A spatio-temporal image analysis for growth of indeterminate pulmonary nodules detected by CT scan.

The objective is to evaluate the performance of computational image classification for indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPN) chronologically detected by CT scan. Total 483 patients with 670 abnormal pulmonary nodules, who were taken chest thin-section CT (TSCT) images at least twice and resected as suspicious nodules in our hospital, were enrolled in this study. Nodular regions from the initial and the latest TSCT images were cut manually for each case, and approached by Python development environment, using the open-source cv2 library, to measure the nodular change rate (NCR). These NCRs were statistically compared with clinico-pathological factors, and then, this discriminator was evaluated for clinical performance. NCR showed significant differences among the nodular consistencies. In terms of histological subtypes, NCR of invasive adenocarcinoma (ADC) were significantly distinguishable from other lesions, but not from minimally invasive ADC. Only for cancers, NCR was significantly associated with loco-regional invasivity, p53-immunoreactivity, and Ki67-immunoreactivity. Regarding Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor gene mutation of ADC-related nodules, NCR showed a significant negative correlation. On staging of lung cancer cases, NCR was significantly increased with progression from pTis-stage 0 up to pT1b-stage IA2. For clinical shared decision-making (SDM) whether urgent resection or watchful-waiting, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that area under the ROC curve was 0.686. For small-sized IPN detected by CT scan, this approach shows promise as a potential navigator to improve work-up for life-threatening cancer screening and assist SDM before surgery.

Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) Lung Cancer Screening in Asian Female Never-Smokers Is as Efficacious in Detecting Lung Cancer as in Asian Male Ever-Smokers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer in never-smokers is the major cancer cause of death globally. We compared the efficacy of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening among never-smokers versus ever-smokers using systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: LDCT lung cancer screening studies that simultaneously included both ever-smoker and never-smoker participants published by April 30, 2021, were searched through PubMed and Scopus. Primary outcome measure was relative risk (RR) of lung cancer diagnosed among never-smokers versus ever-smokers. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies (13 from Asia) were included (141,396 ever-smokers, 109,251 never-smokers, 1961 lung cancer cases diagnosed). RR of lung cancer diagnosed between ever-smokers versus never-smokers overall was 1.21 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-1.65), 1.37 (95% CI: 1.08-1.75) among males, and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.59-1.31) among females. RR was 1.78 (95% CI: 1.41-2.24) and 1.22 (95% CI: 0.89-1.68) for Asian female never-smokers versus male never-smokers and versus male ever-smokers, respectively, and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.65-1.50) versus high-risk ever-smokers (≥30 pack-years). Proportional meta-analysis revealed significantly more lung cancers diagnosed at first scan (95.4% [95% CI: 84.9-100.0] versus 70.9% [95% CI: 54.6-84.9], p = 0.010) and at stage 1 (88.5% [95% CI: 79.3-95.4] versus 79.7% [95% CI: 71.1-87.4], p = 0.071) among never-smokers versus ever-smokers, respectively. RR of lung cancer death and 5-year all-cause mortality in never-smokers versus ever-smokers was 0.27 (95% CI: 0.1-0.55, p < 0.001) and 0.13 (95% CI: 0.05-0.33, p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The RR of lung cancer detected by LDCT screening among female never-smokers and male ever-smokers in Asia was statistically similar. Overall and lung cancer specific mortality from the lung cancer diagnosed from LDCT screening was significantly reduced among never-smokers compared to ever-smokers.

Small-sized Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma Manifesting Skip-like Transition from Nonsolid Nodule: A Case Report.

This report shows a case with a rare small-sized lung adenocarcinoma that rapidly progressed from a nonsolid nodule (NSN) to a solid nodule (SON) over a period of just 1 year after a very long-term observation from its first detection. In 2007, the patient was an asymptomatic 52-year-old man at the time of the first detection via chest low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening as part of a periodic medical checkup at our hospital. It revealed an abnormal shadow in another location of the lung field, necessitating a more thorough examination. Then, he visited our outpatient clinic for the first time and a workup examination was performed using thin-section CT (TSCT) images, which incidentally detected a small NSN with a maximum diameter of 1.2 cm in the mid-zone of the left upper lung field. Since it did not disappear in the periodic subsequent workup examinations, the patient was informed of the suspicious early lung adenocarcinoma each time; however, the patient desired to continue watchful waiting. The radiographical properties of the NSN remained almost unchanged until 2019, but in 2020, the inside of the nodule showed a skip-like change to a SON. Finally, because of the unexpectedly fast transition, consent for lobectomy could be obtained. Surgery was then performed, 13 years after its first detection, at an age of 65 years. The pathological findings revealed a 1.2 cm, pT1bN0M0, pStage IA2-adenocarcinoma, which was 90% of the acinar subtype with positive vascular permeation. Management of a NSN, that does not resolve and/or change, must continue watchful waiting, and at the very least continue follow-up with TSCT observation to ensure the safe and appropriate timing of excision using imaging as a marker of transition.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis in gastric wall under early gastric cancer in a man with a myeloproliferative disorder: a case report.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells outside the bone marrow and often observed in the liver, spleen in association with myeloproliferative disorders. On the other hand, EMH in the gastric wall is extremely rare. We report a rare case of EMH foci coexisting with early gastric cancer, which resulted in severe gastrointestinal bleeding. A 70-year-old male was diagnosed with myelofibrosis 4 years ago and visited our emergency room with a complaint of hematemesis and tarry stools. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed three early-stage gastric cancers in the lower gastric body and antrum, and biopsy was performed. Persistent bleeding at the biopsy site of the hypogastric lesion led to the consideration of surgical intervention. An open distal gastrectomy was performed. Postoperative histopathological examination revealed the tumor of the lower gastric body had EMH foci associated with myelofibrosis.

Mucin distribution in bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor reveals organoid differentiation simulating the normal lung.

Bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor is a lung neoplasm exhibiting various degrees of proximal and distal bronchiolar differentiation. Here, we evaluated distribution of MUC5AC and MUC5B in bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor for comparison with that seen in normal respiratory tract. In normal respiratory tract, MUC5AC was mainly distributed in large bronchi, while MUC5B was distributed in bronchi, bronchioles, and submucosal glands. In bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor, MUC5AC was primarily distributed in luminal cells of large airspaces, and MUC5B was distributed in luminal cells of small airspaces and mucinous glands, in addition to large airspaces, regardless of distal or proximal differentiation. In particular, MUC5B was distributed in non-mucinous club and ciliated cells in both the normal respiratory tract and bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor. These results indicate that MUC5AC and MUC5B distribution in bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor is similar to that seen in normal respiratory tract, suggestive of organoid differentiation simulating the normal lung.

Solitary metastasis to a superior mediastinal lymph node after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal lymph node metastases occasionally occur in patients of advanced gastric cancer of the cardia with esophageal invasion, but they rarely occur in patients with gastric cancer of other sites. This report describes a case of a solitary metastasis to t a superior mediastinal lymph node after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer of the antrum. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old man underwent curative distal gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer of the antrum (pT2pN2M0, stage IIB). Postoperatively, he underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 (100 mg/day). Although the serum levels of his tumor markers increased after surgery, computed tomography scans did not detect evidence of early recurrence in the superior mediastinum. However, a 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan showed accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose in the upper mediastinum with no evidence of recurrence elsewhere. Therefore, a solitary superior mediastinal lymph node was suspected to have a metastatic lesion derived from the gastric cancer. The patient underwent tumor resection right mini-thoracotomy two years and three months following gastrectomy. A pathological examination demonstrated moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, confirming that it was a metastatic adenocarcinoma from the gastric cancer. The patient developed recurrences in the superior mediastinum and several right costa six months following the second surgery. He was treated with chemotherapy, but he died 18 months after the second operation. CONCLUSION: We present a rare case of a solitary metastasis to a superior mediastinal lymph node after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. An FDG-PET scan is useful for the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. Metastasis to the superior mediastinal lymph nodes from gastric cancer in sites other than the cardia suggests systemic expansion of gastric cancer, and therefore, even a solitary metastasis may be related to a poor prognosis.

Preoperative Watchful-Waiting Time and Surgical Outcome of Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Found by Chest Low-Dose CT Screening.

BACKGROUNDS: Chest low-dose CT screening (LDCTS) has been finding unprecedented numbers of peripheral non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) at an early stage and increased the number of patients with surgical indication. It is important to explore the influence of preoperative watchful-waiting time (WWT) on surgical outcomes. Objective is to clarify relationship between WWT and surgical outcomes of LDCTS-finding NSCLC from the view point of treatment delay. METHODS: Total 283 cases of NSCLC, found by LDCTS and consecutively resected, were surveyed for preoperative WWT and surgical outcomes. Validity of the present guideline for management of pulmonary nodules detected by LDCTS was verified whether WWT before surgery was suitable for eradication of NSCLC. RESULTS: The median value of WWT was 4.0 months in total, and the distribution of WWT exhibited long-tail-type pattern. That was 5.0 months in the group of pure ground-glass nodule (pGGN), 4.0 months in the group of part-solid nodule (PSN), and 1.7 months in the group of solid nodule (SON). During long-term postoperative observation time (median 79 months), 10-year progression-free survival rates were 100% in pGGN, 96% in PSN, and 72% in SON (P < .0001). They decreased significantly depending on enlargement of size: 91% or higher in size of 2 cm or smaller, and 71% or lower in size of larger than 2 cm (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Limited to LDCTS-finding nodules, surgical outcome will depend mainly on some malignant potential of NSCLC per se, rather than on duration of WWT or treatment delay.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma possibly developed from the cut-end of small-sized adenocarcinoma in the lung periphery as recurrence 13 years after its wedge resection.

BACKGROUND: It is a big topic for general thoracic surgery whether still curability can be obtained by limited resection for peripheral small-sized nodules of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the current era of frequent computed tomography (CT) use. Accumulation of information on problematic cases would be meaningful for surgeons to select better surgical procedures. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old man was pointed out an enlarged 2.1-cm solid nodule on the edge of staple line of the residual right upper lobe by chest CT. He had past history of the lung cancer surgery, wedge resection of the same right upper lobe 13 years ago. The pathological findings were 1.1-cm, p-TlbN0M0, p-stage IA2-adenocarcinoma. Thereafter, he received no adjuvant therapy. This time, the trans-bronchial lung biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma. After the completion lobectomy of the residual right upper lobe, the tumor was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma consistent with recurrence of small-sized adenocarcinoma in the lung periphery developed from the cut-end because of similarities between present and previous tumors on histopathology and p53-positivity. CONCLUSIONS: When limited resection has been performed for small-sized NSCLC presenting solid nodule on thin-slice CT images, long-term postoperative follow-up time will be necessary for monitoring, considering the possibility of cut-end recurrence.

[A Case of Retroperitoneal Abscess Due to Acute Appendicitis during Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer].

When acute appendicitis occurs in patients treated with chemotherapy, neutropenia and abdominal complaints caused by chemotherapy can contribute to the diagnostic difficulty, masking the increase in white blood cell(WBC)counts and physical findings of acute appendicitis. A 43-year-old premenopausal woman who was diagnosed with stage IIIA left breast cancer was scheduled for neoadjuvant chemotherapy includingfluorouracil plus epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide(FEC), followed by docetaxel and trastuzumab(DOC plus HER). The patient developed fever and lower abdominal pain on day 17 of DOC plus HER cycle 1, and was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis in the emergency room. These symptoms were almost improved 4 days later, and then cycle 2 was performed as scheduled. WBC counts decreased to 1,530 cells/mL due to DOCinduced myelosuppression on day 8 of cycle 2 when the patient developed lower abdominal pain again. However, WBC counts increased to 21,680 cells/mL on day 13 of cycle 2. Computed tomography scans revealed an intraperitoneal abscess due to acute appendicitis, and consequently urgent operation was performed. It is necessary to understand that patients with acute appendicitis duringchemotherapy can present less clinical findings.

A case of a perforated obturator hernia with a femoral abscess treated a pectineus muscle flap.

BACKGROUND: An obturator hernia accompanied with a femoral abscess is rare, and leads to severe infection. Repeated draining is often required due to remnant abscess. CASE PRESENTATION: We herein reported a case of a perforated obturator hernia with a femoral abscess that was successfully treated via repair using the pectineus muscle. An 84-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital with appetite loss and right femoral pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a right obturator hernia and abscess spreading to the right thigh. Emergency surgery was performed. Intraoperative findings revealed that the abscess had formed because of a perforation in the small intestine by an incarcerated obturator hernia. We performed partial resection of the small intestine, repaired the hernial orifice, drained the right femoral abscess, and filled the cavity using the pectineus muscle. A residual abscess was not detectable following surgery, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 63. CONCLUSION: Some patients with a perforated obturator hernia and femoral abscess have a residual abscess following surgery that requires redrainage. Nevertheless, we consider it possible to successfully treat a perforated obturator hernia with a femoral abscess via repair using the pectineus muscle.

CT screening for lung cancer: Importance of emphysema for never smokers and smokers.

PURPOSE: To address the prevalence of lung cancer in high and low-risk people according to their smoking history, age, and CT findings of emphysema. METHODS: We reviewed the baseline low-dose CT scans of 62,124 current, former and never smokers, aged 40-90 to determine the prevalence of lung cancer. We performed logistic regression analysis of the prevalence of lung cancer to determine the odds ratio (OR) for emphysema, conditionally on age, female gender, and ethnicity. RESULTS: The prevalence of lung cancer was 1.4% (95% CI: 1.3-1.6) for current smokers, 1.1% (95% CI: 1.0-1.2) for former smokers, and 0.4% (95% CI: 0.3-0.6) for never smokers. Emphysema was identified in 28.5% (6,684), 20.6% (5,422), and 1.6% (194) of current, former, and never smokers, respectively. The prevalence of lung cancer among current smokers was 1.1% for those without emphysema vs. 2.3% for those with emphysema (odds ratio [OR] 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-2.2) and the corresponding difference for former smokers was 0.9% vs. 1.8% (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.2), and for never smokers, it was 0.4% vs. 2.6% (OR: 6.3; 95% CI: 2.4-16.9). CONCLUSIONS: Identification of emphysema in low-dose CT scans increases the risk of lung cancer and is important in determining follow-up of current, former, and never smokers.

Sublobar resection is equivalent to lobectomy for clinical stage 1A lung cancer in solid nodules.

OBJECTIVES: A single randomized trial established lobectomy as the standard of care for the surgical treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Recent advances in imaging/staging modalities and detection of smaller tumors have once again rekindled interest in sublobar resection for early-stage disease. The objective of this study was to compare lung cancer survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with a diameter of 30 mm or less with clinical stage 1 disease who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection. METHODS: We identified 347 patients diagnosed with lung cancer who underwent lobectomy (n = 294) or sublobar resection (n = 53) for non-small cell lung cancer manifesting as a solid nodule in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program from 1993 to 2011. Differences in the distribution of the presurgical covariates between sublobar resection and lobectomy were assessed using unadjusted P values determined by logistic regression analysis. Propensity scoring was performed using the same covariates. Differences in the distribution of the same covariates between sublobar resection and lobectomy were assessed using adjusted P values determined by logistic regression analysis with adjustment for the propensity scores. Lung cancer-specific survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox survival regression analysis was used to compare sublobar resection with lobectomy, adjusted for the propensity scores, surgical, and pathology findings, when adjusted and stratified by propensity quintiles. RESULTS: Among 347 patients, 10-year Kaplan-Meier for 53 patients treated by sublobar resection compared with 294 patients treated by lobectomy was 85% (95% confidence interval, 80-91) versus 86% (confidence interval, 75-96) (P = .86). Cox survival analysis showed no significant difference between sublobar resection and lobectomy when adjusted for propensity scores or when using propensity quintiles (P = .62 and P = .79, respectively). For those with cancers 20 mm or less in diameter, the 10-year rates were 88% (95% confidence interval, 82-93) versus 84% (95% confidence interval, 73-96) (P = .45), and Cox survival analysis showed no significant difference between sublobar resection and lobectomy using either approach (P = .42 and P = .52, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Sublobar resection and lobectomy have equivalent survival for patients with clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer in the context of computed tomography screening for lung cancer.

Small peripheral lung carcinomas with five-year post-surgical follow-up: assessment by semi-automated volumetric measurement of tumour size, CT value and growth rate on TSCT.

OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively assess the utility of semi-automated measurements by stratification of CT values of tumour size, CT value and doubling time (DT) using thin-section computed tomography (CT) images. The post-surgical outcomes of favourable and problematic tumours (more advanced p stage than IA, post-surgical recurrence or mortality from lung cancer) were compared using the measured values. The computed DTs were compared with manually measured values. METHODS: The study subjects comprised 85 patients (aged 33-80 years, 48 women, 37 men), followed-up for more than 5 years postoperatively, with 89 lung lesions, including 17 atypical adenomatous hyperplasias and 72 lung cancers. DTs were determined in 45 lesions. RESULTS: For problematic lesions, whole tumour diameter and density were >18 mm and >-400 HU, respectively. The respective values for the tumour core (with CT values of -350 to 150 HU) were >15 mm and >-70 HU. Analysis of tumour core DTs showed interval tumour progression even if little progress was seen by standard tumour volume DT (TVDT). CONCLUSION: Software-based volumetric measurements by stratification of CT values provide valuable information on tumour core and help estimate tumour aggressiveness and interval tumour progression better than standard manually measured 2D-VDTs.

Pulmonary nodules: Preliminary experience with semiautomated volumetric evaluation by CT stratum.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of custom-made software designed to quantify volume and weight of focal portions of lung tumors in regions of interest (ROI) and volume of interest on thin-section computed tomography (CT) images by stratum of CT values. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Volume and weight of lung portions were measured three-dimensionally and semiautomatically by CT stratum and compared with standard manual measurements. One each of a partly solid tumor (including initial and follow-up high-resolution CT scans), partly solid tumor with most parts showing solid density, and nonsolid tumors in the mid-zone of the lung were analyzed. The doubling time (DT) of tumor volume and mass were calculated by stratum of CT values. RESULTS: The software-measured tumor weight in lung periphery was reproducible, with and without trimming of intervening lung structures between borders of ROIs and tumor. For the lesion in the midlung zone, the fairly thick nearby pulmonary vessels degraded the measurements, with a higher measurement error, indicating the need to trim these structures off the ROI. Software measurements allowed quantification of tumor progress based on increase in tumor mass, without significant increase in tumor volume. The DTs for both tumor volume and mass were different among the four strata of CT values in the partly solid nodule. CONCLUSION: Our semiautomated volumetric method involving measurement by CT stratum is promising for evaluation of lung tumor progress and aggressiveness.

HRCT features of small peripheral lung carcinomas detected in a low-dose CT screening program.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To define high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features of lung cancers detected by computed tomography (CT) screening according to histopathology and prognosis. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Tumor size, CT value, morphology, and tumor volume doubling time (TVDT) were determined for 10 atypical adenomatous hyperplasias (AAH) and 50 lung cancers followed between 1996 and 1998 to 2007. RESULTS: For the 10 AAHs, the density less than -500 HU in all lesions (mean, -654 HU) and the size was up to 14 mm (mean, 9 mm); all patients remain alive. Focal bronchioloalveolar cell carcinomas (BAC) were denser (mean, -537 HU) than AAH and mostly less dense than -350 HU; all patients remain alive. All 22 adenocarcinomas (ADC) were denser than -450 HU (mean, -186 HU); 6 were problematic and measured >-150HU and >10 mm or had >10 mm of central denser zone (CDZ) (partly solid tumors) or tumor size (solid tumor). Two of four squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) measuring 15 and 10 mm, respectively, were problematic. Two patients with small-cell lung carcinomas (SCLC) measuring 15 and 23 mm, respectively, remain alive. AAH, BAC, ADC, and SCC lesions were in general polygonal in shape. SCLC lesions appeared as round nodules with excrescence. The mean TVDT for AAH, BAC, ADC, SCC, and SCLC was 1278, 557, 466, 212, and 103 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: The CT features reflected tumor aggressiveness. Non-SCLC lesions of >-150HU and >10 mm (or >-100HU and >10 mm for the solid portion of the tumor) are associated with unfavorable prognosis. Timely interventions should be undertaken before problematic increase in number of cases.

Radiological diagnosis of small pulmonary nodules detected on low-dose screening computed tomography.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Early detection and treatment of small malignant pulmonary lesions can improve survival; however, screening by CT detects many false positives. This study retrospectively evaluated a protocol for the diagnostic work-up of nodules detected by low-dose CT (LDCT) that are < or = 10 mm in diameter. METHODS: A health screening programme included LDCT. Lesions detected were allocated to one of four categories: negative, semi-negative, positive and semi-positive. Positive and semi-positive categories included non-calcified nodules without a polygonal shape, and these patients had an initial diagnostic HRCT and were then followed up using high-resolution CT (HRCT) at intervals determined by the characteristics of the lesion on screening LDCT and the initial diagnostic HRCT. RESULTS: There were 275 nodules detected on screening LDCT; 84 patients had lesions classified as positive and 99 as semi-positive. Thirteen nodules detected on screening LDCT were only determined to be polygonal and benign following the diagnostic HRCT. The sensitivity and specificity of the screening CT, when compared with diagnostic HRCT, for determining if nodules should be classified as positive were 100% and 97%. The sensitivity and specificity of the initial diagnostic HRCT for being able to predict lung cancer were 87.5% and 91.7% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Following the detection of a pulmonary lesion on screening LDCT, a diagnostic HRCT is necessary to determine the timing of follow-up HRCT. Diagnostic HRCT is needed to rationalize the screening for lung cancer to reduce the frequency of unnecessary follow-up scans.

Presence of local pleural adhesion in CT screening-detected small nodule in the lung periphery suggests noncancerous, inflammatory nature of the lesion.

PURPOSE: Differential diagnosis of small nodules in the lung periphery detected by low-dose chest CT screening is important before surgery. The aim of the study was to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions, identified in our preoperative imaging work-up examinations and confirmed during surgery, for nodules detected on CT screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is based on 106 patients (46 men and 60 women, median age: 61.5 years) with 123 CT screening-detected and histologically confirmed nodules smaller than 30 mm in the lung periphery identified between 2002 and 2005 at Azumi General Hospital, Japan. Lesions were classified into three groups according to histological findings: adenocarcinoma, atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) and inflammatory focal lesions. We examined the visceral pleura during surgery at a location close to lung nodules. RESULTS: The median diameter of resected lung nodules on high-resolution CT (HRCT) was 9.0 mm. Nodules were nonsolid in 42, partly solid in 51 and solid in 30. Histopathological diagnosis was lung cancer in 69, AAH in 21, other noninflammatory tumours in 6 and inflammatory lesions in 27. Fifty-four lesions were located in the subpleural zone. Eight of 123 nodules showed local pleural adhesions (LPA), while 2 were buried in extensive pleural adhesion. LPA was noted more frequently in inflammatory nodules than in cancer nodules (P<.01). CONCLUSION: The presence of LPA in close proximity to a small nodule is indicative of noncancerous lesion. This feature allows the discrimination of pulmonary peripheral inflammatory lesion from peripheral small cancer on chest low-dose CT screening.

[An octogenarian case of postoperative recurrent lung cancer responding to treatments with radiation plus gefitinib].

An 82-year-old woman, a never smoker, had a radical operation for CT screening revealed lung cancer in an other hospital in 1997. She was admitted to our hospital complaining of dry cough and dyspnea on effort in March 2004. She was diagnosed to have a local recurrence of lung cancer 6 years after the operation. After she underwent radiotherapy of the mediastinum (total 60 Gy) and daily administration of gefitinib for two weeks, the administration of gefitinib was continued every other day in the outpatient clinic. During follow-up, CYFRA gradually increased to 3.8 ng/mL, but then decreased to the normal range. The tumor response rate of metastasized lymph nodes of bronchial bifurcation reached 36%, and it was confirmed to be a partial response. Without harmful phenomena except skin eruptions, her quality of life was good with a performance status (PS) 0 at 85 years 4 months of age, 9 years 2 months after the resection, with 2 years 5 months of gefitinib administration. It will be useful as a treatment option for octogenarians having postoperative recurrent lung cancers with every other day administration of gefitinib.

Long-term follow-up study of a population-based 1996-1998 mass screening programme for lung cancer using mobile low-dose spiral computed tomography.

Early diagnosis and treatment are important for improvement of the low survival rate of patients with lung cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival rate of patients identified to have lung cancer by our population-based baseline and annual repeat low-radiation dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) screenings, conducted in 1996-1998. A total of 13,037 CT scans were obtained from 5480 subjects (2969 men, 2511 women) aged 40-74 years at the initial CT screening. Lung cancer was detected in 63 subjects (57 were detected by CT scans and underwent surgery; 1 was detected by sputum cytology and underwent surgery; 3 rejected treatment; and 2 were interval cases that developed symptoms prior to the next annual repeat CT screening). Follow-up study included review of medical records. Death certificates were examined to check for any deceased interval case among participants. Postoperative follow-up of the 50 survived patients ranged from 70 to 117 (median, 101) months. Eight patients died during follow-up (6 due to lung cancer from 20 to 67 months after surgery and 2 deaths unrelated to lung cancer, each 7 and 60 months following surgery). Three patients who rejected treatment died 14 months to 6 years after positive screening CT scans, and the 2 interval cases died at each 17 and 30 months, respectively, following negative screening CT scans. Survival was analysed in 59 patients with lung cancer detected by low-dose CT screening (excluding two patients; one was detected by sputum cytology and the other had mass lesion already noted on the chest radiograph of the previous year). The 10-year survival calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method was 83.1% (95% CI: 0.735-0.927) for death from all causes and 86.2% (95% CI: 0.773-0.951) for death from lung cancer. The survival rate was excellent for never-smokers, patients with BAC and adenocarcinoma/mixed types with non-solid CT density pattern, associated with Noguchi's type A or B and pathologic stage IA. A poorer prognosis was noted in smokers with adenocarcinomas/mixed types, associated with part-solid or solid CT density pattern and Noguchi's type C or D. All patients with non-solid tumours measuring 6-13.5mm at presentation are alive, patients with part-solid tumours, measuring 17mm or more, or solid tumours, measuring 13mm or more at presentation were associated with increased risk of lung cancer-related morbidity or mortality. The estimated rate of possible over-diagnosis was 13% in total and we failed to cure 17% of patients encountered in the programme. Low-dose CT screening substantially improves the 10-year survival for lung cancer with minimal use of invasive treatment procedures.

CT findings of early-stage small cell lung cancer in a low-dose CT screening programme.

The survival of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is related to T, N, M components, and early diagnosis and treatment of limited stage SCLC may improve survival. The objective of this study was to review the initial and annual repeat screening computed tomography (CT) images of all five patients with SCLC, encountered in our 1996-1998 population-based screening for lung cancer, to clarify any subtle, characteristic CT findings of early-stage small cell lung cancer. The medical records of the patients were reviewed to examine demographic and clinical features. We identified characteristic CT features of SCLC in the lung periphery, which were related to gross pathologic findings with longitudinal spread along the bronchial wall: a small spindle-shaped or pyramidal lesion was found as a subtle CT finding of SCLC, and irregularly shaped nodular lesions (vermiform, pine-cone-like or tandem-like nodular lesions) appeared at a more advanced stage. Tumour volume doubling time of the cases ranged from 38 days to 217 days. All five patients were male smokers: four patients underwent surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy; three of them remain alive, while the remaining patient, an interval case, died of lung cancer. One patient refused treatment and died of a cause other than lung cancer. Annual repeat CT screening was useful for detecting SCLC cases mostly at a curable stage, and information about CT features, presented here, should help physicians identify SCLC at an earlier-stage and lead to a more successful treatment of the disease.