Brief Report: Clinical Outcomes by Infusion Timing of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With Locally Advanced NSCLC.

Introduction: Previous studies reported an association between immune checkpoint inhibitor infusion timing and the treatment effect in metastatic NSCLC. The present study assessed the association between durvalumab infusion timing and survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced NSCLC. Methods: Patients receiving durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced NSCLC at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed, and the association of the proportion of durvalumab infusions greater than or equal to 20% versus less than 20% after 3 PM with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival was assessed. Results: A total of 82 patients were included, with a median age of 69 years (interquartile range, 62-74 years); of these, 67 patients (82%) were of male sex, and 78 patients (95%) had a history of smoking. The median number of durvalumab infusions per patient was 16 (interquartile range, 8-24). Patients with at least 20% of their durvalumab infusions after 3 PM (n = 12/82, 15%) had a significantly shorter PFS than those who did not (median: 7.4 mo versus not available [NA]; hazard ratio [HR], 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-5.34, p = 0.027), whereas overall survival was shorter among the former compared with the latter group (median: 22.4 versus NA; HR, 1.80; 95% CI: 0.73-4.42, p = 0.20). In addition, both backward stepwise multivariable analysis and propensity score-matching analysis revealed that receiving at least 20% of durvalumab infusions after 3 PM was significantly associated with worse PFS (HR, 2.54; 95% CI: 1.03-5.67, p = 0.047; and HR, 4.64; 95% CI: 1.95-11.04; p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The time of day of durvalumab infusions may impact survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

Multi-institutional study of osimertinib dose-optimization in non-small cell lung cancer patients with EGFR activating mutation aged 70 years or older ('MONEY' trial).

Osimertinib is the standard of care for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-activating mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. Dose-toxicity has been previously reported, but no dose-response data within the range of 20-240 mg daily (mg/d). Thus, the current 80 mg/d dosing might be too high for elderly Japanese patients with an average body weight of only 50 kg, resulting in excessive toxicity and cost. We therefore initiated a study to investigate whether osimertinib at 40 mg/d is non-inferior to 80 mg/d in patients with advanced or recurrent epidermal growth factor receptor-activating mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer aged ≥70 years, using a regression discontinuity design. Osimertinib is administered at 40 mg/d for body weight ≤50 kg, and 80 mg/d for body weight >50 kg. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival. Sample size is 550 patients, based on a non-inferiority margin of the progression-free survival hazard ratio 1.333, 0.10 one-sided type I error and 80% power.

Real-world Prognostic Data on Unresectable Stage III Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy by Histological Type.

Objective The current standard treatment for locally advanced, unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) and durvalumab administration. Although reports have indicated that the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma is poorer than that of adenocarcinoma, real-world data are currently inadequate. Methods The present study analyzed patients with stage III NSCLC who received CCRT at the study center between April 2018 and February 2022. These patients were retrospectively classified into adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma groups for an analysis of the progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and patient background factors, including the age, performance status, smoking history, and pre-CCRT laboratory data. Results A total of 109 patients were included for the analysis; 25 were excluded, and 44 and 40 patients were classified into the adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma groups, respectively. The median PFS was significantly longer in the adenocarcinoma group than in the squamous cell carcinoma group [27.9 (95% confidence interval {CI}: 15.2-not achieved) vs. 9.63 (95% CI: 5.88-13.9) months; p<0.01]. Similarly, the median OS was significantly longer in the adenocarcinoma group than in the squamous cell carcinoma group [not achieved (95% CI: 48.1-not achieved) vs. 23.8 (95% CI; 14.6-not achieved) months; p<0.01]. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, the histological type was the only prognostic factor for the PFS (p<0.05) and OS (p<0.05). Conclusion The median PFS and OS were poorer in patients with squamous cell carcinoma than in those with stage III NSCLC treated with CCRT and durvalumab. The histological type was an independent factor affecting the PFS and OS.

Prospective Observational Study of Ramucirumab Plus Docetaxel After Combined Chemoimmunotherapy in Patients With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: A history of pre-administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors has been reported to be associated with good outcomes of ramucirumab (RAM) plus docetaxel (DOC) combination therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, existing knowledge on the clinical significance of RAM and DOC following combined chemoimmunotherapy is limited. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of RAM plus DOC therapy after combined chemoimmunotherapy and attempted to identify the predictors of its outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter, prospective study investigated the efficacy and safety of RAM plus DOC after combined chemoimmunotherapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints were the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and incidence of adverse events. An exploratory analysis measured serum cytokine levels at the start of treatment. RESULTS: Overall, 44 patients were enrolled from 10 Japanese institutions between April 2020 and June 2022. The median PFS and OS were 6.3 and 22.6 months, respectively. Furthermore, the ORR and DCR were 36.4% and 72.7%, respectively. The high vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) group had a significantly shorter PFS and OS. A combination of high VEGF-A and low VEGF-D levels was associated with a longer PFS. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that RAM plus DOC after combined chemoimmunotherapy might be an effective and relatively feasible second-line treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC in a real-world setting.

Successful Treatment of ALK-Positive Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung With Sequential ALK Inhibitors: A Case Report.

ALK-positive large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is an exceptionally rare form of lung cancer. The efficacy of ALK inhibitors in treating ALK-positive LCNEC remains unclear. Here, we report a case of ALK-positive LCNEC of the lung, which revealed a sustained clinical benefit (24+ mo of overall survival) after treatment with sequential ALK inhibitors and local therapies. This remarkable improvement in survival underscores the importance of testing metastatic LCNEC for biomarkers, such as ALK rearrangement, using immunohistochemistry or next-generation sequencing, especially in younger patients.

Pharmacokinetic and dose-finding study of osimertinib in patients with impaired renal function and low body weight.

The safety of osimertinib is limited in patients with severe or moderate renal impairment, or low body weight. This study aimed to investigate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and recommended dose (RD) of osimertinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with impaired renal function and low body weight. Thirty-one eligible patients were enrolled and allocated into four cohorts: A, normal renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥ 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 ) and normal body weight (≥45 kg); B, moderate renal impairment (eGFR = 30-50 mL/min/1.73 m2 ); C, low body weight (<45 kg); and D, severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 or undergoing dialysis). PK parameters and safety were evaluated with a starting dose of 80 mg osimertinib administered orally once daily in cohorts A, B, and C and 40 mg once daily in cohort D. The PK parameters in cohorts A, B, and C were found to be similar. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed, and the RD was determined to be 80 mg once daily in patients with moderate renal function and low body weight. Four serious adverse events, acneiform rash, diarrhea, QTc prolongation, and interstitial lung disease, were noted. Although the PK parameters of osimertinib were similar across all cohorts, toxicity occurred more frequently in patients with impaired renal function and low body weight. Clinicians should prescribe osimertinib with caution in NSCLC patients with impaired renal function and low body weight.

Efficacy of first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced NSCLC with KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, and HER2 alterations.

BACKGROUND: In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring driver alterations, the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remains uncertain. Our study aimed to examine the first-line ICI efficacy in patients with NSCLC harboring KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, and HER2 alterations in a real-world setting. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective cohort study included patients with advanced NSCLC harboring KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, HER2 alterations or driver-negative, and were treated with first-line ICI therapy. Best overall response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients with NSCLC were included (median age, 72 years): 67% were men, 15% were never-smokers, and 83% had adenocarcinoma. The driver alterations involved KRAS (n = 21), MET (n = 6), FGFR (n = 3), RET (n = 2), BRAF (n = 2), HER2 (n = 1), and driver-negative (n = 43). The partial responses for KRAS, MET, FGFR, RET, BRAF, HER2, and driver-negative were 57%, 50%, 100%, 50%, 100%, 0%, and 47%, respectively. The median PFS (months) was 16.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3- not reached [NR]) for KRAS, 2.8 (95% CI: 2.7-NR) for MET, 11.7 (95% CI: 5.9-NR) for other alterations (FGFR, RET, BRAF, and HER2), and 10.0 (95% CI: 3.7-14.3) for driver-negative, respectively. The median OS (months) was 31.3 (95% CI: 9.0-NR) for KRAS, not reached for MET, 23.5 (95% CI: 18.3-NR) for other alterations, and 21.1 (95% CI: 15.2-NR) for driver-negative, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of the first-line ICI was similar in advanced NSCLC regardless of the driver alterations, except for MET alterations.

Association between the baseline tumor size and outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy.

Background: The baseline tumor size (BTS) is a prognostic factor for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy (ICI-mono). However, this relationship is not yet known in patients treated with ICI in combination with chemotherapy (ICI-chemo). Methods: This single-center retrospective study evaluated 159 patients with advanced NSCLC who received first-line ICI-mono or ICI-chemo from January 2016 to April 2021. Their BTS values were estimated using the maximum BTS (max BTS) (maximum target lesions' longest diameter) and total BTS (sum of target lesions' longest diameters) in a radiological assessment according to the Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors. Results: Based on a multivariable analysis, the large max BTS group had worse progression-free survival (PFS) in patients treated with ICI-mono (P=0.009), but it was not associated with worse PFS in patients treated with ICI-chemo (P=0.132). The group treated with ICI-mono had worse PFS compared to the group treated with ICI-chemo in patients with max BTS ≥50 mm (P=0.004), and the group treated with ICI-mono was not associated with worse PFS compared to the group treated with ICI-chemo in patients with max BTS <50 mm (P=0.107). Conclusions: While a large max BTS was identified as a prognostic factor for worse PFS in patients treated with ICI-mono, it was not identified as such in patients treated with ICI-chemo. The max BTS may have different predicting efficacy for patients with NSCLC treated with ICI-mono and ICI-chemo.

Efficacy and safety of first-line osimertinib treatment and postprogression patterns of care in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor activating mutation-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (Reiwa study): study protocol of a multicentre, real-world observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Osimertinib, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is widely used as the first-line treatment for EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, most cases ultimately acquire resistance to osimertinib, and no effective treatment has been currently established for cases having progressive disease (PD) with osimertinib. In clinical practice, EGFR-TKI therapy could be continued beyond response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST)-defined PD cases when they are clinically stable. Currently, the progression pattern of osimertinib and criteria for identifying patients who might benefit from osimertinib beyond PD are unknown. In addition, the efficacy and safety of osimertinib as the first-line treatment in real-world clinical practice remain unclear in Japan. This multicentre study was designed to evaluate the real-world data on first-line osimertinib and its post-treatment. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study enrols patients with EGFR mutation-positive, advanced or recurrent NSCLC who received EGFR-TKI as the first-line therapy after 1 September 2018, from October 2019 to August 2020, and those started on osimertinib will be followed up until August 2022. We will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the first-line osimertinib treatment, adherence to it, progression patterns on RECIST PD and subsequent treatment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: All participating patients will provide written informed consent before entering the study. The protocol, amendments and patients' informed consent forms will be approved before study commencement by the institutional review board or independent ethics committee at each participation site (Lead Ethics Committee; Japan Red Cross Medical Center (26 April 2019, order number 976)). Patients will be anonymised before registration into the study and their anonymised data will be collected from the case report form. The results of this study will be presented at the national and international conferences and submitted for publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000038683.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenomic analysis of low-dose afatinib treatment in elderly patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: An increasing number of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases are being reported in the ageing population. However, studies on the use of afatinib in elderly patients are scarce. We conducted a prospective multicentre, single-arm, and open-label phase II trial for low-dose afatinib (30 mg/day) use in elderly patients with NSCLC with EGFR mutation to assess quality-of-life (QOL) and pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacogenomic (PGx) parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The primary end-point was the objective response rate (ORR), and the planned number of registered cases was 35, with a threshold ORR of 50%, an expected ORR of 75%, α of 0.05, and ß of 0.1. Secondary end-points were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), the incidence rate of adverse events (AEs), QOL survey (FACT-L), and trough plasma concentration of afatinib at steady state (Css) and at the occurrence of clinically significant AEs. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 79 years. The ORR was 80.0% and the disease control rate was 91.4%. The median PFS and OS were 15.6 and 29.5 months, respectively. Four patients discontinued because of AEs. Treatment-related death was not observed. No significant change in QOL was observed at baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Css was comparable with those in previous reports and was significantly higher in patients with grade 3 AEs. Direct correlations between afatinib treatment and PGx profiles were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: An afatinib starting dose of 30 mg/day could be an effective and safe treatment option for elderly patients.

Premature phase II study of amrubicin as palliative chemotherapy for previously treated malignant pleural mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) are limited. Anthracyclines are considered key drugs for treating MPM. However, their use is limited by severe cardiac toxicities. Amrubicin (AMR) is a next-generation anthracycline that is commonly used to treat lung cancer. Here, we conducted a phase II trial of this drug in patients with previously treated MPM. METHODS: Eligible patients with MPM having adequate organ function and a performance status of 0-2 were enrolled after disease progression following pemetrexed/platinum therapy. Patients received 35 mg/m2 AMR on days 1-3 every three weeks until tumor progression or the appearance of unacceptable toxicities. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate. Median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), number of treatment cycles, and adverse events were evaluated as secondary endpoints. RESULTS: This trial was discontinued because of low accrual. From September 2013 to July 2018, five patients with MPM were enrolled. Stable disease (SD) was observed in three patients (60%), and progressive disease was noted in two patients (40%). The median PFS was 2.4 (range, 1.2-11.2) months, and the median OS was 9.1 (range, 6.2-22.0) months. The median number of treatment cycles was three (range, 2-11). Grade 1/2 toxicities were observed in all patients. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was observed in four patients (80%), but there were no cases of febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the absence of the responders, the observation of SD in three patients suggests that AMR could have potential for treating MPM.

A case series on the safety of immunotherapy with reduced blood testing frequency in lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The necessity of regular blood tests with the administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors has not been investigated. This study examined the safety of omitting a blood test every 2 weeks for patients with lung cancer who were injected an immune checkpoint inhibitor. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 201 patients diagnosed with lung cancer and administered with nivolumab or durvalumab between December 1, 2015, and February 30, 2020, in a single hospital. We extracted 16 patients who had treatments without blood testing every 2 weeks. RESULTS: Adverse events that resulted in discontinued treatment included two cases of interstitial pneumonia, one case of creatinine increase, and one infection. All four cases were detected by chest X-ray or their symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that immune checkpoint inhibitor administration without a blood test every 2 weeks did not subject patients to more adverse side effects.

Impact of clinical features on the efficacy of osimertinib therapy in patients with T790M-positive non-small cell lung cancer and acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Osimertinib exhibits good efficacy in patients with T790M-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Compared with the clinical trials, in real-world clinical practice, osimertinib must be administered to older patients and those with poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS). Therefore, we investigated the association between osimertinib efficacy/safety and PS score, age, and other clinical features in patients with T790M-positive NSCLC. METHODS: We reviewed all patients with T790M-positive NSCLC and acquired resistance to initial EGFR-TKIs who were administered osimertinib between March 2016 and January 2018 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center in Komagome Hospital, Japan. RESULTS: In total, 31 patients, including 8 young (<65 years) and 23 elderly (≥65 years) patients, were included in the study. Of these, 10 (32.3%) patients had poor PS scores. The progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly shorter in young patients was than elderly patients [3.5 vs. 6.4 months, P=0.041; hazard ratio (HR), 2.41]. The overall survival (OS) of the young patients tended to be shorter than that of the elderly patients (5.3 vs. 19.4 months, P=0.067; HR, 2.58). The PFS (9.1 vs. 5.5 months; P=0.071; HR, 0.38) and the OS (not reached vs. 6.6 months, P=0.061; HR, 0.39) were shorter in patients with poor ECOG-PS than those with good ECOG-PS. The toxic effects of osimertinib were manageable. By multivariate analysis, both age and ECOG-PS were independent predictors of osimertinib efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Poor ECOG-PS and younger age were associated with lower efficacy of osimertinib in T790M-positive NSCLC.

A single-arm phase II trial of weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) monotherapy after standard of chemotherapy for previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the clinical efficacy of third- and later-line of chemotherapy after standard chemotherapy for previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We prospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) following standard chemotherapies for previously treated advanced NSCLC. METHODS: The eligible patients having adequate organ functions with performance status 0-2 were enrolled after completing standard chemotherapy. They received weekly nab-paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 every 3 weeks. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR). Median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated as secondary end points. RESULTS: This trial was discontinued because of late accrual. Twenty two patients were enrolled from April 2013 and February 2019. The total ORR was 22.7% [95% CI 7.8-45.4] and disease control rate (DCR) was 81.8% [95% CI 59.7-94.8]. Median PFS was 3.4 months [95% CI 2.3-4.1] and median OS was 7.4 months [95% CI 4.2-10.7]. Median follow-up interval was 6.7 months hematological AEs of Grade 3/4 included anemia (18%), leukopenia (18%), and neutropenia (32%), while the most frequent nonhematological AEs were fatigue (50%) and peripheral neuropathy (36.4%). Severe AEs related to treatment were observed in only one patient. CONCLUSION: Nab-paclitaxel may be a safe and effective later-line chemotherapeutic option for previously treated advanced NSCLC after standard of chemotherapies based on other trials.

Management of cardiac tamponade during nivolumab of lung cancer with intrapericardial bleomycin: case report.

Immuno-checkpoint inhibitor response and immune-related adverse events remain controversial issues. Managing pericardial effusion during programmed cell death 1 inhibitor treatment is challenging. Here, we report a case of successfully managed cardiac tamponade caused by nivolumab-induced pseudoprogression. A 62-year-old male diagnosed with advanced lung adenocarcinoma started on nivolumab. Seven days later, he experienced cardiac tamponade and required pericardiocentesis, and other lesions were larger on computed tomography. The patient's condition stabilized after pericardiocentesis. However, although the lesions other than pericardial effusion were reduced on chest CT, cardiac tamponade recurred after 6 weeks. We considered that the case involved cardiac tamponade induced by pseudoprogression and administered intrapericardial bleomycin after pericardiocentesis. Thereafter, the patient was administered nivolumab for 7 months until disease progression.

Survival analysis and pathological features of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with miliary pulmonary metastases in patients harboring epidermal growth factor receptor mutations.

PURPOSE: Metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), indicating hematogenous dissemination, is more frequent in patients harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, who respond dramatically to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). METHODS: Based on the proposed association of miliary pulmonary metastasis and EGFR mutations in the previous studies, we conducted a retrospective study to assess survival of NSCLC with miliary pulmonary metastases in 223 patients harboring EGFR mutations who were treated with single agent EGFR-TKIs. RESULTS: Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with single agent EGFR-TKIs were 11.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.6-13.7] and 23.7 months (95% CI 20.3-26.9), respectively. Patients with and without miliary pulmonary metastases were matched using propensity scores (n = 29 per group) based on clinical characteristics. After matching, the PFS were 8.2 months (95% CI 5.2-15.0) and 14.3 months (95% CI 9.6-30.0) (p = 0.02) in patients with and without miliary pulmonary metastases, respectively. Conversely, the OS were 15.3 months (95% CI 10.6-19.4) and 27.9 months (95% CI 22.0-33.0) (p = 0.003) in patients with and without miliary pulmonary metastases, respectively. By multivariate analysis, miliary pulmonary metastasis was associated with poor prognosis (p = 0.0035). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations with miliary pulmonary metastasis demonstrated significantly worse outcomes compared to those without miliary pulmonary metastasis.

Association Between Clinicopathological Features and Programmed Death Ligand 1 Expression in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is a predictive marker for immunotherapy effects in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its association with patient characteristics or specimens is controversial. We aimed to retrospectively analyze the association of PD-L1 expression with clinicopathological features of NSCLC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PD-L1 expression and clinicopathological features of NSCLC patients were assessed from January 2017 to June 2017 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Centre, Komagome Hospital were reviewed (n=108). RESULTS: For PD-L1 expressions of 0% and >1%, multivariate analysis showed that lymph node sample results were associated with positive PD-L1 expression. Archival samples and high serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were associated with negative PD-L1 expression. Sample preservation time and CEA levels correlated with PD-L1 expression. CONCLUSION: Nodal metastasis, sample preservation time and CEA levels were associated with PD-L1 expression in NSCLC.

Chemoradiotherapy for unresectable cases of thymic epithelial tumors: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Because of the rarity of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), there is no treatment for managing unresectable tumors that is supported by a high level of evidence. We present here the clinical outcomes of concurrent or sequential chemoradiotherapy for patients with unresectable TETs. METHODS: We collated records for 215 patients with TETs who were treated at our institution and focused on the 20 patients who underwent chemoradiotherapy without curative-intent surgical resection. RESULTS: Six patients with thymoma (4%) and 14 patients with thymic carcinoma (19%) were treated with chemoradiotherapy. Six received concurrent therapy, and platinum-containing regimens were administered to 16 patients. The survival of patients with thymic carcinoma was poorer than that of patients with thymoma [median overall survival (OS), 64.1 and 31.4 months, respectively; P=0.059]. No significant difference in survival was observed between patients treated concurrently and sequentially (48.5 vs. 38.2 months, respectively, P=0.83) or between patients treated with platinum-containing regimens and other regimens (43.5 and 53.8 months, respectively, P=0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Chemoradiotherapy for unresectable TETs can be beneficial, especially when administrated concurrently. Patients for concurrent chemoradiotherapy should be chosen carefully because of its effectiveness and toxicity.