中国肺癌杂志最新文献

With the rapid development of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene testing of lung adenocarcinoma patients has been routinely carried out, EGFR mutations are also possible for some small samples of non-smoking female lung squamous cell carcinoma patients. This increases the opportunity for targeted therapy for this group of patients. However, drug resistance in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma during targeted therapy is an important factor affecting subsequent treatment. There are multiple mechanisms of acquired drug resistance in targeted therapy, and the alteration of mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) signaling pathway is one of the common mechanisms of drug resistance. At present, some selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of MET has been approved for non-small cell lung cancer with MET gene 14 exon skipping mutation, such as Glumetinib, Savolitinib, Tepotinib, Capmatinib, etc. Drugs that target secondary MET amplification are still in clinical trials. This paper retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of a female patient with EGFR-TKIs resistant secondary MET amplified squamous cell lung cancer, and reviewed relevant literature to explore how to optimize the treatment of lung squamous cell carcinoma patients with EGFR mutation, so as to provide clinical reference for the diagnosis and treatment of such patients.
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Lung cancer is one of the most malignant tumor, representing a significant threat to human health. In China, its mortality rate is the highest among all malignant tumors. The occurrence of drug resistance has resulted in unfavourable prognosis for patients with lung cancer, and overcoming drug resistance is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed. Nano-drug delivery technology has been an important approach to overcome drug resistance in lung cancer. Targeting to the mechanisms of drug resistance, by enabling the combined delivery of drugs, increasing the efficiency of drug delivery and improving the targeting and safety of drugs, nano-drug delivery technology offers a novel approach to tackling drug resistance in lung cancer. This paper describes the current status of lung cancer treatment, mechanisms of drug resistance, strategies to overcome drug resistance, and the application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. In addition, it summarizes the recent research progress on the application of nano-drug delivery technology to overcome drug resistance in lung cancer. Finally, the current prospects and challenges of nano-drug delivery technology are discussed.
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Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) gene mutation is a large class of mutations commonly seen in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MET mutation includes subtypes such as MET exon 14 skipping mutation (METex14m) and MET amplification (METamp). For advanced NSCLC with METex14m, Savolitinib has a high sensitivity as a member of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). METamp is a relatively rare genetic mutation type which can serve as a driver gene to mediate primary and later acquired drug resistance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-TKIs. For advanced NSCLC with secondary METamp, EGFR-TKIs combined with MET-TKIs are usually used in clinical treatment, while the optimal treatment strategy for advanced NSCLC with primary METamp has not yet been determined. For locally advanced NSCLC patients with positive driver gene mutations such as EGFR, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion and METex14m, there have been relevant cases reported that neoadjuvant targeted therapy could achieve a good prognosis, but there have been no cases of neoadjuvant targeted therapy for locally advanced NSCLC patients with METamp. This report describes a case of a locally advanced NSCLC patient with dual driver gene mutations (EGFR L858R combined with primary METamp), the tumor did not shrink after 1 month of Gefitinib monotherapy, but significantly subsided after 4 months of Savolitinib monotherapy. After radical surgery, the pathological results proved pathological complete response (pCR) of the tumor, and the patient had a good response to postoperative continual Savolitinib treatment, with no recurrence nor metastasis observed to date. This case reports the feasibility and effectiveness of neoadjuvant targeted therapy for locally advanced NSCLC with primary METamp, aiming to provide effective reference for perioperative treatment of locally advanced NSCLC with primary METamp.
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At present, immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has become the first-line standard of treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have received extensive attention and research in the field of lung cancer. At the same time, there are many challenges and tests in this process, such as the exploration of biomarkers, the exploration of new targets and new models, and the management of special populations. This article reviews the research progress in the field of ES-SCLC immunotherapy, and looks forward to the future development trend and potential direction of this field.
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Background: Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelial carcinoma (PPLEC) is a rare form of lung malignancy, accounting for only 0.7% of all lung cancers. It is currently classified as a distinct subtype within squamous cell carcinomas. This study aims to explore the clinicopathological characteristics of PPLEC and its subtypes, with the objective of enhancing understanding and improving diagnostic accuracy for this disease.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical, pathological, imaging, and prognostic data of 14 patients diagnosed with PPLEC at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between February 2019 and June 2023.

Results: A total of 14 cases of PPLEC were identified, including 5 cases of the Regaud type, with ages ranging from 33 to 73 years, comprising 2 males and 3 females; and 9 cases of the Schmincke type, with ages ranging from 36 to 79 years, including 4 males and 5 females. Computed tomography (CT) scans consistently demonstrated soft tissue masses or nodular shadows. Reagud type mainly showed peripheral masses and Schmincke type mainly showed central masses. Pathological examination revealed tumor cells exhibiting syncytial-like growth, accompanied by lymphocytic infiltration and stromal fibrosis, with the Regaud type showing well-defined borders combined with granulomatous inflammation, while the Schmincke type exhibited indistinct tumor margins. Immunohistochemistry showed that CK, CK5/6, P40 and P63 were positive, and the Ki-67 index of Regaud type was lower than that of Schmincke type; notably, all 8 cases tested for programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) were positive. Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization was positive in all instances. Among these cases, 6 underwent surgical treatment, and 8 received comprehensive therapy; by the end of the follow-up period, all 14 patients remained alive.

Conclusions: PPLEC is a rare form of malignant lung tumor associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The Regaud and Schmincke subtypes display distinct imaging and pathological characteristics. In the early stages of the disease, surgical intervention is the primary treatment method; however, for advanced stages, a multimodal treatment approach is utilized, resulting in a relatively favorable prognosis. Immunotherapy represents a promising and effective treatment modality for patients with middle to advanced stage disease exhibiting high PD-L1 expression levels.

Background: The early stages of tumor bone metastasis are closely associated with changes in the vascular niche of the bone microenvironment, and abnormal angiogenesis accelerates tumor metastasis and progression. However, the effects of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells reprogrammed by the bone microenvironment on the vascular niche within the bone microenvironment and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates the effects and mechanisms of LUAD cells reprogrammed by the bone microenvironment on endothelial cells and angiogenesis, providing insights into the influence of tumor cells on the vascular niche within the bone microenvironment.

Methods: The culture media from bone-metastatic LUAD cell A549-GFP-LUC-BM3 (BM3-CM) and A549-GFP-LUC (A549-CM) were separately applied to human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). A colony formation assay, scratch assay, and tube formation assay were conducted to evaluate the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify enriched pathways, while reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to quantify hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a protein that plays a crucial role in angiogenesis. Furthermore, the pivotal function of HGF and its underlying molecular mechanisms have been substantiated through the utilisation of recombinant proteins, neutralising antibodies, pathway inhibitors, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blot.

Results: BM3-CM demonstrated a more pronounced impact on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC compared to A549-CM. Bioinformatics analysis, combined with in vitro experiment, demonstrated that the secretory protein HGF was significantly elevated in BM3 cells and BM3-CM (P<0.05). The addition of HGF neutralizing antibodies to BM3-CM inhibited the promoting effect of BM3-CM on HUVEC (P<0.05), while the addition of recombinant HGF to A549-CM reproduced that promoting effect of BM3-CM on HUVEC (P<0.05). HGF can enhance the activation of YAP (Yes-associated protein) in HUVEC, and this promotion effect may be achieved by activating Src and activating YAP into the nucleus (P<0.05), but this effect can be inhibited by HGF neutralizing antibodies (P<0.05). Furthermore, the addition of recombinant HGF to A549-CM can recapitulate the YAP activation effect of BM3-CM in HUVEC (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Bone microenvironment reprogrammed bone-metastatic LUAD cells BM3 promote the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC through the HGF/YAP axis, potentially playing a significant role in the modifications of the vascular niche.

Background: Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality rates worldwide, seriously threatening human health. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for more than 85% of all lung cancer cases. STMN1 is a microtubule depolymerizing protein widely present in the cytoplasm and its expression level is associated with the prognosis of NSCLC patients. Through meta-analysis, this study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the expression level of STMN1 for the prognosis of lung cancer and screen for tumor markers with high sensitivity and specificity to optimize the whole-process management of lung cancer patients.

Methods: The PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, WanFang and CNKI databases were searched from the inception to Sep 6, 2024 for relevant literature. The quality of included studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) score. The hazard ratio (HR) with 95%CI was combined to assess the relationship between STMN1 expression and prognostic factors. The prognostic indicators included the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). All statistical analysis was conducted by the STATA 17.0 software.

Results: A total of 5 high-quality studies (NOS score≥6 points) involving 754 patients were enrolled. The pooled results demonstrated that overexpression of STMN1 was significantly related to worse OS (HR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.79-2.91, P<0.001) and DFS (HR=2.14, 95%CI: 1.45-3.17, P<0.001). Overexpression of STMN1 was a risk factor for poor prognosis of NSCLC patients.

Conclusions: Overexpression of STMN1 is a poor prognostic factor in NSCLC patients. STMN1 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for NSCLC patients. However, more researches are still needed to verify the above findings.

Background: Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) is a malignant tumor with remarkable proliferative and invasive ability, which has very poor clinical prognosis due to lack of effective treatments. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and synergistic effects of radiotherapy (RT) combined with immunotherapy (IT) and chemotherapy (CT) in patients with ES-SCLC.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 145 ES-SCLC patients treated with first-line CT. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log-rank tests were used to evaluate survival outcomes, while propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to reduce confounding factors.

Results: The median overall survival (mOS) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) for the entire cohort were 15.7 and 6.9 mon, respectively. The IT+CT group had a significantly longer mOS compared to the CT group (17.2 vs 13.5 mon, P=0.047). Similarly, the RT+CT group demonstrated superior mOS (18.5 vs 12.3 mon, P<0.001) and mPFS (7.1 vs 6.2 mon, P=0.006) compared to the CT group. Multivariate analysis identified RT, IT, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) as independent prognostic factors for mOS (P<0.05), while gender and ECOG PS were independent predictors for mPFS (P<0.05). Following PSM, the RT+CT group continued to exhibit significant advantages in mOS (18.0 vs 12.1 mon, P<0.001) and mPFS (7.1 vs 5.5 mon, P=0.037) compared to the CT group. Notably, the RT+IT+CT group achieved a markedly longer mOS than the IT+CT group (28.5 vs 15.8 mon, P=0.017). Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 27.6% of patients, with no grade 5 adverse events reported.

Conclusions: The combination of RT, IT, and CT significantly enhances the prognosis of ES-SCLC patients. RT plays a key role in their synergistic effects and demonstrates good safety, warranting further research and clinical application.

Lung cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion mutations accounting for approximately 4%-9% of cases. In recent years, there are increasing clinical evidences suggesting that the combination of ALK inhibitors with surgical treatment holds significant potential for clinical application in resectable early and locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This review aims to summarize the advances in neoadjuvant targeted therapy for ALK fusion positive NSCLC and discuss its advantages and challenges in clinical practice.
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