled "A large-scale CT and PET/CT dataset for lung cancer diagnosis." Various imaging modalities, including CT, PET, and fused PET/CT images, were employed. The architecture or framework of this study comprised the following phases: 1. Image loading or collection, 2. Image selection, 3. Image transformation, and 4. Balancing the frequency distribution of image classes. Predictive models for lung cancer detection using PET/CT images included: a) the Stacking model, which used Random Forest and Support Vector Machine (SVM) as base models and complemented them with a logistic regression model, and b) the Boosting model, which employed the Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) model for comparison with the Stacking model. Quality metrics used for evaluation included accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. RESULTS: This study showed a general performance of 94% with the Stacking method and a general performance of 77% with the Boosting method. CONCLUSIONS: The Stacking method proved to be a model with high performance and quality for lung cancer detection when analyzing PET/CT images.

Factors associated with short- and long-term outcomes in lung cancer patients requiring unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: Unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is associated with high mortality in lung cancer patients. We aimed to identify factors associated with weaning from IMV, intensive care unit (ICU) survival and 1-year survival in lung cancer patients requiring unplanned IMV. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study (2007-2017). SETTING: University-affiliated ICU. PATIENTS: Lung cancer patients requiring unplanned IMV. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Weaning from IMV, ICU and 1-year survival. RESULTS: Of the 136 patients included in the analysis (age 64 (9) years, male 110 (81%), metastatic disease 97 (62%)), 52 (38%) were weaned from IMV, 51 (38%) were discharged from ICU and 22 (16%) were alive at 1year. The main indication for intubation was acute respiratory failure. In multivariate analysis, PaO2/FiO2 >175mmHg at ICU admission and intubation before ICU admission were associated with successful weaning from IMV while intubation for cardiac arrest was associated with weaning failure. Same factors were associated with ICU survival. Absence of metastasis at ICU admission and lung resection surgery were independently associated with 1-year survival. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients with lung cancer treated with unplanned IMV could be weaned from IMV and survived to ICU discharge, especially in the absence of severe hypoxemia at ICU admission. The low one-year survival was mostly driven by metastatic status.

Operative outcomes and middle-term survival of robotic-assisted lung resection for clinical stage IA lung cancer compared with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Despite limited published evidence, robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for anatomic lung resection in early-stage lung cancer continues growing. The aim of this study is to evaluate its safety and oncologic efficacy compared to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). METHODS: Single-centre retrospective study of all patients with resected clinical stage IA NSCLC who underwent RATS or VATS anatomic lung resection from June 2018 to January 2022. RATS and VATS cases were matched by propensity scoring (PSM) according to age, sex, histology, and type of resection. Short-term outcomes were compared, and the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: 321 patients (94 RATS and 227 VATS cases) were included. After PSM, 94 VATS and 94 RATS cases were compared. Demographics, pulmonary function, and comorbidity were similar in both groups. Overall postoperative morbidity was comparable for RATS and VATS cases (20.2% vs 25.5%, P = 0.385, respectively). Pathological nodal upstaging was similar in both groups (10.6% in RATS and 12.8% in VATS). During the 3.5-year follow-up period (median: 29 months; IQR: 18-39), recurrence rate was 6.4% in RATS group and 18.1% in the VATS group (P = 0.014). OS and DFS were similar in RATS and VATS groups (log rank P = 0.848 and P = 0.117, respectively). CONCLUSION: RATS can be performed safely in patients with early-stage NSCLC. For clinical stage IA disease, robotic anatomic lung resection offers better oncologic outcomes in terms of recurrence, although there are no differences in OS and DFS compared with VATS.

Mortality attributable to secondhand smoke exposure in the autonomous communities of Spain.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) causes cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. The aim of this study was to estimate the mortality attributed to SHS in people aged ≥ 35 years in Spain and its autonomous communities (AC) by sex from 2016 to 2021. METHODS: Estimates of SHS-attributable mortality were calculated by applying the prevalence-dependent method where SHS exposure was derived from the adjustment of small-area models and based on the calculation of population-attributed fractions. Sex, age group, AC, and cause of death (ischemic heart disease and lung cancer) were included. The estimates of attributed mortality are presented with their 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Crude and age-standardized rates were estimated for each sex and AC. RESULTS: From 2016 to 2021, SHS exposure caused 4,970 (95%CI, 4,787-5,387) deaths, representing 1.6% of total mortality for ischemic heart disease and lung cancer. The burden of attributed mortality differed widely among the AC, with Andalusia having the highest burden of attributed mortality (crude rate: 46.6 deaths per 100 000 population in men and 17.0/100 000 in women). In all the AC, the main cause of death in both sexes was ischemic heart disease. The highest burden of mortality was observed in nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of SHS-attributable mortality was high and varied geographically. The results of this study should be considered to advance tobacco control legislation in Spain.

Relationship between Lactate Dehydrogenase and survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving immunotherapy. / Relación entre el lactato deshidrogenasa y la supervivencia en pacientes con cáncer de pulmón no microcítico que reciben tratamiento con inmunoterapia.

OBJECTIVE: The expression level of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is the only approved biomarker for predicting response to immunotherapy, yet its efficacy is not always consistent. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has been associated with tumor aggressiveness and poorer prognosis across various cancer types and may serve as a useful biomarker for monitoring treatment response. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between LDH levels prior to the start of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and clinical outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted including patients diagnosed with NSCLC who were treated with at least three cycles of immunotherapy. Data on demographics, clinical and pathological characteristics, treatment received, pre-treatment LDH levels, and clinical outcomes such as treatment response and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 181 patients diagnosed with NSCLC were included. Elevated pre-treatment LDH levels (more than 244 U/l) were associated with significantly reduced OS. The median survival was 548 days in patients with LDH less than 244 U/l, compared to 332 days in those with LDH more than 244 U/l (p = 0.037). Among men, OS was greater in the LDH less than 244 U/l group (623 days) versus 332 days in the LDH more than 244 U/l group (p = 0.043). In patients with metastatic disease, OS was higher in those with LDH less than 244 U/l (474 days) compared to 249 days in those with LDH more than 244 U/l (p = 0.023). In patients receiving both immunotherapy and chemotherapy, OS was greater in those with LDH less than 244 U/l (623 days) compared to 281 days in the LDH more than 244 U/l group (p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of LDH prior to the start of treatment with ICIs are associated with lower treatment efficacy and a worse prognosis of the disease, especially in male, metastatic patients with a PD-L1 expression level less than 1%.

Treatment adherence to oral chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: Protocol for a hospital pharmacy-based real-world study.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes a study protocol for evaluating adherence to oral chemotherapy (OCT) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Spain. METHODS: This multicenter, observational, prospective study will be conducted by 6 hospital pharmacists from 6 Spanish hospitals. The study will include men and women aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who are being treated or have been prescribed OCT. Once included, the patient will be active and prospectively followed up for 3 months, including 4 study visits to record information on sociodemographic variables, antineoplastic treatment and adherence, pharmaceutical care, clinical variables, and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) (the 3-level version of EQ-5D, the EORTC Core Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Treatment Satisfaction with Medicines Questionnaire, and the PRO version of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events). Twelve months after patient inclusion, we will record information on the disease progression status and dispensed prescriptions. The primary outcome is the percentage of treatment adherence that will be calculated based on the pill count as follows: the difference between the number of pills dispensed minus the number of unused pills will be divided by the number of days of treatment multiplied by the number of pills/day prescribed by the oncologist; this quotient will be multiplied by 100 to obtain the percentage of adherence. Based on the that pill count reconciliation, those with a percentage adherence >80% will be primarily categorized as adherent. Secondarily, treatment adherence will be also calculated based on the proportion of days covered and the 4-items Morisky Green Levine Medication Adherence Scale. To analyze the impact of patients' and treatment characteristics on adherence, bivariate analyses will be performed using different adherence cut-off points. To evaluate the impact of adherence on treatment efficacy as evaluated by progression-free survival, we will be using the Kaplan-Meier method and compare it with the log-rank test and univariate Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We expect that our study will provide initial information on key aspects of adherence to OCT (i.e., measurement, facilitators, and barriers) and its relationship with patients' and clinically relevant outcomes in the setting of NSCLC, and that this information will help in designing pharmaceutical interventions to improve adherence.

[Treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma in early stages]. / Tratamiento del carcinoma broncogénico de célula no pequeña en estadios precoces.

Treatment of lung carcinoma is multidisciplinary. There are different therapeutic strategies available, although surgery shows the best results in those patients with lung carcinoma in early stages. Other options such as stereotactic radiation therapy are relegated to patients with small tumors and poor cardiopulmonary reserve or to those who reject surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy is not justified in patients with stage i of the disease and so double adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered. This adjuvant chemotherapy should be based on cisplatin after surgery in those patients with stages ii and IIIA.

Discordant results for ALK based on immunohistochemistry versus fluorescence in situ hybridization in a cohort of patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement located on the short arm of chromosome 2, region 2 and band 3 is frequent in lung cancer patients who respond to targeted therapies with ALK inhibitors Therefore, their identification has become a standard diagnostic test in patients with advanced NSCLS, as such chromosomal alterations may lead to the activation of important signalling pathways involved in cell survival and proliferation. METHODS: To investigate the ALK gene status, we performed FISH and IHC assays in 18 lung adenocarcinoma patients, 12 women and 6 men, aged between 29 and 85 years. Paraffin-embedded samples were analyzed in the Pathology Department of the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio. RESULTS: Results between the two techniques in 5 patients showed discordant patterns, being positive for FISH and negative for IHC. The borderline to define ALK positivity was set at 15%, These results present experimental evidence that the techniques differ in specific situations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that it is advisable to investigate the ALK gene status in patients with suspected lung cancer using both FISH and IHC in combination.

A look ahead to promote the early detection of lung cancer: technical and cost implications of a confirmed diagnosis before surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the costs and length of hospital stay among patients with a confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer (LC) prior to surgery versus those without confirmation. METHODS: This retrospective, single-center study was conducted in patients who underwent a surgical procedure for LC, with or without a pathologically confirmed LC diagnosis prior to surgery, between March 2017 and December 2019. The main outcomes were costs and length of hospital stay (LOS). RESULTS: Among the 269 patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer between March 2017 and December 2019, 203 (75.5%) patients underwent surgery due to a histopathological diagnosis, and 66 (24.5%) because of a Multidisciplinary Cancer Committee indication. The unadjusted mean cost was significantly lower in Group II (patients with surgery based on Multidisciplinary Cancer Committee criteria) (Є2,581.80 ± Є1,002.50) than in Group I (patients with histopathological diagnosis) (Є4,244.60 ± Є2,008.80), P < 0.0001. Once adjusted for covariables, there was a mean difference of -Є1,437.20 in the costs of Group II, P < 0.0001. Unadjusted mean hospital stay was significantly longer in Group I (5.6 days) than in Group II (3.5 days). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that indicating surgical resection of lung cancer based on Multidisciplinary Cancer Committee criteria, rather than performing CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy, may result in a significant decrease in cost and length of hospital stay.

An initial study on the comparison of diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/MR and 18F-FDG PET/CT for thoracic staging of non-small cell lung cancer: Focus on pleural invasion.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/MR and PET/CT preliminarily for the thoracic staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a special focus on pleural invasion evaluation. METHODS: 52 patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC were included and followed for another year. Whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT and subsequent thoracic PET/MR were performed for initial thoracic staging. Thoracic (simultaneous) PET/MR acquired PET images and MRI sequences including T2 weighted imaging, with and without fat saturation, T1 weighted imaging, and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Two radiologists independently assessed the thoracic T, N staging and pleural involvement. The McNemar Chi-square test was used to compare the differences between PET/CT and PET/MR in the criteria. The area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curves (AUC) was calculated. RESULTS: Compared to PET/CT, PET/MR exhibited higher sensitivity, specificity in the detection of pleural invasion; 82 % vs. 64% (p = 0.625), 98 % vs. 95% (p = 1.000), PET/MR to PET/CT respectively. The receiver-operating-characteristic analysis results of PET/CT vs PET/MR for the pleural invasion were as follow: AUCPET/CT = 0.79, AUCPET/MR = 0.90, p = 0.21. Both T staging results and N staging results were approximately identical in PET/CT and PET/MR. Differences between PET/CT and PET/MR in T staging, N staging as well as pleural invasion accuracy were not statistically significant (p > 0.05, each). CONCLUSION: PET/MR and PET/CT demonstrated equivalent performance about the evaluation of preoperative thoracic staging of NSCLC patients. PET/MR may have greater potential in pleural invasion evaluation for NSCLC, especially for solid nodules, crucial to clinical decision-making, though our results did not demonstrate statistical significance.

Is long-term screening for lung cancer justified in patients with head and neck carcinoma?

OBJECTIVE: Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have a higher risk of second lung neoplasms than the general population. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the long-term incidence of second lung malignancies after the diagnosis of a HNSCC and to consider the convenience of the screening for lung cancer in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study performed on 4954 patients with an index tumor located in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx during the period 1985-2017. RESULTS: During the follow-up period 469 patients (9.5%) presented a second pulmonary neoplasm. The incidence of second lung neoplasm was 1.26% per year and remained practically constant throughout the 25-year follow-up period analyzed. According to the results of a multivariate study, male patients, aged between 50 and 80 years, with a history of tobacco use, and with tumors located in the oropharynx or the supraglottis were those with the highest risk of second lung neoplasms. CONCLUSION: Patients with a HNSCC index tumor have a high risk of second neoplasms located in the lung. In order to achieve an early diagnosis of these second neoplasms, it would be advisable to establish screening protocols based on the use of low-dose lung CT, which should be maintained indefinitely during the follow-up period.