Mechanical Strain Induces and Increases Vesicular Release Monitored by Microfabricated Stretchable Electrodes.

Exocytosis involving the fusion of intracellular vesicles with cell membrane, is thought to be modulated by the mechanical cues in the microenvironment. Single-cell electrochemistry can offer unique information about the quantification and kinetics of exocytotic events, however, the effects of mechanical force on vesicular release has been poorly explored. Herein, we developed a stretchable microelectrode with excellent electrochemical stability under mechanical deformation by microfabrication of functionalized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) conductive ink, which achieved real-time quantitation of strain-induced vesicular exocytosis from a single cell for the first time. We found that mechanical strain could cause calcium influx via the activation of Piezo1 channel in chromaffin cell, initiating the vesicular exocytosis process. Interestingly, mechanical strain increases the amount of catecholamines release by accelerating the opening and prolonging the closing of fusion pore during exocytosis. This work is expected to provide a revealing insight on the regulatory effects of mechanical stimuli on vesicular exocytosis.

Safety and efficacy of delayed completion lobectomy following wedge resection vs. segmentectomy-a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Data regarding the safety and efficacy of delayed completion lobectomy (CL) following sublobar resections remain scant. We evaluated the technical difficulty and short-term outcomes of CL occurring at least 3 months following the anatomical segmentectomy or wedge resection. Methods: Consecutive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent a second resection within the same lobe at least 3 months after their initial resection from January 2013 to December 2019 at the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital were retrospectively included. The patients were divided into a segmentectomy group (SG group) and a wedge resection group (WR group) based on their initial resection strategy. Baseline characteristics and short-term outcomes after CL between the two groups were compared. Results: Twenty-five patients undergoing CL were included, nine in the SG group and 16 in the WR group. No deaths occurred within 30 days postoperatively, and the rate of overall postoperative complications was 28.0% (7/25). Statistically significant differences were found in rates of postoperative complications between the two groups (SG: 55.6% vs. WR: 12.5%, P=0.03) and in the use of bronchoplasty or angioplasty during the CL (SG: 33.3% vs. WR: 0.0%, P=0.04). After CL, no significant differences were found in 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) (WR: 66.7% vs. SG: 61.0%, P=0.31) or overall survival (OS) (WR: 93.8% vs. SG: 66.7%, P=0.06) between two groups. Conclusions: Delayed CL occurring over 3 months after sublobar resection is a safe and effective procedure, with no deaths occurring within 30 days postoperatively. As compared to a segmentectomy at the time of the index operation, a wedge resection may portend less morbidity, with a decreased risk of needing adjunctive bronchoplasty or angioplasty procedures during CL. After CL, 5-year RFS and OS were comparable between WR and SG groups.

Real-time monitoring of intracellular biochemical response in locally stretched single cell by a nanosensor.

Mechanotransduction is the essential process that cells convert mechanical force into biochemical responses, and electrochemical sensor stands out from existing techniques by providing quantitative and real-time information about the biochemical signals during cellular mechanotransduction. However, the intracellular biochemical response evoked by mechanical force has been poorly monitored. In this paper, we report a method to apply local stretch on single cell and simultaneously monitor the ensuing intracellular biochemical signals. Specifically, a ferromagnetic micropipette was fabricated to locally stretch a single cell labeled with Fe3O4 nanoparticles under the external magnetic field, and the SiC@Pt nanowire electrode (SiC@Pt NWE) was inserted into the cell to monitor the intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production induced by the local stretch. As a proof of concept, this work quantitatively investigated the elevated amount of H2O2 levels in single endothelial cell under different stretching amplitudes. This work puts forward a new research modality to manipulate and monitor the mechanotransduction at the single-cell level.

Effect of NLRP3 Inflammasome on Lung Cancer Immune Microenvironment Activation and Its Mechanism.

Objective: The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a dual role in the occurrence and development of tumors, and its role in lung cancer remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of NLRP3 inflammasome activation on the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells. Methods: Data from the GEPIA, TCGA, and HPA databases were utilized to analyze the expression of NLRP3 in lung adenocarcinoma and its microenvironment. GO/KEGG enrichment analysis and GSEA analysis were employed to annotate the functions of differentially expressed genes related to NLRP3. The impact of NLRP3 inflammasome activation on the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells was further investigated by CCK-8 assay and scratch assay. The effects of blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation with IL-1RA and IL-18BP on the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells were further assessed. Survival analysis was conducted to analyze the impact of NLRP3 expression on the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Results: The expression of NLRP3 in lung cancer was lower than in normal tissues, with notably higher expression observed in macrophages compared to other cells. Patients with higher NLRP3 expression exhibit increased infiltration of M2 macrophages. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome using LPS+ATP promotes the proliferation and migration of A549 cells. Simultaneous use of IL-1RA and IL-18BP reverses the promoting effect of NLRP3 inflammasome activation on cell proliferation and migration. Survival analysis results indicate that patients with high NLRP3 expression have a poorer prognosis compared to those with low NLRP3 expression (Hazzard Ratio =1.44; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.21-1.71). Conclusions: The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome promotes the proliferation and migration of A549 cells through secretion of IL-1ß and IL-18, potentially influencing patient prognosis. Simultaneously blocking IL-1ß and IL-18 can reverse the pro-proliferative and migration-promoting effects.

Real-Time Quantification of Nanoplastics-Induced Oxidative Stress in Stretching Alveolar Cells.

Nanoplastics from air pollutants can be directly inhaled into the alveoli in the lungs and further enter blood circulation, and numerous studies have revealed the close relation between internalized nanoplastics with many physiological disorders via intracellular oxidative stress. However, the dynamic process of nanoplastics-induced oxidative stress in lung cells under breath-mimicked conditions is still unclear, due to the lack of methods that can reproduce the mechanical stretching of the alveolar and simultaneously monitor the oxidative stress response. Here, we describe a biomimetic platform by culturing alveoli epithelial cells on a stretchable electrochemical sensor and integrating them into a microfluidic device. This allows reproducing the respiration of alveoli by cyclic stretching of the alveoli epithelial cells and monitoring the nanoplastics-induced oxidative stress by the built-in sensor. By this device, we prove that cyclic stretches can greatly enhance the cellular uptake of nanoplastics with the dependencies of strain amplitude. Importantly, oxidative stress evoked by internalized nanoplastics can be quantitatively monitored in real time. This work will promote the deep understanding about the cytotoxicity of inhaled nanoplastics in the pulmonary mechanical microenvironment.

Pulmonary Function Recovery and Displacement Patterns After Anatomic Segmentectomy vs Lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: The functional benefit of segmentectomy compared with lobectomy remains controversial. This ambispective study characterizes the changes in pulmonary function as correlated to displacement patterns of residual lung after segmentectomies vs lobectomies. METHODS: Patients with normal preoperative pulmonary function and undergoing segmentectomy or lobectomy between 2017 and 2021 were considered. Pulmonary function testing was scheduled preoperatively and at least 3 months postoperatively. Differences in the proportions of the median forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) reduction between segmentectomy and lobectomy were calculated. Covariance analysis was used to estimate the adjusted postoperative FEV1 (apoFEV1) and compare the difference value (DV) in apoFEV1 between segmentectomy and lobectomy. RESULTS: The study enrolled 634 patients (334 lobectomies and 300 segmentectomies). Median difference in the proportions of the FEV1 reduction between segmentectomy and lobectomy was 4.58%, with maximal difference observed in right S6 (9.08%) and minimal difference in left S1+2+3 (2.80%). For resections involving the upper lobe, apoFEV1 was significantly higher after segmentectomy than after lobectomy (DV, 0.15-0.22 L), except for left S3 and S1+2+3 segmentectomies (DV, 0.08 L and 0.06 L, respectively). Compared with a lower lobe lobectomy, S6 segmentectomy conferred a higher apoFEV1, whereas S7+8 and S9+10 had a similar apoFEV1 (DV, 0.16-0.18 L, 0.07 L, and 0.00-0.06 L, respectively). Functional recovery after segmentectomy was associated with the number of intersegment planes (P < .01) and the presence of an adjacent nonoperated on lobe (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Basilar and left S3 segmentectomies did not preserve more pulmonary function compared with their corresponding lobectomies, possibly due to the presence of multiple intersegmental resection planes.

Surgery for bronchiectasis-destroyed lung: feasibility of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and surgical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To provide the experience of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis-destroyed lung (BDL) and evaluate the feasibility of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). METHODS: BDL patients underwent surgical treatment between January 2013 and June 2018 were included. Logistic regression was performed to assess factors for major complications, and Cox's regression was performed to assess factors affected symptomatic outcome. RESULTS: Totally, 143 patients were treated by VATS (n = 64) and thoracotomy (n = 79). Nine (14.1%) cases scheduled for VATS were converted to thoracotomy for dense adhesions (n = 6) and frozen hilum (n = 3). The VATS group had a median chest tube duration, hospitalization and a time of returning to full activity of 4 days, 5 days and 1.5 months, respectively. Major complications occurred in 28 (19.6%) of all patients, 50.0% after pneumonectomy and 13.4% after lobectomy/extensive lobectomy. Multivariable analysis identified pneumonectomy [odds ratio, 3.64; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.18-11.21] as a significant predictor for major complications. Overall, 141 (98.6%) patients benefitted from surgery (completely asymptomatic, n = 109; acceptable alleviation, n = 32). Thirty-four patients experienced relapse of the disease, including 13 with productive cough, 11 with haemoptysis and 10 with recurrent infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection [hazard ratio (HR), 3.07; 95% CI, 1.38-6.83] and extent of remanent bronchiectatic areas (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05) were independent risk factors for shorter relapse free interval. CONCLUSIONS: VATS for BDL is feasible in well-selected patients. Pneumonectomy increased the risk of postoperative major complications. Removing all BDL lesions contributed to satisfactory prognosis.

Influence Mechanism of Gas Pressure on Multiscale Dynamic Apparent Diffusion-Permeability of Coalbed Methane.

The permeability and diffusion coefficient of coal show multiscale characteristics due to the influence of multiscale pore sizes. The gas pressure will continuously decrease during the coalbed methane (CBM) extraction. However, there are contradictory perceptions in the effect of gas pressure on the diffusion coefficient and permeability. Therefore, it is essential to clarify the influence mechanism of gas pressure on multiscale diffusion-seepage. Diffusion-seepage experiments are carried out using particle coal and cylindrical coal without stress loading. Meanwhile, seepage experiments measured by the steady-state method are conducted under stress loading. The results show that the apparent diffusion coefficient is dynamically attenuated with time in the experiments of particle and cylindrical coal. A new model of multiscale dynamic apparent diffusion is proposed. The mechanism of gas flow in multiscale pores is elucidated. The multiscale pores determine the attenuation of the diffusivity and permeability of coal. The initial apparent permeability decreases and then increases with the increase of gas pressure, which is caused by the effect of gas pressure stretching and multiscale flow regime. Three patterns of permeability with gas pressure, monotonically increasing, monotonically decreasing, and U-shaped changes, will occur.

Nanofiber-based Stretchable Electrodes for Oriented Culture and Mechanotransduction Monitoring of Smooth Muscle Cells.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are circumferentially oriented perpendicular to the blood vessel and maintain the contractile phenotype in physiological conditions. They can sense the mechanical forces of blood vessels expanding and contracting and convert them into biochemical signals to regulate vascular homeostasis. However, the real-time monitoring of mechanically evoked biochemical response while maintaining SMC oriented growth remains an important challenge. Herein, we developed a stretchable electrochemical sensor by electrospinning aligned and elastic polyurethane (PU) nanofibers on the surface of PDMS film and further modification of conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS-LiTFSI-CoPc (PPLC) on the nanofibers (denoted as PPLC/PU/PDMS). The aligned nanofibers on the electrode surface could guide the oriented growth of SMCs and maintain the contractile phenotype, and the modification of PPLC endowed the electrode with good electrochemical sensing performance and stability under mechanical deformation. By culturing cells on the electrode surface, the oriented growth of SMCs and real-time monitoring of stretch-induced H2O2 release were achieved. On this basis, the changes of H2O2 level released by SMCs under the pathology (hypertension) and intervention of natural product resveratrol were quantitatively monitored, which will be helpful to further understand the occurrence and development of vascular-related diseases and the mechanisms of pharmaceutical intervention.

Flexible and Stretchable Electrochemical Sensors for Biological Monitoring.

The rise of flexible and stretchable electronics has revolutionized biosensor techniques for probing biological systems. Particularly, flexible and stretchable electrochemical sensors (FSECSs) enable the in situ quantification of numerous biochemical molecules in different biological entities owing to their exceptional sensitivity, fast response, and easy miniaturization. Over the past decade, the fabrication and application of FSECSs have significantly progressed. This review highlights key developments in electrode fabrication and FSECSs functionalization. It delves into the electrochemical sensing of various biomarkers, including metabolites, electrolytes, signaling molecules, and neurotransmitters from biological systems, encompassing the outer epidermis, tissues/organs in vitro and in vivo, and living cells. Finally, considering electrode preparation and biological applications, current challenges and future opportunities for FSECSs are discussed.

Prognostic factors and role of postoperative radiotherapy in surgically resected thymomas.

Objective: To investigate the prognostic factors in and role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for surgically resected thymomas. Methods: A total of 1540 patients with pathologically confirmed thymomas undergoing resection between 2000 and 2018 were identified retrospectively from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database. Tumors were restaged as local (limited to thymus), regional (invasion to mediastinal fat and other neighboring structures), or distant stage. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were calculated by Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results: Tumor stage and histology were independent predictors of both DSS (regional: HR, 3.711; 95% CI, 2.006-6.864; distant: HR, 7.920; 95% CI, 4.061-15.446; type B2/B3: HR, 1.435; 95% CI, 1.008-2.044) and OS (regional: HR, 1.461; 95% CI, 1.139-1.875; distant: HR, 2.551; 95% CI, 1.855-3.509; type B2/B3: HR, 1.409; 95% CI, 1.153-1.723). For patients with regional stage and type B2/B3 thymomas, PORT was associated with better DSS after thymectomy/thymomectomy (HR, 0.268; 95% CI, 0.099-0.727), but the association was not significant after extended thymectomy (HR, 1.514; 95% CI, 0.516-4.44). Among patients with lymph node metastases, those who received PORT (HR, 0.372; 95% CI, 0.146-0.949), chemotherapy (HR, 0.843; 95% CI, 0.303-2.346), or both (HR, 0.296, 95% CI, 0.071-1.236) had a better OS. Conclusions: The extent of invasion and tumor histology were independent predictors of worse survival following surgical resection of thymoma. Patients with regional invasion and type B2/B3 thymoma who undergo thymectomy/thymomectomy may benefit from PORT, while patients with nodal metastases may benefit from multimodal therapy, including PORT and chemotherapy.

Differentiation-related genes in tumor-associated macrophages as potential prognostic biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of differentiation-related genes (DRGs) in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data from GEO and bulk RNA-seq data from TCGA were analyzed to identify DRGs using trajectory method. Functional gene analysis was carried out by GO/KEGG enrichment analysis. The mRNA and protein expression in human tissue were analyzed by HPA and GEPIA databases. To investigate the prognostic value of these genes, three risk score (RS) models in different pathological types of NSCLC were generated and predicted NSCLC prognosis in datasets from TCGA, UCSC and GEO databases. Results: 1,738 DRGs were identified through trajectory analysis. GO/KEGG analysis showed that these genes were predominantly related to myeloid leukocyte activation and leukocyte migration. 13 DRGs (C1QB, CCL4, CD14, CD84, FGL2, MS4A6A, NLRP3, PLEK, RNASE6, SAMSN1, SPN, TMEM176B, ZEB2) related to prognosis were obtained through univariate Cox analysis and Lasso regression. C1QB, CD84, FGL2, MS4A6A, NLRP3, PLEK, SAMSN1, SPN, and ZEB2 were downregulated in NSCLC compared to non-cancer tissue. The mRNA of 13 genes were significantly expressed in pulmonary macrophages with strong cell specificity. Meanwhile, immunohistochemical staining showed that C1QB, CCL4, SPN, CD14, NLRP3, SAMSN1, MS4A6A, TMEM176B were expressed in different degrees in lung cancer tissues. ZEB2 (HR=1.4, P<0.05) and CD14 (HR=1.6, P<0.05) expression were associated with a worse prognosis in lung squamous cell carcinoma; ZEB2 (HR=0.64, P<0.05), CD84 (HR=0.65, P<0.05), PLEK (HR=0.71, P<0.05) and FGL2 (HR=0.61, P<0.05) expression were associated with a better prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma. Three RS models based on 13 DRGs both showed that the high RS was significantly associated with poor prognosis in different pathological types of NSCLC. Conclusions: This study highlights the prognostic value of DRGs in TAMs in NSCLC patients, providing novel insights for the development of therapeutic and prognostic targets based on TAM functional differences.

The efficacy and safety of wedge resection for peripheral stage IA lung adenocarcinoma: a real-world study based on a single center.

Background: The effectiveness of segmentectomy for stage IA lung adenocarcinoma (IA-LUAD) has been well-documented. However, the efficacy and safety of wedge resection for peripheral IA-LUAD remains controversial. This study evaluated the feasibility of wedge resection in patients with peripheral IA-LUAD. Methods: Patients with peripheral IA-LUAD who underwent wedge resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital were reviewed. Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to identify predictors of recurrence. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to calculate the optimal cutoffs of identified predictors. Results: A total of 186 patients (female/male, 115/71; mean age, 59.9 years) were included. Mean maximum dimension of consolidation component (MCD) was 5.6 mm, consolidation-to-tumor ratio (CTR) was 37%, and mean computed tomography value of tumor (CTVt) was -285.4 HU. With a median follow-up of 67 months (interquartile range, 52-72 months), the 5-year recurrence rate was 4.84%. Ten patients occurred recurrence postoperatively. No recurrence was observed adjacent to the surgical margin. Increasing MCD, CTR, and CTVt were associated with a higher risk of recurrence, with corresponding hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.212 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.120-1.311], 1.054 (95% CI: 1.018-1.092), and 1.012 (95% CI: 1.004-1.019) with optimal cutoffs for predicting recurrence of 10 mm, 60%, and -220 HU, respectively. When a tumor had characteristics under these respective cutoffs, no recurrence was observed. Conclusions: Wedge resection can be considered to be a safe and efficacious management strategy for patients with peripheral IA-LUAD, especially for MCD less than 10 mm, CTR less than 60% and CTVt less than -220 HU.

Adjuvant treatment for patients with incidentally resected limited disease small cell lung cancer-a retrospective study.

Background: With the exception of very early-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC), surgery is not typically recommended for this disease; however, incidental resection still occurs. After incidental resection, adjuvant salvage therapy is widely offered, but the evidence supporting its use is limited. This study aimed to explore proper adjuvant therapy for these incidentally resected SCLC cases. Methods: Patients incidentally diagnosed with SCLC after surgery at the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital in China from January 2005 to December 2014 were included in this study. The primary outcome was overall survival. Patients were classified into different group according to the type of adjuvant therapy they received and stratified by their pathological lymph node status. Patients' survival was analyzed using a Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. Results: A total of 161 patients were included in this study. Overall 5-year survival rate was 36.5%. For pathological N0 (pN0) cases (n=70), multivariable analysis revealed that adjuvant chemotherapy (ad-chemo) was associated with reduced risk of death [hazard ratio (HR): 0.373; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.141-0.985, P=0.047] compared to omission of adjuvant therapy. For pathological N1 or N2 (pN1/2) cases (n=91), taking no adjuvant therapy cases as a reference, the multivariable analysis showed that ad-chemo was not associated with a lower risk of death (HR: 0.869; 95% CI: 0.459-1.645, P=0.666), while adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (ad-CRT) was associated with a lower risk of death (HR: 0.279; 95% CI: 0.102-0.761, P=0.013). Conclusions: Patients who incidentally receive surgical resection and are diagnosed with limited disease SCLC after resection should be offered adjuvant therapy as a salvage treatment. For incidentally resected pN0 cases, ad-chemo should be considered and for pN1/2 cases, ad-CRT should be received.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic hilar and pericardial release for long-segment tracheal resections.

Long-segment tracheal resection is technically challenging due to its high tension during reconstruction. Therefore, tracheal release maneuvers, including pulmonary hilar release and pericardial dissection, were required to reduce the anastomotic tension. Traditional hilar release is performed via thoracotomy; however, this approach is invasive. We report a case of bilateral hilar and pericardial release via a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) approach in resecting a long segment tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma that spanned 50% of the trachea. The bilateral hilar and pericardial releases were performed under general anesthesia through biportal VATS, which contributed to a total of 2.5 cm of additional mobility to the trachea, and the infrahyoid release was then performed through a cervical collar incision. The tumor-involved tracheal segments were removed via median sternotomy, totaling 6.0 cm in length, and the remaining trachea could be successfully reconstructed with a tension-free anastomosis. The total operative duration was 4.5 hours. The patient suffered a transient swallowing dysfunction during the postoperative course, with a good luminal patency in the trachea after 1 month postoperatively. Therefore, bilateral hilar release via VATS can be considered to be a less invasive, avoiding the potential complications related to a thoracotomy, but similarly effective release maneuver for long-segment tracheal resections.

Propensity-matched Comparison of VATS Left Upper Trisegmentectomy and Lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the oncologic outcomes of video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) left upper trisegmentectomy (LTS) vs left upper lobectomy (LUL) for patients presenting with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A retrospective analysis identified 1543 consecutive patients presenting to Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (Shanghai, China) with NSCLC for VATS LTS or LUL from 2013 to 2017. After propensity-score matching for patient demographics and tumor characteristics, 273 pairs were identified. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 51.5 months. There were no significant differences in operative duration (2.11 ± 0.64 hours vs 2.49 ± 5.96 hours; P = .30), total blood loss (106.19 ± 170.83 mL vs 97.07 ± 149.34 mL; P = .51), and operative complications (10% vs 8%; P = .37) between the LUL and LTS groups. Patients undergoing LUL had longer postoperative hospital stays (5.55 ± 3.00 days vs 4.87 ± 2.33 days; P = .003), greater tumor margin distance (3.3 ± 1.2 cm vs 3.1 ± 0.9 cm; P < .001), and greater number of lymph nodes harvested (8.0 ± 3.2 vs 6.8 ± 3.3; P < .001) than patients undergoing LTS, but the margin-to-tumor ratio was not statistically different (2.5 ± 1.6 vs 2.3 ± 1.1; P = 0.11). Median DFS (49.5 months vs 54.3 months; P = .77) and OS (49.5 months vs 55.0 months; P = .88) were not significantly different between patients undergoing LTS and those undergoing LUL, and similar outcomes were noted across subgroups of patients stratified by tumor stage, pathologic type, and radiographic manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: VATS LTS and LUL had comparable oncologic outcomes for stage I NSCLC, regardless of tumor pathologic types and radiologic findings, as long as negative margins were confirmed.

Carbon Dioxide Blower Facilitates Visceral Pleurectomy in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Pleurectomy and decortication serves as a major component of therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), but the procedure is time consuming. We tentatively applied a carbon dioxide (CO2) blower into pleurectomy and decortication for a patient with local relapse of MPM. The blower can help increase the potential subpleural place thanks to the positive pressure by CO2, while the mist of saline could clean the potential bleeding to increase visibility. Thereby, the procedure was greatly facilitated in a more precise manner, with blood loss of 100 mL and acceptable postoperative air leak and thorax drainage. Therefore, a CO2 blower may be considered in pleurectomy and decortication for MPM.

Predictive Value of Folate Receptor-Positive Circulating Tumor Cells for the Preoperative Diagnosis of Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Noninvasive assessments of the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) are of great value for selecting individualized treatment options. However, the diagnostic accuracies of different preoperative LN evaluation methods in routine clinical practice are not satisfactory. Here, an assessment to detect folate receptor (FR)-positive circulating tumor cells (CTCs) based on ligand-targeted enzyme-linked polymerization is established. FR-positive CTCs have the potential to improve the specificity and sensitivity of diagnosing LNM in lung cancer patients. The addition of CTC level improved the diagnostic efficiency of the initial prediction model that comprises other clinical parameters. A nomogram for predicting preoperative LNM is established, which showed good prediction and calibration capacities and achieved an average area under the curve of 0.786. Good correlations are observed between the CTC level and nodal classifications, such as the number of positive LNs and the ratio of the number of positive LNs to removed LNs (LN ratio or LNR). The ligand-targeted enzyme-linked polymerization-assisted assessment of CTCs enables noninvasive detection and has a useful predictive value for the preoperative diagnosis of LNM in patients with LAD.

Octogenarians may benefit from stage-specific small cell lung cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: Our study investigates treatment profiles in octogenarian patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and assesses each treatment's role in a stage-specific manner. METHODS: Patient data from individuals with SCLC aged 80 years and older between 1988 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database were extracted. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) between patients with no treatment and different treatment groups were compared by the Kaplan-Meier method, with stratifications by stage. Cox Proportional Hazard model further identified independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: A total of 7,290 patients were included in this study. Notably, 3,358 (46.1%) patients did not receive active treatment. Compared with the no active treatment group, the CSS of patients who received treatment was significantly improved (median 6 vs. 0 months, P<0.001) and further validated in stage subgroups. Chemotherapy combined with local therapy was associated with the best CSS in regional and distant disease stages, with the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) being 0.30 (0.26-0.34) and 0.27 (0.25-0.30), respectively. Local therapy only appeared to confer better oncological outcomes (HR =0.33; 95% CI: 0.25-0.42) than chemotherapy only (HR =0.37; 95% CI: 0.29-0.47) in the localized disease stage. CONCLUSIONS: Although nearly half of octogenarians with SCLC did not receive active treatment in the real clinical setting, these patients may benefit from treatment. Chemotherapy combined with local therapy may provide the best treatment choice in octogenarians with advanced SCLC, while local therapy appears to play a more critical role in treating those with early-stage disease.