Bevacizumab Combined with Icotinib Overcomes Osimertinib Resistance in a Patient of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

A 61-year-old Chinese woman was diagnosed as primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma of left superior lobe with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) 19 del mutation positive. Treatment with icotinib was given, but her disease progressed after 6 months remission. CT-guide needle biopsy for the new lesion in inferior lobe of left lung demonstrated intrapulmonary metastasis, and EGFR gene panel by Amplification Refractory Mutation System Polymerase Chain Reaction (ARMS-PCR) confirmed EGFR T790M mutation. Treatment with osimertinib was initiated. After 2 months remission, the disease progressed. Re-biopsy was performed for the tumor in the inferior lobe of left lung, and ARMS-PCR demonstrated no other gene mutation except EGFR 19 del. Icotinib was re-challenged, but disease progressed continuously. Bevacizumab was added, and partial response was achieved after 2-cycle of combination therapy. The non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in this case maintained EGFR activating mutation and lost EGFR T790M mutation was a genetic change after osimertinib treatment. This case suggests the re-challenge of the first-generation EGFR-TKIs combined with bevacizumab may overcome the tumor resistance and prolong survival of NSCLC patient.

Treatment of Skin Reaction Induced by Nivolumab Combined with Radiotherapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Skin reaction or dermatological toxicities induced by immunotherapy is common. It usually manifests skin rash or erythema and can be cured by skin lotion or steroid. Nivolumab, a human IgG4 programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor, blocks T cells activation preventing signal and allows the immune system to clear cancer cells. Nivolumab was approved in the second-line therapy in squamous cell lung cancer by FDA, with less than 10% unusual skin reaction, like sensory neuropathy, peeling skin, erythema multiforme, vitiligo, and psoriasis. Radiotherapy could aggravate this skin reaction through inflammatory response and promotion of immunity. The combined treatment of anti-PD-1 and radiotherapy represented a new promising therapeutic approach in many studies, but the risk of side effects may be high. We reported a patient with advanced squamous cell lung cancer who suffered from serious skin immune-related adverse events when he was treated with nivolumab and radiotherapy. The immune overreaction of the treatment of anti-PD-1 treatment and radiotherapy might cause these serious skin adverse events. Our report warranted careful workup to reduce the risk of side effects by combinative therapy with anti-PD-1 and radiotherapy.

Sorafenib in liver function impaired advanced hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the efficacy and safty of sorafenib in Child-Pugh class B to class C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this three-center open-label study from November 2011 to May 2013, we randomly assigned 189 patients with advanced Child-Pugh class B or C HCC patients into two groups, one group with 95 patient to receive sorafenib (400 mg a time, twice a day) and the other group with 94 patients to receive best supportive care. The primary end points were progression-free survival and overall survival.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median progression-free survival was 2.2 months and 1.9 months in the sorafenib group and best supportive care group respectively (Hazard ratio in the sorafenib group, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-0.75; P=0.002). The median overall survival was 4.0 months and 3.5 months in the sorafenib group and best supportive care group respectively (Hazard ratio in the sorafenib group, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.68; P<0.001). The main adverse effect of sorafenib was rash and acne of the skin (in 51.7% patients). The incidences of severe rash, diarrhea, and dry skin were 5.6%, 5.6%, and 2.2% in the sorafenib group. One patient reached partial response in the sorafenib group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Sorafenib is safe in patients with liver function impaired advanced HCC. It is effective in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival compared with best supportive care. Liver functions are the important predictive factors.</p>