Osimertinib plus local treatment for brain metastases versus osimertinib alone in patients with EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Osimertinib is a standard treatment for patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is highly effective for brain metastases (BMs). However, it is unclear whether local treatment (LT) for BMs prior to osimertinib administration improves survival in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. We aimed to reveal the survival benefit of upfront local treatment (LT) for BMs in patients treated with osimertinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study included consecutive patients with EGFR mutation (19del or L858R)-positive NSCLC who had BMs before osimertinib initiation between August 2018 and October 2021. We compared overall survival (OS) and central nervous system progression-free survival (CNS-PFS) between patients who received upfront LT for BMs (the upfront LT group), and patients who received osimertinib only (the osimertinib-alone group). Inverse-probability treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Of the 121 patients analyzed, 57 and 64 patients had 19del and L858R, respectively. Forty-five and 76 patients were included in the upfront LT group and the osimertinib-alone groups, respectively. IPTW-adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the OS of the upfront LT group was significantly longer than that of the osimertinib-alone group (median, 95 % confidence intervals [95 %CI]: Not reached [NR], NR-NR vs. 31.2, 21.7-33.2; p = 0.021). The hazard ratio (HR) for OS and CNS-PFS was 0.37 (95 %CI, 0.16-0.87) and 0.36 (95 %CI, 0.15-0.87), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The OS and CNS-PFS of patients who received upfront LT for BMs followed by osimertinib were significantly longer than those of patients who received osimertinib alone. Upfront LT for BMs may be beneficial in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC treated with osimertinib.

Immunotherapy or Chemoimmunotherapy in Older Adults With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Importance: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) plus chemotherapy combination treatment (ICI-chemotherapy) is now a standard treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without targetable oncogene alterations, but there are few data on ICI-chemotherapy for patients 75 years and older. Objective: To inform the choice of first-line drugs in clinical practice and assess the safety and efficacy of ICI-chemotherapy combination treatment in older adult patients with previously untreated advanced NSCLC. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included 58 centers in Japan. The cohort consisted of patients 75 years and older with clinical stage IIIB, IIIC, IV, postoperative or radiotherapy recurrent NSCLC. Patients started first-line systemic therapy between December 2018 and March 2021. Those receiving first-line molecular targeted drugs were excluded. The data were analyzed from February 2022 to October 2022. Exposures: Systemic therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety. Results: A total of 1245 patients (median [range] age, 78 [75-95] years; 967 [78%] male) with NSCLC were included in the cohort. Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression of less than 1% occurred in 268 tumors (22%); 1% to 49% in 387 tumors (31%); 50% and higher in 410 tumors (33%), and unknown expression in 180 tumors (14%). Median OS was 20.0 (95% CI, 17.1-23.6) months for the 354 patients receiving ICI-chemotherapy (28%); 19.8 (95% CI, 16.5-23.8) months for the 425 patients receiving ICI alone (34%); 12.8 (95% CI, 10.7-15.6) months for the 311 patients receiving platinum-doublet chemotherapy (25%); and 9.5 (95% CI, 7.4-13.4) months for the 155 patients receiving single-agent chemotherapy (12%). After propensity score matching, no differences in OS and PFS were found between the patients receiving ICI-chemotherapy vs ICI alone. Each group consisted of 118 patients. For PD-L1 expression of 1% and higher the OS hazard ratio (HR) was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.67-1.42; P = .90), and the PFS HR was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.67-1.25; P = .59). Significance was also not reached when separately analyzed for lower or higher PD-L1 expression (1%-49% or ≥50%). However, grade 3 or higher immune-related adverse events occurred in 86 patients (24.3%) treated with ICI-chemotherapy and 76 (17.9%) with ICI alone (P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, ICI-chemotherapy combination treatment did not improve survival and increased the incidence of grade 3 and higher immune-related adverse events compared with ICI alone in patients 75 years and older. Based on these results, ICI alone may be recommended for older adult patients with PD-L1-positive NSCLC.

Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) expression and the efficacy of combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors and cytotoxic chemotherapy in non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is expressed in approximately 70% of lung adenocarcinomas and is one of the most reliable makers to distinguish primary lung adenocarcinoma from metastatic disease. TTF-1-negative status is a poor prognostic factor, and TTF-1-negative lung adenocarcinoma is associated with poor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy. However, the relationship between TTF-1 expression and the efficacy of ICI plus chemotherapy is still unclear. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 129 consecutive patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC) treated with ICI monotherapy or ICI plus chemotherapy between January 2016 and December 2021. The expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and TTF-1 was also determined in cases for which no previous data were available. We then evaluated the association between TTF-1 expression status and treatment efficacy. Results: Of the 129 cases, 33 were TTF-1-negative and 96 were positive. In the ICI monotherapy group (N=70), progression-free survival (PFS) was not significantly different between TTF-1-positive and negative patients (median 3.6 vs. 3.8 months, P=0.27); however, in patients with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a trend for worse PFS was observed in TTF-1-negative cases compared with those that were TTF-1-positive (median 3.8 vs. 4.5 months, P=0.088). Moreover, long-term efficacy of ICI monotherapy (>2 years) was not observed in the TTF-1-negative group. TTF-1-negative patients tended to have worse overall survival (OS) than TTF-1-positive patients (median 15.6 vs. 19.5 months, P=0.13). In the ICI plus chemotherapy group (N=59), TTF-1-negative patients tended to have better PFS and similar OS compared with TTF-1-positive patients (median 9.9 vs. 9.6 months, P=0.14; median 32.3 vs. 18.9 months, P=0.78). Long-term efficacy was generally observed in TTF-1-negative patients treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab plus carboplatin plus paclitaxel (ABCP) (median PFS 22.5 months, median OS not reached). Conclusions: ICI monotherapy is generally less efficacious in TTF-1-negative NS-NSCLC patients, and clinicians should consider ICI plus chemotherapy in these cases. Our study suggests that ABCP is an optimal regimen for TTF-1-negative NS-NSCLC.

A remarkable response to combination chemotherapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab in a patient with primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma: a case report.

Background: Primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma (PPC) is a rare malignancy, and only 41 PPC cases have been reported in males up to 2021. Due to its rarity, no standardized treatments for PPC have been established. Cytotoxic chemotherapy has limited efficacy, and the prognosis of advanced PPC is notably poor. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are expected to provide long-term survival for PPC patients, but only a few cases have been reported. The optimal treatment for PPC has not been determined. Case Description: Here, we report a 72-year-old male with post-surgery relapsed PPC, presenting with multiple pulmonary nodules and an intracardiac mass. The OncomineTM Dx target test showed no mutation of cancer-relevant genes, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was negative (0%) in the 22C3 assay. He received a combination of carboplatin, paclitaxel, nivolumab, and ipilimumab which is widely used as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Two months after treatment began, computed tomography (CT) showed multiple lung nodules and an intracardiac mass reduction, which has been sustained for 12 months. Grade 3 febrile neutropenia and grade 2 rash were observed, however, these adverse events were manageable. Conclusions: This is the first case of postoperative relapse PPC that has been successfully treated with the combination of chemotherapy, nivolumab, and ipilimumab. This therapy may be a promising option for advanced PPC.

Minimal effective dose of maintenance steroid therapy for relapse of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Long-term maintenance steroid therapy (MST) is frequently required for repeated relapses of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP); however, the optimal minimal dose has not been clarified. Therefore, this study evaluated the minimal MST dose required to prevent repeated relapses and identify relapse predictors. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with steroid-treated COP and compared background factors between the non-relapse and relapse groups. We also reviewed the treatment course in the relapse group and determined the minimal effective steroid dose based on the MST dose at relapse events and the current relapse prevention dose. RESULTS: In total, 48 patients were identified, including 27 (56%) in the non-relapse group and 21 (44%) in the relapse group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified prednisolone at 5 mg/day as the optimal cut-off value in the relapse group. Relapse-free time in patients with relapsed COP was significantly longer in the MST dose ≥5 mg/day group than in the <5 mg/day group (log-rank P = 0.003; hazard ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.60). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that a high eosinophil percentage and CD4/CD8 ratio in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were predictors of relapse (odds ratio [OR], 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.23; P = 0.008 and OR, 3.87; 95% CI, 1.29-11.6; P = 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that 5 mg/day of prednisolone may be the minimal effective dose for preventing repeated relapses, and a high BALF eosinophil percentage and CD4/CD8 ratio are independent predictors of relapse.

Development of eosinophilic pneumonia from eosinophilic bronchiolitis without asthma: A case report.

Eosinophilic bronchiolitis is a disease concept reported in Japan in 2001, that presents with bronchiolitis accompanied by eosinophilia in the blood and lungs. In 2013, hypereosinophilic obliterative bronchiolitis, as a group of disease presenting with eosinophilic bronchiolitis, was proposed in France. The relationship between eosinophilic bronchiolitis and other eosinophil-related diseases has not been clarified. Herein, we report the case of a 56-year-old female patient with eosinophilic bronchiolitis without asthma, which developed into eosinophilic pneumonia. Treatment with oral prednisone improved the respiratory function. According to the clinicopathological findings in this case, eosinophilic bronchiolitis may be a different disease from asthma.

Platinum-combination chemotherapy with or without immune-checkpoint inhibitor in patients with postoperative recurrent non-small cell lung cancer previously treated with adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy: A multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Rechallenge with platinum-combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after disease progression on platinum-combination chemotherapy occasionally leads to a favorable response. The efficacy and safety of platinum-combination chemotherapy with or without immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) for patients with recurrent NSCLC after surgery followed by adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy remains uncertain. METHODS: Patients who relapsed after surgery plus adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy and received platinum-combination chemotherapy with or without ICI between April 2011 and March 2021 at four Nippon Medical School hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among 177 patients who received adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy after surgery, a total of 30 patients who received platinum-combination rechemotherapy with or without ICI after relapse were included in this study. Seven patients received ICI-combined chemotherapy. The median disease-free survival (DFS) after surgery was 13.6 months. The objective response rate and disease-control rate were 46.7% and 80.0%, respectively. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 10.2 and 37.5 months, respectively. Patients with longer DFS (≥12 months) had a better prognosis than others. The most common grade ≥3 toxicity associated with this treatment was neutropenia (33%). Grade ≥3 immune-related adverse events were pneumonitis (14%) and colitis (14%). Treatment-related deaths did not occur in this study. CONCLUSION: Platinum-combination chemotherapy with or without ICI for patients with postoperative recurrent NSCLC who previously received adjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy was effective and safe. In particular, this therapy may be promising for patients with longer DFS.

Serum-derived exosomal miR-125a-3p predicts the response to anti-programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 monotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Versatile biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) efficacy in patients with cancer remain to be identified. Liquid biopsy using serum-derived exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are widely investigated as diagnostic and therapeutic outcome predictors in patients with cancer. However, exosomal miRNAs linked to the response to ICI in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain elusive thus far. METHODS: The value of serum-derived exosomal miRNAs in predicting the effect of anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) monotherapy in 41 patients with advanced NSCLC was assessed. We performed functional analysis of candidate miRNAs using NSCLC cell lines. RESULTS: Exosomal miR-125a-3p was associated with response to treatment with ICI. Exosomal miR-125a-3p was more useful in predicting response to ICI versus tumoral PD-L1 in patients with low PD-L1 expression <50 %). Moreover, high expression of miR-125a-3p was associated with worse progression-free and overall survival. In H1975 and H441 cells, induction of miR-125a-3p regulated PD-L1 expression via suppression of neuregulin 1 (NRG1). CONCLUSIONS: Exosomal miR-125a-3p is a potential predictor of response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in advanced NSCLC patients with low PD-L1 expression.

Black pleural effusion caused by a pancreaticopleural fistula associated with autoimmune pancreatitis: A case report.

RATIONALE: Black pleural effusion is a rare medical condition and a diagnostic marker. Pancreaticopleural fistula is one of the causes of black pleural effusion. Thus far, black pleural effusions caused by pancreaticopleural fistulae have mostly been reported in patients with alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis. In this report, we present a case of black pleural effusion caused by a pancreaticopleural fistula associated with autoimmune pancreatitis. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSIS: A 59-year-old female without a history of alcohol drinking presented to our hospital with a chief complaint of dyspnea, as well as chest and back discomfort. She had left pleural effusion, and thoracentesis showed black pleural effusion. Computed tomography revealed the presence of encapsulated fluid from the pancreatic tail to the left pleural cavity, which was diagnosed as a pancreaticopleural fistula. It also showed diffuse pancreatic swelling. Serum testing showed a high IgG4 level (363 mg/dL). These findings led to the diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOME: The patient underwent endoscopic pancreatic sphincterotomy and pancreatic duct stent placement and received treatment with steroids. After treatment, there was no further accumulation of pleural effusion observed. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of black pleural effusion due to a pancreaticopleural fistula associated with autoimmune pancreatitis. The characteristic appearance of black pleural effusion may assist diagnosis. We report this case to emphasize that autoimmune pancreatitis can be a cause of black pleural effusion.

Carboplatin plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel for the treatment of thymic carcinoma.

Thymic carcinoma is a relatively rare type of malignant tumor. The present retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of carboplatin plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel for the treatment of advanced thymic carcinoma. The study included data from 12 patients with advanced thymic carcinoma treated in the Nippon Medical School Hospital (Tokyo, Japan). Response to treatment, patient survival and treatment safety were assessed. The objective response rate was 66.7% (8/12 patients). Disease control was achieved in 11 patients (91.7%). At the median follow-up time of 27.6 months (range, 6.2-75.1 months), the median progression-free survival and median first-line overall survival times were 16.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 13.2-37.7] and 14.3 months (95% CI, 4.7-54.6), respectively. There was no occurrence of febrile neutropenia or treatment-related death. The results of the present study showed that carboplatin plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel was effective and safe. Therefore, it is a promising chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of advanced thymic carcinoma.

A Novel Molecular Target in EGFR-mutant Lung Cancer Treated With the Combination of Osimertinib and Pemetrexed.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Synergistic effects of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and chemotherapy have been reported. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of combining osimertinib with pemetrexed and investigated the molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the antitumor effects of osimertinib± pemetrexed in PC-9 and H1975 cells. Gene expression on exposure to osimertinib±pemetrexed was assessed in these cultured cells. Cell lines resistant to osimertinib±pemetrexed were established to explore mechanisms of resistance. RESULTS: Osimertinib+pemetrexed treatment delayed the emergence of resistance relative to monotherapy in vitro and in vivo. Expression of the anti-apoptotic gene PLK1 was down-regulated in PC-9 and H1975 exposed to osimertinib+ pemetrexed, whereas it was up-regulated in resistant cells. Furthermore, inhibition of PLK1 induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of resistant cells. CONCLUSION: Blocking PLK1 contributes to mediating the synergistic anti-proliferative effect of osimertinib+pemetrexed. PLK1 over-expression may be a critical mechanism for acquired resistance to osimertinib+pemetrexed.

PD-L1 Expression Status Predicting Survival in Pulmonary Pleomorphic Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a rare and aggressive tumor that is resistant to treatment. The expression and prognostic value of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its association with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in PPC remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression of PD-L1 and EMT markers, such as E-cadherin, vimentin, zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB-1), and cellular mesenchymal-epithelial transition (c-Met) was evaluated by immuno - histochemistry in 16 patients with PPC who underwent surgical resection. RESULTS: The expression of PD-L1 varied between carcinomatous and sarcomatous areas. Positive correlations between PD-L1 and vimentin expression in carcinomatous areas (r=0.668, p=0.005) and PD-L1 and ZEB-1 expression in sarcomatous areas (r=0.562, p=0.023) were found. High PD-L1 and ZEB-1 expression in sarcomatous areas predicted poor survival (p=0.045 and p=0.012, respectively). CONCLUSION: PD-L1 expression associated with ZEB1 expression in the sarcomatoid component of patients with PPC may be useful for predicting patient prognosis.

Exosome-derived miR-210 involved in resistance to osimertinib and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Osimertinib is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) approved for the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the mechanisms of acquired drug resistance to osimertinib have not as yet been clarified. Exosomes and microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in carcinogenesis and drug resistance in human cancers. METHODS: We used previously established osimertinib-resistant HCC827 (HCC827-OR) and PC-9 (PC-9-OR) cells. We evaluated the profiles of exosomal miRNA associated with resistance to osimertinib in EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells. RESULTS: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon was observed in HCC827-OR and PC-9-OR cells. Microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that miR-210-3p was co-upregulated in exosomes isolated from HCC827-OR and PC-9-OR cells compared with those isolated from parental HCC827 and PC-9 cells. HCC827-OR cell-derived exosomes induced EMT changes and resistance to osimertinib in HCC827 cells. Subsequently, the induction of miR-210-3p directly promoted the EMT phenomenon and resistance to osimertinib in HCC827 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Exosomal miR-210-3p may play a crucial role in resistance to osimertinib in the tumor microenvironment of EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

Feasibility and utility of transbronchial cryobiopsy in precision medicine for lung cancer: Prospective single-arm study.

Cryoprobe is a novel transbronchial biopsy (TBB) tool that yields larger tissue samples than forceps. Pathological diagnosis and biomarker analysis, such as genetic alterations and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, are paramount for precision medicine against lung cancer. We evaluated the safety and usefulness of cryoprobe TBB for lung cancer diagnosis and biomarker analysis. In this single-center, prospective single-arm study, patients suspected of having or diagnosed with primary lung cancer underwent cryoprobe TBB using flexible bronchoscopy after conventional forceps TBB from the same lesion. Cryoprobe TBB was performed in 121 patients. The incidence rate of severe bleeding and serious adverse events (4% [90% confidence interval: 2%-9%]) was significantly lower than the expected rate (20% with 30% threshold, P < 0.01). Combining both central and peripheral lesions, the diagnostic yield rate of cryoprobe samples was 76% and that of forceps samples was 84%. Compared with forceps TBB samples, cryoprobe TBB samples were larger (cryoprobe 15 mm2 vs forceps 2 mm2 ) and resulted in a larger proportion of definite histomorphological diagnosis (cryoprobe 86% vs forceps 74%, P < 0.01), larger amounts of DNA extracted from samples (median: cryoprobe, 1.60 µg vs forceps, 0.58 µg, P = 0.02) and RNA (median: cryoprobe, 0.62 µg vs forceps, 0.17 µg, P < 0.01) extracted from samples, and tended to yield greater rates of PD-L1 expression >1% (51% vs 42%). In conclusion, cryoprobe is a safe and useful tool for obtaining lung cancer tissue samples of adequate size and quality, which allow morphological diagnosis and biomarker analysis for precision medicine against lung cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated interstitial lung diseases correlate with better prognosis in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a potentially life-threatening adverse event. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), especially ILD, was associated with treatment efficacy and to research the features and risk factors of ILD in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Between December 2015 and November 2018, 130 advanced NSCLC patients were treated with nivolumab, pembrolizumab or atezolizumab. The patients were categorized into two groups (irAEs group or non-irAEs group). Subsequently, we divided the irAEs group into two groups based on the incidence of ILD (ILD group and irAEs-non-ILD group). Treatment efficacy and the characteristics of ILD were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 39 (30%) patients developed irAEs. ILD was observed in 16 (12%) patients. Patients with ILD had a higher objective response rate (ORR) compared with irAEs-non-ILD patients and non-irAEs patients (63%, 43% and 22%, respectively). Median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 15.9 months in ILD patients, 5.4 months in irAEs-non-ILD patients and 3.3 months in non-irAEs patients (log-rank test, P = 0.033). Pre-existing interstitial pneumonia (IP) was an independent risk factor for ILD-induced ICIs (odds ratio [OR] 14.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.16-99.6, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: ORR and PFS were significantly better in ILD patients than in irAEs-non-ILD and non-irAEs patients. Pre-existing history of IP was an independent risk factor for ILD-induced ICIs.

Weekly paclitaxel in combination with carboplatin for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer complicated by idiopathic interstitial pneumonias: a single-arm phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) are associated with increased risk of lung cancer. In Japan, acute exaberation of IIPs induced by anticancer treatment is a critical issue. For this reason, there is limited available evidence regarding the optimal treatment approach for lung cancer patients complicated with IIPs. Our previous prospective pilot study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of weekly paclitaxel in combination with carboplatin for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with IIPs. The current study was conducted to confirm the results of the same combination therapy used in a larger patient population. METHODS: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced stage or post-operative recurrent NSCLC patients complicated by IIPs were enrolled. Patients received paclitaxel (100 mg/m2) on days 1, 8, and 15, and carboplatin (AUC 5.0) once every 4 weeks. RESULTS: Thirty-three of 35 enrolled patients were evaluable for analysis and received a median of four treatment cycles (range 1-6). Four patients (12.1%; 95% confidence interval 3.4-28.2%) had acute exacerbation (AEx)-related IIPs to the study treatment. However, no fatalities due to AEx were observed. The overall response was 69.7%. The median progression-free survival, median survival time, and 1-year survival were 6.3 months, 19.8 months, and 55.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of carboplatin plus weekly paclitaxel treatment for advanced NSCLC patients with IIPs was comparable to that of conventional chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients without IIPs. Moreover, the primary endpoint was set to the frequency of treatment-related acute exacerbation, and the primary endpoint was met. These results suggest that patients with advanced NSCLC complicated by IIPs may benefit from this combination chemotherapy.

Improvement in the survival of patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer: Experience in a single institutional 1995-2017.

OBJECTIVES: In the past two decades several antineoplastic agents have been approved for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the management of these patients has drastically changed. However, there is limited information regarding the impact of these advances on patient survival in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the survival of patients with stage IV NSCLC who received any treatment in the Cancer Institute Hospital of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research (JFCR) between January 1, 1995 and March 1, 2017. A total of 1,547 consecutive patients were included in this case series. In this analysis, five diagnostic periods were evaluated: 1995-1999 (period A), 2000-2004 (period B), 2005-2009 (period C), 2010-2014 (period D), and 2015-2017 (period E). We compared overall survival (OS) between the periods before and after propensity score matching (PSM) and in patients with EGFR mutation, with ALK fusion gene, or without driver mutation. RESULTS: In the past two decades the OS of patients with stage IV NSCLC improved. The median OSs for periods A, B, C, D, and E were 9.0, 11.0, 13.7, 17.9 months, and not reached, respectively. After PSM with known baseline characteristics, the trend of improvement in OS was similar. However, the OS of patients with EGFR mutation or ALK fusion gene did not improve between periods, despite the availability of several tyrosine kinase inhibitors in Japan. The OS of patients without a driver mutation was slightly longer in the period E. CONCLUSION: The introduction of new classes of drugs has significantly improved the survival of patients with stage IV NSCLC. However, the approval of similar types of drugs may not be associated with further improvement in survival.

Interstitial lung disease associated with nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel treatment in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel is indicated for the treatment of patients with lung cancer. It can induce interstitial lung disease, but the incidence of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel-associated interstitial lung disease in clinical practice has not been determined. We investigated the incidence of interstitial lung disease in patients with lung cancer who had received nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel therapy at our institution. METHODS: We reviewed clinical data for patients with advanced lung cancer who received nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel with or without carboplatin or bevacizumab therapy at the Nippon Medical School Main Hospital between April 2013 and September 2017. Interstitial lung disease was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, radiographic findings and exclusion of other diseases. RESULTS: A total of 110 advanced lung cancer patients received nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel, and nine of them (8.2%) developed interstitial lung disease. Of those who developed interstitial lung disease, eight were treated with corticosteroids and three received cyclophosphamide pulse therapy. High-resolution computed tomography images demonstrated diffuse alveolar damage pattern pneumonitis in seven patients and organized pneumonia pattern pneumonitis in two patients. Six of the patients with diffuse alveolar damage pattern pneumonitis died from respiratory failure. The two patients with organized pneumonia pattern pneumonitis recovered. The incidence of interstitial lung disease was 19.0% (8/42) among patients with preexisting interstitial pneumonia and 1.5% (1/68) among those without preexisting interstitial pneumonia. Six patients with preexisting interstitial pneumonia met the criteria for acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia (14.3%). CONCLUSION: Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel-associated interstitial lung disease was a severe and potentially fatal adverse event. We found it demonstrated diffuse alveolar damage or organized pneumonia pattern pneumonitis, and preexisting interstitial pneumonia was associated with higher rate of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel-associated interstitial lung disease.

Pembrolizumab-induced agranulocytosis in a pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma patient who developed interstitial lung disease and ocular myasthenia gravis.

An 82-year-old man with a recurrence of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma was treated with pembrolizumab. He achieved partial response after three cycles of pembrolizumab. However, he developed febrile neutropenia. A bone marrow aspiration sample revealed a decrease of mature neutrophils, and anti-neutrophil antibody was detected in blood. Computed tomography scans revealed consolidation in the right lung. Pathological findings in lung biopsy tissue revealed organizing pneumonia. Pembrolizumab-induced agranulocytosis and interstitial lung disease (ILD) were diagnosed. We initiated antibacterial therapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The neutrophil count immediately increased, and the fever decreased. The improvement of ILD was achieved without using systemic steroids. Moreover, the patient developed ocular myasthenia gravis induced by pembrolizumab. This is the first case report of pembrolizumab-induced agranulocytosis. Agranulocytosis was improved by administration of G-CSF without using systemic steroids. However, further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment for patients with anti-neutrophil antibody whose tumor has progressed.

Pembrolizumab and salvage chemotherapy in EGFR T790M-positive non-small-cell lung cancer with high PD-L1 expression.

Immuno-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have become an effective treatment option for non-small-cell lung cancer patients. However, ICI therapy was reported to be less effective in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations than in those with wild-type EGFR. We report here that an non-small-cell lung cancer patient with the EGFR mutant T790M showed a programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression level that increased from <25% to >90% after eighth-line osimertinib therapy. He was treated with pembrolizumab as a ninth-line treatment, and attained stable disease. After the pembrolizumab therapy, he was treated with gemcitabine, which produced a good response despite being the 10th-line treatment. We should consider administering ICI and chemotherapy even to EGFR mutant patients after failure of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, especially in cases with high PD-LI expression.