Factors that Predict Clinical Benefit of EGFR TKI Therapy in Patients with EGFR Wild-Type Lung Adenocarcinoma / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancers have emerged as key predictive biomarkers in EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. However, a few patients with wild-type EGFR also respond to EGFR TKIs. This study investigated the factors predicting successful EGFR TKI treatment in lung adenocarcinoma patients with wild-type EGFR. METHODS: We examined 66 patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma carrying wide-type EGFR who were treated with EGFR TKIs. The EGFR gene copy number was assessed by silver in situ hybridization (SISH). We evaluated the clinical factors and EGFR gene copy numbers that are associated with a favorable clinical response to EGFR TKIs. RESULTS: The objective response rate was 12.1%, while the disease control rate was 40.9%. EGFR SISH analysis was feasible in 23 cases. Twelve patients tested EGFR SISH-positive, and 11 were EGFR SISH-negative, with no significant difference in tumor response and survival between EGFR SISH-positive and -negative patients. The overall median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 66 patients were 2.1 months and 9.7 months, respectively. Female sex and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 0–1 were independent predictors of PFS. ECOG PS 0–1 and a low tumor burden of extrathoracic metastasis were independent predictors of good OS. CONCLUSION: Factors such as good PS, female sex, and low tumor burden may predict favorable outcomes following EGFR TKI therapy in patients with EGFR wild-type lung adenocarcinoma. However, EGFR gene copy number was not predictive of survival.

Pulmonary Metastasectomy in Adult Patients with Synovial Sarcoma: A Single-Center Experience

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the efficacy of pulmonary metastasectomy for synovial sarcoma in adult patients. METHODS: Fifty patients, diagnosed with pulmonary metastasis from June 1990 to August 2010, were reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-eight patients underwent complete pulmonary metastasectomy, and their survival was evaluated. Age, sex, time to metastatic progression, laterality, number of tumors, size of largest nodule, and number of metastasectomies were analyzed as potential prognostic factors. RESULTS: In all, 29 patients underwent at least one pulmonary metastasectomy, and 51 resections were performed. One intraoperative mortality occurred, and the 5-year survival rate was 58.4%. Bilateral metastases and early metastatic progression were associated with poor survival in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection can be a good option for treating pulmonary metastasis in patients with synovial sarcoma. Repeated resection was feasible with low mortality and morbidity.

Intrapulmonary lymph node mimicking metastatic nodule of lung cancer / 대한내과학회지

No abstract available.

Surgical Treatment for Cervical Esophageal Cancer / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cervical esophageal cancer is low compared with that of thoracic esophageal cancer, and the role of surgery for cervical esophageal cancer is limited compared with that of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. This study was carried out to determine the outcome of surgery for cervical esophageal cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analyzed retrospectively medical records of 43 patients who had undergone curative surgical resection for cervical esophageal cancer from January 1989 to December 2002. Follow-up loss was absent and the last follow-up was carried out in February 28, 2004. RESULT: The mean age was 60 years old and the male to female ratio was 40:3. Histologic types were squamous cell carcinoma 42 patients and malignant melanoma 1 patient. The methods used for esophageal reconstruction were gastric pull-up 32 patients, free jejunal graft 7 patients and colon interposition 4 patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 31 patients (72%), and operative mortality occurred in 7 patients (16%). Pathologic stages were I 3, IIa 14, IIb 1, III 19, and IVa 6 patients. Tumor recurrence occurred in 16 patients (44%), and the 3 and 5-year survival rates were 29.3% and 20.9%. CONCLUSION: The reported surgical results for cervical esophageal cancer showed somewhat high operative mortality, postoperative complication rates and recurrence rates and a low long-term survival rate. It is suggested that multimodality treatment including surgery is needed for the treatment of cervical esophageal cancer because radiotherapy or chemotherapy without surgery could not relieve dysphagia or resolve the tumor completely.

FDG-PET in Mediastinal Nodal Staging of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Correlation of False Results with Histopathologic Finding / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer can be markedly improved by FDG-PET scan, but the problem of false staging of mediastinal nodes by PET scan in non-small cell lung cancer has not yet been overcome. The aim of this study was to identify the mechanism underlying the false staging of mediastinal nodes by FDG-PET in the case of non-small cell lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the factors determining the FDG uptake in mediastinal nodes, FDG-PET was performed preoperatively, and mediastinal dissection with pulmonary resection was performed in 62 patients with NSCLC. GLUT-1 expression was studied by immunohistochemistry of the mediastinal nodes (n=111, true positive 31, true negative 41, false positive 27, false negative 12) using the anti-GLUT-1 antibody. The size, percentage of tumor (tumor ratio), labeling index (rate of stained tumor), staining intensity of the tumor, level of follicular hyperplasia, and staining intensity of the follicle center in the mediastinal node were also studied. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in size among the 4 nodal groups (TP, TN, FP, FN), nor in the tumor ratio of the metastatic nodes between the TP and FN groups. The labeling index and staining intensity of the TP group were higher than those of the FN group (Mann-Whitney test, p=.001, p=.007) in the case of the metastatic nodes. The level of follicular hyperplasia of the FP group was higher than that of the TN group in the case of the non-metastatic nodes (p=.000). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer by FDG-PET, the FN node is associated with low uptake of FDG due to low expression of GLUT-1, and that the FP node is associated with a high level of follicular hyperplasia as a result of there being a reactive change to an inflammatory and/or immune reaction. This is the first report on the mechanism underlying the false results that are sometimes obtained, and which constitute a major problem in the clinical application of FDG-PET to the mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancer.

A Case of Lymphocytic Interstitial Pneumonia / 결핵

Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia(LIP) is characterized by a massive infiltration of the interstitium of the lung by mature lymphocytes, plasma cells and reticuloendothelial cells. LIP may be associated with autoimmune diseases including Sjogrens syndrome, SLE, myasthenia gravis, pernicious anemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and HIV or an EB virus infection. There is a possibility of LIP progressing to a pulmonary or systemic lymphoma. The therapeutic response to corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive drugs varies. Here we report a case of LIP that was diagnosed by an open lung biopsy and clonality study. The patient was a 36 year-old man without antuimmune disease or HIV infection. He was admitted as a result of severe hypoxemia showing PaO2 of 48.3 mmHg. The patient was treated with corticosteroids after the diagnosis and had fully recovered without a sequalae or relapse.

Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of The Esophagus / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: McKeown first described two autopsy cases of esophageal small cell carcinoma (SMC) in 1952; about 230 cases have since been reported in the literature. Small cell carcinoma has been reported to account for 0.4% to 7.6% of all esophageal malignancies. SMC of the esophagus as regarded as having a poor prognosis with frequent systemic dissemination. Choice of treatment remains controversial. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From August 1987 to December 1998, a review of the records and histologic sections of 8 patients with primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus seen in 11 years was undertaken. RESULT: Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus constituted 1.5% of all esophageal cancers. The median age was 61.5 years (range from 42 to 71 years). Seven patients were male, tumor was mainly located in the middle and lower thirds (6 cases) of the esophagus. Pure SMC is 5 cases, and mixed SMC is 3 cases. Operative procedure were as follow: transthoracic esophagectomy with thoracic or cervical reconstructon in 7 patients, transhiated esophagectomy with cervical reconstruction in one. The operative death was none. Adjuvant chemotherapy was performed in 7 patients except one who had poor general condition. Recurrence was observed in 4 patients (mediastinal LN, abdominal LN, SCN, bone). The overall median survival was 15.9 months. Only one patient survived for more than 5 years. CONCLUSION: We considered that esophageal SMC should be regarded as a systemic disease, and multimodality treatment including chemotherapy should be used. Surgery may be offered in selected patients to manage local disease as part of a chemotherapy based treatment program.

The Use of FDG PET for Nodal Staging of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography(PEFT) using fluorine-18 deoxyglucose(FDG), showing increased FDG uptake and retention in malignant cells, has been proven to be useful in differentiating malignant from benign tissues. We indertook the prospective study to compare the accuracy of the whole-body FDG PET with that of the conventional chest computed tomography(CT) for nodal staging of non-small-cell lung cancers(NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHOD: FDG PET and contrast enhanced CT were performed in 36 patients with potentially resectable NSCLC. Each Imaging study was evaluated independently, and nodal stations were localized according to the AJCC regional lymph nodes mapping system. Extensive lymph node dissection(1101 nodes) of ipsi- and contralateral mediastinal nodal stations was performed at thoracotomy and/or mediastinoscopy. Image findings were compared with the histopathologic staging results and were analyzed with the McNema test(p) and Kappa value(k). RESULT: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT for ipsilateral mediastinal nodal staging were 38%, 68%, 25%, 79%, and 61%, and those of PET were 88%, 71%, 47%, 95%, and 75%(p>0.05, K=0.29). When analyzed by individual nodal group(superior, aortopulmonary window, and inferior), the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT were 27%, 82%, 22%, 85%, and 73%, and those of PET were 60%, 87%, 92%, and 82%(p<0.05, k=0.27). CONCLUSION: FDG PET in addition to CT appears to be superior to CT alone for mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancers.

Loss of Heterozygosity at 3p in Korean Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer / 결핵

PURPOSE: Frequent deletion of 3p in numerous cancer including lung cancer suggests the presence of tumor suppressor gene. 3p has been analysed by RFLP and PCR-LOH of microsatellite locus. In this study, we observed the deletion of 3p in Korean NSCLC by PCR-LOH of 4 microsatellite loci and investigated the clinical significance. Method : 62 surgically rejected NSCLC DNA and normal lung DNA have been analysed by PCR-LOH at three dinucleotide[D3S1228 (3p14.1-14.3), D3S1067 (3p14.3-21.1), D3S1029 (3p21.1-21.3)] and one tetranucleotide[D3S1537 (Sp 22-24.2)] repeat microsatellite loci. RESULTS: Among 59 informative cases, 3p deletion by PCR-LOH at four microsatellite loci was found in 31 patients (52.5%). 3p deletion were found in 55% of squamous cell lung cancer and 47% of adenocarcinoma patients. No significant difference has been found in clinical parameters such as staging, smoking and survival according to the status of 3p deletion. CONCLUSION: Deletions in 3p have played an important role in Korean NSCLC though no clinical significance was detected.

A Case of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia After Thoracotomy / 대한흉부외과학회지

We report a patient who suffered from bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia(BOOP) after Ivor Lewis operation for esophageal cancer. The patient presented low grade fever, dry cough and mild dyspnea at 4 day after operation. Chest roentgenograms and chest CT revealed bilateral patchy and infiltrative shadows. The respiratory symptoms worsened and respiratory failure developed with mild elevation of WBC count despite of conservative treatment. An open lung biopsy was done and the biopsy specimen showed bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia(BOOP). After several weeks of steroid therapy, there were marked clinical, physiological and roentgenographic improvements. Our experience suggests that BOOP may be one of the underlying pathology in a number of patients presenting with ARDS after thoracotomy. Since steroid therapy may improve survival in these patients, thoracic surgeons should heighten their index of suspicion for this entity. Early histologic diagnosis should be considered in patients with treatment-resistant ARDS after thoracotomy.