Lung cancer and combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema with anti-ARS antibody.

A 59-year-old man who had smoked for 23 pack-years was admitted to our hospital because of two-month history of back pain. The chest computed tomography scan demonstrated combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) and an irregular shaped nodule in the left lower lobe of the lung. A biopsy obtained from samples from subcarinal lymph nodes revealed non-small cell lung cancer. Anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) antibody was elevated up to 166 U/mL, although he had no symptoms suggestive connective tissue diseases. It is well known that most of CPFE patients are current or former heavy smokers, and some researchers described the relationship between CPFE and connective tissue diseases. To our best knowledge, this was the first report of lung cancer in patient with anti-ARS antibody-positive CPFE. In some anti-ARS antibody-positive patients, smoking might have a relationship with development of CPFE and lung cancer.

Nintedanib-mediated improvement in CT imaging in pulmonary fibrosis associated with systemic scleroderma.

Nintedanib is an antifibrotic drug that has an inhibitory effect on growth factor tyrosine kinases. In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and systemic scleroderma-associated interstitial pneumonia (SSc-IP), nintedanib has been effective in suppressing the decline in forced vital capacity over time and the onset of acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia. Here, we report a SSc-IP patient who showed an improvement on CT images following nintedanib treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a case. Although SSc-IP patients are very rare, additional clinical experience and understanding will be required to prove the therapeutic benefit of nintedanib in these cases in relation to improved chest images.

Imaging characteristics of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary nodules.

Introduction. Nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM) of the lungs can develop nodules. In order to clarify some of the characteristics of lung NTM nodules, we examined volume doubling time (VDT) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in positron emission tomography (PET) of pathologically diagnosed NTM nodules. Methods. From November 2012 to August 2018, clinical and radiological information were retrospectively investigated in eight patients who were surgically resected and diagnosed as NTM. These eight patients were followed up until November 2020 and were confirmed to have no appearance of lung cancer or reappearance of lung NTM nodules. The VDT was calculated using the Schwartz formula. Results. The median maximum diameter of the nodule at the time of the first CT scan was 16.0 (range: 9.9-20.0) mm. The median maximum diameter of the nodule on CT performed before the surgical biopsy was 18.8 (range: 10.4-32.8) mm. The median doubling time calculated from these results was 203 (range: 20-568) days. Caseous granulomas and acid-fast bacilli were histologically confirmed in all eight patients. Culture of excised nodules revealed Mycobacterium intracellulare in five patients and Mycobacterium avium in three patients. Six patients received PET, and median SUVmax was: 7.0 (range: 3.3-21.0). Median VDT was around 200 days. Some patients had irregular-shaped nodules. Conclusions. CT/PET-CT characteristics of lung nodules are not reliable in differentiating lung NTM nodules from malignant ones. To avoid unnecessary resection, it may be better to collect various information on imaging findings in the nodule itself and in opacities other than the nodule.

Association between peripheral eosinophils and clinical outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION: Programmed cell death ligand 1 is considered a predictor of the therapeutic effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs), but a more simple and useful predictor is needed. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between eosinophil counts and percentages and response to ICPI therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 190 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with ICPI therapy, peripheral eosinophil counts and percentages at the time of ICPI therapy initiation, the maximum counts and percentages of eosinophils during ICPI therapy, response to therapy, and time to treatment failure (TTF) were investigated. RESULTS: Both an increase in the peripheral eosinophil count and an elevation of eosinophil percentage following the initiation of ICPI therapy were observed, regardless of whether the patients had controlled or progressive disease. The median time to the maximum eosinophil percentage was 5 weeks in patients with controlled disease and 2 weeks in those with progressive disease. The cutoff value for the maximum eosinophil counts and percentage during ICPI therapy was set at 300/µl and 5%, respectively, to identify the presence or absence of a therapeutic effect. Time to treatment failure was longer in patients with maximum eosinophil counts exceeding 300/µl and a maximum eosinophil percentage above 5%. In a multivariable analysis, a maximum eosinophil percentage of 5% during ICPI therapy was a significant predictive factor for therapeutic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of peripheral eosinophils up to around 5 weeks following the initiation of treatment, especially the maximum eosinophils count and percentage, might provide useful information about the efficacy of ICPIs.

A case of ROS1-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma exhibiting pleural effusion caused by crizotinib.

Reports of crizotinib-induced pleural effusion in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are limited. A 35-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with ROS1-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma (primary left lower lobe, cT4N3M1c). Crizotinib was administered as first-line therapy, and the primary and mediastinal hilar lymph node metastases rapidly shrank. On the fourth day of treatment, chest X-ray demonstrated contralateral pleural effusion. On the 41st day of treatment, crizotinib was discontinued because of grade 3 neutropenia. Examination including surgical thoracoscopy did not reveal causative findings, and the continued cessation of drug administration enabled the right pleural effusion to decrease gradually and disappear, suggesting that this event was a side effect of crizotinib. The disease did not progress even though the drug was withdrawn for more than one year. In conclusion, crizotinib was considered to cause pleural effusion as an adverse event in a case of ROS1-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma with a complete response.