Extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: Outcomes of treatment and prognostic factors

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the perioperative and long-term outcomes associated with extrapleural pneumonectomy for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.MethodsFrom October 1994 to April 2008, 70 patients were selected for extrapleural pneumonectomy. Univariate analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis with entering and removing limits of P less than .10 and P greater than .05, respectively, was used. The prognostic factors included age, gender, side of disease, asbestos exposure, histology, positron emission tomography, date of surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, completeness of cytoreduction, lymph node involvement, perioperative morbidity, adjuvant radiotherapy, and pemetrexed-based chemotherapy.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 55 years (standard deviation = 10). Fifty-eight patients had epithelial tumors. Six patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 28 patients received adjuvant radiotherapy, and 16 patients received postoperative pemetrexed-based chemotherapy. Forty-four patients had no lymph node involvement. The perioperative morbidity and mortality were 37% and 5.7%, respectively. Complications included hemothorax (n = 7), atrial fibrillation (n = 6), empyema (n = 4), bronchopulmonary fistula (n = 3), right-sided heart failure (n = 2), pneumonia (n = 1), constrictive pericarditis (n = 1), acute pulmonary edema (n = 1), small bowel herniation (n = 1), and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (n = 1). The median survival was 20 months, with a 3-year survival of 30%. Asbestos exposure, negative lymph node involvement, and receipt of adjuvant radiation or postoperative pemetrexed-based chemotherapy were associated with improved survival on both univariate and multivariate analyses.ConclusionThe present study supports the use of extrapleural pneumonectomy-based multimodal therapy in carefully selected patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

Using Linked Lung Cancer Registry and Hospital Data for Guiding Health Service Improvement

Objective: To use linked NSW Cancer Registry and hospital lung cancer (LC) data for raising discussion points on how to improve outcomes. Design: Historical cohort – cases diagnosed in 2003-2007. Setting: New South Wales, Australia Outcome Measures: Relative odds (OR) of localised disease and resection of non-small cases (NSCLC) using multiple logistic regression. Comparisons of risk of NSCLC death using competing risk regression. Findings: (1) Older patients have fewer resections of localised NSCLC [adjusted OR 95% CLs; 80+Vs <60 years; 0.20 (0.14, 0.28)]. Cases with co-morbidity have fewer resections [adjusted OR, 0.74 (0.61, 0.90)] and have more conservative resections. Question: Is there the best balance between resection and avoiding surgery to accommodate frailty and co-morbidity? (2) Compared with public patients, the health insured: have higher odds of localised LC [adjusted OR, 1.23 (1.12, 1.35] and resection for localised NSCLC [adjusted OR, 2.08 (1.70, 2.54)]; are more likely to have lobectomies than wedge/segmental resections (p<0.001); and have a lower risk of LC death [adjusted SHR, 0.89 (0.85, 0.93)]. Question: Are there opportunities for improving publicpatient outcomes? (3) Patients born in non-English speaking countries have lower odds of localised disease [adjusted OR, 0.88 (0.79, 0.99)]. – Question: Could this difference be decreased by reducing cultural and language barriers? (4) Cancers of pulmonary lobes rather than the main bronchus pose lower risks of LC death. Question: Could outcomes for main bronchus cancers be improved by up-skilling or referral to higher-volume centres? (5) Greater extent of disease is strongly predictive of case fatality – Question: Could LC deaths be reduced by earlier treatment? (6) Use of lobectomies varies – Question: Could survival be increased through greater use of lobectomies for localised NSCLC? Conclusions: Linked cancer registry and hospital data can increase system-wide understanding of local health-service delivery and prompt discussion points on how to improve outcomes. Abbreviations: APDC – Australian Patient Data Collection; CHeReL – Centre for Health Record Linkage; EOD – Extent of Disease; LC – Lung Cancer; NSCLC – Non-Small Cell Cancers; NSWCR – New South Wales Cancer Registry; OR – Relative Odds; SEIFA – Socio-Economic Index for Areas; SES – Socio- Economic Status

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK.

BACKGROUND: A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. METHODS: This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. FINDINGS: Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0-75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4-97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8-80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3-4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. INTERPRETATION: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation, National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lemann Foundation, Rede D'Or, Brava and Telles Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Thames Valley and South Midland's NIHR Clinical Research Network, and AstraZeneca

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK

Background A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. Methods This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. Findings Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0–75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4–97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8–80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3–4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. Interpretation ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials

Metachronous tracheal squamous cell carcinoma treated with Nd: YAG laser

Informe elaborado por el Grupo de Vigilancia de la Gripe. Red Nacional de Vigilancia Epidemiológica. Servicio de Vigilancia Epidemiológica. Centro Nacional de Epidemiología.En la tercera semana de vigilancia de la temporada 2011-12 la tasa global de incidencia de gripe es de 14,20 casos por 100.000 habitantes. Se envían 49 muestras centinela para confirmación virológica de las que una ha sido positiva para el virus de la gripe. Se ha notificado la primera detección de virus de la gripe de la temporada. Se trata de un virus AnH1N1 procedente de la red centinela del País Vasco. En la semana 42/2011 no se ha notificado ningún caso grave hospitalizado confirmado de gripe.En la tercera semana de vigilancia de la temporada 2011-12 la tasa global de incidencia de gripe es de 14,20 casos por 100.000 habitantes. Se envían 49 muestras centinela para confirmación virológica de las que una ha sido positiva para el virus de la gripe. Se ha notificado la primera detección de virus de la gripe de la temporada. Se trata de un virus AnH1N1 procedente de la red centinela del País Vasco. En la semana 42/2011 no se ha notificado ningún caso grave hospitalizado confirmado de gripe.N

A Systematic review of extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma

INTRODUCTION: The primary objective of the present systematic review was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. METHODS: A systematic review of relevant studies identified through five online search databases was performed. Two reviewers independently appraised each study. RESULTS: Thirty-four of 58 relevant studies from 26 institutions containing the most updated data were evaluated for survival and perioperative outcomes after EPP. The median overall survival varied from 9.4 to 27.5 months, and 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates ranged from 36 to 83%, 5 to 59%, and 0 to 24%, respectively. Overall perioperative mortality rates ranged from 0 to 11.8%, and the perioperative morbidity rates ranged from 22 to 82%. Quality of life assessments from three studies reported improvements in nearly all domains at 3 months postoperatively. Patients who underwent trimodality therapy involving EPP and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy had a median overall survival of 13 to 23.9 months. DISCUSSIONS: The current evidence suggests that selected patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma may benefit from EPP, especially when combined with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy.12 page(s

Bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors : long-term outcomes after resection

Background Bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors are considered as a relatively uncommon and less malignant group of lung cancers. However, patients with histologically atypical disease are known to have a worse prognosis. The present study aims to evaluate the long-term outcomes after resection of bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors according to the new tumor, nodes, metastasis (TNM) staging system. Methods Patients with histologically proven bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors who underwent surgery in our thoracic unit over the last 25 years were identified from a prospectively collected database. Results One hundred and eighty-six patients were identified from our electronic database. Of these, 164 were known to have typical disease, while 22 had atypical disease. Median overall survival was 20.0 years. The mean follow-up was 8.0 years (median 7.0 years). Univariate analysis found age over 60, atypical disease, TNM staging, N status, and M status to have a statistically significant influence on overall survival. Multivariate analysis found age over 60 and atypical histopathology to have a detrimental impact on overall survival. Patients in the atypical subgroup were found to be significantly older, and presented with higher stage disease. Conclusions It is clear from the current study and previous reports that patients with atypical histopathology have different baseline characteristics, disease behavior, and prognosis compared with patients with typical disease. The proposed TNM staging system appears to be applicable to patients in our surgical experience, and may offer more accurate prognostic information and assist in the management plans for individuals.5 page(s

Treatment Failure after Extrapleural Pneumonectomy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Background: Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) has been used as a treatment option for selected patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The primary end-point of this study was disease-free survival (DFS). Prognostic indicators for local and overall DFS were statistically analyzed. Methods: Between October 1994 to April 2008, 59 patients who had complete macroscopic cytoreduction after EPP formed the basis of this report. In recent years, selected patients received adjuvant radiotherapy and pemetrexed combined with cisplatin or carboplatin. The clinicopathologic data of all patients were prospectively collected in a computerized database. Statistical analysis was performed by using Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Cox-regression model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: The mean age at the time of EPP was 59 (S.D. = 8) years. Nineteen patients (32%) experienced perioperative complications. The median survival was 21 months (range 2 to 104). The local disease recurrence rate was 51%. The median local DFS was 22 months (0 to 73). The overall disease recurrence rate was 64%. The median overall DFS was 18 months (range 0 to 73). In multivariate analysis, epithelial subtype (p = 0.026) and adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.023) were independently associated with an improved local DFS. Adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.011) was also independently associated with an improved overall DFS. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that that local disease failure was still a considerable clinical problem following complete EPP. The data also showed that patients with epithelial histology and receiving adjuvant radiotherapy were associated with an improved disease control.6 page(s