Surgical resection is the only radical method for the treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Intraoperative frozen section (FS) has the advantages of high accuracy, wide applicability, few complications and real-time diagnosis of pulmonary nodules. It is one of the main means to guide surgical strategies for pulmonary nodules. Therefore, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang and other databases for nearly 30 years of relevant literature and research data, held 3 conferences, and formulated this consensus by using the Delphi method. A total of 6 consensus contents were proposed: (1) Rapid intraoperative FS diagnosis of benign and malignant diseases; (2) Diagnosis of lung cancer types including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, others, etc; (3) Diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma infiltration degree; (4) Histological subtype diagnosis of invasive adenocarcinoma; (5) The treatment strategy of lung adenocarcinoma with inconsistent diagnosis on degree of invasion between intraoperative FS and postoperative paraffin diagnosis; (6) Intraoperative FS diagnosis of tumor spread through air space, visceral pleural invasion and lymphovascular invasion. Finally, we gave 11 recommendations in the above 6 consensus contents to provide a reference for diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and guiding surgical decision-making for peripheral non-small cell lung cancer using FS, and to further improve the level of individualized and precise diagnosis and treatment of early-stage lung cancer.
The new effective systemic treatment strategy has "created" many long-term stage Ⅳ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors, and surgeons should pay attention to those individual ineffective lesions of long-term survivors. Besides, the new effective systemic treatment strategy may have changed the original concept and population of oligometasis. To intervene the oligo-progression lesions of long-term stage Ⅳ survivors, particularly after effective systemic treatment, at appropriate time with appropriate way might be the main task of surgery in the future.
Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsPubMed, The Cochrane Library, and EMbase databases were searched for clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ICIs as first-line treatment for NSCLC patients. The search period was from database inception to January 2023. Quality evaluation was conducted using the improved Jadad scale, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. ResultsTwelve RCTs were included, all of which were assessed as high-quality literature, involving a total of 7 121 patients. Meta-analysis results showed that, compared with chemotherapy, ICIs as first-line treatment for NSCLC patients significantly improved median overall survival (OS) [HR=0.72, 95%CI (0.64, 0.80), P<0.001] and median progression-free survival (PFS) [HR=0.65, 95%CI (0.53, 0.78), P<0.001], and improved objective response rate (ORR) [RR=1.52, 95%CI (1.28, 1.79), P<0.001]. Subgroup analysis showed that, compared with the ICIs monotherapy group, the ICIs combination therapy group significantly improved OS, PFS, and ORR in NSCLC patients. In terms of safety, the risk of any grade treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) and grade 3-5 TRAEs in the ICIs group was lower than that in the chemotherapy group. The incidence of TRAEs leading to treatment discontinuation was higher in the ICIs group than in the chemotherapy group. Subgroup analysis showed that the incidence of any grade, grade 3-5, and TRAEs leading to treatment discontinuation was higher in the immune combination therapy group than in the immune monotherapy group. Conclusion ICIs as first-line treatment for NSCLC patients can significantly improve OS, PFS, and ORR compared with chemotherapy. Compared to immune monotherapy, immune combination therapy can significantly improve the efficacy in NSCLC patients, but patients have a higher risk of TRAEs.
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes in pulmonary function after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) segmentectomy.MethodsA total of 59 patients (30 males and 29 females) who underwent segmentectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July to October 2017 were included. There were 33 patients (18 males and 15 females) in the VATS group and 26 patients (12 males and 14 females) in the RATS group. Lung function tests were performed before surgery, 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. Intra- and inter-group comparisons of lung function retention values were performed between the two groups of patients to analyze differences in lung function retention after VATS and RATS segmentectomy.ResultsThe forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in the VATS group and the RATS group were significantly lower than those before surgery (P<0.05), and they increased significantly within 6 months after surgery (P<0.05). The recovery was not obvious after 6 months (P>0.05), and they were still lower than those before surgery. In addition, the retentions of FEV1 and FVC in the VATS group and the RATS group were similar in 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after operation with no statistical difference(P>0.05). ConclusionPulmonary function decreases significantly in 1 month after minimally invasive segmentectomy, and the recovery is obvious in 6 months after the operation, then the pulmonary function recovery gradually stabilizes 12 months after surgery. FEV1 of the patients in the two groups recovers to 93% and 94%, respectively. There is no statistical difference in pulmonary function retention after VATS and RATS segmentectomy.
Recent research data showed the concept that "surgery is still the main treatment for early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)" now has new connotation: (1) Pure ground glass nodule (GGO) like lung adenocarcinoma should be regarded as a new clinical issue compared to solid tumors to avoid over-treatment. (2) The deep meaning of multidisciplinary pathological classification of lung adenocarcinoma should be fully understood to avoid over-diagnosis. (3) The T staging of lung adenocarcinoma mixed with GGO components should be correctly understood to avoid over-staging. (4) We should carefully understand the new data of relationship between lung resection extent and prognosis to avoid excessive resection. (5) Attention should be paid to the research progress of minimal residual disease (MRD) to avoid possible insufficient treatment.
Objective To analyze the value of serum microRNAs (miR-218, miR-329, and miR-567) in predicting the clinical efficacy of programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor combined with synchronous chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A total of 160 patients with NSCLC treated with PD-1 inhibitor combined with synchronous chemotherapy in Taiyuan Hospital, Peking University First Hospital between January 2021 and January 2023 were prospectively selected as the study objects by convenience sampling, and the serum levels of miR-218, miR-329, and miR-567 and the clinical efficacy of the patients were collected. According to the clinical efficacy, the patients were divided into remission group (partial remission and complete remission) and non-remission group (stable disease and disease progression). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of serum miR-218, miR-329 and miR-567 levels in the clinical efficacy of PD-1 inhibitor combined with synchronous chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC. Results Of the 160 patients, 34 (21.2%) had disease progression, 85 (53.1%) had stable disease, 39 (24.4%) had partial remission, and 2 (1.2%) had complete remission. They were divided into remission group (41 cases) and non-remission group (119 cases). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that high levels of serum miR-218, miR-329, and miR-567 could promote the clinical efficacy of PD-1 inhibitor combined with synchronous chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC (all P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that, for predicting the clinical efficacy of PD-1 inhibitor combined with synchronous chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC according to the cut-off value of the joint prediction probability of serum miR-218, miR-329, and miR-567, the area under the ROC curve was 0.938 [95% confidence interval (0.855, 0.964)], and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 82.9%, 92.4%, 79.1%, and 94.0%, respectively. Conclusion The combined detection of serum miR-218, miR-329 and miR-567 levels has a high predictive value for the therapeutic effect of PD-1 inhibitor combined with synchronous chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC.
Objective To observe the value of serum soluble receptor of advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) combined with lung function and high resolution lung CT (HRCT) in predicting the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) developing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods From January 2019 to June 2021, 140 patients with COPD combined with NSCLC, 137 patients with COPD, and 133 patients with NSCLC were enrolled in the study from the People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. General data, clinical symptoms, pulmonary function indexes and HRCT emphysema indexes (EI) were collected. Serum sRAGE levels of these patients were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical characteristics of patients with COPD complicated with NSCLC were analyzed. Serum sRAGE, lung function and lung HRCT were combined to evaluate the correlation between the degree of emphysema and the occurrence of NSCLC in COPD, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for diagnostic efficiency. Results Compared with NSCLC group, COPD combined with NSCLC group had higher proportion of male patients, higher proportion of elderly patients, higher smoking index, and higher proportion of squamous cell carcinoma (P<0.05). FEV1 and FEV1%pred in COPD combined with NSCLC group were significantly lower than those in COPD group and NSCLC group. The Goddard score and EI values of emphysema were significantly increased (P<0.05). Serum sRAGE was significantly lower than that of COPD group and NSCLC group (P<0.05). Serum sRAGE level was positively correlated with FEV1%pred (r=0.366, P<0.001) and FEV1/FVC (r=0.419, P<0.001), and negatively correlated with Goddard score (r=–0.710, P=0.001) and EI value (r=–0.515, P<0.001). Binary multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that age, smoking index, EI, Goddard score, RV/TLC were positively correlated with the risk of COPD developing NSCLC, while FEV1%pred, FVC, FEV1/FVC and serum sRAGE were negatively correlated with the risk of COPD developing NSCLC. ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of single diagnosis of sRAGE was 0.990, and the optimal cut-off value of 391.98 pg/mL with sensitivity of 93.3% and specificity of 89.7%. The AUC of sRAGE combined with age, smoking index, EI, Goddard score, FEV1%pred, FVC, FEV1/FVC, RV/TLC was 1.000 with sensitivity of 96.7%, specificity of 96.6%, and Yoden index of 0.933. Conclusion The combination of serum sRAGE, lung function and HRCT emphysema score can improve prediction of NSCLC occurrence in COPD.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical value of multidisclplinary team (MDT) in the application of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the postoperative clinical data of 80 patients with NSCLC in the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between January 2014 and May 2018. There were 56 males, 24 females at age of 59±10 years. Forty five patients were performed lobectomy with conventional model, 35 patients were also performed lobectomy after MDT discussion. The clinical effect of the two groups was compared. ResultsCompared to conventional model, MDT can shorten operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative chest drainage, catheterization time, complications, length of stay and hospital costs. But there was no significant difference in intraoperative transthoracotomy proportion, delayed wound healing and postoperative pulmonary leakage between the two groups. ConclusionThe efficacy of MDT in the surgical treatment of NSCLC is satisfactory. The MDT is valuable during operation, which reduces surgical trauma and accelerate patients’ recovery, and deserves the clinical promotion.
ObjectiveTo summarize the perioperative outcome of patients undergoing robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) or four-port single-direction video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) right upper lobectomy (RUL), and to discuss the safety and the essentials of the surgery.MethodsThe clinical data of 579 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing minimally invasive RUL in Dr. Luo Qingquan’s team of our center from 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 246 males and 333 females aged 33-78 years. The 579 patients were divided into a RATS group (n=283) and a VATS group (n=296) according to surgical methods. Baseline characteristics and perioperative outcomes including dissected lymph nodes, postoperative duration of drainage, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications and surgery cost were compared between the two groups.ResultsThere was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05), and no postoperative 30 d mortality or intraoperative blood transfusion was observed. Compared with VATS, RATS had shorter operation time (90.22±12.16 min vs. 92.68±12.26 min, P=0.016), postoperative hospital stay (4.67±1.43 d vs. 5.31±1.59 d, P<0.001) and time of drainage (3.55±1.38 d vs. 4.16±1.58 d, P<0.001). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the lymph nodes dissection, blood loss volume, conversion rate or complications. The cost of RATS was much higher than that of VATS (93 275.46±13 276.69 yuan vs. 67 082.58±12 978.17 yuan, P<0.001).ConclusionThe safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted and video-assisted RUL are satisfactory, and they have similar perioperative outcomes. However, RATS costs relatively shorter operation time and postoperative hospital stay.
Systemic therapy is the main treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer, but the effect of chemotherapy alone is not good. In recent years, with the discovery of the pathogenic targets of non-small cell lung cancer, new treatment methods such as targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors are available, which greatly improve the survival time and quality of life of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Genetic testing is recommended for all patients with advanced non-small cells lung cancer to obtain more precise and individualized treatment. This article focuses on different types of gene mutations and the corresponding molecular targeted drugs in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, in order to better guide clinical treatment.