Treatment outcomes of Japanese patients with Ewing sarcoma: differences between skeletal and extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of Ewing sarcoma is lower in non-Caucasian populations, compared with Caucasian populations, for unknown reasons. Most studies from western countries have reported improvement in outcomes following multi-agent chemotherapy, with no difference in outcome between skeletal and extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma. However, there are few studies of Ewing sarcoma in non-Caucasian populations, with especially few comparing outcomes between skeletal and extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine whether the outcomes and prognostic factors of Ewing sarcoma in the Japanese population are similar to those in Caucasian populations and to determine whether skeletal and extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma have similar outcomes in Japanese patients. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of 74 Japanese patients with Ewing sarcoma treated between 1981 and 2011 from the Osaka University Orthopaedic Oncology Group. RESULTS: Extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma, tumors in the extremities, localized disease at presentation and diagnosis after 2000 were significantly associated with a favorable outcome. Among patients with localized disease at presentation, a significantly better outcome was observed for those with extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma, those who underwent a VDC/IE based or VAIA chemotherapy protocol, and those who were diagnosed after 2000. In the multivariable analyses, extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma was an independent predictor of increased overall survival among all patients and the subset of patients with localized disease. CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of patients with Ewing sarcoma in Japan has improved in the last decade. The outcomes and prognostic factors are similar for Japanese and Caucasian patients, though in this series of Japanese patients, a better prognosis was observed for patients with extraskeletal rather than skeletal Ewing sarcoma.

[Efficacy and safety of azithromycin infusion in patients with mild or moderate community-acquired pneumonia].

Azithromycin (AZM) is one of 15-membered rings macrolide antibiotics with wide spectrum of antimicrobial efficacy for Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and also atypical bacteria. So far, there had been no reports of the prospective studies evaluating efficacy and safety of AZM infusion in patients with mild or moderate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This study was conducted to evaluate prospectively the efficacy and safety of AZM in patients with mild or moderate CAP. AZM 500 mg was intravenously administered once daily, and the clinical efficacy were evaluated by clinical symptoms, peripheral blood laboratory findings and chest X-rays. Sixty-four patients were firstly registered, and eventually 61 and 62 patients were enrolled for the evaluation of clinical efficacy and safety of AZM, respectively. The efficacy of AZM in 61 patients evaluated was 88.5%. In addition, the efficacies of AZM in each pneumonia severity index by A-DROP system by the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) guideline in CAP were 85.2% in mild and 91.2% in moderate. Furthermore, the efficacy of AZM in each differentiation between suspicion of bacterial pneumonia and that of atypical pneumonia by JRS guideline in CAP were 91.7% in suspicion of atypical pneumonia, and its efficacy was high than that of bacterial pneumonia. Nineteen patients (20 cases; 15 with liver dysfunction, 4 with diarrhea, 1 with vascular pain) out of 62 patients were reported to have possible adverse effects of AZM. All of the patients with these adverse effects demonstrated mild dysfunction and continued AZM treatment, and these dysfunctions normalized soon after cessation of AZM. In conclusion, AZM is effective drug for patients with mild or moderate CAP, and we believe that it may be one of effective choice in the treatment of CAP patients who need hospitalization.

[Efficacy and safety of levofloxacin in patients with nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia].

Levofloxacin (LVFX) is one of respiratory quinolones with wide spectrum of antimicrobial efficacy for Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and also atypical bacteria, and 500 mg of intravenous LVFX infusion has recently been able to use once daily based on pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics in Japan. So far, there had been no reports of the prospective studies evaluating efficacy and safety of LVFX in patients with nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP). This study was conducted to evaluate prospectively the efficacy and safety of LVFX in patients with NHCAP categories B and C (other antibacterial agents were allowed to use with LVFX) according to Japanese guideline for NHCAP by the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS). LVFX 500 mg was intravenously administered once daily, and the clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated by clinical symptoms, peripheral blood laboratory findings and chest X-rays. Sixty-two patients (average age was 81.2 years old, female/male was 22/40) were firstly registered and evaluated for the safety of LVFX, and eventually 54 patients were enrolled for the evaluation of clinical efficacy of LVFX. The percentage of these 54 patients aged over 65 years old was 96.3%, NHCAP category B/C was 33/21. The efficacy of LVFX in all 54 patients evaluated was 85.2% (categories B/C of NHCAP was 81.8/90.5%). In addition, the efficacies of LVFX in each pneumonia severity category by A-DROP system by JRS in NHCAP patients were 100% in mild, 86.7% in moderate, 77.8% in severe/very severe. Nine patients (2 with liver dysfunction, 6 with renal dysfunction and 1 with thrombocytopenia) out of 62 patients were reported to have possible adverse effects of LVFX. All of the patients with liver and renal dysfunctions after starting LVFX administration demonstrated mild dysfunctions and continued LVFX treatment, and these dysfunctions normalized soon after cessation of LVFX. LVFX was changed to other antibacterial agent in one patient with thrombocytopenia, and also thrombocytopenia was normalized thereafter. In conclusion, LVFX is effective and relatively safe for categories B and C in patients with NHCAP.

Application of the COOP/WONCA charts to aged patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a comparison between Japanese and Chinese populations.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is similar in Japan and China and is increasing due to high rates of smoking in these countries. Reducing COPD is an important public health issue. The goals of this study were to verify the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the COOP/WONCA charts, a tool for measuring health status, and to examine the qualitative differences in health status between Japanese and Chinese patients with COPD and between these patients and healthy subjects. METHODS: From 2008 to 2011, we examined the factors affecting the health status of Japanese and Chinese populations living in six cities. Participants were patients with COPD staged according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria (140 Japanese, 201 Chinese) and healthy subjects (243 Japanese, 199 Chinese), all 50 to 79 years old. Health status was measured by using the COOP/WONCA charts, and basic information such as smoking status and medical history was reported by the participants. RESULTS: The Japanese and Chinese versions of the COOP/WONCA charts were shown to be reliable and valid by test-retest, comparison with the SF-36 and respiratory symptoms, and correlation of results obtained from patients and their physicians. Stepwise multiple regression analyses demonstrated that "Physical fitness", "Daily activities", and "Social activities" were predicted by COPD status and/or respiratory symptoms; "Feelings" by nationality and respiratory symptoms; "Pain" by sex and respiratory symptoms; and "Overall health" by nationality. When the COOP/WONCA scores were stratified by nationality, age, sex, and COPD status, the difference of each score between the patients and healthy subjects was larger for the Chinese subjects than for the Japanese. The physical, psychosocial activities, and pain scores increased significantly as COPD status worsened in Chinese subjects, whereas these scores were not affected by sex, age, or COPD status for Japanese subjects. Brinkman index and use of smoky fuel indoors affected the COOP/WONCA scores in Chinese patients but not in Japanese patients. CONCLUSIONS: The Japanese COOP/WONCA charts are reliable and valid. COPD more severely affected the health status of Chinese participants than of Japanese participants. These results suggest that countermeasures against insufficient health care and smoky environments may improve the health status of Chinese patients with COPD.

[Efficacy and safety of moxifloxacin in patients with nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia].

Moxifloxacin (MFLX) is a respiratory quinolone, and is effective against not only Gram-positive and negative bacteria but also anaerobes. There has been no prospective studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of MFLX in patients with nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP). Therefore, we assessed the efficacy and safety of MFLX in patients with NHCAP. NHCAP patients with mild and moderate severity assessed by the A-DROP system in community-acquired pneumonia guideline proposed by Japan Respiratory Society visited our hospitals from April 2011 to March 2012. Clinical symptoms, chest X-ray films and/or computed tomography, peripheral white and red blood cell and platelet counts, serum CRP, AST, ALT, BUN, creatinine were evaluated. Forty patients were eventually evaluated, and average age was 74.1 years old, male/female were 21/19, 92.5% (37/40) of them had one or more comorbidities. Median duration of MFLX administration was 7.1 days (4-15 days). The efficacy of MFLX in all patients was 87.5% (35/40). The efficacies in each age group were 87.9% (aged over 65 years old), 85.7% (aged under 64 years old), and in each pneumonia severity group by the A-DROP system were 91.7% (mild), 85.7% (moderate). Diarrhea and swelling of the breast were observed in one patient (2.5%) after starting MFLX administration. Mild elevated transaminases were observed in three patients (7.5%), and mild renal dysfunction was observed in two patients (5.0%). All abnormally increased levels of transaminases and serum creatinine were recovered after a cessation of MFLX. MFLX is effective and safe in patients with NHCAP.

Dominant-negative STAT1 SH2 domain mutations in unrelated patients with Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease.

Patients carrying two loss-of-function (or hypomorphic) alleles of STAT1 are vulnerable to intracellular bacterial and viral diseases. Heterozygosity for loss-of-function dominant-negative mutations in STAT1 is responsible for autosomal dominant (AD) Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD), whereas heterozygosity for gain-of-function loss-of-dephosphorylation mutations causes AD chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). The two previously reported types of AD MSMD-causing STAT1 mutations are located in the tail segment domain (p.L706S) or in the DNA-binding domain (p.E320Q and p.Q463H), whereas the AD CMC-causing mutations are located in the coiled-coil domain. We identified two cases with AD-STAT1 deficiency in two unrelated patients from Japan and Saudi Arabia carrying heterozygous missense mutations affecting the SH2 domain (p.K637E and p.K673R). p.K673R is a hypomorphic mutation that impairs STAT1 tyrosine phosphorylation, whereas the p.K637E mutation is null and affects both STAT1 phosphorylation and DNA-binding activity. Both alleles are dominant negative and result in impaired STAT1-mediated cellular responses to interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-27. In contrast, STAT1-mediated cellular responses against IFN-α and IFN-λ1 were preserved at normal levels in patients' cells. We describe here the first dominant mutations in the SH2 domain of STAT1, revealing the importance of this domain for tyrosine phosphorylation and DNA binding, as well as for antimycobacterial immunity.

[Drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in four community hospitals: influence of antimicrobial use density].

We investigated the relation between hospital antimirobial use density (AUD) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in four community hospitals. Subjects were a total of 476 strains isolated from urine, sputum, and pus during a total of seven years since 2002, for which 50- and 90-percentile MICs were analyzed. Hospitals A, B, and C moved in 2000, 2005, and 2009, respectively, but MIC50 and MIC90 were stable. MIC values showed significance in five drugs, in which Hospital B showed maximal values in five and Hospital D showed minimal values in four drugs. AUD values were different in nine drugs, Hospital B showing the highest data in meropenem, flomoxef, and sulbactam/cefoperazone while Hospital D having the lowest data in meropenem, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, and sulbactam/cefoperazone. Thus MIC for P aeruginosa may show resistance in the presence of high AUD with wide antimicrobial spectrum.

[Efficacy and safety of sitafloxacin for lower respiratory tract infections].

We investigated the efficacy and safety of sitafloxacin (STFX) in patients with mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia or secondary infections of chronic respiratory tract diseases. The results showed that the efficacy rate was 96.5% (111/115) in patients analyzed for efficacy. The efficacy rate by STFX administration method was 93.9% (46/49) at 50mg b.i.d., 100% (37/37) at 100 mg q.d. and 96.6% (28/29) at 100mg b.i.d. In chest X-rays, the image improvement rate in 102 patients with shadows before treatment was 94.1% (96/102). The image improvement rate by STFX administration method was 90.5% (38/42) at 50 mg b.i.d., 97.1% (33/34) at 100mg q.d. and 96.2% (25/26) at 100mg b.i.d. Side effects occurred in five out of 115 patients (4.3%). Abnormalities in hepatic function test values appeared in two patients and abnormalities in renal function test values appeared in three patients. In four cases, the abnormalities were very mild and STFX administration was continued without any treatment. In the other patient, the abnormal value rapidly returned to normal after STFX administration was discontinued. These findings indicated that STFX can be used safety in routine practice by adjusting the administration within the approved dose based on patient characteristics. Good therapeutic effects can be expected in patients with respiratory tract infections.

Novel prospective umbrella-type lung cancer registry study for clarifying clinical practice patterns: CS-Lung-003 study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Conventional cancer registries are suitable for simple surveillance of cancer patients, including disease frequency and distribution, demographics, and prognosis; however, the collected data are inadequate to clarify comprehensively diverse clinical questions in daily practice. METHODS: We constructed an umbrella-type lung cancer patient registry (CS-Lung-003) integrating multiple related prospective observational studies (linked studies) that reflect clinical questions about lung cancer treatment. The primary endpoint of this registry is to clarify daily clinical practice patterns in lung cancer treatment; a key inclusion criterion is pathologically diagnosed lung cancer. Under this registry, indispensable clinical items are detected in advance across all active linked studies and gathered prospectively and systematically to avoid excessive or insufficient data collection. Researchers are to input information mutually, irrespective of the relevance to each researcher's own study. Linked studies under the umbrella of the CS-Lung-003 registry will be updated annually with newly raised clinical questions; some linked studies will be newly created, while others will be deleted after the completion of the analysis. Enrollment began in July 2017. DISCUSSION: We successfully launched the umbrella-type CS-Lung-003 registry. Under this single registry, researchers collaborate on patient registration and data provision for their own and other studies. Thus, the registry will produce results for multiple domains of study, providing answers to questions about lung cancer treatment raised by other researchers. Through such analysis of each linked study, this registry will contribute to the comprehensive elucidation of actual daily practice patterns in lung cancer treatment. KEY POINTS: CS-Lung-003 registry directly integrates multiple linked studies created under the umbrella of this cancer registry to solve various clinical questions regarding daily practice patterns of lung cancer treatment.

Impact of HER2 expression on EGFR-TKI treatment outcomes in lung tumors harboring EGFR mutations: A HER2-CS study subset analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are standard treatment for EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); however, a biomarker to predict their efficacy has not been established. Although human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) aberrations constitute a potential mechanism for acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs, the impact of HER2 on EGFR-TKI treatment outcomes has not been systematically evaluated. In this post-hoc subgroup study, we examined the impact of HER2 on the effect of EGFR-TKIs in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 1126 patients with NSCLC enrolled into a prospective cohort study (HER2-CS study), we analyzed data of 356 (32 %) patients with EGFR-mutant tumors. HER2 protein expression levels were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with the gastric cancer criteria. Patients were divided either to an HER2-P group (HER2-IHC2+/3+) or an HER2-N group (HER2-IHC0/1+). We primarily assessed differences in the time-to-treatment failure (TTF) of EGFR-TKI between the groups. RESULTS: The HER2 scoring was as follows: IHC0 (n = 76, 21 %), IHC1+ (n = 199, 56 %), IHC2+ (n = 72, 20 %), and IHC3+ (n = 9, 3 %). The patients' demographics were similar in the HER2-P and HER2-N groups. The HER2-P group showed a significantly shorter EGFR-TKI TTF than the HER2-N group (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.657, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.076-2.552; median: 13.3 vs. 19.1 months). The magnitude of the negative impact of TTF was especially dependent on performance status (PS). HER2 expression significantly deteriorated the TTF in the subgroup with PS 2 (HR: 5.497, 95 % CI: 1.510-20.02), but not in that with better PS (HR: 1.437, 95 % CI: 0.899-2.298) (pinteraction = 0.015). CONCLUSION: In the current cohort, HER2 protein expression in EGFR-mutant NSCLC may have a negative impact on the effect of EGFR-TKIs, the effect of which was PS dependent.

Associations of Ambient Air Pollutant Concentrations With Respiratory Symptoms and Perceived Health Status in Japanese Adults With and Without Chronic Respiratory Diseases: A Panel Study.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, transboundary air pollution from mainland East Asia has led to growing concerns about air pollution in Japan. Air pollution is reportedly associated with the exacerbation of respiratory diseases. In this study, we assessed the effects of air pollution on respiratory symptoms and the health status of participants with and without chronic respiratory diseases. METHODS: Participants (n=2753) with and without chronic respiratory diseases who visited healthcare facilities in Japan during February from 2010 to 2015 filled out a self-report questionnaire regarding their symptoms and perceived health status. Participants were followed up during April-May and June-July. RESULTS: Oxidant concentrations were associated with respiratory symptoms, overall health, and quality of life (QoL). Suspended particulate matter (SPM) and particulate matter <2.5 µm levels were associated with physical fitness; SPM was also associated with QoL. Recent experience of an Asian sand dust event had a significant effect on allergic symptoms, change in health, and QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory symptoms were more strongly affected by oxidants than by other pollutants. Significant associations of air pollutants were found with a comprehensive range of items related to perceived health status, including overall health and QoL. Although the effects of air pollutants on respiratory symptoms and health status were more apparent among patients with respiratory diseases, the adverse effects of air pollutants were significant even among participants without such conditions.

Pleurisy Caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in a Young Patient with Dermatomyositis: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature.

M. abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) and is the most common cause of pulmonary RGM infection. M. abscessus pleurisy is extremely rare. We herein report the case of a young patient with M. abscessus pleurisy without any lung lesions. A laboratory analysis of the pleural effusion revealed lymphocyte predominance and increased adenosine deaminase, similar to the findings observed in tuberculous pleurisy. The patient was initially treated for tuberculous pleurisy, which resulted in the partial improvement of the patient's symptoms and pleural effusion. M. abscessus pleurisy should be considered, especially in immunocompromised individuals, even in the absence of pulmonary involvement.

[A case of microscopic polyangitis presented with acute pericarditis].

We report a case of microscopic polyangitis presenting with acute pericarditis. A 75-year-old man, who had recurrent acute pericarditis, was referred by a cardiologist because of bilateral infiltrates in the chest radiograph, microhematuria and progressive renal failure. The test for MPO-ANCA was positive. Transbronchial and renal biopsies were compatible with microscopic polyangitis, showing alveolar hemorrhage and crescentic glomerulonephritis. After 3 days, intravenous methylpredonisolone was given, followed by oral prednisolone 40 mg/day, and the patient's radiographic infiltrates cleared and renal dysfunction improved. However, he died from opportunistic infection 109 days after the onset of treatment.

Clinical outcome of patients with Ewing sarcoma family of tumors of bone in Japan: the Japanese Musculoskeletal Oncology Group cooperative study.

BACKGROUND: Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) of bone is extremely rare in Japan. The objectives of the current study were to assess the clinical outcome and prognostic factors of patients with ESFT of bone in Japan and to compare them between Euro-American and Japanese populations. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 243 patients who were treated for ESFT of bone in Japan between 1981 and 2003. Local therapy was surgery in 35% of patients, surgery combined with radiotherapy in 40% of patients, radiotherapy alone in 22% of patients, and no local treatment in 3% of patients. All but 3 patients received various regimens of multidrug chemotherapy. RESULTS: The median patient age was 16 years. The primary disease sites were the trunk in 53% of patients and the extremities in 47% of patients. Forty-one patients had metastases at presentation. The median follow-up was 66 months. A univariate survival analysis demonstrated that patients who had metastases at presentation, primary site in the trunk, age >or=16 years, tumor size >or=10 cm, tumor that responded poorly to induction chemotherapy, and local treatment with radiotherapy alone had a significantly worse event-free survival (EFS). A multivariate analysis further verified that the former 3 factors were significant adverse prognostic factors. Of 201 patients with localized disease, 45 patients who received current chemotherapy regimens that included ifosfamide and etoposide had a significantly better 5-year EFS rate (67.6%) compared with other patients. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcome of patients with localized ESFT of bone in Japan has improved markedly with the use of current chemotherapy regimens that include ifosfamide and etoposide and has become comparable to the outcomes observed in other major series of Euro-American patients. The prognostic factors are also almost identical.

Analysis of organ selectivity in the metastatic behavior of Dunn osteosarcoma.

In the current study, the authors established a novel metastatic model to analyze organ selective metastasis by osteosarcoma, using a murine cell line, Dunn osteosarcoma. The lung, liver, kidney, and spleen were resected from syngeneic donor mice, and a tissue fragment of the respective organs was transplanted subcutaneously into a recipient mouse. Two weeks later, tumor cells were injected intravenously and the formation of metastatic deposits in the ectopic transplants was examined. Ectopic lung transplants had a significantly higher incidence of metastasis than either liver or kidney transplants. When enzymatically dispersed organ cells that were embedded in agar gel were transplanted, intravenous injection of tumor cells also resulted in a higher metastatic rate in lung transplants than in either liver or kidney transplants. Photomicrographs and microangiographs of the transplants showed equivalent revascularization of the different organs. Radiolabeled tumor cells were deposited in equivalent amounts in the ectopic transplants of the different organs after intravenous injection. In addition, in vitro growth of tumor cells was stimulated by medium conditioned with lung tissue in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that organ selective metastasis by osteosarcoma is not defined anatomically or hemodynamically, but may be caused by tumor cells responding to possible paracrine factors emanating from the lung.