Efficacy and Safety of Anlotinib in EGFR-Positive Patients with Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma Compared with Chemotherapy: A Retrospective Study.

There are no standard third-line or beyond treatments for patients with driver mutation-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Anlotinib was approved as a third-line multitarget drug in China in 2018. Limited data are available regarding the efficacy and safety of anlotinib compared with chemotherapy. To investigate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib compared with traditional chemotherapy in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive advanced LUAD. We conducted a retrospective study of 83 EGFR mutation-positive patients with advanced LUAD between 2011 and 2022. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary endpoints, whereas the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were the secondary endpoints. Anlotinib-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded to evaluate the safety of anlotinib. 39 patients with LUAD received anlotinib and 44 patients with LUAD received chemotherapy were enrolled in the study. Patients treated with anlotinib exhibited longer PFS (11.2 vs 4.5 months, P < .01) and OS (18.8 vs 15.8 months, P < .05) than patients treated with chemotherapy. There were no significant differences in ORR (7.9% vs 20.5%, P = .129) or DCR (100% vs 93.2%, P = .120) between the two groups. Anlotinib-related AEs grading 3-4 level were observed in 2 (5.1%) patients, no anlotinib-related death was recorded. Cox regression analyses of PFS and OS showed that brain metastases and age < 30 years at diagnosis had negative effects on clinical outcomes. Anlotinib is effective and safe in patients with EGFR-positive advanced LUAD. Patients without brain metastases had better clinical outcomes.

Immune-related thyroid dysfunction in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Immune-related thyroid dysfunction (irTD) is a common immune-related adverse event (irAE). The potential biomarkers of irTDs and their impact on the clinical outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remain unclear. We aimed to identify potential biomarkers of irTDs and reveal the association between irTDs and the clinical outcomes in patients with NSCLC treated with ICIs. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 126 patients with NSCLC, who were treated with pembrolizumab, sintilimab, atezolizumab, or camrelizumab, as first-line therapy, at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, between July 2019 and February 2023. Anti-thyroid antibodies (ATAs), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), thyroid ultrasonography, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were the main indicators. Results: Most (92.9%) irTD cases occurred no later than one year after ICIs initiation. Patients with irTDs had higher positive rates for ATAs and TPOAb [33.3% vs. 1.3%, and 30.3% vs. 1.3%, both P<0.01, odds ratio (OR) =39.81, and OR =35.46, respectively]. Irregular echo pattern and diffuse changes were more common in patients with irTDs (70.7% vs. 47.2%, and 19.5% vs. 1.4%, P<0.05 and P<0.01, OR =2.70, and OR =17.21, respectively). OS and PFS were similar in patients with and without irTDs (P>0.05). Conclusions: The ATAs, TPOAb, and abnormal thyroid ultrasonographic findings (irregular echo patterns and diffuse changes) are potential biomarkers of irTDs. Patients with NSCLC treated with ICIs (pembrolizumab, sintilimab, atezolizumab, and camrelizumab) who developed irTDs had no advantage in terms of clinical outcomes compared to euthyroid patients.

Effectiveness and safety of omalizumab in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis with or without allergic rhinitis: a retrospective chart review.

BACKGROUND: Omalizumab is a valuable alternative treatment for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). The effectiveness and safety of this medication have not been confirmed. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of omalizumab for ABPA. METHODS: This study involved a retrospective chart review. The main indicators used were asthma control test (ACT) scores, lung function parameters, doses of corticosteroids, acute exacerbation, hospitalization rates, total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and blood eosinophil counts. Related adverse events were also reviewed to evaluate the safety of omalizumab. RESULTS: Fourteen patients with ABPA were included, of whom 10 (71%) concurrently had allergic rhinitis (AR). There were improvements in the mean percentages of the forced vital capacity, percentages of the forced expiratory volume in 1 s, and ACT score after omalizumab administration (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.01, respectively). After the initiation of omalizumab administration, the median corticosteroid dose, acute exacerbation rate, hospitalization rate, and mean blood eosinophil count decreased when compared with the baseline values (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively). A reduction in the total serum IgE level was observed in patients with ABPA without AR compared with that in patients with AR (p < 0.05). One patient reported a concurrent skin rash, which spontaneously resolved without medication. CONCLUSION: It is safe and effective to prescribe omalizumab to patients with ABPA, irrespective of whether they have AR. Dose adjustment of omalizumab is safe after disease control. The total serum IgE level might be a predictor of the effectiveness of omalizumab in patients without AR.