Clinical Implications and Molecular Characterization of Drebrin-Positive, Tumor-Infiltrating Exhausted T Cells in Lung Cancer.

T cells express an actin-binding protein, drebrin, which is recruited to the contact site between the T cells and antigen-presenting cells during the formation of immunological synapses. However, little is known about the clinical implications of drebrin-expressing, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). To address this issue, we evaluated 34 surgical specimens of pathological stage I-IIIA squamous cell lung cancer. The immune context of primary tumors was investigated using fluorescent multiplex immunohistochemistry. The high-speed scanning of whole-slide images was performed, and the tissue localization of TILs in the tumor cell nest and surrounding stroma was automatically profiled and quantified. Drebrin-expressing T cells were characterized using drebrin+ T cells induced in vitro and publicly available single-cell RNA sequence (scRNA-seq) database. Survival analysis using the propensity scores revealed that a high infiltration of drebrin+ TILs within the tumor cell nest was independently associated with short relapse-free survival and overall survival. Drebrin+ T cells induced in vitro co-expressed multiple exhaustion-associated molecules. The scRNA-seq analyses confirmed that the exhausted tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells specifically expressed drebrin. Our study suggests that drebrin-expressing T cells present an exhausted phenotype and that tumor-infiltrating drebrin+ T cells affect clinical outcomes in patients with resectable squamous cell lung cancer.

Validation of a breath-holding test as a screening test for exercise-induced hypoxemia in chronic respiratory diseases.

The detection of exercise-induced hypoxemia is important for evaluating disease status in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is useful for detecting exercise-induced hypoxemia. This pilot study aimed to validate the breath-holding test (BHT) as a screening for exercise-induced hypoxemia and compare its utility with that of the 6MWT in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Fifty-nine patients with chronic respiratory diseases underwent BHTs lasting 10, 15, and 20 s. Percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse rate, and severity of dyspnoea were measured. The participants also underwent a 6MWT, a pulmonary function test, and analysis of arterial blood gas at rest. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of desaturation in the 6MWT. The minimum SpO2 during the BHT (all durations) and 6MWT were significantly correlated. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed the optimal cut-off for predicting SpO2 < 90% during the 6MWT as a minimum SpO2 ≤ 94% during the 15-s BHT. Perceived dyspnoea and maximum pulse rate were significantly lower during the 15-s BHT than during the 6MWT. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, the minimum SpO2 during the 15-s BHT (ß, 0.565, p < 0.001) and %DLco (ß, 0.255, p < 0.028) were independent predictors of desaturation in the 6MWT. The minimum SpO2 during the 15-s BHT may be a useful measure for screening for exercise-induced hypoxemia in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The BHT is easier to perform, more readily available, and better tolerated than the 6MWT.

Predictive value of 18F-FDG PET/CT for acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease in patients with lung cancer and interstitial lung disease treated with chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: We examined whether fluorine-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) performed before chemotherapy could predict the onset of acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (AE-ILD) in patients with lung cancer and ILD treated with chemotherapy. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with lung cancer and ILD who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and were treated with chemotherapy at Kumamoto University Hospital between April 2006 and March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of interstitial lesions was measured to quantify the background ILD activity. A prediction model of AE-ILD was developed using logistic regression analyses for the SUVmax, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Among the 33 patients, 7 experienced AE-ILD. The SUVmax of contralateral interstitial lesions was significantly higher in patients with vs. without AE-ILD (median SUVmax: 2.220 vs. 1.795, P = 0.025). Univariable logistic regression analyses showed that the SUVmax of contralateral interstitial lesions trended towards being significantly associated with the onset of AE-ILD [odds ratio: 8.683, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88-85.83, P = 0.064]. The area under the ROC curve of the SUVmax for predicting AE-ILD was 0.780 (95% CI 0.579-0.982, P = 0.025). The optimal cut-off value for SUVmax was 2.005, with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.857 and 0.769, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The SUVmax of contralateral interstitial lesions in 18F-FDG PET/CT images might be useful for predicting the onset of AE-ILD in patients with lung cancer and ILD treated with chemotherapy.

Protective effect of bevacizumab on chemotherapy-related acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (AE-ILD) is the most serious complication in lung cancer patients with pre-existing ILD receiving chemotherapy. The role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in pathogenesis of AE-ILD is conflicting. The influence of bevacizumab (Bev), a monoclonal antibody against VEGF, on lung cancer patients with pre-existing ILD remains unclear. We examined the effect of Bev on reducing AE-ILD risk in non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: We analysed incidence of AE-ILD and outcomes of 48 patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC with ILD who received first-line chemotherapy with (Bev group, n = 17) and without (non-Bev group, n = 31) Bev between July 2011 and July 2016. Gray's test, which was competing risk analysis during the study period, was performed for both groups. RESULTS: The most common regimen used for first-line chemotherapy was the combination of carboplatin plus pemetrexed (PEM) in both groups. The incidences of chemotherapy-related AE-ILD 120 days after first-line chemotherapy initiation were significantly lower in the Bev than in the non-Bev groups (0% vs. 22.6%, p = 0.037, Gray's test). However, there were no differences in development of progressive disease of lung cancer and other events as the competing risk factors of AE-ILD between the two groups. Only patients receiving PEM-containing regimens also showed a significant difference in the incidence of AE-ILD between the two groups (p = 0.044). The overall-cumulative incidence of AE-ILD during the first-line and subsequent chemotherapy was 29.2% (14 of the 48). The median progression-free survival was significantly longer in the Bev than in the non-Bev groups (8.0 vs. 4.3 months, p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of Bev to chemotherapy regimens may reduce the risk of chemotherapy-related AE-ILD in patients with lung cancer.

Clinical effects of direct hemoperfusion using a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column in clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis-associated rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonias.

BACKGROUND: Rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonias (RPIPs) associated with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) are highly resistant to therapy and have a poor prognosis. Multimodal therapies, including direct hemoperfusion using a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP), have a protective effect on RPIPs. We evaluated the effects of PMX-DHP on CADM-associated RPIPs. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 14 patients with CADM-associated RPIPs and acute respiratory failure treated with PMX-DHP, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive agents. Clinical manifestations were compared between survivors and non-survivors at 90 days after PMX-DHP. RESULTS: The survival rate at 90 days after PMX-DHP was 35.7% (5/14). Before PMX-DHP, the survivor group exhibited a significantly higher PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratio and serum surfactant protein-D (SP-D) levels and significantly lower lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ferritin levels than the non-survivor group. Platelet counts were significantly decreased after PMX-DHP therapy in both groups, but remained higher in the survivor group than the non-survivor group over the course of treatment. Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5) antibody positive patients demonstrated a poor 90-day survival rate, lower platelet counts and P/F ratio, and higher LDH levels than anti-MDA-5 antibody negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: CADM-associated RPIPs with anti-MDA-5 antibody is associated with a very poor prognosis. A higher P/F ratio and SP-D level, lower LDH and ferritin levels, higher platelet counts, and anti-MDA-5 antibody negativity are important prognostic markers in patients with CADM-associated RPIPs treated with PMX-DHP.

Dose escalation and pharmacokinetic study of carboplatin plus pemetrexed for elderly patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer: Kumamoto thoracic oncology study group trial 1002.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the recommended dose of carboplatin and pemetrexed for elderly (≥70-year-old) chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to investigate the pharmacokinetics of pemetrexed. METHODS: The patients were treated with 4-6 cycles of carboplatin plus a fixed dose of pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks; the dose of carboplatin was escalated [from area under the curve (AUC) 4 to AUC 6]. To examine the pharmacokinetics of pemetrexed, blood samples were collected before and after pemetrexed infusion, and the blood levels of pemetrexed were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Grade 3 infection as a dose-limiting toxicity was observed at a carboplatin dose of AUC 6. We therefore determined a carboplatin dose of AUC 5 and a pemetrexed dose of 500 mg/m(2) as the recommended doses from this study. The pharmacokinetic study showed a significant inverse correlation between the AUC of pemetrexed and the creatinine clearance. CONCLUSIONS: For elderly chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC, the combination of carboplatin AUC 5 plus pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) is recommended as a promising regimen; however, a reduction of the pemetrexed dose may be required for patients with renal dysfunction because of the high risk of hematotoxicities.

Comparison of nintedanib-induced gastrointestinal adverse events between patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease and idiopathic interstitial pneumonias.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea and nausea, are common adverse events associated with nintedanib. Systemic sclerosis is associated with a high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms that may increase with nintedanib administration. In clinical practice, we aimed to determine whether patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) experience more adverse gastrointestinal events associated with nintedanib than patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs). METHODS: We retrospectively examined the clinical records of patients with SSc-ILD and IIPs newly treated with nintedanib at Kumamoto University Hospital between January 2020 and September 2022 and compared adverse events. RESULTS: In total, 27 patients with SSc-ILD and 34 with IIPs were enrolled. No significant differences were observed in the duration of nintedanib treatment. The most frequent adverse event in both groups was diarrhea, which was more frequent in the SSc-ILD group (81.5 % vs. 61.8 %, p = 0.157). Nausea was significantly more frequent in the SSc-ILD group than in the IIPs group (37.0 % vs. 11.8 %, p = 0.031). The permanent discontinuation rate of nintedanib during the study period between the two groups was not different (40.7 % vs. 32.4 %, p = 0.595). However, the most common reasons for discontinuation varied. The most frequent reason in the SSc-ILD group was nausea, due to the progression of ILD in the IIPs group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SSc-ILD experienced significantly more nintedanib-induced nausea than those with IIPs. Gastrointestinal adverse events are often the reason for discontinuation of nintedanib in the SSc-ILD group, which requires better management of gastrointestinal symptoms.

The impact of factor Xa inhibitors on bleeding risk in patients with respiratory diseases.

It is unclear which factor Xa (FXa) inhibitors are associated with higher bleeding risk in patients with respiratory diseases, and there are no studies on the association between prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) and bleeding risk. We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing 1-year-outcomes and PT-INR between patients with respiratory diseases treated with rivaroxaban (R group, n = 82) or edoxaban (E group, n = 138) for atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism from 2013 to 2021. The most frequent event of all bleeding discontinuations was respiratory bleeding in both groups (7.3 and 4.3%, respectively). The cumulative incidence of bleeding discontinuation was significantly higher in the R group (25.6%) than in the E group (14.4%) (hazard ratio [HR], 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-4.64; P = 0.023). PT-INR after initiation of therapy significantly increased and was higher in the R group than in the E group (median value, 1.4 and 1.2, respectively; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards and Fine-Gray models revealed that PT-INR after initiation of therapy was an independent risk factor of bleeding discontinuation events (HR = 4.37, 95% CI 2.57-7.41: P < 0.001). Respiratory bleeding occasionally occurs in patients receiving FXa inhibitors, and monitoring the PT-INR may need to ensure safety.

18F-FDG accumulation at the early onset of acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia on 18F-FDG PET/CT: A case report.

Acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (AE-IIPs) is a disease associated with a poor prognosis in patients with IIPs. However, the specific characteristics of fluorine-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging for AE-IIPs remain unclear. Herein, we present the case of a patient with lung cancer combined with IIPs who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT at the early onset of AE-IIPs. The scan, conducted 18 days post-bronchoscopy for lung cancer evaluation, revealed AE-IIPs before the onset of respiratory failure. New ground-glass opacities appeared, accompanied by significant 18F-FDG accumulation extending beyond these regions. To the best of our knowledge, this report represents the first assessment of 18F-FDG PET/CT images at the early onset of AE-IIPs before respiratory failure in humans. The observed features in this PET image could potentially contribute to our understanding of the pathophysiology of AE-IIPs.

Negative-predictive value of SUVmax for Ascertaining the efficacy of osimertinib in EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Fluorine-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is routinely used to stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, whether 18F-FDG accumulation in primary tumors affects the efficacy of osimertinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive NSCLC remains unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 74 patients with advanced or postoperative recurrent EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and were treated with osimertinib as first-line therapy between September 2018 and March 2023 at Kumamoto University Hospital. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of each primary tumor was measured, and the patients were divided into two groups according to the median SUVmax. The effects of SUVmax on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The median SUVmax was 8.2 (interquartile range: 5.5-11.4). The median PFS in the high SUVmax group (≥8.2) was significantly shorter than that in the low SUVmax group (<8.2). The respective median PFSs were 11.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.1-19.3 months) vs. 22.9 months (95% CI: 12.4-33.4 months) (P = 0.015), although the OS values did not differ significantly. Multivariate analysis showed that a high SUVmax was an independent negative predictive factor for PFS in patients treated with osimertinib (hazard ratio, 2.25; 95% CI: 1.15-4.39, P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: High primary-lesion SUVmax in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC correlated with shorter PFS with first-line osimertinib therapy, suggesting that SUVmax is a useful predictive marker for the antitumor efficacy of osimertinib.

Interstitial Lung Disease in Adulthood Associated with Surfactant Protein C Gene Mutation in a Patient with a History of Lipoid Pneumonia in Infancy.

Mutations in the surfactant protein C gene (SFTPC) are responsible for hereditary interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is a rare disease. We herein report a patient with a clinical history of endogenous lipoid pneumonia in infancy who developed diffuse progressive pulmonary fibrosis in adulthood associated with SFTPC mutations. A surgical lung biopsy and genetic sequencing revealed fibrotic interstitial pneumonia and two SFTPC mutations (c.215G>A and c.578C>A). Based on these findings, we diagnosed the series of lung diseases as sporadic ILD caused by SFTPC mutations. Physicians should suggest genetic sequencing in patients with early-onset ILD.

Association of Clostridium butyricum Therapy Using the Live Bacterial Product CBM588 with the Survival of Patients with Lung Cancer Receiving Chemoimmunotherapy Combinations.

The gut microbiota has emerged as a key regulator of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy. Therapeutic approaches aimed at manipulating the microbiota through targeted reconstitution to enhance cancer treatment outcomes have garnered considerable attention. A single live microbial biotherapeutic bacterium, Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 strain (CBM588), has been shown to enhance the effects of ICI monotherapy in patients with advanced lung cancer. However, whether CBM588 affects the outcomes of chemoimmunotherapy combinations in lung cancer remains unknown. We hypothesized that CBM588 augments the effect of chemoimmunotherapy combinations and restores diminished effectiveness in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving dysbiosis-inducing drugs. To validate this hypothesis, we retrospectively analyzed 106 patients with stage IV or recurrent metastatic NSCLC consecutively treated with chemoimmunotherapy combinations. A survival analysis was performed employing univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) using propensity scores. Forty-five percent of patients received Clostridium butyricum therapy. CBM588 significantly extended overall survival in patients with NSCLC receiving chemoimmunotherapy. The favorable impact of CBM588 on the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy combinations varied based on tumor-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. The survival benefit of CBM588 in the PD-L1 <1% cohort was higher than that in the PD-L1 1-49% and PD-L1 ≥ 50% cohorts. Furthermore, CBM588 was associated with improved overall survival in patients receiving proton pump inhibitors and/or antibiotics. CBM588-induced manipulation of the commensal microbiota holds the potential to enhance the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy combinations, warranting further exploration of the synergy between CBM588 and immunotherapy.

Clostridium butyricum therapy restores the decreased efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in lung cancer patients receiving proton pump inhibitors.

Oral microbiota is associated with human diseases including cancer. Emerging evidence suggests that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which allow the oral microbiome to translocate into the gut, negatively influence the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in cancer patients. However, currently there is no effective treatment that restores the decreased efficacy. To address this issue, we retrospectively evaluated 118 advanced or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with ICB and analyzed 80 fecal samples of patients with lung cancer by 16S metagenomic sequencing. Clostridium butyricum therapy using C. butyricum MIYAIRI 588 (CBM588), a live biotherapeutic bacterial strain, was shown to improve the ICB efficacy in lung cancer. Thus, we investigated how CBM588 affects the efficacy of ICB and the gut microbiota of lung cancer patients undergoing PPI treatment. We found that PPI treatment significantly decreased the efficacy of ICB in NSCLC patients, however, CBM588 significantly restored the diminished efficacy of ICB and improved survival. In addition, CBM588 prolonged overall survival in patients receiving PPIs and antibiotics together. The fecal analysis revealed that PPI users had higher abundance of harmful oral-related pathobionts and lower abundance of beneficial gut bacteria for immunotherapy. In contrast, patients who received CBM588 had lesser relative abundance of potentially harmful oral-related bacteria in the gut. Our research suggests that manipulating commensal microbiota by CBM588 may improve the therapeutic efficacy of ICB in cancer patients receiving PPIs, highlighting the potential of oral-related microbiota in the gut as a new therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy.

Clinical impact of SUVmax of interstitial lesions in lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease who underwent pulmonary resection.

Background: Acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease often causes fatal respiratory deterioration in lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease. Here, we examined whether the maximum standardized uptake value of a contralateral interstitial lesion was a predictive factor of acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease within 30 days postoperatively in lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease who underwent pulmonary resection. Methods: Overall, 117 consecutive lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease who underwent pulmonary resection between August 2010 and April 2019 at the Kumamoto University Hospital were retrospectively analysed for the association between the maximum standardized uptake value of the contralateral interstitial lesions and interstitial lung disease parameters. Results: The median maximum standardized uptake value of contralateral interstitial lesions was 1.61, which was regarded as the cut-off point predictive of the incidence of acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease. Eight patients developed postoperative acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease. There was no significant association between the maximum standardized uptake value of the contralateral interstitial lesions and postoperative acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease. The maximum standardized uptake value was weakly but significantly associated with lactate dehydrogenase levels (r=0.211, P=0.022), Krebs von den Lungen-6 (r=0.208, P=0.028), and % diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (r=-0.290, P=0.002). Moreover, seven patients developed acute exacerbation of the interstitial lung disease during the clinical course after 30 postoperative days, and the incidence rate of acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease was significantly higher in the high maximum standardized uptake value group (≥1.61) than in the low maximum standardised uptake value group (<1.61) (12.7% vs. 0%, P=0.002, Gray's test). Conclusions: Maximum standardized uptake value was not a predictor of postoperative acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease in lung cancer patients with interstitial lung disease after pulmonary resection, but could be a predictive tool of an association with interstitial lung disease severity and activity markers.

[Successful treatment of pleurodesis for seemingly intractable pleural effusion in pleural amyloidosis with rheumatoid arthritis].

We report a case of secondary amyloidosis with pleural involvement in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. A 77-year-old man had received a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis 10 years previously. Bilateral pleural effusion of unknown etiology was noted 2 years prior to admission. A biopsy of the left pleura by video-assisted thoracic surgery did not reveal any evidence of the cause of his pleural effusion. The histological findings revealed chronic inflammation of the pleura on a hematoxylin-eosin (HE) stain, but treatment with an increased dose of corticosteroid did not improve his effusion. Right pneumothorax then developed. Based on the histological findings of a Congo red stain, the diagnosis was changed to pleural amyloidosis. An initial attempt at pleurodesis with OK-432 and a pleural patch with the patient's own blood was attempted but was not successful. Subsequently, pleurodesis with OK-432 and the patient's own blood improved his pleural effusion and pneumothorax. Pleural involvement in amyloidosis is extremely rare and is difficult to treat.

Decrease in hemoglobin level predicts increased risk for severe respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: In December 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in Wuhan, China, and has since spread throughout the world. This study aimed to investigate the association between the change in laboratory markers during the three days after pneumonia diagnosis and severe respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Data of 23 COVID-19 patients with pneumonia, admitted to the Kumamoto City Hospital between February and April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 23 patients, eight patients received mechanical ventilation (MV) (MV group), and the remaining 15 comprised the non-MV group. The levels of hemoglobin (Hb) and albumin (Alb) decreased in the MV group during the three days after pneumonia diagnosis more than in the non-MV group (median Hb: 1.40 vs. -0.10 g/dL, P = 0.015; median Alb: 0.85 vs. -0.30 g/dL, P = 0.020). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the decrease in Hb was associated with receiving MV care (odds ratio: 0.313, 95% confidence interval: 0.100-0.976, P = 0.045). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that the optimal cut-off value for the decrease in Hb level was -1.25 g/dL, with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.867 and 0.750, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in Hb level during the short period after pneumonia diagnosis might be a predictor of worsening pneumonia in COVID-19 patients.

[Case of osteosarcoma of the pulmonary artery].

A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for an expanding tumor in the pulmonary artery. He had visited a previous hospital complaining of dyspnea on effort and had syncope 4 months before admission, and pulmonary embolism was diagnosed because enhanced chest CT showed filling defects, with calcification in the pulmonary trunk and left pulmonary artery. Despite thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy, the filling defects grew and expanded into the extravascular portion. Additionally, CT showed multiple pulmonary nodules and a small calcified nodule in a right-sided back muscle also appeared. At our hospital, FDG-PET showed abnormal uptake in each lesion shown on CT. We then performed a CT-guided needle biopsy of the nodule of the back muscle, which was pathologically diagnosed as osteosarcoma. He was finally given a diagnosis of osteosarcoma of the pulmonary artery. We administered cisplatin and doxorubicin with partial inhibitory effect on tumor growth. Osteosarcoma of the pulmonary artery is extremely rare, and its diagnosis is difficult before surgery or autopsy. To the best of our knowledge there have been no reports of chemotherapy for osteosarcoma of the pulmonary artery.

[Autopsy case of pulmonary zygomycosis and pneumocystis pneumonia in a patient with interstitial pneumonia treated by corticosteroid therapy].

We report a 75-year-old man with pneumoconiosis, interstitial pneumonia and diabetes mellitus, who had carcinoma of the buccal mucosa. After resection of the carcinoma, he was given corticosteroids for the deterioration of interstitial pneumonia, but 38 days after initiating steroid therapy, he was admitted to our hospital with severe hypoxemia and multiple cavitary lesions superimposed on ground-glass attenuation in both lung fields. The Aspergillus antigen was positive in his serum and examination of his bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid revealed mixed infections with filamentous fungus and Pneumocystis jirovecii. Pulmonary aspergillosis and pneumocystis pneumonia with an immunocompromised state was diagnosed, and voriconazole, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and high-dose corticosteroids were given. At 20 days after these treatments he developed bloody sputum, and Cunninghamella bertholletiae was isolated from the BAL fluid obtained at admission. A diagnosis of pulmonary zygomycosis was finally established. Amphotericin B therapy was started, and the dose was increased thereafter. Despite intensive treatment he died 18 days later. Histological examination of lung tissue obtained at autopsy showed invasive growth of zygomycetes in the necrotic tissue and the cavity wall. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of concurrent Cunninghamella bertholletiae and Pneumocystis jirovecii infection during steroid therapy for interstitial pneumonia.

Prognostic impact of pre-existing interstitial lung disease in non-HIV patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence of life-threatening Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in non-HIV immunocompromised patients is a global concern. Yet, no reports have examined the prognostic significance of pre-existing interstitial lung disease (ILD) in non-HIV PCP. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of non-HIV PCP patients with (ILD group) or without (non-ILD group) pre-existing ILD. The clinical features and outcomes of the ILD group were compared with those of the non-ILD group. Cox regression models were constructed to identify prognostic factors. RESULTS: 74 patients were enrolled in this study. The 90-day mortality was significantly higher in the ILD group than in the non-ILD group (62.5% versus 19.0%, p<0.001). In the ILD group, patients with a higher percentage of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid neutrophils had worse outcomes compared to those having a lower percentage (p=0.026). Multivariate analyses revealed that pre-existing ILD (p=0.002) and low levels of serum albumin (p=0.009) were independent risk factors for 90-day mortality. Serum levels of ß-d-glucan were significantly reduced after treatment of PCP in both groups, whereas levels of Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) significantly increased in the ILD group. In the ILD group, the 90-day mortality of patients with increasing KL-6 levels after treatment was significantly higher than those with decreasing levels (78.9% versus 0%, p=0.019). CONCLUSION: In non-HIV PCP patients, pre-existing ILD is associated with a poorer prognosis. Prophylaxis for PCP is needed in patients with pre-existing ILD under immunosuppression.

Association of Probiotic Clostridium butyricum Therapy with Survival and Response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Gut dysbiosis caused by antibiotics impairs response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Gut microbiota is becoming an attractive therapeutic target for cancer. The Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 strain is a probiotic therapy used to improve symptoms related to antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in Japan. We hypothesized that probiotic Clostridium butyricum therapy (CBT) may affect the therapeutic efficacy of ICBs. We retrospectively evaluated 118 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with ICBs at Kumamoto University Hospital (Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto, Japan). Survival analysis comparing patients given CBT before and/or after ICB was conducted using univariate analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models using propensity score. Propensity score analyses confirmed that probiotic CBT significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Probiotic CBT significantly associated with longer PFS and OS even in patients who received antibiotic therapy. This study suggests that probiotic CBT may have a positive impact on therapeutic efficacy of ICB in patients with cancer.See articles by Hakozaki et al., p. 1243, and Peng et al., p. 1251.