Efficacy of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Primary Driver-Gene-Positive Combined Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Combined small-cell lung cancer (c-SCLC) with gene mutations is a rare subtype often found alongside adenocarcinoma. Targeted therapy may be effective because of the presence of specific molecular targets. However, due to its rarity and unconventional genetic testing, the efficacy remains uncertain. METHODS: A total of 31 c-SCLC patients with gene mutations were retrospectively included and grouped according to their treatment regimens. Treatment outcomes were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, with Log Rank test applied for comparison between groups. RESULTS: We divided the 31 patients into 3 groups according to first-line treatment: group A (chemotherapy, n = 16), group B (targeted monotherapy, n = 7), and group C (targeted combination therapy, n = 8). The overall response rates (ORR) were 43.8%, 42.9%, and 62.5%. The disease control rates (DCR) were 87.5%, 85.7%, and 100%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.0, 5.0, and 7.93 months (P = .024), with a significant difference between group A and C (P = .010). The median overall survival (OS) was 14.10, 17.43, and 12.93 months (P = .313). Seven patients in group A received targeted therapy in later-line. Of the total 22 patients received targeted monotherapy or combination therapy, the ORR and DCR were 54.5% and 90.9%. The median PFS and OS were 5.87 and 17.30 months. Additionally, adverse events (AEs) occurred in 53.8% and 88.9% of monotherapy and combination therapy. The most common AEs in monotherapy were elevated transaminases (23.1%) and in combination anemia (66.7%). CONCLUSIONS: TKIs showed encouraging efficacy in driver-gene-positive c-SCLC. While monotherapy may be a supplementary option, combination with chemotherapy appears to be preferable and superior.

A large real-world cohort study of examined lymph node standards for adequate nodal staging in early non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The current National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) recommend that surgeons sample is not clear. We aimed to define a minimal number of examined lymph nodes for removal or sampling for optimized nodal staging recommendation, with a focus on T1-3N0M0 patients. METHODS: A total of 55,101 consecutive patients were selected, including 52,099 patients with US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data and 3,002 patients in a Chinese multicenter database from 11 thoracic referral centers, who underwent complete resection plus lymph node dissection or sampling for stage T1-3N0M0 NSCLC. Propensity score-matching analysis was performed with R software, and a cut-off value was calculated using X-tile software. Survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Five-year survival rates with respect to total examined lymph nodes numbers (examined lymph nodes <10 vs. examined lymph nodes ≥10) were 69% and 64% (group A), 66% and 63% (group B), 62% and 58% (group C), 81% and 75% (group D). There were significant differences between examined lymph nodes <10 and examined lymph nodes >10 in each group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A minimum of 10 examined lymph nodes would significantly improve T1-3N0M0 NSCLC prognosis and patients' survival rates if implemented as a minimum standard for lymphadenectomy. Therefore, we recommended a minimum of 10 examined lymph nodes for T1-3N0M0 patients.