Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy: tumor response dynamics as a marker for survival.

OBJECTIVES: The study investigated tumor burden dynamics on computed tomography (CT) scans in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, to provide imaging markers for overall survival (OS). METHODS: The study included 133 patients treated with first-line pembrolizumab plus platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Serial CT scans during therapy were assessed for tumor burden dynamics during therapy, which were studied for the association with OS. RESULTS: There were 67 responders, with overall response rate of 50%. The tumor burden change at the best overall response ranged from - 100.0% to + 132.1% (median of - 30%). Higher response rates were associated with younger age (p < 0.001) and higher programmed cell death-1 (PD-L1) expression levels (p = 0.01). Eighty-three patients (62%) showed tumor burden below the baseline burden throughout therapy. Using an 8-week landmark analysis, OS was longer in patients with tumor burden below the baseline burden in the first 8 weeks than in those who experienced ≥ 0% increase (median OS: 26.8 vs. 7.6 months, hazard ratio (HR): 0.36, p < 0.001). Tumor burden remained below their baseline throughout therapy was associated with significantly reduced hazards of death (HR: 0.72, p = 0.03) in the extended Cox models, after adjusting for other clinical variables. Pseudoprogression was noted in only one patient (0.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor burden staying below the baseline burden throughout the therapy was predictive of prolonged overall survival in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, and may be used as a practical marker for therapeutic decisions in this widely used combination regimen. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The analysis of tumor burden dynamics on serial CT scans in reference to the baseline burden can provide an additional objective guide for treatment decision making in patients treated with first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy for their advanced NSCLC. KEY POINTS: • Tumor burden remaining below baseline burden during therapy predicted longer survival during first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy. • Pseudoprogression was noted in 0.8%, demonstrating the rarity of the phenomenon. • Tumor burden dynamics may serve as an objective marker for treatment benefit to guide treatment decisions during first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy.

Lung Cancer in Lung Transplant Recipients: Clinical, Radiologic, and Pathologic Characteristics and Treatment Outcome.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate clinical and radiologic characteristics of lung cancer in lung transplant recipients and evaluate the treatment course and prognosis. METHODS: The study included 448 patients who underwent lung transplant between 2005 and 2021. All patients had pretransplant chest computed tomography (CT), 429 patients had posttransplant CT, whereas 19 had no posttransplant CT (median number of posttransplant CT, 6; range, 0-24). Medical records of these patients were reviewed to identify patients who developed lung cancer after lung transplant. Computed tomography and positron emission tomography/CT at the time of lung cancer diagnoses were reviewed to obtain imaging features. Demographics, tumor histology, stages, and survival were compared using Fisher exact test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: Among 448 lung transplant recipients with a median follow-up of 71.3 months after lung transplant, 15 patients (3.3%) developed posttransplant lung cancer (13 unilateral, 2 bilateral; 10 men, 5 women; median age, 63.1 years; median time from transplantation to cancer diagnosis, 3.1 years). Twelve cancers were in native lung, and 3 were in transplanted lung. The incidence of lung cancer was higher in single lung transplant recipients than in bilateral lung transplant recipients (10.3% vs 0.6%, respectively; P < 0.0001). Imaging manifestations varied according to tumor stages. Among 12 patients treated for lung cancer, 2 patients developed posttreatment acute respiratory distress syndrome. The median survival from cancer diagnosis of cancer was 6.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: Posttransplant lung cancer was noted in 3% of lung transplant recipients and was more common in unilateral transplant recipients. The prognosis upon diagnosis was poor with rapid clinical deterioration and serious posttreatment complications.

Molecular Characterization and Therapeutic Approaches to Small Cell Lung Cancer: Imaging Implications.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with exceptionally poor prognosis, comprising approximately 15% of lung cancers. Emerging knowledge of the molecular and genomic landscape of SCLC and recent successful clinical applications of new systemic agents have allowed for precision oncology treatment approaches. Imaging is essential for the diagnosis, staging, and treatment monitoring of patients with SCLC. The role of imaging is increasing with the approval of new treatment agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, which lead to novel imaging manifestations of response and toxicities. The purpose of this state-of-the-art review is to provide the reader with the latest information about SCLC, focusing on the subtyping of this malignancy (molecular characterization) and the emerging systemic therapeutic approaches and their implications for imaging. The review will also discuss the future directions of SCLC imaging, radiomics and machine learning.

Imaging of Drug-Related Pneumonitis in Oncology.

Clinical applications of novel anticancer agents in the past few decades brought marked advances in cancer treatment, enabling remarkable efficacy and effectiveness; however, these novel agents are also associated with toxicities. Among various toxicities, drug-related pneumonitis is one of the major clinical challenges in the management of cancer patients. Imaging plays a key role in detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of drug-related pneumonitis during cancer treatment. In the current era of precision oncology, pneumonitis from molecular targeted therapy and immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has been recognized as an event of clinical significance. Additionally, further advances of therapeutic approaches in cancer have brought several emerging issues in diagnosis and monitoring of pneumonitis. This article will describe the computed tomography (CT) pattern-based approach for drug-related pneumonitis that has been utilized to describe the imaging manifestations of pneumonitis from novel cancer therapies. Then, we will discuss pneumonitis from representative agents of precision cancer therapy, including mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, and ICI, focusing on the incidence, risk factors, and the spectrum of CT patterns. Finally, the article will address emerging challenges in the diagnosis and monitoring of pneumonitis, including pneumonitis from combination ICI and radiation therapy and from antibody conjugate therapy, as well as the overlapping imaging features of drug-related pneumonitis and coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia. The review is designed to provide a practical overview of drug-related pneumonitis from cutting-edge cancer therapy with emphasis on the role of imaging.

Interstitial Lung Abnormalities in Patients With Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Implications.

PURPOSE: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) represent nondependent abnormalities on chest computed tomography (CT) indicating lung parenchymal damages due to inflammation and fibrosis. Interstitial lung abnormalities have been studied as a predictor of clinical outcome in lung cancer, but not in other thoracic malignancies. The present study investigated the prevalence of ILA in patients with esophageal cancer and identified risk factors and clinical implications of ILA in these patients. METHODS: The study included 208 patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer (median age, 65.6 years; 166 males, 42 females). Interstitial lung abnormality was scored on baseline CT scans before treatment using a 3-point scale (0 = no evidence of ILA, 1 = equivocal for ILA, 2 = ILA). Clinical characteristics and overall survival were compared in patients with ILA (score 2) and others. RESULTS: An ILA was present in 14 of 208 patients (7%) with esophageal cancer on pretreatment chest CT. Patients with ILA were significantly older (median age, 69 vs 65, respectively; P = 0.011), had a higher number of pack-years of smoking ( P = 0.02), and more commonly had T4 stage disease ( P = 0.026) than patients with ILA score of 1 or 0. Interstitial lung abnormality on baseline scan was associated with a lack of surgical resection after chemoradiotherapy (7/14, 50% vs 39/194, 20% respectively; P = 0.016). Interstitial lung abnormality was not associated with overall survival (log-rank P = 0.75, Cox P = 0.613). CONCLUSIONS: An ILA was present in 7% of esophageal cancer patients, which is similar to the prevalence in general population and in smokers. Interstitial lung abnormality was strongly associated with a lack of surgical resection after chemoradiotherapy, indicating an implication of ILA in treatment selection in these patients, which can be further studied in larger cohorts.

Tumor Volume Nadir in Patients With ALK-Rearranged Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Alectinib.

PURPOSE: Patients with oncogene-driven advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with effective targeted therapy demonstrate characteristic tumor volume dynamics with initial response, nadir, and subsequent regrowth. This study investigated tumor volume nadir and time to nadir in patients with ALK-rearranged advanced NSCLC treated with alectinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In patients with advanced ALK-rearranged NSCLC treated with alectinib monotherapy, tumor volume dynamics were evaluated on serial computed tomography (CT) scans using a previously validated CT tumor measurement technique. A linear regression model was built to predict tumor volume nadir. Time-to-event analyses were performed to evaluate time to nadir. RESULTS: Among 45 patients who experienced initial volume decrease, 37 patients (25 with tumor regrowth and 12 without regrowth but >6 months follow-up) were studied for nadir volume (Vp). The linear model to predict tumor volume nadir was built using the baseline tumor volume (V0): V0-Vp = .696 × V0 + 5,326 (P < 2 × 10-16; adjusted R2 = 0.86). The percent volume changes at nadir (median, -90.9%, mean, -85.3%) showed larger decrease in patients who were treated with alectinib as first-line therapy than in the ≥2nd-line group and were independent of V0 and clinical variables. Time to nadir had a median of 11.5 months and was longer in the first-line group (P = .04). CONCLUSION: The tumor nadir volume in patients with ALK-rearranged advanced NSCLC treated with alectinib can be predicted by the liner regression model and consists of approximately 30% of the baseline volume minus 5 cm3, providing additional insights into precision therapy monitoring and potential guides for local ablative therapy to prolong disease control.

Severe COVID-19 pneumonia leads to post-COVID-19 lung abnormalities on follow-up CT scans.

Purpose: To investigate the association of the maximal severity of pneumonia on CT scans obtained within 6-week of diagnosis with the subsequent development of post-COVID-19 lung abnormalities (Co-LA). Methods: COVID-19 patients diagnosed at our hospital between March 2020 and September 2021 were studied retrospectively. The patients were included if they had (1) at least one chest CT scan available within 6-week of diagnosis; and (2) at least one follow-up chest CT scan available ≥ 6 months after diagnosis, which were evaluated by two independent radiologists. Pneumonia Severity Categories were assigned on CT at diagnosis according to the CT patterns of pneumonia and extent as: 1) no pneumonia (Estimated Extent, 0%); 2) non-extensive pneumonia (GGO and OP, <40%); and 3) extensive pneumonia (extensive OP and DAD, >40%). Co-LA on follow-up CT scans, categorized using a 3-point Co-LA Score (0, No Co-LA; 1, Indeterminate Co-LA; and 2, Co-LA). Results: Out of 132 patients, 42 patients (32%) developed Co-LA on their follow-up CT scans 6-24 months post diagnosis. The severity of COVID-19 pneumonia was associated with Co-LA: In 47 patients with extensive pneumonia, 33 patients (70%) developed Co-LA, of whom 18 (55%) developed fibrotic Co-LA. In 52 with non-extensive pneumonia, 9 (17%) developed Co-LA: In 33 with no pneumonia, none (0%) developed Co-LA. Conclusions: Higher severity of pneumonia at diagnosis was associated with the increased risk of development of Co-LA after 6-24 months of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Comutations and KRASG12C Inhibitor Efficacy in Advanced NSCLC.

Molecular modifiers of KRASG12C inhibitor (KRASG12Ci) efficacy in advanced KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC are poorly defined. In a large unbiased clinicogenomic analysis of 424 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we identified and validated coalterations in KEAP1, SMARCA4, and CDKN2A as major independent determinants of inferior clinical outcomes with KRASG12Ci monotherapy. Collectively, comutations in these three tumor suppressor genes segregated patients into distinct prognostic subgroups and captured ∼50% of those with early disease progression (progression-free survival ≤3 months) with KRASG12Ci. Pathway-level integration of less prevalent coalterations in functionally related genes nominated PI3K/AKT/MTOR pathway and additional baseline RAS gene alterations, including amplifications, as candidate drivers of inferior outcomes with KRASG12Ci, and revealed a possible association between defective DNA damage response/repair and improved KRASG12Ci efficacy. Our findings propose a framework for patient stratification and clinical outcome prediction in KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC that can inform rational selection and appropriate tailoring of emerging combination therapies. SIGNIFICANCE: In this work, we identify co-occurring genomic alterations in KEAP1, SMARCA4, and CDKN2A as independent determinants of poor clinical outcomes with KRASG12Ci monotherapy in advanced NSCLC, and we propose a framework for patient stratification and treatment personalization based on the comutational status of individual tumors. See related commentary by Heng et al., p. 1513. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1501.

Uterine fibroid-like tumors: spectrum of MR imaging findings and their differential diagnosis.

Uterine leiomyoma, also known as uterine fibroid, is the most common gynecological tumor, affecting almost 80% of women at some point during their lives. In the same time, other fibroid-like tumors have similar clinical presentations and about 0.5% of resected tumors of which were presumed benign fibroids in the preoperative diagnosis revealed as malignant sarcomas in the final histopathological examination. Amid the emergence of nonsurgical or minimally invasive procedures for symptomatic benign uterine fibroids, such as uterine artery embolization, high-intensity-focused ultrasound, or laparoscopic myomectomy, the preoperative diagnosis of uterine tumors through imaging becomes all the more relevant. Preoperative tissue sampling is challenging because of the variable location of the myometrial mass; thus, the preoperative evaluation of size and location is increasingly performed through magnetic resonance imaging. Features in images might also be useful for examining the full spectrum of such growths, from benign fibroids to neoplasms of uncertain behavior and malignant sarcomas. Benign fibroids include usual-type leiomyomas, myomas with degeneration, and mitotically active leiomyomas. Neoplasms of uncertain behavior include smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential, leiomyomas with bizarre nuclei, and cellular leiomyomas. Malignant sarcomas comprise leiomyosarcomas, endometrial stromal sarcomas, adenosarcomas, and carcinosarcomas. The purpose of this article is to review the spectrum of MRI findings of uterine fibroid-like tumors, from benign variants, uncertain behavior to malignant sarcomas, and update the advanced imaging modalities, including diffusion-weighted imaging, positron emission tomography/computed tomography, combining texture analysis and radiomics, to tackle this important issue.

An Integrative Clinical Model for the Prediction of Pathological Complete Response in Patients with Operable Stage II and Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The response to NAC, particularly the probability of a complete pathological response (pCR), guides the surgical approach and adjuvant therapy. We developed a prediction model using a nomogram integrating blood tests and pre-treatment ultrasound findings for predicting pCR in patients with stage II or III operable TNBC receiving NAC. Clinical data before and after the first cycle of NAC collected from patients between 2012 and 2019 were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses to identify correlations with pCR. The coefficients of the significant parameters were calculated using logistic regression, and a nomogram was developed based on the logistic model to predict the probability of pCR. Eighty-eight patients were included. Five parameters correlated with the probability of pCR, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratio, percentage change in PLR, presence of echogenic halo, and tumor height-to-width ratio. The discrimination performance of the nomogram was indicated by an area under the curve of 87.7%, and internal validation showed that the chi-square value of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was 7.67 (p = 0.363). Thus, the integrative prediction model using clinical data can predict the probability of pCR in patients with TNBC receiving NAC.