Molecular patterns of egyptian patients with non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancers: a clinicopathological study.

BACKGROUND: Driver molecular aberrations, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement, play an important role in the oncogenesis and progression of non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Therefore, this study aimed to detect the incidence of driver mutations among non-squamous NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective-prospective cohort study on 131 patients with non-squamous NSCLC. Data on age, smoking status, chest symptoms, method of lung cancer diagnosis, molecular testing, including EGFR mutations in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue and serum circulating tumor DNA using next-generation sequencing and ALK gene rearrangement by FFPE tumor tissue, and follow-up data regarding treatment modalities and outcomes were collected. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 57 years (range: 32-79 years). Out of 131 patients, 97 were males (74%), and 90 (68.7%) were smokers. Among 128 patients tested, 16 (12.5%) had EGFR mutations detected with either technique by formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue or/and serum circulating tumor DNA using next-generation sequencing, and 6 (4.7%) had ALK rearrangement by FFPE tumor tissue. The majority (62.6%) presented with metastatic disease. Among the 102 patients who received first-line systemic therapy, the objective response rate was 50.0% in mutated NSCLC versus 14.6% in non-mutated (p < 0.001). Among the eight mutated patients who received first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), 7 patients achieved either complete response or partial response. Among the 22 mutated patients, the median overall survival was 3 months in those who did not receive targeted therapy versus not reached in those who received any type of targeted therapy (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Screening patients with newly diagnosed non-squamous NSCLC for driver mutations is essential for major prognostic and therapeutic implications. Early administration of TKIs in mutated patients significantly improves disease outcomes.

Occurrence of pulmonary residuals as one of the sequelae of COVID-19 and it's predictors among moderate and severe cases.

BACKGROUND: Moderate and severe COVID-19 patients typically present with pneumonia. In this study we aimed to detect the occurrence of pulmonary residuals as a late sequela of COVID-19 and to identify it's predictors among moderate and severe cases. METHODS: This observational prospective study involved 85 COVID-19 patients confirmed by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) nasopharyngeal swab, patients were recruited in the period of 1 st of June to 1 st of July. Demographic and clinical data were obtained for each patient. Chest imaging was performed initially and after 3 weeks to detect post COVID pulmonary residuals. RESULTS: The study population included 74 (87.1%) moderate and 11 (12.9%) severe patients. Patients with older age, male gender, high BMI and initial chest CT of consolidation/mixed consolidation and ground glass opacities (GGOs) had more frequent post COVID-19 pulmonary residuals (P 0.003, 0.026, 0.031, 0.035) respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between patients who showed complete resolution and patients who developed pulmonary residuals regarding the lymphocyte count, serum CRP and ferritin levels (P 0.0001). After logistic regression, male gender, high BMI, initial chest CT of consolidation/mixed consolidation and GGOs, lymphocytopenia, high serum CRP and ferritin levels were the predictors of pulmonary residuals. While the age wasn't statistically significant. CONCLUSION: 38.5% of moderate and severe COVID-19 patients tend to have pulmonary residuals. Independent predictors of pulmonary residuals as a sequela of COVID-19 are male gender, high BMI, initial chest CT of consolidation and mixed consolidation/GGOs, lymphocytopenia, high serum CRP and ferritin levels.