The preoperative HbA1c level is an independent prognostic factor for the postoperative survival after resection of non-small cell lung cancer in elderly patients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level on the survival in patients who underwent complete resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Of the patients who underwent complete resection for NSCLC between 2007 and 2015, 468 were classified into DM (who were currently taking medication for DM) and no DM groups as well as into high HbA1c (≥ 6.5) and normal HbA1c (< 6.5) groups. RESULTS: The overall survival (OS) did not differ significantly between either pair of groups. Among the elderly patients, the OS did not differ significantly between the DM and no DM groups, but was significantly higher in the normal-HbA1c group than in the high-HbA1c group (5-year survival rate: 84.7 versus 37.2%, respectively, p < 0.01). In the elderly patients, non-adenocarcinoma histology, advanced stage, a high Charlson comorbidity index, and a high preoperative HbA1c level were found to be independent risk factors for the OS. CONCLUSION: We revealed that a high preoperative HbA1c level was associated with a poor OS in elderly patients who underwent complete resection for NSCLC. This suggests that it is necessary to achieve diabetic control prior to complete resection in NSCLC patients.

[A case of postoperative thymic carcinoma recurrence that was effectively treated with combination chemotherapy of nedaplatin and docetaxel].

We report a case of postoperative recurrence of thymic carcinoma that was effectively treated with combination chemotherapy of nedaplatin(NDP)and docetaxel(DOC). We performed thymectomy for thymoma in a 55-year-old man. The pathological diagnosis was squamous cell thymic carcinoma(pT3N0M0, Stage III). The patient was observed without postoperative radiotherapy being administered. Six months after the operation, the patient was admitted to our department with carcinomatous pericarditis. Whole-body examination revealed multiple lung and liver metastases and a left femoral metastasis. After pericardiocentesis, radiation therapy was administered for the left femoral metastasis. Combination chemotherapy (NDP[60mg/m2]/DOC[70mg/m2])was administered for the multiple lung and liver metastases. After 4 cycles of chemotherapy, the multiple lung metastases were completely resolved and the liver metastases were clearly reduced. Partial response and acceptable toxicity were identified. Thymic carcinoma is a rare epithelial neoplasm for which the optimal chemotherapy regimen has not yet been established. Combination chemotherapy with NDP/DOC was effective in the case of our patient with postoperative thymic squamous cell carcinoma recurrence, and it can be considered as a promising regimen for patients from the standpoint of clinical efficacy.

Thymic papillo-tubular adenocarcinoma containing a cyst: report of a case.

We report a case of thymic papillo-tubular adenocarcinoma in a 55-year-old man, who had no symptoms. Sternotomy revealed a tumor in the anterior mediastinum, tightly adhered to the pericardium. It was resected completely. Interestingly, the tumor contained a unilocular cyst filled with mucinous fluid, suggesting that it originated from a pre-existing thymic cyst. Pathological examination of the tumor revealed a primary thymic papillo-tubular adenocarcinoma resembling a tumor of gut origin. Thymic adenocarcinomas, particularly of the tubular subtype, are extremely rare.

[Pulmonary nocardiosis in a patient with diffuse panbronchiolitis].

A 53-year-old woman under treatment for diffuse panbronchiolitis, complained of fever and bloody sputum, Chest radiograph showed infiltrative shadows in both lung fields. Nocardia farcinica was cultured from BALF and pulmonary nocardiosis was diagnosed. She was successfully treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, LVFX. Improvement was clearly demonstrated on chest radiograph. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pulmonary nocardiosis in a patient with diffuse panbronchiolitis.

Postoperative delirium after lung resection for primary lung cancer: Risk factors, risk scoring system, and prognosis.

Delirium is a common post-surgical complication, but few studies have examined postoperative delirium following lung cancer surgery. The purpose of this study was to clarify the risk factors of postoperative delirium, to construct a useful scoring system, and to clarify the relationship between delirium and prognosis after lung cancer surgery. We retrospectively analyzed data from 570 patients who underwent surgery for primary lung cancer. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the effects of various factors on the onset of delirium. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to determine the relationship between delirium and prognosis. Postoperative delirium occurred in 6.7% of the patients. Three risk factors were identified, and the risk scores were determined as follows: 2×(cerebrovascular disease history) + 1×(squamous cell carcinoma) + 1×(age older than 75 years). Scores 0-1 denoted low risk, 2 denoted intermediate risk, and 3-4 denoted high risk. Additionally, we found that patients who developed delirium had significantly shorter overall survival. However, there was no difference in the frequency between cancer-related death and non-cancer related death when comparing the delirium and non-delirium groups. We identified the risk factors, i.e., cerebrovascular disease history, squamous cell carcinoma, and age older than 75 years, that determine the onset of delirium after lung cancer surgery and constructed a useful scoring system. In addition, although the prognosis of the delirium group was poor, the factor that determines prognosis may not be cancer per se but vulnerability in the patient background.

Hemothorax after emphysematous bullectomy using a linear staple device with bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid felt.

A linear stapler with bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid felt is widely used during the resection of emphysematous lung. Currently, an improved staple device with polyglycolic acid felt is being used owing to a history of complications, such as bleeding, that was associated with the previous model. Here, we report a case of a 69-year-old man who presented to our department for treatment of left lower lobe lung cancer using the new staple device. A left lower lobectomy and emphysematous bullectomy were performed. Reoperation was performed following the diagnosis of a postoperative hemothorax. During that operation, a staple with reinforcing material was found to be in contact with the proliferating vessels on the lung surface, resulting in an active bleed. The vessel was cauterized, and the bleeding stopped. This is the first case study to report bleeding associated with the improved staple device.

Insertion of a Dumon Y-stent via a permanent tracheostoma without using a rigid bronchoscope.

A 63-year-old man who had received a permanent tracheostoma after oesophageal cancer surgery developed fistulas in the left and right main bronchi and suffered repeated aspiration pneumonia. Placing an indwelling Dumon Y-stent using a rigid bronchoscope is an option to treat fistula and stenosis at the tracheal bifurcation, but in some cases, it may be difficult to use a rigid bronchoscope in patients with a permanent tracheostoma. In this study, we report placing a Dumon Y-stent in a patient with a permanent tracheostoma using a specially modified stent and forceps instead of a rigid bronchoscope.

Coexisting Thymic and Pulmonary Carcinoid Tumors Associated with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type1.

An anterior mediastinal tumor was detected in a 45-year-old female during a medical checkup. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed the anterior mediastinal tumor and a pulmonary tumor in the right lower lobe. Furthermore, tumors of the parathyroid gland, pancreas, and pituitary gland were also detected. She was clinically diagnosed with multiple endocrine neoplasia type1 (MEN1). The patient underwent extended thymectomy combined with mediastinal lymph node dissection and wedge resection of the lung including the right pulmonary lesion via a median sternotomy. We diagnosed the patient with an atypical carcinoid tumor of the thymus, a typical pulmonary carcinoid tumor.

Left upper division segmentectomy with a simultaneous displaced bronchus and pulmonary arteriovenous anomalies: a case report.

BACKGROUND: A displaced bronchus is a rare disorder of the left upper lobe. Displaced bronchi are often accompanied by an anomaly of a pulmonary artery, but rarely of a pulmonary vein. CASE PRESENTATION: We here present a patient with primary lung cancer and simultaneous migration abnormalities of the pulmonary artery and vein in a displaced bronchus of the left upper lobe. Previous reports and our findings indicate that anomalies of the pulmonary artery and vein combined with a displaced bronchus of the left upper lobe have the following characteristics: (1) the left main pulmonary artery does not cross the dorsal side of the displaced bronchus; (2) V1 + 2 returns to the inferior pulmonary vein; and (3) there is an accessory fissure (aberrant fissure) in the segments dominated by the displaced bronchus. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention of intraoperative damage during procedures for a displaced bronchus and pulmonary arteriovenous anomalies requires careful preoperative evaluation and surgical technique with particular attention to the above-listed characteristics.

Giant mature teratoma in the mediastinum presenting with rapid growth.

Teratomas are primary germ-cell tumours in the mediastinum. Although they are generally slow-growing and asymptomatic, rapid growth causing life-threatening complications can occur. Sebaceous secretion, insulin production, chorionic gonadotropin secretion and pancreatic enzyme secretion are the presumptive causes of tumour progression. Only few cases of rapidly growing teratomas have been reported previously. Here, we present a case of a giant mature teratoma in the mediastinum that presented with rapid growth and compare the characteristics of this case with those of previous cases.

A surgical case of eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis of the lung.

Eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis (EAF) is an uncommon inflammatory disease that develops from the respiratory organs and affects them. Almost all reports about EAF describe lesions affecting the upper respiratory tract. We present the first case of EAF of the lung treated by surgical excision. A 69-year-old female consulted our hospital following the detection of an abnormal chest shadow with chronic cough. Chest computed tomography showed a pulmonary growing mass in the right hilar area, which corresponded to an enhanced accumulation on positron emission tomography. We doubted a pulmonary malignant tumor and performed a right upper lobectomy. Pathological and other clinical presentations revealed EAF of the lung without coexisting systemic diseases. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course, and the presenting cough had improved. EAF can involve the lung and cause symptomatic airway obstruction. For a hilar region mass with imaging characteristics similar to those of lung cancer, a differential diagnosis must be considered.

Thymoma-Associated Graft-Versus-Host-Like Disease With Skin Manifestations Improved by Complete Resection of Thymoma.

A 69-year-old woman with refractory skin eruptions, which had first appeared 3 years previously, was examined, and an anterior mediastinal tumor was detected. The tumor was resected, and a diagnosis of type B2 thymoma, stage III disease (according to the World Health Organization classification), was made. Retrospectively, histologic findings of the skin before the operation were consistent with graft-versus-host disease. The final diagnosis of her skin lesions was thymoma-associated graft-versus-host-like disease. The skin lesions improved gradually during the 1-month period after resection with only a topical steroid, and further improvement was seen at 3 months.

Low-grade osteosarcoma of the lung diagnosed at the time of recurrence.

An abnormal shadow was detected in a 75-year-old man on a chest roentgenogram, and the patient was referred to our institution. A transbronchial biopsy was carried out and the specimen resulted in a diagnosis of organizing pneumonia. During the follow-up period, the left lung lesion became enlarged. Partial resection of the left lung was performed. Postoperatively, pathological examination of the tumor showed an organizing pneumonia. Approximately 3 years later, a new calcified heterogeneous mass shadow was detected in the left lung and left pleura, which had gradually enlarged. Computed tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle biopsy of the nodule of the left pleura was performed. Microscopically, the specimen led to the diagnosis of low-grade osteosarcoma. Re-evaluation of the primary and secondary lesions were confirmed as the same histopathological findings. A further systemic examination was performed. Finally, the lesion was confirmed as low-grade osteosarcoma of the lung. The patient refused further treatment and died due to respiratory failure.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma involving lung and conjunctiva.

A 68-year-old man was found to have tumors of the left lung and left conjunctiva. Thoracoscopic partial lung resection was performed. Histological examination revealed diffuse proliferations of centrocyte-like cells with lymphoepithelial lesions, and a diagnosis of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma was made. Immunohistochemical study and flow cytometric analysis were also compatible with MALT lymphoma. Conjunctival tumor biopsy was performed and the diagnosis was confirmed. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful, and he is currently being followed without further treatment.

Synovial sarcoma of the mediastinum: report of a case.

We report a case of synovial sarcoma of the mediastinum, a very rare tumor, in a 50-year-old man hospitalized with anterior chest pain. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) on admission showed a 10 x 8-cm mass in the right anterior mediastinal space, compressing the superior vena cava. A diagnosis of sarcoma was established by a CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy. Systemic examination revealed no metastasis to the contralateral pleural cavity or other distant organs, and we resected the mediastinal sarcoma. Pathological and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed a diagnosis of monophasic synovial sarcoma. The patient is alive with recurrence 9 months after his operation, and is receiving chemotherapy with ifosfamide.