Pulmonary Hamartoma Associated With Lung Cancer (PHALC Study): Results of a Multicenter Study.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary hamartoma is the most common benign tumor of the lung. We analyzed a 20-year historical series of patients with pulmonary hamartoma undergoing surgical resection, aiming to evaluate the characteristics, the outcomes, and the association between hamartoma and lung cancer. METHODS: It was a retrospective multicenter study including the data of all consecutive patients with pulmonary hamartoma undergoing surgical resection. The end-points were to evaluate: (i) the characteristics of hamartoma, (ii) outcomes, and (iii) whether hamartoma was a predictive factor for lung cancer development RESULTS: Our study population included 540 patients. Upfront surgical or endoscopic resection was performed in 385 (71%) cases while in the remaining 155 (29%) cases, the lesions were resected 20 ± 3.5 months later due to increase in size. In most cases, lung sparing resection was carried out including enucleation (n = 259; 48%) and wedge resection (n = 230; 43%) while 5 (1%) patients underwent endoscopic resection. Only two patients (0, 2%) had major complications. One patient (0.23%) had recurrence after endoscopic resection, while no cases of malignant degeneration were seen (mean follow-up:103.3 ± 93 months). Seventy-six patients (14%) had associated lung cancer, synchronous in 9 (12%) and metachronous in 67 (88%). Only age > 70-year-old (p = 0.0059) and smokers > 20 cigarettes/day (p < 0.0001) were the significant risk factors for lung cancer. CONCLUSION: PH was a benign tumor, with no evidence of recurrence and/or of malignant degeneration after resection. The association between hamartoma and lung cancer was a spurious phenomenon due to common risk factors.

Cannabinoids Identification in Lung Tissues of Young Cannabis Smokers Operated for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax and Correlation with Pathologic Findings.

BACKGROUND: Several studies suggested the association between tobacco and cannabis smoking and the risk of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), but none demonstrated cannabinoids in human lung tissues. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify cannabinoids in lung specimens of young cannabis smokers, operated for PSP, and investigate on their pathologic findings, to determine the role of cannabis in PSP pathogenesis. METHOD: A prospective, multicenter study was conducted, enrolling patients admitted for PSP. Inclusion criteria were PSP requiring surgical treatment and history of cannabis smoking, associated or not to tobacco. Control cases were nonsmokers, and tobacco only smokers operated for PSP. Lung apex wedge resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed. Two lung specimens, for pathological and toxicological examination, were taken from each patient. RESULTS: Twenty-nine male patients were enrolled: 21 (72.4%) tobacco and cannabis smokers, 2 (7%) cannabis only smokers, 3 (10.3%) tobacco only smokers, 3 (10.3%) nonsmokers; all underwent lung apicectomy, 4 bilateral surgery, for a total of 33 procedures. Typical PSP pathologic findings were mainly detected in control cases, other alterations in cannabis users. Lung specimens resulted positive for cannabinoids on 22/33 cases (19/22 reported being, 3/22 not being cannabis smokers), negative on 11/33 (3/11 reported not being, 7/11 having been cannabis smokers, 1/11 cannabis smoker). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated the presence of cannabinoids and particular pathologic alterations in lung tissues of young cannabis smokers with PSP, supporting the correlation between this disease and marijuana abuse and suggesting spontaneous pneumothorax "secondary to marijuana" as a new nosological entity.

Sublobar resection versus lobectomy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer: an appropriate choice in elderly patients?

PURPOSES: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether sublobar resection could achieve recurrence and survival rates equivalent to lobectomy in high-risk elderly patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study that including all consecutive patients (aged >75 years) who underwent operation for clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The clinicopathological data, postoperative morbidity and mortality, recurrence rate and vital status were retrieved. The overall survival, cancer-specific survival and disease-free survival were also assessed. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-nine patients (median age 78 years) were enrolled. Lobectomies were performed in 149 (62.3 %) patients and sublobar resections in 90 (39 segmentectomies, 51 wedge resections). There were no differences in the recurrence rates following lobar versus sublobar resections (19 versus 23 %, respectively; p = 0.5) or the overall survival (p = 0.1), cancer-specific survival (p = 0.3) or disease-free survival (p = 0.1). After adjusting for 1:1 propensity score matching and a matched pair analysis, the results remained unchanged. A tumor size >2 cm and pN2 disease were independent negative prognostic factors in unmatched (p = 0.01 and p = 0.0003, respectively) and matched (p = 0.02 and p = 0.005, respectively) analyses. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk elderly patients may benefit from sublobar resection, which provides an equivalent long-term survival compared to lobectomy.

Surgical management of compensatory sweating: A systematic review.

Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) surgery is a highly effective treatment of primary hyperhidrosis (PH) for the palms, face, axillae. Compensatory sweating (CS) is the most common and feared side effect of thoracic sympathectomy. CS is a phenomenon characterized by increased sweating in sites distal to the level of sympathectomy. Compensatory sweating is the main problem for which many patients give up surgery, losing the chance to solve their problem and accepting a poor quality of life. There are still no treatments that offer reliable solutions for compensatory sweating. The treatments proposed in the literature are scarce, with low case histories, and with uncertain results. Factors associated with CS are extension of manipulation of the sympathetic chain, level of sympathetic denervation, and body mass index. Therapeutic options include non surgical treatment and surgical treatment. Non surgical treatments include topical agents, botulinum toxin, systemic anticholinergics, iontophoresis. Surgical treatments include clip removal, extended sympathectomy and sympathetic chain reconstruction, although the efficacy is not well-established for all the methods. In this review we provide an overview of the treatments and outcomes described in the literature for the management of compensatory CS, with focus on surgical treatment.

The Overweight Paradox: Impact of Body Mass Index on Patients Undergoing VATS Lobectomy or Segmentectomy.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of BMI on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy. Data from 5088 patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy, included in the VATS Group Italian Registry, were collected. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized according to the WHO classes: underweight, normal, overweight, obese. The effects of BMI on outcomes (complications, 30-days mortality, DFS and OS) were evaluated with a linear regression model, and with a logistic regression model for binary endpoints. In overweight and obese patients, operative time increased with BMI value. Operating room time increased by 5.54 minutes (S.E. = 1.57) in overweight patients, and 33.12 minutes (S.E. = 10.26) in obese patients (P < 0.001). Compared to the other BMI classes, overweight patients were at the lowest risk of pulmonary, acute cardiac, surgical, major, and overall postoperative complications. In the overweight range, a BMI increase from 25 to 29.9 did not significantly affect the length of stay, nor the risk of any complications, except for renal complications (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.07-2.24; P = 0.03), and it reduced the risk of prolonged air leak (OR: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.71-0.90; P < 0.001). 30-days mortality is higher in the underweight group compared to the others. We did not find any significant difference in DFS and OS. According to our results, obesity increases operating room time for VATS major lung resection. Overweight patients are at the lowest risk of pulmonary, acute cardiac, surgical, major, and overall postoperative complications following VATS resections. The risk of most postoperative complications progressively increases as the BMI deviates from the point at the lowest risk, towards both extremes of BMI values. Thirty days mortality is higher in the underweight group, with no differences in DFS and OS.

Exhaled Breath Temperature Home Monitoring to Detect NSCLC Relapse: Results from a Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) has been shown to reflect airway inflammation as well as increased vascularization, both involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to look for evidence that continuous EBT monitoring by such a device may help the early detection of relapse of lung cancer in patients with NSCLC who have been subjected to surgery with radical intent. Case Series. We included 11 subjects, who had been subjected to lung resection with radical intent for NSCLC in a prospective observational study. All patients received individual devices for EBT measurement and used them daily for 24 months after surgery. Subjects were also followed up by means of regular standard-of-care clinical and radiologic monitoring for lung cancer at four intervals separated by 6 months (T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4). In 5 patients, relapse of lung cancer was documented by means of lung biopsies. All of them recorded an elevation of their EBT at least one-time interval (T1), corresponding to 6 months, before the relapse was diagnosed at T4. The individual EBT graphs over time differed among these patients, and their mean EBT variability increased by +4% towards the end of 24 months of monitoring. By contrast, patients without a relapse did not document an elevation of their EBT and their variability decreased by -1.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study provided evidence that continuous EBT monitoring can help in the early detection of lung cancer relapse.

Surgical resection of Masaoka stage III thymic epithelial tumours with great vessels involvement: a retrospective multicentric analysis from the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons thymic database.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse the outcomes of an international cohort of patients affected by Masaoka stage III thymic epithelial tumours with vascular involvement and treated by surgery. METHODS: Study design was the observational multicentre retrospective cohort study. Data were extracted from the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons thymic database; additional variables were collected. Inclusion criteria were as follows: stage III (Masaoka-Koga) thymic epithelial tumours; surgery with radical intention; clinical or pathological great vessels involvement; and radiologically suspected or diagnosed intraoperatively. Outcome items were analysed. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients submitted to surgery from 2001 to 2017 fulfilled inclusion criteria. Thymoma and thymic carcinoma patients did not differ for demographics and clinical characteristics. The majority of great vessel treated were superior vena cava or innominate veins (72.3%). Eleven patients (16.9%) had postoperative cardiopulmonary complications; vascular stenosis was observed in 3 patients (4.6%). The multivariable Cox analysis for disease-free survival showed an increased hazard of recurrence for thymic carcinoma (hazard ratio = 3.59; 95% confidence interval: 1.66-7.78, P = 0.001). The 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 0.86, 0.84, 0.81, and 0.53, respectively. There was no significant difference in overall survival according to resection status or between thymoma and thimic carcinoma. The univariable Cox regression model did not show an increased hazard of death for myasthenic patients considering all resection status and for patients who received neoadjuvant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that clinical outcomes of patients treated for stage III thymic epithelial tumours with vascular involvement are satisfactory suggesting to increase the confidence in dealing with these complex surgeries. Complete resection should be achieved, even though extensive vascular reconstructions are required.

Prognostic factors of lung cancer in lymphoma survivors (the LuCiLyS study).

BACKGROUND: Second cancer is the leading cause of death in lymphoma survivors, with lung cancer representing the most common solid tumor. Limited information exists about the treatment and prognosis of second lung cancer following lymphoma. Herein, we evaluated the outcome and prognostic factors of Lung Cancer in Lymphoma Survivors (the LuCiLyS study) to improve the patient selection for lung cancer treatment. METHODS: This is a retrospective multicentre study including consecutive patients treated for lymphoma disease that subsequently developed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data regarding lymphoma including age, symptoms, histology, disease stage, treatment received and lymphoma status at the time of lung cancer diagnosis, and data on lung carcinoma as age, smoking history, latency from lymphoma, symptoms, histology, disease stage, treatment received, and survival were evaluated to identify the significant prognostic factors for overall survival. RESULTS: Our study population included 164 patients, 145 of which underwent lung cancer resection. The median overall survival was 63 (range, 58-85) months, and the 5-year survival rate 54%. At univariable analysis no-active lymphoma (HR: 2.19; P=0.0152); early lymphoma stage (HR: 1.95; P=0.01); adenocarcinoma histology (HR: 0.59; P=0.0421); early lung cancer stage (HR: 3.18; P<0.0001); incidental diagnosis of lung cancer (HR: 1.71; P<0.0001); and lung cancer resection (HR: 2.79; P<0.0001) were favorable prognostic factors. At multivariable analysis, no-active lymphoma (HR: 2.68; P=0.004); early lung cancer stage (HR: 2.37; P<0.0001); incidental diagnosis of lung cancer (HR: 2.00; P<0.0001); and lung cancer resection (HR: 2.07; P<0.0001) remained favorable prognostic factors. Patients with non-active lymphoma (n=146) versus those with active lymphoma (n=18) at lung cancer diagnosis presented better median survival (64 vs. 37 months; HR: 2.4; P=0.02), but median lung cancer specific survival showed no significant difference (27 vs. 19 months; HR: 0.3; P=0.17). CONCLUSIONS: The presence and/or a history of lymphoma should not be a contraindication to resection of lung cancer. Inclusion of lymphoma survivors in a lung cancer-screening program may lead to early detection of lung cancer, and improve the survival.

Flow-Volume Curve Analysis for Predicting Recurrence After Endoscopic Dilation of Airway Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The flow-volume curve is a simple test for diagnosing upper airway obstruction. We evaluated its use to predict recurrence in patients undergoing endoscopic dilation for treatment of benign upper airway stenosis. METHODS: The data of 89 consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic dilation of simple upper airway stenosis were retrospectively reviewed. Morphologic distortion of flow-volume loop (visual analysis) and quantitative criteria, including maximal expiratory flow rate at 50% of the vital capacity (MEF50%)/maximal inspiratory flow rate at 50% of the vital capacity (MIF50%) of less than 0.3 or more than 1.0, forced expiratory volume in 1 second/MEF exceeding 10, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced expiratory volume in .05 second exceeding 1.5, were considered predictive of recurrence. In all cases, the recurrence was confirmed by radiologic or bronchoscopic findings, or both. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of visual, quantitative, and aggregate criteria for detecting recurrence were computed and compared. RESULTS: Of 89 patients treated, 27 (30%) had a recurrence. Visual analysis presented a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of 63%, 83.9%, 63%, 83.9%, and 77.5%, respectively. Among the quantitative criterion, the MEF50%/MIF50% was the most accurate, having a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of 77.8%, 79%, 61.8%, and 89.1%, and 78.7%, respectively. Aggregate criterion presented the best yield compared with other criteria in sensitivity (81.5%), specificity (91.9%), PPV (81.5%), NPV (91.9%), and accuracy (88.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The flow-volume curve is a simple and noninvasive method to monitor patients undergoing endoscopic dilation of upper airway stenosis. Morphologic changes in the flow-volume loop and in the MEF50%/MIF50% ratio are suggestive of recurrence and guide the physician to implement the follow-up with further diagnostic (non)invasive examinations.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum After Electronic Cigarette Use.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an uncommon condition typically occurring in young men presenting with pleuritic pain, dyspnea, and subcutaneous emphysema. We report an exceptional case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum after electronic cigarette use in an otherwise healthy young man.

Enhanced recovery pathways in thoracic surgery from Italian VATS group: nursing care program.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is an interprofessional program that can lead to hastened patient recovery and reduced time in hospital. Nursing staff play a key role in the implementation of enhanced recovery protocols. This issue focalizes the role of nurses in ERAS program for patients submitted to Thoracic Surgery, in particular for cases of major lung resection performed by a minimally invasive surgical approach (VATS, video assisted thoracic surgery).

Surgical treatment of a rare case of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the azygos vein.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) of soft tissues is a rare low-grade vascular tumour, with variable malignancy. Mediastinal localization is exceptional. We report the first case of a radically resected EHE of the azygos vein (AV). A 47-year old man presented to our institution with an asymptomatic incidental neck-chest computerized tomography (CT) evidence of a 3 cm mediastinal mass, resembling a station 4R lymphadenopathy, with rather distinct margins, strictly adjacent to the AV. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT revealed a SUV max of 2.3. Fiberbronchoscopy with EBUS-trans-tracheal needle aspiration of station 4R yielded nondiagnostic cytology result. A right lateral thoracotomy revealed an ovoidal mediastinal mass originating from the AV, unresectable from it but showing cleavage from the superior vena cava. The mass with the involved AV was resected en bloc by vascular stapler. Histopathology revealed a venous EHE arising from the AV. For the low mitotic rate and small tumour size, no adjuvant therapy was administered. Total body CT scan at one year from surgery shows neither local recurrence, nor distant metastases. EHE should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses in adult patients. After radical removal prognosis is generally favourable, but strict follow-up must be performed because aggressive forms have been described.