Impact of Travel Distance on Surgical Outcomes of Patients Surgically Treated for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Single-Center Study in Ehime, Japan.

Travel burden is a poor prognostic factor for many cancers worldwide because it hinders optimal diagnosis and treatment planning. Currently, the impact of travel burden on survival after surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Japan is largely unexplored. We examined the impact of travel distance on the postoperative outcomes of patients with NSCLC in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The data of 1212 patients who underwent surgical resection for NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into quartiles based on the travel distance from their home to the hospital (≤ 13 km, 13-40 km, 40-57 km, and > 57 km) in Ehime Prefecture. We found no significant differences among the quartiles in baseline clinicopathological characteristics, including sex, smoking status, histology, surgical procedure, clinical stage, and pathological stage. Overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) also were not significantly different among the travel distance quartiles. We conclude that travel distance did not impact OS or RFS among patients with NSCLC who underwent surgical resection at our institution.

Benign Mesothelial Cells in transbronchial biopsy specimens: A potential diagnostic pitfall for lung cancer.

Bronchoscopy is a common diagnostic procedure used to identify lung cancer. Specimens acquired through transbronchial biopsy are pivotal in the diagnosis and molecular characterization of this disease. The occurrence of benign mesothelial cells during a transbronchial biopsy (TBB) is relatively rare. Furthermore, these lesions can sometimes be erroneously identified as malignant, potentially resulting in unwarranted or inappropriate treatment for patients with and without lung cancer. In this retrospective analysis, we examined 619 TBB cases at our institute from 2019 to 2021. Benign mesothelial cells were identified via immunohistochemical studies in eight (1.3%) of 619 cases. These cells were classified into three patterns based on their cellular morphology: monolayer, lace, and cobblestone. Recognizing this phenomenon during the procedure is crucial to accurately distinguish benign mesothelial cells from their cancerous counterparts.

Long-term outcome of patients with peripheral ground-glass opacity-dominant lung cancer after sublobar resections.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term prognosis of patients with peripheral small ground-glass opacity-dominant lung cancer after sublobar resection. We have already reported the 5-year safety and efficacy of sublobar resection and report the long-term outcomes after a 10-year follow-up period. METHODS: Between May 2009 and April 2011, 333 patients with radiologically noninvasive peripheral lung cancer were enrolled from 51 institutions (median age, 62 years at registration) and followed up until May 6, 2021. Of these patients, sublobar resections with wedge resection as the first choice were performed in 314 patients (258 wedge resections and 56 segmentectomies), conversion lobectomies were performed in 11 patients, and 8 patients were ineligible. RESULTS: The 10-year relapse-free survival and overall survival for the 314 patients with sublobar resections were 98.6% (95% confidence interval, 96.2-99.5) and 98.5% (95% confidence interval, 96.1-99.4), respectively. There was 1 local recurrence at the resection margin. Among the patients, second cancers were observed in 43 patients (13.4%; 95% confidence interval, 9.8-17.6), of which 18 were second lung cancers (5.8%; 95% confidence interval, 3.5-8.9). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral ground-glass opacity-dominant lung cancer is cured by sublobar resection, with wedge resection as the first choice, and the indications for other treatment options should be further investigated. The incidence of second cancer is similar to that in the general Japanese population.

EGFR Mutation is a Prognostic Factor in Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Dissemination Detected During or After Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Primary lung tumors are sometimes resected when either pleural dissemination (PD) or malignant pleural effusion (MPE) exists. This study clarified the prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with either PD and MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined patients with NSCLC from a multicenter database who had either PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery between 2005 and 2015. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Among 9463 registered patients, PD, MPE, or both, were found in 114 patients with NSCLC during or after surgery. Primary tumor resection and exploratory thoracotomy were performed in 65 and 49 patients, respectively. In univariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis (c-N0 or unknown), EGFR mutation, and combination of chemotherapy or tyrosine kinase inhibitors after surgery were better prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), whereas in the multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis, and EGFR mutation were favorable independent prognostic factors in OS. Additionally, limited to patients with EGFR mutation, patients with primary lung tumor resection showed a significantly better 5-year OS than those with exploratory thoracotomy (86.4 vs. 44.8%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that surgical resection of primary tumors could improve the prognosis of patients with PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery when the tumors harbor an EGFR mutation.

Randomized phase II study of daily versus alternate-day administrations of S-1 for the elderly patients with completely resected pathological stage IA (tumor diameter > 2 cm)-IIIA of non-small cell lung cancer: Setouchi Lung Cancer Group Study 1201.

BACKGROUND: It is shown that the postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was associated with survival benefit in an elderly population. We aimed to analyze the feasibility and efficacy of alternate-day S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, for adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients with completely resected pathological stage IA (tumor diameter > 2 cm) to IIIA (UICC TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours, 7th edition) NSCLC. METHODS: Elderly patients were randomly assigned to receive adjuvant chemotherapy for one year consisting of either alternate-day oral administration of S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) for 4 days a week (Arm A) or a daily oral administration of S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) for 14 consecutive days followed by 7-day rest (Arm B). The primary endpoint was feasibility (treatment completion rate), which was defined as the proportion of patients who completed the allocated intervention for 6 months with a relative dose intensity (RDI) of 70% or more. RESULTS: We enrolled 101 patients in which 97 patients received S-1 treatment. The treatment completion rate at 6 months was 69.4% in Arm A and 64.6% in Arm B (p = 0.67). Treatment completion rate in Arm B tended to be lower compared to Arm A, as the treatment period becomes longer (at 9 and 12 months). RDI of S-1 at 12 months and completion of S-1 administration without dose reduction or postponement at 12 months was significantly better in Arm A than in Arm B (p = 0.026 and p < 0.001, respectively). Among adverse events, anorexia, skin symptoms and lacrimation of any grade were significantly more frequent in Arm B compared with Arm A (p = 0.0036, 0.023 and 0.031, respectively). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 56.9% and 65.7% for Arm A and B, respectively (p = 0.22). The 5-year overall survival rates were 68.6% and 82.0% for Arm A and B, respectively (p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: Although several adverse effects were less frequent in Arm A, both alternate-day and daily oral administrations of S-1 were demonstrated to be feasible in elderly patients with completely resected NSCLC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Unique ID issued by UMIN: UMIN000007819 (Date of registration: Apr 25, 2012) https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000009128. Trial ID issued by jRCT: jRCTs061180089 (Date of registration: Mar 22, 2019, for a shift toward a "specified clinical trial" based on Clinical Trials Act in Japan) https://jrct.niph.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCTs061180089.

Surgical outcome of ipsilateral anatomical resection for lung cancer after pulmonary lobectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Ipsilateral reoperation after pulmonary lobectomy is often challenging because of adhesions from the previous operation. We retrospectively examined the surgical outcome and prognosis of ipsilateral anatomical resection for lung cancer after pulmonary lobectomy using a multicentre database. METHODS: We evaluated the perioperative outcomes and overall survival of 51 patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy followed by ipsilateral anatomical resection for lung cancer between January 2012 and December 2018. In addition, patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were compared with 3411 patients with stage I lung cancer who underwent pulmonary resection without a prior ipsilateral lobectomy. RESULTS: Ipsilateral anatomical resections included 10 completion pneumonectomies, 19 pulmonary lobectomies and 22 pulmonary segmentectomies. Operative time was 312.2 ± 134.5 min, and intraoperative bleeding was 522.2 ± 797.5 ml. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 9 and 15 patients, respectively. However, the 5-year overall survival rate after anatomical resection followed by ipsilateral lobectomy was 83.5%. Furthermore, in patients with c-stage I NSCLC, anatomical resection followed by ipsilateral lobectomy was not associated with worse survival than anatomical resection without prior ipsilateral lobectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical resection following ipsilateral lobectomy is associated with a high frequency of intraoperative and postoperative complications. However, the 5-year overall survival in patients with c-stage I NSCLC who underwent ipsilateral anatomical resection after pulmonary lobectomy is comparable to that in patients who underwent anatomical resection without prior pulmonary lobectomy.

A Case of Mediastinal Localized Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Successfully Treated by Chemotherapy and Conversion Surgery.

Localized malignant mesothelioma is a rare disease and little is known about its treatment strategy. We herein report a case of localized malignant pleural mesothelioma that had infiltrated into the anterior mediastinum, which was successfully treated using chemotherapy and conversion surgery. A 63-year-old man with a mediastinal tumor was referred to our hospital. Pathologic analysis of the biopsy specimen showed malignant mesothelioma. Significant tumor shrinkage by cisplatin and pemetrexed was observed and he underwent radical surgery via a median sternotomy. The patient has been disease free for 12 months.

Clinical Features of Patients With Second Primary Lung Cancer After Head and Neck Cancer.

BACKGROUND: In survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC), second primary lung cancer (SPLC) often develop as a result of a common risk factor, that is, smoking. A multicenter experience was reviewed to evaluate how the history of a diagnosis of HNC affects the outcomes of patients undergoing pulmonary resection for SPLC. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized between January 2012 and December 2018 was performed. From a cohort of 4521 patients undergoing therapeutic pulmonary resection for primary non-small cell lung cancer, 100 patients with a previous history of HNC (HNC group) were identified. These patients were compared with a control group consisting of 200 patients without an HNC history from the same cohort pair-matched with operating facility, age, sex, and pathologic stage of lung cancer. RESULTS: At the time of surgery for SPLC, the HNC group showed malnutrition with a lower prognostic nutritional index compared with the control group (P < .001). The HNC group was determined to have postoperative complications more frequently (P = .02). The 5-year overall survival rates in the HNC and control groups were 59.0% and 83.2%, respectively (P < .001). Statistically, HNC history, lower prognostic nutritional index, squamous cell lung cancer, and TNM stage were identified to be independently associated with poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SPLC after primary HNC often present with malnutrition and are predisposed to postoperative complications and poor survival after pulmonary resection.

Safety of salvage lung resection after immunotherapy for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The safety of salvage lung resection after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not well understood. METHODS: In this retrospective multicenter study, we reviewed perioperative morbidity and mortality rates in 11 patients (8 men, 3 women; median age 70 years) who underwent salvage lung resection for unresectable NSCLC after ICI therapy in the 4 years since 2017. Operative factors were also compared according to operating time (> 6 h, n = 7; < 6 h, n = 4). RESULTS: The clinical stage at the time of diagnosis was IIIA in 2 patients, IIIB in 4, IVA in 2, and IVB in 3. Eight patients received pembrolizumab and 3 received durvalumab. Two patients received an ICI agent alone, 3 underwent chemoradiotherapy, and 6 received chemotherapy. Lobectomy was performed in 10 cases and bilobectomy in 1 case. All patients underwent complete resection. Median operating time was 429 (range 169-570) min with a median blood loss of 199 (range 10-5, 140) mL. The only intraoperative complication was damage to the pulmonary artery. The perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 27% and 0%, respectively. The 90-day mortality rate was 9% (1 patient died of acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia). Patients in whom the operating time was > 6 h more frequently had lymph node metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis (100% vs 25%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Salvage lung resection was tolerated after ICI therapy in these patients. Lymph node metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis might make salvage surgery difficult.

Phase III study of adjuvant gemcitabine compared with adjuvant uracil-tegafur in patients with completely resected pathological stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (WJTOG0101).

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant oral uracil-tegafur (UFT) has led to significantly longer postoperative survival among patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gemcitabine (GEM) monotherapy is also reportedly effective for NSCLC and has minor adverse events (AEs). This study compared the efficacy of GEM- versus UFT-based adjuvant regimens in patients with completely resected pathological stage (p-stage) IB-IIIA NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with completely resected p-stage IB-IIIA NSCLC were randomly assigned to GEM or UFT. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS); secondary endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS), and AEs. RESULTS: We assigned 305 patients to the GEM group and 303 to the UFT group. Baseline factors were balanced between the arms. Of the 608 patients, 293 (48.1%) had p-stage IB disease, 195 (32.0%) had p-stage II disease and 121 (19.9%) had p-stage IIIA disease. AEs were generally mild in both groups, and only one death occurred, in the GEM group. After a median follow-up of 6.8 years, the two groups did not significantly differ in survival: 5 year OS rates were GEM: 70.0%, UFT: 68.8% (hazard ratio 0.948; 95% confidence interval 0.73-1.23; P = 0.69). CONCLUSION: Although GEM-based adjuvant therapy for patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA NSCLC was associated with acceptable toxicity, it did not provide longer OS than did UFT.

Phase II Study of Neoadjuvant Concurrent Chemo-immuno-radiation Therapy Followed by Surgery and Adjuvant Immunotherapy for Resectable Stage IIIA-B (Discrete N2) Non-small-cell Lung Cancer: SQUAT trial (WJOG 12119L).

INTRODUCTION: We describe our ongoing multicenter, prospective, single-arm, phase II trial of neoadjuvant concurrent chemo-immuno-radiation therapy followed by surgical resection and adjuvant immunotherapy for resectable stage IIIA-B (discrete N2) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (registered at the Japan Pharmaceutical Information Center, Clinical Trials Information-195069). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Key inclusion criteria include (1) clinical T1-3/T4 (tumor size) N2 stage IIIA-B NSCLC, and (2) pathologically confirmed N2 without extranodal invasion (based on diagnostic imaging). Patients will receive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (carboplatin [area under the curve = 2] and paclitaxel [40 mg/m2] on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, with involved-field radiation therapy [RT] [dose 50 Gy] on days 1-25) and neoadjuvant immunotherapy (durvalumab [1500 mg] on days 1 and 29). Surgical resection with mediastinal lymph node dissection is performed within 2 to 6 weeks after RT. Consolidation therapy with durvalumab is administered for up to 1 year after surgery. The primary endpoint is major pathologic response (MPR) (≤10% residual viable tumor) according to the central pathological assessment. Secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety. The sample size is planned to be 31 patients based on the exact binomial distribution with a 1-sided significance level of 5% and a power of 80%, and assuming a threshold MPR rate of 40% and an expected MPR rate of 65%. CONCLUSION: This trial will help establish a novel treatment strategy for resectable N2-positive NSCLC.

Short-Term Impact of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery on Lung Function, Physical Function, and Quality of Life.

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been increasingly used as an approach for lung lobectomy. However, the recovery of respiratory and physical function may be insufficient at discharge because the average length of hospital stay is decreasing after surgery. In this study, we investigated the changes in physical function, lung function, and quality of life (QOL) of lung cancer patients after VATS, and factors for QOL were also evaluated. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 41 consecutive patients who underwent video-assisted lung lobectomy for lung cancer. Rehabilitation was performed both before and after surgery. Lung function testing, physical function testing (timed up and go test (TUG) and the 30-s chair-stand test (CS-30)), and QOL (EORTC QLQ-C30) were measured before and 1 week after surgery. RESULTS: Postoperative VC recovered to 76.3% ± 15.6% 1 week after surgery. TUG, CS-30, and QOL were significantly worse after surgery (p < 0.05). Lung function and physical function were found to affect QOL. Postoperative complications included pneumonia in 1 patient. There were no patients who discontinued rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Our rehabilitation program was safe and useful for patients after VATS.

Salvage Surgery for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer After Definitive Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing salvage surgery after chemoradiotherapy, conventional external beam, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and ion beam radiotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent salvage surgery between 2010 and 2016. Data on perioperative morbidity and mortality and patient outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 156 patients were included; of those, 110 were categorized into category 1, chemoradiotherapy or conventional external beam; and 46 into category 2, stereotactic body radiotherapy or ion beam radiotherapy. Three-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in category 1 were 67.3% and 49.8%, respectively. In category 1, pathological nodal stage was an independent prognosticator of both OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.53, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-11.83) and RFS (HR = 4.32, 95% CI, 1.32-14.14). In category 2, 3-year OS and RFS were 57.7% and 46.4%, respectively. Age 70 years and greater at initial treatment was the only independent prognosticator of OS (HR = 5.61; 95% CI, 1.44-21.87), whereas age at initial treatment (HR = 6.13; 95% CI, 1.38-27.12) and pathological nodal metastasis (HR = 3.84; 95% CI, 1.40-10.57) were independent prognosticators for RFS. Overall 30- and 90-day mortality were 0% and 0.9% in category 1 and 0% and 4.3% in category 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo salvage surgery can have reasonable outcomes, and salvage surgery can be considered in selected patients.

Impact of somatic mutations on prognosis in resected non-small-cell lung cancer: The Japan Molecular Epidemiology for lung cancer study.

BACKGROUND: To report the follow up data and clinical outcomes of the JME study (UMIN 000008177), a prospective, multicenter, molecular epidemiology examination of 876 surgically resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases, and the impact of somatic mutations (72 cancer-associated genes) on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). METHODS: Patients were enrolled between July 2012 and December 2013, with follow up to 30th November 2017. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the impact of gene mutations on RFS and OS, considering sex, smoking history, age, stage, histology, EGFR, KRAS, TP53, and number of coexisting mutations. RESULTS: Of 876 patients, 172 had ≥2 somatic mutations. Median follow-up was 48.4 months. On multivariate analysis, number of coexisting mutations (≥2 vs 0 or 1, HR = 2.012, 95% CI: 1.488-2.695), age (≥70 vs <70 years, HR = 1.583, 95% CI: 1.229-2.049), gender (male vs female, HR = 1.503, 95% CI: 1.045-2.170) and pathological stage (II vs I, HR = 3.386, 95% CI: 2.447-4.646; ≥III vs I, HR = 6.307, 95% CI: 4.680-8.476) were significantly associated with RFS, while EGFR mutation (yes vs no, HR = 0.482, 95% CI: 0.309-0.736), number of coexisting mutations (≥2 vs 0 or 1, HR = 1.695, 95% CI: 1.143-2.467), age (≥70 vs <70 years, HR = 1.932, 95% CI: 1.385-2.726), and pathological stage (II vs I, HR = 2.209, 95% CI: 1.431-3.347; ≥III vs I, HR = 5.286, 95% CI: 3.682-7.566) were also significant for OS. CONCLUSION: A smaller number of coexisting mutations, earlier stage, and younger age were associated with longer RFS and OS, while EGFR mutations were significantly associated with improved OS.

Therapeutic Outcomes of 15 Postoperative Bronchopleural Fistulas Including Seven Endoscopic Interventions.

Therapeutic approaches to bronchopleural fistula (BPF) closure after lung resection are surgical or endoscopic interventions. We evaluated therapeutic outcomes to determine the optimal approach. We reviewed 15 patients who had developed BPF after lung resection for thoracic malignant diseases at our institution in the 10 years since 2008. The patients were 11 men and 4 women (mean age 68 years). We performed one pneumonectomy, 6 lobectomies, 7 segmentectomies, and one partial resection for malignant diseases. The median interval from lung resection to the BPF diagnosis was 46 days. The BPF-associated mortality rate was 26.7% (4/15). The rate of successful BPF closure was 66.6% (10/15). The endoscopic and surgical intervention success rates were 14.2% (1/7) and 69.2% (9/13), respectively (p<0.01). Of 5 patients who had failed BPF treatments, 4 died, and one transferred out without BPF closure. The therapeutic outcomes were related to preoperative comorbidities, performance status at the BPF diagnosis, time intervals from lung resection to BPF diagnosis, and presence of active pneumonia. The difference between endoscopic and surgical outcomes was nonsignificant, although the surgical intervention success rate was somewhat higher. The selection of endoscopic or surgical intervention for BPF does not significantly affect therapeutic outcomes.

Impact of pathological stage and histological subtype on clinical outcome of adjuvant chemotherapy of paclitaxel plus carboplatin versus oral uracil-tegafur for non-small cell lung cancer: subanalysis of SLCG0401 trial.

BACKGROUND: Pathological stage (pStage) and histological subtype are strong determinants of the treatment strategy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Setouchi Lung Cancer study Group (SLCG) recently reported the results of a multicenter trial (SLCG0401) indicating that paclitaxel plus carboplatin (CBDCA/PTX) as adjuvant chemotherapy does not yield better survival than uracil-tegafur (UFT) in NSCLC patients with pStage IB-IIIA disease, while stratified analyses considering the pStage and histological subtype have not been performed. METHODS: We reanalyzed the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) in 402 patients who had been randomly assigned to receive CBDCA/PTX or UFT by multivariate analysis with adjustments for the pStage and histological subtype. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the OS or RFS between the two treatment settings either in the entire cohort (n = 402) and in some of subsets: pStage IB (n = 228), pStage II (n = 117), adenocarcinoma (AD, n = 265), and squamous cell carcinoma (SQ, n = 101). In pStage IIIA patients (n = 57), CBDCA/PTX yielded superior RFS to UFT [hazard ratio (HR) 0.44; P = 0.016]. Among the patients with non-AD and non-SQ histology (n = 36), UFT yielded both superior OS and RFS to CBDCA/PTX (HRs 0.16 and 0.23; P = 0.046 and 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There are subsets of patients in which one or the other between UFT and CBDCA/PTX is significantly more effective. Selection of adjuvant therapy for NSCLC patients needs to be made taking into consideration the pStage and histological subtype.

Outcomes and prognostic factors after pulmonary metastasectomy in patients with colorectal cancer with previously resected hepatic metastases.

OBJECTIVES: Outcomes and prognostic factors remain obscure in patients with colorectal cancer after pulmonary metastasectomy who had previously received a curative hepatic metastasectomy. METHODS: We collected data of 757 patients with pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer who underwent curative metastasectomy between 2004 and 2008 from 46 Japanese institutions, from which we extracted data on patients who previously received curative hepatic metastasectomy. Disease-free survival, overall survival, and prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The subjects of this study were 160 patients, of whom 44% had primary rectal tumor, 73% had a single pulmonary metastasis, 11% had a bilateral pulmonary metastasis, and 39% had high (>5 ng/mL) serum carcinoembryonic antigen. Patients' median age was 66 years, and 58% were male. The median follow-up was 64 months. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 65.2% (95% confidence interval, 56.8-72.5) and 33.5% (95% confidence interval, 26.1-41.0), respectively. In multivariable analyses, high prethoracotomy carcinoembryonic antigen level was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-3.47) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-3.12). Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with normal prethoracotomy carcinoembryonic antigen level were 76.4% (95% confidence interval, 66.1-83.9) and 40.7% (95% confidence interval, 30.5-50.5), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: After pulmonary metastasectomy, approximately two thirds of patients with colorectal cancer with a history of curative hepatic metastasectomy survived for 5 years-half of them disease-free. Our results indicate that patients with colorectal cancer with pulmonary metastasis and a history of curative hepatic metastasectomy may benefit from sequential pulmonary metastasectomy, especially if prethoracotomy serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels are within normal range.

Surgical outcomes in 13 patients with bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors including one recurrent oncocytic carcinoid tumor.

INTRODUCTION: Bronchopulmonary carcinoids are low-grade tumors for which the standard treatment is surgical resection. We retrospectively evaluated the surgical outcomes. METHODS: Thirteen patients underwent surgical resection for them at our institution between January 2005 and December 2016. We collected their clinicopathologic data to evaluate surgical outcomes. RESULTS: The 13 patients comprised seven men and six women. Complete resection was performed in all cases. All the tumors were typical carcinoids, including one oncocytic carcinoid which showed highest fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake (SUVmax 45.7). The 5-year overall survival rates were 100%. The only patient with oncocytic carcinoid developed recurrence of liver metastasis 49 months after the primary lung resection. The metastasis showed low FDG uptake (SUVmax 2.8) and its histology was typical carcinoid and not oncocytic carcinoid. CONCLUSION: Surgical outcomes in our patients were favorable. In oncocytic carcinoid, metastatic site may have a radiologic and histologic appearance different from the primary tumor.

Induction Chemoradiotherapy (50 Gy), Followed by Resection, for Stage IIIA-N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The optimal therapeutic strategy for potentially resectable clinical (c-) stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. This phase II multiinstitutional study (West Japan Oncology Group 5308L) was designed to evaluate the feasibility of induction chemotherapy with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (50 Gy), followed by resection and postoperative consolidation chemotherapy, in IIIA-N2 NSCLC. METHODS: Patients with resectable c-stage IIIA-N2 were eligible, and pathologic confirmation of N2 disease was mandatory. Patients received chemotherapy consisting of weekly carboplatin plus paclitaxel with concurrent radiotherapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions). Unless disease progression was documented, patients underwent surgical resection, and thereafter received two courses of consolidation chemotherapy with carboplatin plus paclitaxel. The primary end point was the proportion of patients who achieved complete resection after induction chemoradiotherapy (R0 rate). RESULTS: From December 2011 to November 2013, 40 eligible patients were enrolled. All patients completed induction chemoradiotherapy with an overall response rate of 58%, and 32 patients achieved complete resection (R0 rate, 80%) mostly with lobectomy (n = 27). Twenty patients (50%) completed the study treatment, including postoperative chemotherapy. After the median follow-up period of 38 months, the progression-free survival, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival rates at 2 years were 63%, 75%, and 62%, respectively. The 30-day and 90-day mortality were 0%. CONCLUSIONS: Induction chemotherapy with concurrent radiotherapy (50 Gy), followed by resection, was a feasible and promising treatment option for resectable c-stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC.