Lung cancer brain metastasis and hemorrhagic cerebral venous thrombosis: experiences and lessons.

The incidence of lung cancer brain metastasis combined with hemorrhagic cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is very rare, and the understanding and treatment experience of this case is insufficient. We reported a case of lung cancer brain metastasis accompanied by venous sinus thrombosis, and describe the diagnosis and treatment plan for colleagues to learn from experience and lessons.

Surgical results, technical notes and complications of jugular foramen lesions via retroauricular infratemporal fossa approach.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect and safety of the postauricular infratemporal fossa approach (ITFA) in resecting jugular foramen lesions. METHODS: All 25 patients undergoing microsurgery via postauricular ITFA from March 2015 to May 2023 in the Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University were included. The clinical and radiological data were retrospectively analyzed. Regular follow-up was carried out. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 50.5±8.9 years, and 14 of them were female and 11 were male. Among the cases, lower cranial nerve schwannoma accounted for 60 % (15/25) of all tumors, jugular foramen paraganglioma accounted for 20 % (5/25), and the remaining 20 % included meningioma, chondrosarcoma, plasmacytoma, and salivary gland tumors. Total tumor resection was performed in 18 cases, subtotal tumor resection in 7 cases and partial resection in 1 case. Seven patients underwent gamma knife radiotherapy after surgery. Transient lower cranial nerve dysfunction occurred in 8 patients, and permanent lower cranial nerve dysfunction occurred in 2 patients after surgery. One patient developed facial paralysis, and one patient presented hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: The postauricular ITFA achieved a relatively high total tumor resection rate and a lower incidence of neurological functional disorders. It is an alternative and suitable surgical approach for resecting jugular foramen lesions. Maximizing the preservation of neurological function is preferred, especially when radical resection cannot be achieved. Stereotactic radiotherapy could be used for residual tumors.

Approach to a cerebral hernia caused by an intratumoral hemorrhage of a cystic oligodendroglioma: a case report.

The incidence of cerebral herniation caused by intratumoral hemorrhage (ITH) in cystic oligodendroglioma (COD) is exceedingly rare. This study presents a case of cerebral herniation subsequent to cystic oligodendroglioma (COD) and sudden intratumoral hemorrhage. Following initial emergency treatment and evaluation, we successfully circumvented the solid component of the tumor and proceeded with cystic puncture and external drainage to prevent the incidence of brain herniation and mitigate the severity of associated symptoms. Based on preoperative examination results, the cystic glioma was successfully resected, and the patient experienced an uneventful recovery. According to the pathological findings, the oligodendroglioma was classified as World Health Organization (WHO) grade III. The treatment efficacy was comparable to cases of the same pathological grade, in which neither intratumoral hemorrhage nor cerebral hernia was observed.

Hemorrhagic cerebral venous infarction after vein injury during intraoperative lesion resection: incidence, hemorrhagic stages, risk factors and prognosis.

Objective: Cerebral venous infarction (CVI) after vein injury during intraoperative lesion resection is associated with intracranial hemorrhage. We conducted this study to identify the incidence, clinical and imaging features, and prognosis of hemorrhage CVI. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with confirmed CVI after vein injury who underwent craniotomy in our hospital. Postoperative clinical symptoms were observed, and imaging features were compared between patients with and without intracranial hemorrhages through CT examination. Variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Results: Among 2,767 patients who underwent craniotomy, 93 cases of injured veins were identified intraoperatively. Hemorrhagic CVI was found in 38% (35/93). Multivariate analysis revealed that midline approach, meningioma, postoperative seizures, disorders of consciousness and interval in hours < 72 h were identified as predictors of hemorrhagic CVI. After 3 months of follow-up, the prognosis was poor in 15 cases (16%, 15/93), including death (two cases), vegetative survival (four cases), and severe disability (nine cases). Conclusions: Hemorrhagic CVI, as a critical complication after venous injury, can have disastrous consequences. Do not injure known veins intraoperatively. In case of injury, requisite remedial measures should be adopted during and after surgery.

Sintilimab plus anlotinib as second or further-line therapy for extensive disease small cell lung cancer: a phase 2 investigator-initiated non-randomized controlled trial.

Background: Treatment options remain rather limited for extensive disease small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC) patients in second or further-line setting. Methods: The phase 2 investigator-initiated non-randomized study enrolled patients who had disease progression on at least one line of platinum-based chemotherapy. Participants received intravenous sintilimab 200 mg on day one and oral daily anlotinib 12 mg on days 1-14 once every three weeks per cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and safety. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04055792). Findings: Forty-two patients were enrolled between August 29, 2019 and December 26, 2021 at Henan Cancer Hospital in China. 37 patients were evaluable for efficacy. The median follow-up was 24.8 months (IQR: 16.9-28.2). The median PFS was 6.1 months (95% CI: 5.0-7.3). The OS was 12.7 months (95% CI: 7.1-18.2). The ORR was 56.8% (21/37, 95% CI: 40.0-73.5) and the DCR was 89.2% (33/37, 95% CI: 78.7-99.7). Forty patients (40/42, 95%) had at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE). Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were reported in 39 patients (39/42, 93%), while grade 3 or higher irAEs occurred in 11 patients (11/42, 26%). The most frequent irAEs were hypothyroidism (16/42, 38%), elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (15/42, 36%) and elevated creatine kinase MB (15/42, 36%). The most frequent grade 3 or higher irAEs were elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (5/42, 12%) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (3/42, 7%). Interpretation: Sintilimab plus anlotinib demonstrated promising antitumor activities as second or further-line therapy for ED-SCLC and had manageable toxicities. The findings support further randomized controlled trials of this combination regimen for ED-SCLC. Funding: Henan Province Health and Youth Subject Leader Training Project, Henan Health Science and Technology Innovation Talents, ZHONGYUAN QIANREN JIHUA, Henan International Joint Laboratory of drug resistance and reversal of targeted therapy for lung cancer, Tumor Research Fund of Anti-Angiogenesis Targeted Therapy of China Anti-Cancer Association.

A Retrospective Real-World Study of Prognostic Factors Associated With EGFR Mutated Lung Cancer With Leptomeningeal Metastasis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors associated with EGFR-mutated lung cancer with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) in the real world that affects the prognosis of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 123 patients with advanced EGFR mutated lung cancer combined with LM treated at Henan Cancer Hospital and confirmed by histology between January 2016 and December 2020 were retrospectively collected, and all patients were followed up until September 2021. Analyze the median overall survival (mOS) time of patients with clinical characteristics and treatment factors to explore the factors influencing the prognosis of lung cancer patients with LM. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients with EGFR-mutated lung cancer and LM were included in this study. Overall, patients with exon 19 deletion (19del) in the classical mutation of the EGFR gene had a prolonged mOS compared to patients with exon 21 L858R mutation (21L858R) (30.1 months vs. 26.0 months); patients with primary LM (mOS 21.2 months) had a significantly shorter mOS than those with secondary LM (mOS 28.3 months); mOS was also significantly shorter in patients with combined brain metastases (mOS of 25.4 months) than in patients without combined brain metastases (mOS of 33.4 months); Patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) combined with antiangiogenic therapy (bevacizumab) experienced delayed onset of LM (mOS1: 19.4 months vs. 13.9 months), and prolonged survival after LM compared with those treated with EGFR-TKI alone (mOS2: 14.5 months vs. 10.0 months); There is no survival benefit to the patients treated with EGFR-TKI combined with chemotherapy compared to the patients treated with EGFR-TKI alone. CONCLUSION: Among NSCLC-LM patients with EGFR mutation, receiving EGFR-TKI combined with antiangiogenic therapy may result in a better survival benefit. The factors of primary LM, combined brain metastasis may be prognostic factors for poor OS.

Activation of GPER-1 Attenuates Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Neurological Impairments in Mice.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of G1-activated G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) on neurological impairments and neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury (TBI) mice. The controlled cortical impingement (CCI) method was used to establish the TBI model. The mice were subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) for two weeks prior to modeling. GPER1 agonist G1 was administered by intracerebroventricular injection. Brain tissue water content was detected by wet/dry method, and blood-brain barrier damage was detected by Evans blue extravasation. The neurological impairments in mice were evaluated by open field test, Y-maze test, nest-building test, object location memory test and novel object recognition test. Ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) staining was used to indicate the activation of microglia. Expression of M1/M2-type microglia markers and inflammatory factors were evaluated by ELISA and qRT-PCR. The G1 administration significantly reduced cerebral edema and Evans blue extravasation at injury ipsilateral cortex and basal ganglia in TBI mice. Activation of GPER1 by G1 improved the anxiety behavior and the cognitive dysfunction of mice induced by TBI. G1 administration significantly decreased Iba1-positive staining cells and the mRNA levels of CD86, macrophage cationic peptide 1 (Mcp-1), nitric oxide synthase 2 (Nos2), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), while increased the mRNA levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10), arginase1 (Arg-1) and CD206. Activation of GPER1 through G1 administration has the potential to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction induced by TBI in mice. It may also inhibit the activation of M1 microglia in cortical tissue resulting from TBI, while promoting the activation of M2 microglia and contributing to the regulation of inflammatory responses.

Clinical outcomes of solitary fibrous tumors and hemangiopericytomas and risk factors related to recurrence and survival based on the 2021 WHO classification of central nervous system tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The authors aimed to explore the clinical outcomes and risk factors related to recurrence of and survival from solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) and hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) that were reclassified according to the 2021 WHO classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. METHODS: The authors retrospectively collected and analyzed the clinical and pathological data of SFTs and HPCs recorded from January 2007 to December 2021. Two neuropathologists reassessed pathological slides and regraded specimens on the basis of the 2021 WHO classification. The prognostic factors related to progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were statistically assessed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients (74 men and 72 women, mean ± SD [range] age 46.1 ± 14.3 [3-78] years) were reviewed, and 86, 35, and 25 patients were reclassified as having grade 1, 2, and 3 SFTs on the basis of the 2021 WHO classification, respectively. The median PFS and OS of the patients with WHO grade 1 SFT were 105 months and 199 months after initial diagnosis; for patients with WHO grade 2 SFT, 77 months and 145 months; and for patients with WHO grade 3 SFT, 44 months and 112 months, respectively. Of the entire cohort, 61 patients experienced local recurrence and 31 died, of whom 27 (87.1%) died of SFT and relevant complications. Ten patients had extracranial metastasis. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, subtotal resection (STR) (HR 4.648, 95% CI 2.601-8.304, p < 0.001), tumor located in the parasagittal or parafalx region (HR 2.105, 95% CI 1.099-4.033, p = 0.025), tumor in the vertebrae (HR 3.352, 95% CI 1.228-9.148, p = 0.018), WHO grade 2 SFT (HR 2.579, 95% CI 1.343-4.953, p = 0.004), and WHO grade 3 SFT (HR 5.814, 95% CI 2.887-11.712, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with shortened PFS, whereas STR (HR 3.217, 95% CI 1.435-7.210, p = 0.005) and WHO grade 3 SFT (HR 3.433, 95% CI 1.324-8.901, p = 0.011) were significantly associated with shortened OS. In univariate analyses, patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) after STR had longer PFS than patients who did not receive RT. CONCLUSIONS: The 2021 WHO classification of CNS tumors better predicted malignancy with different pathological grades, and in particular WHO grade 3 SFT had worse prognosis. Gross-total resection (GTR) can significantly prolong PFS and OS and should serve as the most important treatment method. Adjuvant RT was helpful for patients who underwent STR but not for patients who underwent GTR.

The Riddle of the Sphinx: Progress in Leptomeningeal Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a serious complication of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the incidence of LM has been increasing yearly in recent times. There is no consensus on the best treatment modality for LM, which underscores a difficult problem in the management of advanced NSCLC patients. The existing treatments include molecular targeted therapy, systemic chemotherapy, local radiotherapy, antivascular tumor therapy, intrathecal chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, but their efficacy is not satisfactory. In this article, we briefly describe the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of NSCLC-LM and discuss progress regarding evaluation of the efficacy of LM treatment to better provide a necessary reference for clinical practice and clinical trial evaluation.

A multicenter retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes of intracranial chondrosarcoma in 26 patients.

Intracranial chondrosarcoma is a rare tumor with limited reports. We reviewed the clinical outcomes, imaging findings, and pathological characteristics at three centers to improve the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial chondrosarcoma. We retrospectively analyzed 26 patients with intracranial chondrosarcoma who had undergone surgical treatment at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Mianyang Central Hospital, and Nanchong Central Hospital from January 2010 to July 2022. Clinical manifestations, imaging features, surgical treatment, prognosis, and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. All 26 chondrosarcomas were located at the skull base. Gross total resection (GTR), subtotal resection (STR), and partial resection (PR) were performed in 14, 10, and 2 cases, respectively. Four cases underwent endoscopic transnasal surgery, while the remaining cases underwent craniotomy. The clinical symptoms were evaluated 1 week after surgery, and 15 cases were relieved to varying degrees. Postoperative complications included pulmonary infection, subcutaneous hydrops, dysphagia and choking, facial numbness, abducens paralysis, and intracranial infection (ICI). Fifteen cases received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. Seven cases showed recurrence: two with PR, four with STR, and one with GTR. Six cases received reoperation or radiotherapy after tumor progression, and one untreated patient died 5 months after tumor recurrence. The extent of tumor resection (HR 21.74, 95% CI 1.25-376.6, P = 0.03) and pathological grading (HR 131.99, 95% CI 4.05-4300.5, P = 0.006) were associated with improved OS. We presented our experience in the treatment of intracranial chondrosarcoma at three centers in the past 12 years. Intracranial chondrosarcoma lacked typical imaging features and are difficult to differentiate from other skull base lesions. Maximum extent of tumor resection with minimal injury to neurological function remains the most important treatment strategy. The extent of surgical resection and pathological grading were found to be predictors for OS.

Knowledge structure and hotspots research of glioma immunotherapy: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor. Traditional treatments for glioma include surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and bevacizumab therapy, but their efficacies are limited. Immunotherapy provides a new direction for glioma treatment. This study aimed to summarize the knowledge structure and research hotspots of glioma immunotherapy through a bibliometric analysis. Method: Publications pertaining to glioma immunotherapy published during the period from 1st January 1990 to 27th March 2023 were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometric analysis and visualization were performed using the CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology, and R software. The hotspots and prospects of glioma immunotherapy research were illustrated via analyzing the countries, institutions, journals, authors, citations and keywords of eligible publications. Results: A total of 1,929 publications pertaining to glioma immunotherapy in 502 journals were identified as of 27th March 2023, involving 9,505 authors from 1,988 institutions in 62 countries. Among them were 1,285 articles and 644 reviews. Most of publications were produced by the United States. JOURNAL OF NEURO-ONCOLOGY published the majority of publications pertaining to glioma immunotherapy. Among the authors, Lim M contributed the largest number of publications. Through analyzing keyword bursts and co-cited references, immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were identified as the research focus and hotspot. Conclusion: Using a bibliometric analysis, this study provided the knowledge structure and research hotspots in glioma immunotherapy research during the past 33 years, with ICIs staying in the current and future hotspot. Our findings may direct the research of glioma immunotherapy in the future.

The incidence and risk factors of unplanned reoperation in endoscopic endonasal surgeries: a single center study.

The incidence of unplanned reoperation after surgery during the same hospitalization is considered one of most important evaluation indicators for health care quality. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors related to unplanned reoperation after an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA). All patients who underwent elective endoscopic endonasal surgery from January 2016 to December 2021 in the Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, were included. We identified the patients who underwent an unplanned reoperation and those who did not and divided them into two groups. The demographic data and risk factors were compared between the groups by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Of the 1783 patients undergoing EEA for various lesions of the skull base, the incidence of unplanned reoperation was 2.3%. The most common unplanned reoperations were repair of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage (39%), sellar hematoma evacuation (34.1%), hemostasis of epistaxis (14.6%) and external ventricular drainage for obstructive hydrocephalus (9.8%). The maximum diameter of tumor ≥ 3 cm (OR 2.654, CI 1.236-5.698; p = 0.012), meningioma (OR 4.198, CI 1.169-15.072; p = 0.028), craniopharyngioma (OR 5.020, CI 2.020-12.476; p = 0.001) and other sellar lesions (OR 4.336, CI 1.390-13.527; p = 0.012) and an operation time ≥ 240 min (OR 2.299, CI 1.170-4.518; p = 0.016) were the independent risk factors for unplanned reoperations in multivariate regression analysis. Of the 41 patients undergoing unplanned reoperation, 16 patients died, twenty-one patients had panhypopituitarism, 13 patients had transient and 6 had permanent diabetes insipidus, and 11 patients presented with intracranial infection and 6 of these patients were cured. By reviewing our department's data, we stated the incidence and risk factors for unplanned reoperation. It is important for the hospital administration and neurosurgeons to place more emphasis on these indicators. Furthermore, we suggest some effective quality improvement initiatives to reduce the incidence of unplanned reoperation.

A pregnant woman with a giant bilateral parietal hemangiopericytoma underwent multiple surgeries and radiotherapy: a case report and literature review.

Intracranial hemangiopericytoma is a rare invasive tumor originating from mesenchymal fibroblasts and is prone to local recurrence and distant metastasis. This study reports a case of a 27-year-old woman who presented with severe headache, nausea and vomiting for two weeks at thirty-three weeks of gestation. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a giant lesion in the bilateral parietal lobe with a size of 5.12x9.19x6.03 cm and severe edema in the surrounding brain tissue. The patient underwent four operations and 3 gamma knife radiosurgery procedures and is recovering well now. The histopathology findings showed hemangiopericytoma and STAT6 and CD34 positivity after the first and second surgeries. Because of tumor progression, the patient received gamma knife radiosurgery at 1, 3, and 4 years after the first operation. Total tumor resection was achieved in the fourth surgery. Nevertheless, the patient showed malignant transformation to from low-grade to high-grade hemangiopericytoma.

A Six-Surface System to Describe Anatomy of Anterior Clinoid Process and Its Application in Anterior Clinoidectomy and Resection of Paraclinoid Meningioma.

OBJECTIVE: The anterior clinoid process (ACP) is surrounded by nerves and vessels that, together, constitute an intricate anatomical structure with variations that challenges the performance of individualized anterior clinoidectomy in treating lesions with different extents of invasion. In the present study, we established a 6-surface system for the ACP based on anatomical landmarks and analyzed its value in guiding ACP drilling and resection of paraclinoid meningiomas. METHODS: Using the anatomical characteristics of 10 dry skull specimens, we set 9 anatomical landmarks to delineate the ACP into 6 surfaces. Guided by our 6-surface system and eggshell technique, 5 colored silicone-injected anatomical specimens were dissected via a frontotemporal craniotomy to perform anterior clinoidectomy. Next, 3 typical cases of paraclinoid meningioma were selected to determine the value of using our 6-surface system in tumor resection. RESULTS: Nine points (A-H and T) were proposed to delineate the ACP surface into frontal, temporal, optic nerve, internal carotid artery, cranial nerve III, and optic strut surfaces according to the adjacent tissues. Either intradurally or extradurally, the frontal and temporal surfaces could be identified and drilled into depth, followed by skeletonization of the optic nerve, cranial nerve III, internal carotid artery, and optic strut surfaces. After the residual bone was removed, the ACP was drilled off. In surgery of paraclinoid meningiomas, our 6-surface system provided great benefit in locating the dura, nerves, and vessels, thus, increasing the safety of opening the optic canal and relaxing the oculomotor or optic nerves and allowing for individualized ACP drilling for meningioma removal. CONCLUSIONS: Our 6-surface system adds much anatomical information to the classic Dolenc triangle and can help neurosurgeons, especially junior ones, to increase their understanding of the paraclinoid spatial structure and accomplish individualized surgical procedures with high safety and minimal invasiveness.

Clinical outcomes and safety of large or giant vestibular schwannoma in older patients undergoing microsurgery: a matched cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes of large or giant vestibular schwannomas (VSs) between older patients and younger patients who underwent microsurgery and to explore whether the incidence of postoperative complications increased and whether the postoperative hospital stay was prolonged. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study based on the surgical approach, maximum tumor diameter and extent of resection. Older patients (≥ 60 years) and a matched group (<60 years) who had undergone microsurgery for VSs between January 2015 and December 2021 were included. Clinical data, surgical outcomes and postoperative complications were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Forty-two older patients (≥ 60 years, 66.0 ± 3.8 years) were identified and matched to younger patients (<60 years, 43.9 ± 11.2 years), and they all underwent microsurgery through a retrosigmoid approach. There were twenty-nine patients with 3-4 cm VSs and thirteen patients with > 4 cm VSs in both groups. The older patients had a higher proportion of imbalance (P = 0.016) and lower American Society of Anesthesiology scores (P = 0.003) before surgery than the younger patients. There was no significant difference in facial nerve function one week (p = 0.851) and one year (p = 0.756) after surgery and no difference in the postoperative complication incidence (40.5% vs. 23.8%, p = 0.102) between the older patients and controls. Furthermore, the older patients had longer postoperative hospital stays than the younger patients (p = 0.043). In the older group, six patients with near total resection and five with subtotal resection were administered stereotactic radiotherapy, and one had recurrence three years after surgery and received conservative treatment. The postoperative follow-up time ranged from 1 to 83 months, with an average of 33.5 ± 21.1 months. CONCLUSIONS: For older patients (≥ 60 years) with symptomatic, large or giant -VSs, microsurgery is the only effective method to prolong lifespan, alleviate clinical symptoms and cure the tumor. However, radical resection of VSs may result in a decreased preservation rate of facial-acoustic nerve function and an increased postoperative complication incidence. Therefore, subtotal resection followed by stereotactic radiotherapy should be recommended.

Precise location of the ventricular catheter tip in ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement guided by 3D printed individualized guide.

OBJECTIVE: Improper placement of the ventricular catheter tip is the most common cause of shunting disorders after ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement surgery. Here, through two illustrative cases, we described a novel method of precise ventricular catheter tip location. METHODS: Three-dimensional (3D) Slicer software was used to define the ventricle puncture path and determine the ventricle catheter tip location preoperatively, and the 3D individualized guide model was printed. RESULTS: The ventricular puncture was performed under the guidance of the 3D guide to achieve precise ventricle catheter tip location intraoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: This technique is safe, simple, efficient and cost-effective, which facilitates its clinical implementation and promotion.

Advances in the Treatment of Rare Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations in Advanced Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are common driver genes in nonsmall-cell lung cancer and have different sensitivities to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). EGFR is divided into classic mutations and rare mutations. Classic mutations are well known, but the understanding of rare mutations is not sufficient. In this article, we summarize the clinical research and treatment progress of rare mutations for different EGFR-TKIs and provide a basis for clinical treatment decisions.