Qualitative evaluation of motives for acceptance or refusal of early palliative care in patients included in early-phase clinical trials in a French comprehensive cancer center: the PALPHA study.

PURPOSE: The integration of palliative care (PC) into oncological management is recommended well before the end of life. It improves quality of life and symptom control and reduces the aggressiveness of end-of-life care. However, its appropriate timing is still debated. Entry into an early-phase clinical trial (ECT) represents hopes for the patient when standard treatments have failed. It is an opportune moment to integrate PC to preserve the patient's general health status. The objective of this study was to evaluate the motives for acceptance or refusal of early PC management in patients included in an ECT. METHODS: Patients eligible to enter an ECT were identified and concomitant PC was proposed. All patients received exploratory interviews conducted by a researcher. Their contents were analyzed in a double-blind thematic analysis with a self-determination model. RESULTS: Motives for acceptance (PC acceptors: n = 27) were both intrinsic (e.g., pain relief, psychological support, anticipation of the future) and extrinsic (e.g., trust in the medical profession, for a relative, to support the advance of research). Motives for refusal (PC refusers: n = 3) were solely intrinsic (e.g., PC associated with death, negative representation of psychological support, no need for additional care, claim of independence). CONCLUSIONS: The motives of acceptors and refusers are not internalized in the same way and call for different autonomy needs. Acceptors and refusers are influenced by opposite representations of PC and a different perception of mixed management.

Palliative Care Interventions and End-of-Life Care for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Multicentre Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the implementation of integrated palliative care (PC) and the intensity of care in the last 3 months before death for patients with metastatic breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicentric study of all adult patients with metastatic breast cancer who died over a 4-month period. Complete data were collected and checked from clinical records, including PC interventions and criteria regarding EOL care aggressiveness. RESULTS: A total of 340 decedent patients from 12 comprehensive cancer centres in France were included in the study. Sixty-five percent met the PC team with a median time of 39 days between the first intervention and death. In the last month before death, 11.5% received chemotherapy, the frequency of admission to intensive care unit was 2.4%, and 83% experienced acute hospitalization. The place of death was home for 16.7%, hospitalization for 63.3%, PC unit for 20%. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed factors independently associated with a higher frequency of chemotherapy in the last month before death: having a dependent person at home, meeting for the first time with a PC team < 30 days before death, and time between the first metastasis and death below the median. CONCLUSION: PC team integration was frequent and late for patients with metastatic breast cancer. However, PC intervention > 30 days is associated with less chemotherapy in the last month before death. Further studies are needed to better understand how to implement a more effective mode of PC integration for patients with metastatic breast cancer.

[Integrative oncology: Report and place for a dedicated consultation in a comprehensive cancer center]. / L'oncologie intégrative : état des lieux et place d'une consultation dédiée dans un centre de lutte contre le cancer.

Progress in the care of cancer patients has brought out new needs that go beyond the scope of conventional medicine regularly. Integrative oncology allows patients, besides specific care, to access complementary therapies (CT); with the aim of improving in this case the quality of life and the future of the patients and to help them become actors, before, during and after the treatment of their cancer. As for breast cancer management, international recommendations have been given for several years in favor of the use of CT, especially mind-body therapies, and regarded as effective care. Being able to refer patients suffering from any tumors to CT, through a structured procedure, integrated into the care pathway, would improve overall cancer management and the quality of life of the patients during chemotherapy. Improved communication from the oncologist about CT could better the relationships between the oncologist and the patient, and would be a better way to reduce the choice of practices that might be at risk, while improving compliance with conventional treatment. In this context, we report the opening of an integrative oncology consultation within a comprehensive cancer center, detailing the procedure of the consultation, describing the patients and their expectations, as well as the proposals made to them. This type of consultation is still underdeveloped in France and will be the subject of studies in the field of Humanities and social sciences.

Reasons for acceptance and refusal of early palliative care in patients included in early-phase clinical trials in a regional comprehensive cancer centre in France: protocol for a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: A few studies have highlighted the potential synergy between early palliative care and inclusion in an early-phase clinical trial that may improve quality of life, reduce symptoms of exhaustion related to the side effects of treatment and allow patients to complete their treatment protocol. The primary objective of this qualitative study is to evaluate the reasons for acceptance or refusal of early palliative care in patients included in early-phase clinical trials. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: All patients from the Centre Léon Bérard (Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Lyon, France) who consent to one of the early-phase clinical trials proposed at the centre will be invited to participate in this study. The cohort will consist of a subgroup (n=20) of patients who accept palliative care together with their clinical trial, and a second subgroup (n=20) of patients who decline it. Patients will be interviewed in exploratory interviews conducted by a psychology researcher before the start of their clinical trial. The interviews will be audio-recorded. Patients will also be asked to complete quality of life and anxiety/depression questionnaires both before the beginning of the treatment and at the end of their clinical trial. The content of the interviews will be analysed thematically. Descriptive and comparative statistical analysis of both cohorts will also be conducted. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Personal data will be collected and processed in accordance with the laws and regulations in force. All patients will give informed consent to participate. This study complies with reference methodology MR004 of the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés. The protocol has received the validation of an ethics committee (Groupe de Réflexion Ethique du CLB, number: 2020-006). The results will be disseminated through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04717440.

Survival and risk of COVID-19 after SARS-COV-2 vaccination in a series of 2391 cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer are at high risk of severe or lethal COVID-19. The impact of SARS-COV-2 vaccination on the risk of developing COVID-19 was investigated in an exhaustive series of patients from a comprehensive cancer center. METHODS: This is a study of the exhaustive population of 2391 cancer patients who were prescribed SARS-COV-2 vaccination until 09/21. Patient characteristics, documented SARS-COV-2 infection with RT-PCR, and survival were collected. The primary endpoint was the rate of COVID-19 after vaccination. Secondary endpoints included risk factors to develop COVID-19 after vaccination, with a comparison with the cohort of vaccinated health care workers (HCW), and risk factors for death. RESULTS: From January to September 2021, among 2391 patients with cancer under active treatment in whom a SARS-COV-2 vaccine was prescribed, 659 (28%), 1498 (63%) and 139 (6%) received 1, 2, and 3 doses, respectively. Ninety five patients received a single dose of vaccine after a previous COVID-19. Two thousand two hundred eighty five health care workers (HCW) received one (N = 17, 0.7%), 2-3 (N = 2026, 88.7%) vaccine doses and one dose after COVID-19 (N = 242, 10.6%). With a median follow-up of 142 and 199 days for patients and HCW, respectively. Thirty nine (1.6%) patients and 35 (1.5%) HCW developed COVID-19 after vaccination. Six of 39 cancer patients and no HCW died because ofCOVID-19 within 50 days after diagnosis. Independent risk factors for COVID-19 in vaccinated patients were age, single dose of vaccine without previous COVID-19 and anti-CD20 treatment in the last three months. Independent risk factors for death included metastatic disease, gender, cancer type, but also documented COVID-19 before vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving two or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine have reduced risk of COVID-19. The risk of death of vaccinated cancer patients presenting COVID-19 remains high. COVID-19 before vaccination is associated with an increased overall risk of death.

Issues of mindfulness implementation for oncology caregivers.

OBJECTIVES: Burn out is high in oncology. We aim to evaluate the feasibility and identify the barriers for mindfulness implementation in oncology professionals. METHODS: We conducted a pilot study in which voluntary oncology caregivers entered mindfulness workshops, and complete online questionnaires. We also conducted a qualitative study to better identify the practical reasons which hamper the implementation of mindfulness in oncology caregivers having refused to participate. RESULTS: 83.3% of volunteers for the workshops were women, 60.00% (16/30) of caregivers completed the program. Caregivers' resistances to mindfulness practice were: a lack of availability and information, complex organisation with limited free time, and accept spending time to take care of themselves. CONCLUSIONS: This work highlights the interest of mindfulness for caregivers in oncology, we have identified specific issues hindering the implementation of such technique which can be further investigated.

[Better care for cancer and Covid-19 patients in pandemic and everyday life]. / Mieux soigner les patients atteints de cancer et de Covid-19 en pandémie et au quotidien.

The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated the opening of a dedicated inpatient unit for the management of cancer and Covid-19 patients in a cancer center. We report the support by the mobile palliative care team of team resilience in cancer work. The complexity of patient management required the implementation of multidisciplinarity which allowed to face adversity to provide better care in pandemic, then in daily life.

Response to the Combination of Osimertinib, Dabrafenib, and Trametinib in Leptomeningitis From EGFR-Mutant NSCLC With Acquired BRAF V600E Mutation: A Case Report.

Molecular sequencing after highly potent targeted gene inhibitors have suggested resistant tumors can display substantial heterogeneity. Among these various mechanisms of resistance, secondary mutations on targetable oncogenes have been identified. BRAF V600E, as a bypass mechanism on disease progression while receiving osimertinib therapy, has been reported in 3% of EGFR-mutated patients. Few case reports described the efficacy of the association of osimertinib and dabrafenib plus trametinib. Here, we report, for the first time, a case of a patient treated with this association, with a prolonged response on leptomeningeal metastasis. We also provide a comprehensive overview of the available literature on the efficacy and tolerance of this association.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in congenital pulmonary airway malformation: clinicopathological analysis of 37 cases.

AIMS: Mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is a rare complication, with little being known about its natural course. The aims of this article are to describe a series of mucinous adenocarcinomas arising from CPAMs, and present their clinicopathological features, genetics, and clinical outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-seven cases were collected within a 34-year period, and the subtype of adenocarcinoma and CPAM, tumour location, stage, growth patterns, molecular data and follow-up were recorded. The cohort comprised CPAM type 1 (n = 33) and CPAM type 2 (n = 4). Morphologically, 34 cases were mucinous adenocarcinomas (21 in situ; 13 invasive), and three were mixed mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma. Seventeen cases showed purely extracystic (intra-alveolar) adenocarcinoma, 15 were mixed intracystic and extracystic, and five showed purely intracystic proliferation. Genetically, nine of 10 cases tested positive for KRAS mutations, four with exon 2 G12V mutation and five with exon 2 G12D mutation. Residual disease on completion lobectomy was observed in two cases, and three cases recurred 7, 15 and 32 years after the original diagnosis. Two patients died of metastatic invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Most adenocarcinoma that arise in type 1 CPAMs, are purely mucinous, and are early-stage disease. Intracystic proliferation is associated with lepidic growth, an absence of invasion, and indolent behaviour, whereas extracystic proliferation may be associated with more aggressive behaviour and advanced stage. Most cases are cured by lobectomy, and recurrence/residual disease seems to be associated with limited surgery. Long-term follow-up is needed, as recurrence can occur decades later.

High mortality rate in cancer patients with symptoms of COVID-19 with or without detectable SARS-COV-2 on RT-PCR.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients presenting with COVID-19 have a high risk of death. In this work, predictive factors for survival in cancer patients with suspected SARS-COV-2 infection were investigated. METHODS: PRE-COVID-19 is a retrospective study of all 302 cancer patients presenting to this institute with a suspicion of COVID-19 from March 1st to April 25th 2020. Data were collected using a web-based tool within electronic patient record approved by the Institutional Review Board. Patient characteristics symptoms and survival were collected and compared in SARS-COV-2 real-time or reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR)-positive and RT-PCR-negative patients. RESULTS: Fifty-five of the 302 (18.2%) patients with suspected COVID-19 had detectable SARS-COV-2 with RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal samples. RT-PCR-positive patients were older, had more frequently haematological malignancies, respiratory symptoms and suspected COVID-19 pneumonia of computed tomography (CT) scan. However, respectively, 38% and 20% of SARS-COV-2 RT-PCR-negative patients presented similar respiratory symptoms and CT scan images. Thirty of the 302 (9.9%) patients died during the observation period, including 24 (80%) with advanced disease. At the median follow-up of 25 days after the first symptoms, the death rate in RT-PCR-positive and RT-PCR-negative patients were 21% and 10%, respectively. In both groups, independent risk factors for death were male gender, Karnofsky performance status <60, cancer in relapse and respiratory symptoms. Detection of SARS-COV-2 on RT-PCR was not associated with an increased death rate (p = 0.10). None of the treatment given in the previous month (including cytotoxics, PD1 Ab, anti-CD20, VEGFR2…) correlated with survival. The survival of RT-PCR-positive and -negative patients with respiratory symptoms and/or COVID-19 type pneumonia on CT scan was similar with a 18.4% and 19.7% death rate at day 25. Most (22/30, 73%) cancer patients dying during this period were RT-PCR negative. CONCLUSION: The 30-day death rate of cancer patients with or without documented SARS-COV-2 infection is poor, but the majority of deaths occur in RT-PCR-negative patients.

Real-life efficacy of osimertinib in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR T790M mutation.

Objectives The efficacy of osimertinib in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR T790 M resistance mutation was demonstrated in clinical trials. However, data on efficacy of osimertinib in real world remain rare. Materials and methods This retrospective multicentric study analyzed T790M-positive advanced NSCLC patients enrolled in French early access program for osimertinib. Patients were pretreated with first- or second-generation EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitor and for a majority with chemotherapy. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) from osimertinib initiation. Results 205 patients (mean age, 69.5 years; female, 68.8%; adenocarcinoma, 97.5%, never-smokers, 71.5%) were analyzed. Osimertinib was used in second and third line in 18.0% and 82.0% of patients, respectively. Median PFS was 12.4 (95% CI, 10.1-15.1) months. In patients with and without cerebral metastasis, PFS was 9.7 (7.7-13.5) and 15.1 (12.0-17.1) months (p = 0.21), respectively. PFS in second and third line or more was 12.6 (6.7-17.5) and 12.4 (9.7-15.3) months, respectively. Median PFS in patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion and exon 21 mutation was 13.5 (10.1-16.0) and 9.7 (7.4-13.2) months, respectively (p = 0.049). Median OS since osimertinib initiation was 20.5 (16.9-24.3) months: 23.1 (18.6-27.8) and 18.0 (12.2-22.2) months in patients without and with cerebral metastasis (p = 0.11); 17.5 (11.6-27.8) and 21.7 (17.3-24.3) months as second or third line of treatment or more (p = 0.46), respectively. Median OS in patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion and exon 21 mutation was 23.1 (18.6-25.7) and 15.3 (11.6-21.7) months, respectively (p = 0.03). Osimertinib dosage was modified in 8.0% of patients and definitively discontinued for adverse events in 5.9%. Fifty patients benefited from rebiopsy (persistence of T790 M mutation, 44.7%; C797S mutation, 21.1%; cMET amplification, 8.0%). Conclusion In pretreated patients with T790M-mutated advanced NSCLC, the efficacy of osimertinib appears similar in real-world setting to that of clinical trials.

Implementation of optimized supportive care and hospital needs along the management of patients with advanced lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Supportive care in cancer (SCC) have been recommended to be integrated in the management of patients with lung cancer all along the course of the disease. We took advantage of a pilot program of early implementation of optimized SCC, to report the feasibility such program in patients with advanced lung cancer, and correlate patient characteristics and outcomes with the actual use of optimized SCC. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients with lung cancer treated at our center between 2012 and 2016. Optimized SCC included the intervention of a nurse for the home-hospital network coordination, as well as socio-aesthetics, psychomotricity, art-therapy, adapted physical activity, and also establishment of at-home hospitalization. RESULTS: 309 patients were included. Median overall survival was 11.2 months. Unplanned hospitalizations occurred for 276 (89%) patients. The median duration of hospital stay was 19 days. Unplanned hospitalizations more frequently occurred within the first 3 months after the diagnosis of advanced cancer, and in the last 3 months before death. A short - less than 3 months - delay between diagnosis and unplanned hospitalization was associated with poor outcome. 272 (88%) patients received optimized SCC, within a median delay of 8 weeks after diagnosis. Intervention of the nurse for in- and out-patient network coordination was done for 143 (46%) patients, and at-home hospitalization was organized for 78 (25%) patients. The outcome of patients who received optimized SCC was numerically, but not significantly better (median overall survival of 11.8 vs. 6.9 months, p = 0.270). CONCLUSION: Our study provides landmark data to support an early integration of optimized SCC for patients with advanced lung cancer, that includes multimodal supportive care interventions along the course of the disease. This highlights the role of multidisciplinary teams to optimize the management of patients with advanced lung cancer.

Characteristics of Lung Cancer in Patients Younger than 40 Years: A Prospective Multicenter Analysis in France.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinico-pathological characteristics of lung cancer in patients younger than 40 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study performed within the Groupe Français de Pneumo-Cancérologie. Consecutive patients diagnosed with lung cancer before the age of 40 years were eligible. Data on demographics, medical history, clinico-pathological characteristics, treatment and overall survival were analysed. RESULTS: In total, 146 patients were included from January 2011 to December 2013. Median age was 38 years (IQR: 34-40). Women accounted for 41%. Main histological type was adenocarcinoma (77%). Only 3% had a prior history of cancer, but a family history (first- or second-degree relatives) of cancer was reported in 80 (55%) patients; 85 and 50% were current or past smokers of tobacco and cannabis, respectively; 82% had stage IIIB/IV at diagnosis. Median overall survival was 15.3 (95% CI: 8.1-24.0) months in the whole population, 10.3 (95% CI: 12.5-14.2) months in stage IV and 15 (95% CI: 8.7-35.2) months in stage III. One- and two-year overall survival rates were 57% (95 CI: 49-65) and 31.5% (95 CI: 27-43), respectively. Compared to smokers, non-smokers were significantly younger and more often females. Median overall survival was not statistically different between smokers and non-smokers.

Association between lung cancer somatic mutations and occupational exposure in never-smokers.

Occupational exposure constitutes a common risk factor for lung cancer. We observed molecular alterations in 73% of never-smokers, 35% of men and 8% of women were exposed to at least one occupational carcinogen. We report herein associations between molecular patterns and occupational exposure.BioCAST was a cohort study of lung cancer in never-smokers that reported risk factor exposure and molecular patterns. Occupational exposure was assessed via a validated 71-item questionnaire. Patients were categorised into groups that were unexposed and exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), asbestos, silica, diesel exhaust fumes (DEF), chrome and paints. Test results were recorded for EGFR, KRAS, HER2, BRAF and PIK3 mutations, and ALK alterations.Overall, 313 out of 384 patients included in BioCAST were analysed. Asbestos-exposed patients displayed a significantly lower rate of EGFR mutations (20% versus 44%, p=0.033), and a higher rate of HER2 mutations (18% versus 4%, p=0.084). ALK alterations were not associated with any occupational carcinogens. The DEF-exposed patients were diagnosed with a BRAF mutation in 25% of all cases. Chrome-exposed patients exhibited enhanced HER2 and PIK3 mutation frequency.Given its minimal effects in the subgroups, we conclude that occupational exposure slightly affects the molecular pattern of lung cancers in never-smokers. In particular, asbestos-exposed patients have a lower chance of EGFR mutations.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Lung Cancer Harboring Multiple Molecular Alterations: Results from the IFCT Study Biomarkers France.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the prevalence, prognosis, and response to treatment of advanced NSCLC harboring multiple genomic alterations. METHODS: The French Biomarkers France database, which includes 17,664 patients, was used. The prevalence of multiple alterations, their associations, their impact on prognosis (overall survival [OS]), and their response to targeted or conventional treatments (progression-free survival [PFS] and objective response rate) were assessed and compared with those of patients harboring single or no mutation. RESULTS: We identified 162 patients (0.9%) with double alterations and three with triple mutations. Multiple molecular alterations preferentially involved KRAS (67.3%), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene (PIK3CA) (53.3%), and EGFR (42.4%). Patients with multiple alterations were more likely to be male (56.4%), be never-smokers (25.8 versus 34.7%, p < 0.001), and exhibit adenocarcinomas (83.6%). OS did not differ between single and multiple alterations. Patients with EGFR/KRAS and EGFR/PIK3CA mutations experienced worse PFS than did patients with only EGFR mutations (7.1 and 7.1 versus 14.9 months, p = 0.02 and 0.002, respectively). Concomitant mutations in patients harboring anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ALK) rearrangement bore little impact on OS (17.7 versus 20.3 months, p = 0.57) or PFS (10.3 versus 12.1 months, p = 0.93). Patients harboring KRAS mutations plus another alteration had an OS time (13.4 versus 11.2 months, p = 0.28), PFS time (6.4 versus 7.2 months, p = 0.78), and objective response rate under first-line chemotherapy (41.7% versus 37.2%) similar to those of patients harboring KRAS mutations only. CONCLUSIONS: With almost 1% of patients harboring multiple alterations, the dogma of mutually exclusive mutations should be reconsidered. Although double mutations do not decrease OS, they do alter PFS under first-line treatment for patients with EGFR mutations. Among limited numbers of patients, therapies targeting the dominant oncogene seem to usually remain active.

BioCAST/IFCT-1002: epidemiological and molecular features of lung cancer in never-smokers.

Lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS) (fewer than 100 cigarettes in lifetime) is considered as a distinct entity and harbours an original molecular profile. However, the epidemiological and molecular features of LCINS in Europe remain poorly understood. All consecutive newly diagnosed LCINS patients were included in this prospective observational study by 75 participating centres during a 14-month period. Each patient completed a detailed questionnaire about risk factor exposure. Biomarker and pathological analyses were also collected. We report the main descriptive overall results with a focus on sex differences. 384 patients were included: 65 men and 319 women. 66% had been exposed to passive smoking (significantly higher among women). Definite exposure to main occupational carcinogens was significantly higher in men (35% versus 8% in women). A targetable molecular alteration was found in 73% of patients (without any significant sex difference): EGFR in 51%, ALK in 8%, KRAS in 6%, HER2 in 3%, BRAF in 3%, PI3KCA in less than 1%, and multiple in 2%. We present the largest and most comprehensive LCINS analysis in a European population. Physicians should track occupational exposure in men (35%), and a somatic molecular alteration in both sexes (73%).

Evaluation of RECIST in chemotherapy-treated lung cancer: the Pharmacogenoscan Study.

BACKGROUND: Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) are widely used to assess the effect of chemotherapy in patients with cancer. We hypothesised that the change in unidimensional tumour size handled as a continuous variable was more reliable than RECIST in predicting overall survival (OS). METHODS: The prospective Pharmacogenoscan study enrolled consecutive patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at any stage seen between 2005 and 2010 at six hospitals in France, given chemotherapy. After exclusion of patients without RECIST or continuous-scale tumour size data and of those with early death, 464 patients were left for the survival analyses. Cox models were built to assess relationships between RECIST 1.1 categories or change in continuous-scale tumour size and OS. The best model was defined as the model minimising the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). RESULTS: OS was 14.2 months (IQR, 7.3-28.9 months). According to RECIST 1.1, 146 (31%) patients had a partial or complete response, 245 (53%) stable disease, and 73 (16%) disease progression. RECIST 1.1 predicted better OS than continuous-scale tumour in early (<6 months) predicted survival analyses (p = 0.03) but the accuracy of the two response evaluation methods was similar in late (≥6 months) predicted survival analyses (p = 0.15). CONCLUSION: In this large observational study, change in continuous-scale tumour size did not perform better than RECIST 1.1 in predicting survival of patients given chemotherapy to treat NSCLC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00222404.

Lung cancer in combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema: a series of 47 Western patients.

INTRODUCTION: The syndrome of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) is characterized by imaging features consisting of the association of centrilobular and/or paraseptal emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis. Virtually all patients are smokers and thus at high risk of developing lung cancer. METHODS: This retrospective multicentre study was conducted by the Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherche sur les Maladies "Orphelines" Pulmonaires (GERM"O"P). RESULTS: A total of 47 patients presenting with lung cancer and CPFE syndrome were identified. All patients were smokers, with a mean of 47 pack-years. A pathological diagnosis of lung cancer was obtained for 38 (81%) patients. Histological type was squamous cell carcinoma in 17 (36%) patients, adenocarcinoma in 14 (30%), non-small-cell lung cancer not otherwise specified in three (6%), small-cell lung cancer in three (6%), and sarcomatoid carcinoma in one (2%). Overall, 20 of the 47 patients could not receive standard-of-care treatment for lung cancer, as per international recommendations or guidelines; this limitation was considered to be directly related to the CPFE syndrome in eight (40%) cases. CONCLUSION: Lung cancer in patients with CPFE syndrome represents a specific entity with a poor prognosis, that further represents the most characteristic and severe model of tobacco-related disease.

Immunohistochemistry evaluation of biomarker expression in non-small cell lung cancer (Pharmacogenoscan study).

OBJECTIVES: Platinum-based chemotherapy regimens are the standard treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, our objective was to identify tumor tissue protein biomarkers that might predict a benefit from these treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Pharmacogenoscan study prospectively included consecutive chemotherapy-naive NSCLC patients at any stage between 2005 and 2010 at six hospitals in the Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne region of France. Of the 537 patients in the full analysis set, 460 had a complete histological diagnosis. We used the tumor tissue samples for an immunohistochemical evaluation of eight biomarkers: ERCC1, BRCA1, p53, p27kip1, class III ß-tubulin (TUBB3), Bax, Fas, and FasL. We looked for associations between these biomarkers and the disease control rate (DCR) after 2/3 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A tissue sample adequate for testing at least one biomarker was available for 289 patients. We found no significant association between biomarker expression levels and clinical or pathological variables; TUBB3 showed a trend toward higher expression in adenocarcinomas (P=0.005). For none of the biomarkers were significant associations found between expression level and DCR, PFS, or OS. TUBB3-negative and FasL-negative tumors showed associations of borderline significance with higher DCR. CONCLUSION: In a large cohort of patients with predominantly advanced or metastatic NSCLC, none of eight tested immunohistochemical biomarkers predicted the chemotherapy response or survival. Our data indicate limited usefulness of protein biomarkers in metastatic NSCLC and a need for further research based on molecular signatures of greater complexity.