Prognostic Significance of Cigarette Smoking in Association with Histologic Subtypes of Resected Lung Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Smokers with lung adenocarcinoma have a worse prognosis than those who have never smoked; the reasons for this are unclear. We aimed to elucidate the impact of smoking on patients' prognosis and the association between smoking and clinicopathologic factors, particularly histologic subtypes. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 233 patients with pathologic stage T1-4N0-2M0 lung adenocarcinomas who underwent surgery between January 2004 and July 2015. The histologic subtypes of tumors were reassessed according to the 2015 World Health Organization classification. RESULTS: In total, 114 patients had a history of smoking. The overall survival probabilities differed between never-smokers and ever-smokers (80.8% and 65.1%, respectively; p=0.003). In multivariate analyses, the predominant histologic subtype was an independent poor prognostic factor. Smoking history and tumor size >3 cm were independent predictors of solid or micropapillary (SOL/MIP)-predominance in the logistic regression analysis. Smoking quantity (pack-years) in patients with SOL/MIP-predominant tumors was greater than in those with lepidic-predominant tumors (p=0.000). However, there was no significant difference in smoking quantity between patients with SOL/MIP-predominant tumors and those whose tumors had non-predominant SOL/MIP components (p=0.150). CONCLUSION: Smoking was found to be closely associated with SOL/MIP-predominance in lung adenocarcinoma. Greater smoking quantity was related to the presence of a SOL/MIP component.

Lymph Node Metastasis after Spontaneous Regression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Spontaneous regression of lung cancer is a very rare and poorly understood phenomenon. A 64-year-old man presented to Dong-A University Hospital with a shrunken nodule in the right lower lobe. Although the nodule showed a high likelihood of malignancy on needle aspiration biopsy, the patient refused surgery. The nodule spontaneously regressed completely in the next 17 months. However, the subcarinal lymph node was found to be enlarged 16 months after complete regression was observed. We pathologically confirmed metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma and performed neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant chemoradiation. Regardless of tumor size reduction, it is preferable to perform surgery aggressively in cases of operable lung cancer.

Systemic air embolism after computed tomography-guided hook wire localization: two case reports and literature review.

Computed tomography (CT)-guided hook wire localization is often used to identify small nodules prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Pneumothorax, intrapulmonary hemorrhage, and wire dislodgement are well-known complications associated with the former procedure, but systemic air embolism (SAE) is an extremely rare and potentially fatal complication. We encountered two cases of SAE; one patient showed neurologic symptoms, whereas the other did not. With the patient in the supine position, 100% oxygen was inhaled via a face mask. Subsequently, symptoms were resolved, and we performed planned surgeries on that day. Operative and postoperative courses were uneventful, and both patients were discharged without any sequelae. In this case report, we describe our experience with the two patients and review related literature.

Impact of Lifestyle Diseases on Postoperative Complications and Survival in Elderly Patients with Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The influence of lifestyle diseases on postoperative complications and long-term survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether lifestyle diseases were significant risk factors of perioperative and long-term surgical outcomes in elderly patients with stage I NSCLC. METHODS: Between December 1995 and November 2013, 110 patients aged 65 years or older who underwent surgical resection of stage I NSCLC at Dong-A University Hospital were retrospectively studied. We assessed the presence of the following lifestyle diseases as risk factors for postoperative complications and long-term mortality: diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and ischemic heart disease. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 71 years (range, 65 to 82 years). Forty-six patients (41.8%) had hypertension, making it the most common lifestyle disease, followed by diabetes (n=23, 20.9%). The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.9% (n=1). The 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 78% and 64%, respectively. Postoperative complications developed in 32 patients (29.1%), including 7 (6.4%) with prolonged air leakage, 6 (5.5%) with atrial fibrillation, 5 (4.5%) with delirium and atelectasis, and 3 (2.7%) with acute kidney injury and pneumonia. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the presence of a lifestyle disease was the only independent risk factor for postoperative complications. In survival analysis, univariate analysis showed that age, smoking, body mass index, extent of resection, and pathologic stage were associated with impaired survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that resection type (hazard ratio [HR], 2.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 4.49; p=0.030) and pathologic stage (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.49; p=0.043) had independent adverse impacts on survival. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the presence of a lifestyle disease was a significant prognostic factor for postoperative complications, but not of survival, in elderly patients with stage I NSCLC. Therefore, postoperative complications may be influenced by the presence of a lifestyle disease.

Prediction and prognostic factors of post-recurrence survival in recurred patients with early-stage NSCLC who underwent complete resection.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate prognostic factors of post-recurrence survival (PRS) and to improve survival in recurred patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The 141 patients with recurrence after complete resection of stage I and II NSCLC between 1995 and 2012 was retrospectively reviewed. Overall PRS and PRS of the patient groups stratified according to the sum of their own risk scores were analyzed. RESULTS: The patterns of recurrence of 141 patients included local only in 40(28.4%), distant only in 86 (61%) and both in 15 (10.6%) patients. Of 141 patients, 110 patients received post-recurrence therapy. The overall 1- and 3-year PRS rates were 50.7% and 28.4%, respectively. Extensive pulmonary resection (P=0.001), poor histologic differentiation (P=0.009), symptom at initial recurrence (P=0.000), no pulmonary metastasis (P=0.006), no post-recurrence therapy (P=0.001) were significant risk factors in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that extent of pulmonary resection [hazard ratio (HR), 2.039; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.281 to 3.244; P=0.003; risk score 1.0], histologic differentiation HR, 3.125; 95% CI, 1.976 to 4.941; P=0.000; risk score 1.5), symptom (HR, 3.154; 95% CI, 2.000 to 4.972; P=0.000; risk score 1.5) and post-recurrence therapy (HR, 2.330; 95% CI, 1.393 to 3.899; P=0.001; risk score 1.1) were significant prognostic factors. The recurred patients whose risk score sums were 1.1 or less were assigned to Group I; between 1.5 and 2.1, to Group II; and more than 2.5, to Group III. Significant differences in their PRS rates were confirmed (P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Extent of pulmonary resection, histologic differentiation, symptom and post-recurrence therapy are a prognostic factor for PRS. Based on the hazard ratios of each factors, the risk scores were yielded. And the recurred patients were stratified according to the sum of their risk scores based on their PRS rates. Therefore, these results may help advancements in making predictions for their prognosis and the improvement of PRS.

Malignant pheochromocytoma with lung metastasis after right adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma eleven years ago.

A 30-year-old woman had multiple masses on right adrenalectomy site, posterior mediastinum, and left lung on computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography. She had a right adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma eleven years ago. She received proper alpha and beta blocker and completed surgical resection. Pheochromocytoma was confirmed by histopathology. Here we report the case of metastatic malignant pheochromocytoma with very poor prognosis.

Prognosis of recurrence after complete resection in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumor recurrence is the most common cause of treatment failure, even after complete resection of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we investigated the prognosis of patients with early recurrence in order to identify independent risk factors related to early recurrence. METHODS: Between February 1995 and December 2012, 242 patients who underwent surgical resection for stage I NSCLC at Dong-A University Hospital were reviewed. The factors predicting overall survival (OS) and early recurrence were investigated. We also investigated the relationship between the patterns and period of recurrence and clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: For patients with stage IA and IB NSCLC, the 5-year OS rate was 75.7% and 57.3% (p=0.006), respectively. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that gender (p=0.004), comorbidity number (p=0.038), resection type (p=0.002), and tumor size (p=0.022) were the statistically significant predictors of OS. Moreover, the multivariate analysis revealed that smoking history (p=0.023) and histologic grade (p=0.012) were the independent predictors of early recurrence. Additionally, only histologic grade (poor differentiation) was found to be significantly associated with a higher frequency of distant metastasis; there was no relationship between the patterns and period of recurrence and clinicopathological factors. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that smoking history and histologic grade were independent prognostic factors for early recurrence within two years in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Patients with these predictive factors may be good candidates for adjuvant therapy.

An overview of thoracic actinomycosis: CT features.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic suppurative bacterial infection caused by actinomyces species, especially Actinomyces israelii. METHODS: It is usually seen in immunocompetent patients with respiratory disorders, poor oral hygiene, alcoholism and chronic debilitating diseases. RESULTS: We illustrate the radiological manifestations of thoracic actinomycoses in various involved areas in the thorax. CONCLUSION: Thoracic actinomycosis can be radiologically divided into the parenchymal type, the airway type including bronchiectasis, the endobronchial form, and the mediastinum or chest wall involvement type. TEACHING POINTS: • Important risk factors for thoracic actinomycosis are underlying respiratory disorders such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. • Different CT patterns can be distinguished in thoracic actinomycosis: parenchymal, bronchiectatic, endobronchial and extrapulmonary. • Typical CT findings in the parenchymal pattern are a central low density within the parenchymal consolidation and adjacent pleural thickening.

Phase I study of autologous dendritic cell tumor vaccine in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: A dendritic cell vaccine has been developed as a novel strategy for generating antitumor immunity in the treatment of cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess the maximal tolerated dose, safety, and immunologic response of a new dendritic cell vaccine (DC-Vac) into which tumor lysate was loaded by electroporation and pulse in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with inoperable stage III or IV NSCLC were assigned to cohorts that received 3, 6, or 12 × 10(6) DC-Vac intradermally 3 times at 2 week intervals. We also evaluated immunologic and tumor responses. RESULTS: The maximum dose of DC-Vac (12 × 10(6)) was shown to be safe. In 5 of 9 patients, the vaccine resulted in increased interferon (IFN)-γ production by CD8+ cells after exposure to tumor lysate. Additionally, there were mixed responses which do fulfill progressive disease definition but demonstrate some clinical benefit in two patients. CONCLUSION: The administration of tumor lysate-loaded autologous dendritic cells by electroporation and pulse was non-toxic and induced immunologic responses to tumor antigens. The two mixed tumor responses which were achieved may represent a potential benefit of this new DC-Vac.

Fatal interstitial lung disease after erlotinib administration in a patient with radiation fibrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Although gefitinib used for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer is a well-known cause of interstitial lung disease (ILD), few case reports on erlotinib-induced ILD have been issued. The common risk factor of both of these two drug-induced ILDs is idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, but ILD in a patient with radiation fibrosis has not been previously reported. METHODS: Report of a case. RESULTS: We recently experienced a case of fatal erlotinib-induced ILD, diagnosed based on clinical and radiologic findings, which occurred in a patient with radiation fibrosis. A 50-year-old male patient was started on erlotinib as a third-line chemotherapy. Six days after taking erlotinib, a chest radiograph showed rapid progression of reticular infiltration in both lung fields. High-resolution computed tomography scan findings were consistent with ILD, which was sufficient to diagnose as erlotinib-induced ILD. The patient died of respiratory failure after 8 days of steroid infusion and erlotinib discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Our case shows a fatal side effect of erlotinib. This case had radiation fibrosis, so we suggest that radiation fibrosis may be another contributor of the occurrence of ILD in patients taking erlotinib.

Pulmonary paraganglioma manifesting as an endobronchial mass.

Thoracic paragangliomas comprise only 1-2% of all paragangliomas, including the adrenal pheochromocytomas, and these tumors are mostly found in the mediastinal compartments (1). To the best of our knowledge, there is only one case report in the pathology literature of endobronchial involvement by a primary pulmonary paraganglioma (2). We report here on the CT and bronchoscopic findings of a case of pathologically proven endobronchial paraganglioma in a 37-year-old woman. In our case, bronchoscopy and CT demonstrated an endobronchial hypervascular mass, which indicated the presence of carcinoid or hypervascular metastasis based on the known incidence of such tumors.

Hyaline vascular-type Castleman disease presenting as an esophageal submucosal tumor: case report.

Castleman disease is a relatively rare disorder of lymphoid tissue that involves the gastrointestinal tract in a variety of clinical and pathologic manifestations. A submucosal location has never been described in the medical literature. We report a case of esophageal Castleman disease involving the submucosal layer in a 62-year-old man, which was confirmed on pathology. Esophagography and CT demonstrated an intramural tumor, and a leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma was suspected based on the known incidence of such tumors.

Dependent lung opacity at thin-section CT: evaluation by spirometrically-gated CT of the influence of lung volume.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of lung volume on dependent lung opacity seen at thin-section CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In thirteen healthy volunteers, thin-section CT scans were performed at three levels (upper, mid, and lower portion of the lung) and at different lung volumes (10, 30, 50, and 100% vital capacity), using spirometric gated CT. Using a three-point scale, two radiologists determined whether dependent opacity was present, and estimated its degree. Regional lung attenuation at a level 2 cm above the diaphragm was determined using semiautomatic segmentation, and the diameter of a branch of the right lower posterior basal segmental artery was measured at each different vital capacity. RESULTS: At all three anatomic levels, dependent opacity occurred significantly more often at lower vital capacities (10, 30%) than at 100% vital capacity (p = 0.001). Visually estimated dependent opacity was significantly related to regional lung attenuation (p < 0.0001), which in dependent areas progressively increased as vital capacity decreased (p < 0.0001). The presence of dependent opacity and regional lung attenuation of a dependent area correlated significantly with increased diameter of a segmental arterial branch (r = 0.493 and p = 0.0002; r = 0.486 and p = 0.0003, respectively). CONCLUSION: Visual estimation and CT measurements of dependent opacity obtained by semiautomatic segmentation are significantly influenced by lung volume and are related to vascular diameter.