Clinical diagnosis and treatment of multiple pulmonary nodules / 中华肿瘤杂志

CT screening has markedly reduced the lung cancer mortality in high-risk population and increased the detection of early-stage pulmonary neoplasms, including multiple pulmonary nodules, especially those with a ground-glass appearance on CT. Multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) constitutes a specific subtype of lung cancer with indolent biological behaviors, which is predominantly early-stage adenocarcinoma. Although MPLC progresses slowly with rare lymphatic metastasis, existence of synchronous lesions and distributed location of these nodules still pose difficulty for the management of such patients. One single operation is usually insufficient to eradicate all neoplastic lesions, whereas repeated surgical procedures bring about another dilemma: whether clinical benefits of surgical treatment outweigh loss of pulmonary function following multiple operations. Therefore, despite the anxiety for treatment among MPLC patients, whether and how to treat the patient should be assessed meticulously. Currently there is a heated discussion upon the timing of clinical intervention, operation mode and the application of local therapy in MPLC. Based on clinical experience of our multiple disciplinary team, we have summarized and commented on the evaluation, surgical treatment, non-surgical local treatment, targeted therapy and immunotherapy of MPLC in this article to provide further insight into this field.

Application of CT-guided Localization with Medical Glue for Single and Two or More Small Pulmonary Nodules before Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#The localization of pulmonary nodules is related to whether the lesions can be found and removed accurately and quickly. It is an important link for the success of minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). This study investigated the feasibility of medical glue localization under VATS video-assisted thoracoscopic computed tomography (CT) guidance for single pulmonary nodule and more than two pulmonary nodules, and compared with the accuracy and safety of single nodule localization.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of patients who underwent unilateral CT-guided medical glue localization before VATS from November 2018 to March 2021 were performed, the patients was divided into multiple pulmonary nodules group (localized nodules ≥2) and single pulmonary nodule group according to the number of localized nodules. The localization time, success rate and complication rate of the two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#There were 126 nodules in the two groups, including 62 in single pulmonary nodule group and 64 in multiple pulmonary nodules group. The average single nodule localization time was (13.23±4.5) min in single pulmonary nodule group and (10.52±2.8) min in multiple pulmonary nodules group, the difference between the two groups is statistically significant (P<0.05). The localization success rate of single pulmonary nodule group and multiple pulmonary nodules group were 100% and 98.4% separately, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). All VATS were successfully completed after localization. The incidence of pneumothorax was higher in multiple pulmonary nodules group than in single pulmonary nodule group (P=0.07).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Compared with localization of single lung nodule, unilateral CT-guided medical glue localization for multiple pulmonary nodules before VATS is also feasible and accuracy, it is worthy of clinical application. But the higher rate of pneumothorax should be paid attention to.

Progress in screening and follow-up studies of pulmonary ground glass nodules / 中华肿瘤杂志

With the wide application of high-resolution chest CT in health check-up, the ground glass nodule(GGN) has been increasingly detected. GGNs have a complex etiology and image features, which can develop fast or very slowly. Therefore, whether to follow up or to resect it is usually very difficult to be determined. Overdiagnosis or overtreatment frequently happens. According to the development of GGNs, the process can be clinically divided into four stages: biological onset stage (pre-detection stage), observational stage, clinical treatment stage and postoperative follow-up stage. This review summarizes the progress on the natural development process, imaging monitoring and differentiation, the optimal time of surgical treatment for GGNs based on the decision of multidisciplinary team. This revie wmay be helpful for clinicians to understand the rule of GGN development in the follow-up, and find an optimal time to give surgical intervention for improving the prognosis of and life quality of the GGN patients.

Resección por videotoracoscopía de nódulos pulmonares marcados con lipiodol: experiencia en dos centros universitarios / Videotoracoscopy resection of pulmonary nodules marked with lipiodol: experience in two university centers

INTRODUCCIÓN: Para facilitar la localización intraoperatoria de los nódulos pulmonares existe la alternativa de marcarlos previamente con lipiodol. OBJETIVO: Describir los resultados quirúrgicos de los pacientes sometidos a resección por videotoracoscopía de nódulos pulmonares marcados previamente con lipiodol. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo. Se incluyeron los pacientes que fueron sometidos a resección por videotoracoscopía de nódulos pulmonares marcados con lipiodol, en Clínica Las Condes e Instituto Nacional del Tórax, entre junio de 2012 y junio de 2019. Se consideraron variables demográficas, radiológicas, quirúrgicas e histológicas. RESULTADOS: Se estudió un total de 93 pacientes. La edad promedio fue 63,5 (± 11,9) años. El tamaño promedio de los nódulos fue de 10,7 (± 5,8) mm. Se identificó y extrajo el 100% de los nódulos marcados. Los días de hospitalización promedio fueron 4,7 (± 6,9). Solo se registró un fallecimiento de causa no quirúrgica. CONCLUSIONES: La resección videotoracoscópica de nódulos pulmonares marcados previamente con lipiodol, es una técnica segura y eficaz.

BACKGROUND: To facilitate the intraoperative location of lung nodules there is the alternative of pre-marking them with lipiodol. OBJECTIVE: To describe the surgical results of patients undergoing videotoracoscopy resection of pulmonary nodules previously marked with lipiodol. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive study. Patients who underwent videotorcoscopy resection of pulmonary nodules marked with lipiodol were included at Clínica Las Condes and Instituto Nacional del Tórax between June 2012 and June 2019. Demographic, radiological, surgical and histological variables were considered. RESULTS: A total of 93 patients were studied. The average age was 63,5 (± 11.9) years. The average size of the nodules was 10.7 (± 5.8) mm. 100% of the marked nodules were identified and extracted. The average hospitalization days were 4.7 (± 6.9). Only one death of non-surgical cause was recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Videotoracoscopic resection of pulmonary nodules previously marked with lipiodol is a safe and effective technique.

Manejo de los nódulos pulmonares subsólidos: resultados quirúrgicos basados en algoritmo local / Pulmonary subsolid nodules: surgical outcomes based on institutional algorithm

INTRODUCCIÓN: en la actualidad no existe un consenso respecto al manejo de los nódulos pulmonares subsólidos (NPSS). OBJETIVO: describir los resultados del manejo quirúrgico de los NPSS, basados en un algoritmo local. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se revisaron las fichas clínicas electrónicas de los pacientes operados por NPSS, sugerentes de ser malignos, a juicio de un equipo multidisciplinario, entre enero de 2014 y enero de 2018, en el Departamento de Cirugía de Adultos de Clínica Las Condes. RESULTADOS: se estudió un total de 35 pacientes. La edad promedio fue de 65,8 años. El tamaño promedio de los nódulos fue de 15 mm. Todos los pacientes fueron abordados por cirugía videotoracoscópica asistida. El 88,6% de las biopsias demostró la presencia de una neoplasia maligna. CONCLUSIONES: la adopción de un algoritmo local, instituido por un equipo multidisciplinario, es una alternativa para el manejo adecuado de los portadores de NPSS.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, there is no consensus in the management of pulmonary subsolid nodules (SSNs). AIM: describe the results of surgical management of SSNs, based on institutional algorithm. MATERIAL AND METHODS: cross-sectional, descriptive study, with revision of clinical electronic records, that included all patients intervened for SSNs, suggestive of malignancy, by the judgment of a multi-disciplinary team, from January 2014 to January 2018 at the Department of Adult Surgery, Clinica Las Condes. RESULTS: 35 patients were studied. The average age was 65.8 years. The average size of the nodules was 15 mm. All patients were approached by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. 88.6% of biopsies turned out to be malignant neoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: the acquisition of a local algorithm established by a multidisciplinary team is an appropriate alternative for the management of the patients with SSNs.

Caracterización de nódulos pulmonares resecados. Experiencia de manejo por un programa multidisciplinario / Features of excised pulmonary nodules in 100 patients

Background: Pulmonary nodules are common, and surgery is the only alternative that allows a diagnostic and therapeutic management in a single procedure. Aim: To report the epidemiological, radiological, surgical and pathological features of excised pulmonary nodules. Material and Methods: Review of medical records of patients in whom a pulmonary nodule was excised between 2014 and 2018. Those with incomplete data or without a pathological study were excluded from analysis. Results: We retrieved 108 records and 8 had to be excluded, therefore 100 patients aged 34 to 82 years (57% females) were analyzed. Sixty percent had a history of smoking. Mean nodule size was 16 mm and the solid type was the most common (65%). Forty five percent of nodules had irregular margins and 55% were in the superior lobes. All patients operated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and 40% underwent a lobectomy. Malignant lesions were observed in 87% of biopsies and a pulmonary adenocarcinoma was found in pathology in 40%. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary approach of pulmonary nodules, using adapted international guidelines, accomplishes an appropriate management, decreasing unnecessary surgical interventions.