Spiritual Well-Being and Correlated Factors in Subjects With Advanced COPD or Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Spiritual care for patients with COPD has rarely been discussed, and thus much remains unknown about their needs. The aims of this study were to identify the factors associated with spiritual well-being and to compare the levels of spiritual well-being between subjects with advanced COPD and those with inoperable lung cancer. METHODS: A total of 96 subjects with COPD or lung cancer participated in this study, which was conducted between December 2014 and April 2016. Measures included the Japanese version of the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp-12) scale, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL), the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, and various other medico-social factors. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between subjects with COPD and those with lung cancer in median FACIT-Sp-12 scores (COPD, 27; lung cancer, 26; P = .81). However, significant differences were found in the 2 MQOL domains, suggesting that subjects with COPD had a better psychological state (P = .01) and that subjects with lung cancer had a better support state (P = .002). Multiple regression analysis revealed that mMRC was significantly associated with FACIT-Sp-12 scores in subjects with COPD. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that subjects with advanced COPD experience spiritual well-being similar to that of subjects with inoperable lung cancer.

A phase II study of nab-paclitaxel plus carboplatin in combination with thoracic radiation in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

We investigated the efficacy and safety of albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) and carboplatin (CBDCA) with concurrent radiotherapy for unresectable locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with Stage III NSCLC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 were eligible. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy consisted of weekly administration of nab-PTX (40 mg/m(2)) plus CBDCA (area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) 2) and thoracic radiotherapy (60 Gy/30 fractions) for a total of 6 weeks. After concurrent chemoradiotherapy, patients received an additional two cycles of consolidation phase chemotherapy that consisted of 4-week cycles of nab-PTX (100 mg/m(2) on Days 1, 8 and 15)/CBDCA (AUC 5 mg/ml/min on Day 1). Response was evaluated in accordance with the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Progression-free survival and overall survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Toxicity was graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. A total of 10 patients were enrolled in this trial between September 2013 and January 2014 from three institutes. The overall response rate was 40.0% and the median progression-free survival was 6.7 months. Treatment-related death occurred in two patients. Grade 2 or worse severe radiation pneumonitis was observed in all three patients that had the volume of lung receiving at least 20 Gy (V20) >30%. The results of this study indicate that no further investigation is warranted into nab-PTX and CBDCA with concurrent thoracic radiation for Stage III NSCLC with V20 > 30% due to severe toxicity.

Feasibility of Rebiopsy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

OBJECTIVE: Analyses of tumor biopsy samples from non-small cell lung cancer patients with acquired epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance are expected to reveal the molecular mechanisms of resistance. However, due to limited tissue availability, performing such analyses can be challenging. We herein investigated the feasibility of tumor rebiopsy in this patient population. METHODS: From April 2004 to March 2013, 53 consecutive patients were treated with EGFR-TKIs at our department. A retrospective medical chart review was conducted among patients with progressive disease (PD) according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria, as assessed radiographically. Sites of progression were evaluated at the time of PD. RESULTS: Forty patients experienced PD at the following sites: isolated central nervous system (CNS) in 10 patients; isolated bone in five patients; isolated lymph nodes in two patients; the primary lesion in 10 patients; and systemic disease in 11 patients. Concerning the site of progression, 20 of the 40 patients had a lesion that could be accessed using endobronchial, transbronchial or percutaneous biopsy procedures. Among the 19 patients with oligoprogressive disease or CNS failure, the median overall survival was 24.1 months in eight patients who had received continuing treatment with EGFR-TKIs following radiotherapy and 16.8 months in 11 patients who received other therapies after PD. CONCLUSION: In this study, few patients had a site of progression capable of being accessed using relatively noninvasive biopsy procedures. Further investigations are warranted to develop more optimal treatment strategies after PD in patients with oligoprogressive disease or CNS failure.

[Improvement in quality of life by endobronchial electrocautery using snare in a patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

Endobronchial electrocautery using a polypectomy snare may serve as a useful tool for treating patients with airway obstructing polypoid tumors. An 84-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of an abnormal shadow observed on chest radiography. He was diagnosed with advanced squamous cell carcinoma, located in the right lower lobe of the lung along with metastatic lesions and obstructive pneumonia. He declined systemic chemotherapy because of his age. Endobronchial electrocautery using a polypectomy snare was performed to treat the obstructive pneumonia. The patient's quality of life improved after polypectomy. This was due to an improvement in malaise and a spontaneous decrease in the size of the hepatic metastasis tumor.

[Late adverse events after concurrent chemoradiation therapy in long-term survivors with non-small cell lung cancer].

Long-term survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer( NSCLC) can be achieved more frequently with combined modality therapy. However, an increased risk of late treatment-related toxicities has been reported for this treatment strategy. We retrospectively evaluated NSCLC patients treated with chemoradiation therapy from January 1988 to January 2007. Patients who had survived for more than 5 years after treatment were included in an analysis of late adverse events (excluding radiation pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis). A total of 188 NSCLC patients treated with chemoradiation therapy were evaluated, with 25 patients having survived for more than 5 years. Of these patients, 4 had stage I disease, 4 had stage IIB disease, 1 had stage IIIA disease, 14 had stage IIIB disease, 1 had stage IV disease, and 1 had disease of unknown stage. The following grade 3 late adverse events were noted: skin ulceration( n=1), skin induration( n=1), brachial plexopathy( n=1), malignant neoplasm( n=1). Adequate management of late adverse events due to chemoradiation therapy is needed for long-term NSCLC survivors.

[Review of chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer].

Chemoradiotherapy is recommended for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC). However, the overall median survival time remains poor(<20 months). We evaluated the outcome and complications of chemoradiotherapy, followed by surgical resection, in locally advanced NSCLC. Eight patients(7 men and 1 woman; median age, 59.5 years (range, 47-68 years) who underwent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection for locally advanced NSCLC from 2002 to 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. In all cases, chemotherapy consisted of platinum-based combination therapy. Postoperatively, bronchopleural fistula occurred in 1 patient and Horner syndrome was observed in 1 patient. No treatment -related deaths were observed. The median of progression-free survival was 34.2 months. In conclusion, chemoradiotherapy should be the standard of care for locally advanced NSCLC. Trimodality therapy is still experimental but seems to be promising for certain subgroups of patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

[Stereotactic radiotherapy following chemo-radiotherapy for lymph node metastasis of stage III non-small-cell lung cancer].

It has been expected that stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) is one of the useful treatments for non-resectable early lung cancer. In the case radiotherapy was thought to be difficult due to the wideness of irradiation area, it is probable to undergo chemo-radiotherapy safely using SRT for a primary lesion. We report two cases of Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer, which underwent SRT for primary tumors following chemo-radiotherapy for the lymph node metastasis. In both two cases, a reduction of V20 (the normal pulmonary volume to receive radiation exposure: more than 20 Gy) was a possibility, and symptomatic radiation pneumonitis was not observed.

[The efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiotherapy for non-resectable non-small cell lung cancer].

Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) has recently been used for the treatment of small lung tumors. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of SRT for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated in our hospital. Between October 2007 and December 2009, 31 tumors of 29 patients were treated by SRT (mean age, 75 years: stage IA, n=13; stage IB, n=5; stage IIIA, n=1; stage IIIB, n=1; recurrence, n=11). All of the patients completed the treatment. In one patient who had radiation pneumonitis before SRT, a progression of pulmonary fibrosis was observed, and treated with steroid therapy. In evaluable 29 tumors of 27 patients, the recurrence rates are 11/29 (37.9%). Median progression free survival time was 8 months. The recurrence rate and median progression free survival time of stage IA and IB subgroups were 4/17 (23.5%) and 12 months, respectively. SRT is thought to be a safe and effective treatment for stage I NSCLC. For patients with stage I NSCLC, SRT can be a complemental therapy for surgical resection.

The efficacy of prophylactic Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to for myalgia and arthralgia following carboplatin and paclitaxel combination chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the efficacy of Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to, a Japanese herbal medicine, for prophylaxis against paclitaxel-induced myalgia and arthralgia, a comparative study was conducted with 50 patients treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were alternatively assigned to receive either the intervention group (with Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to) or the control group (without Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to). We assessed the grade and the duration of myalgia and arthralgia. RESULTS: The grades of myalgia and arthralgia in the control group were significantly higher than the grades determined in the intervention group (p = 0.018). The mean duration of myalgia and arthralgia was 2.78 +/- 2.09 days for the intervention group and 5.08 +/- 2.89 days for the control group. The duration was significantly shorter in the intervention group than in the control group (p = 0.002). DISCUSSION: This study shows that prophylactic administration of Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to was effective against paclitaxel-induced myalgia and arthralgia.

[Bronchofiberscopic treatment for malignant tracheobronchial tumor].

We evaluated bronchofiberscopic treatment for 38 cases with malignant tracheobronchial tumor. We performed bronchofiberscopic ethanol injection therapy in 13 cases, endoscopic diode laser treatment in 19 cases and airway stent insertion in 9 cases. Each treatment was comparatively easy and improved symptoms such as dyspnea effectively.