Kentaro Miura

Computed tomography attenuation predicts the growth of pure ground-glass nodules.

OBJECTIVES Cases of lung cancer with pure ground-glass nodules (GGNs) have been detected with increasing frequency since the advent of computed tomography (CT), and growth is sometimes noted during follow-up. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential predictive factors for pure GGN growth. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively examined 124 cases involving pure GGNs. Patients were monitored for > 2 years using high-resolution CT. After a median follow-up period of 57.0 months, GGNs showed growth in 64 of the 124 cases. We compared the patient characteristics and tumor properties of cases with and without growth. The predictive value of the mean CT attenuation for GGN growth was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS Univariate analysis revealed significant differences between mean CT attenuation values in patients with and without growth (-602.9 ± 90.7 Hounsfield units [HU] vs -705.7 ± 77.7HU, P < 0.0001). The final incidence of growth was estimated to be significantly higher for lesions with a mean CT attenuation value of ≥ -670HU (n = 62; 93.2%) than for lesions with values of < -670HU (n = 62; 31.6%; P < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity for predicting tumor growth using this cutoff value were 78.1% and 80.0%, respectively (area under the curve, 0.81). CONCLUSION The mean CT attenuation value could be useful in predicting the growth of GGNs.

Clinical significance of preoperative serum albumin level for prognosis in surgically resected patients with non-small cell lung cancer: Comparative study of normal lung, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis

OBJECTIVES This study was performed to clarify whether preoperative serum albumin level is related to the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing surgical resection, and the relationships between serum albumin level and clinicopathological characteristics of lung cancer patients with emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 556 patients that underwent surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer. The correlation between preoperative serum albumin level and survival was evaluated. Patients were divided into three groups according to the findings on chest high-resolution computed tomography (normal lung, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis), and the relationships between serum albumin level and clinicopathological characteristics, including prognosis, were evaluated. RESULTS The cut-off value of serum albumin level was set at 4.2g/dL. Patients with low albumin levels (albumin <4.2) had significantly poorer prognosis than those with high albumin levels (albumin ≥4.2) with regard to both overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Serum albumin levels in the emphysema group (n=48) and pulmonary fibrosis group (n=45) were significantly lower than that in the normal lung group (n=463) (p=0.009 and <0.001, respectively). Low serum albumin level was a risk factor in normal lung and pulmonary fibrosis groups, but not in the emphysema group. CONCLUSION Preoperative serum albumin level was an important prognostic factor for overall survival and recurrence-free survival in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer. Divided into normal lung, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis groups, serum albumin level showed no influence only in patients in the emphysema group.

The Preoperative Composite Physiologic Index May Predict Mortality in Lung Cancer Patients with Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema

Background: It remains unclear whether the preoperative pulmonary function parameters and prognostic indices that are indicative of nutritional and immunological status are associated with prognosis in lung cancer patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) who have undergone surgery. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify prognostic determinants in these patients. Methods: The medical records of all patients with lung cancer associated with CPFE who had undergone surgery at Shinshu University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed to obtain clinical data, including the results of preoperative pulmonary function tests and laboratory examinations, chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and survival. Results: Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that a high pathological stage of the lung cancer, a higher preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level, and a higher preoperative composite physiologic index (CPI) were associated with a high risk of death. Multivariate analysis showed that a high pathological stage of the lung cancer (HR: 1.579; p = 0.0305) and a higher preoperative CPI (HR: 1.034; p = 0.0174) were independently associated with a high risk of death. In contrast, the severity of fibrosis or emphysema on chest HRCT, the individual pulmonary function parameters, the prognostic nutritional index, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were not associated with prognosis. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the log-rank test showed significant differences in survival between the high-CPI and the low-CPI group (p = 0.0234). Conclusion: The preoperative CPI may predict mortality and provide more powerful prognostic information than individual pulmonary function parameters in lung cancer patients with CPFE who have undergone surgery.

Hilar lymph node metastasis of amelanotic malignant melanoma of unknown origin

We report a case of hilar lymph node metastasis of amelanotic malignant melanoma of unknown origin. A left pulmonary nodule was detected during a check-up in a 58-year old woman. Chest computed tomography indicated a large left hilar mass located between the upper and lower lobes. She underwent left pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection, and the tumour was diagnosed as hilar lymph node metastasis of an amelanotic malignant melanoma; however, the primary lesion could not be detected. Thus, the possibility of spontaneous regression of the primary lesion and the amelanotic subtype of malignant melanomas should be considered in clinical practice.

Primary mediastinal dedifferentiated liposarcoma: Five case reports and a review: Mediastinal dedifferentiated liposarcoma

Liposarcoma has been subclassified histologically into well‐differentiated, myxoid, pleomorphic, and dedifferentiated types. The dedifferentiated type generally shows poorer prognosis than the well‐differentiated type. Because of its rarity, the clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes of primary mediastinal dedifferentiated liposarcoma remain unclear.

Successful Resection of G719X-Positive Pleomorphic Carcinoma after Afatinib Treatment

We report a case of pleomorphic carcinoma with exon 18 mutation (G719X) of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which showed good response to afatinib and resulted in successful resection. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of afatinib for pleomorphic carcinoma followed by the surgical resection. The patient was a 59-year-old woman, who visited our hospital because chest computed tomography showed a 28 × 28-mm nodule in the left upper lobe. Bronchoscopy was performed and the histological findings of transbronchial biopsy revealed adenosquamous carcinoma positive for G719X mutation in exon 18 of the EGFR. Since fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography revealed a positive accumulation in the bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, the disease was diagnosed as cT1bN3M0, stage IIIB. After 3 months of afatinib therapy, FDG accumulation in primary tumor was almost gone. However, FDG accumulation in lymph nodes remained unchanged. Video-assisted thoracic surgery was planned for further diagnostic information and left upper lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed. The resected tumor included adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and spindle cell components, without lymph node metastasis. Thus, the disease was diagnosed as pleomorphic carcinoma (pT2aN0M0, stage IB). All components in the resected specimen had the same G719X mutation in exon 18 of the EGFR. The patient has shown no signs of recurrence at 1 year after the operation. The present case indicates the possibility of minor EGFR mutations in pleomorphic carcinoma and successful outcome by the use of afatinib and surgical resection.

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome detected incidentally by asymptomatic bilateral pneumothorax in health screening: a case of a young Japanese woman

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHD) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations of germline folliculin (FCLN) mapped in the chromosome 17p11.2 region. BHD commonly accompanies renal tumors, fibrofolliculomas, multiple pulmonary cysts, and spontaneous pneumothorax. We report a case of a young Japanese woman in whom asymptomatic bilateral pneumothorax was found incidentally in a health screening, which led to the diagnosis of BHD. She had developed neither renal tumors nor fibrofolliculomas. However, her father, uncle, and aunt also experienced pneumothorax. In Japan, BHD is not yet well known because skin-related symptoms of fibrofolliculomas are sometimes absent unlike in most cases in Europe and the United States. On the basis of this case, we propose that BHD should be considered at the time of pneumothorax examination.