To determine long-term survival of visceral pleural invasion (VPI) and parenchymal invasion (PAI) (angiolymphatic and/or vascular) on survival of NSCLCs less than 30 mm in maximum diameter.
...Kaplan-Meier survivals for NSCLCs, with and without VPI and/or PAI, were determined for a prospective cohort of screening participants stratified by pathologic tumor size (≤10 mm, 11–20 mm, and 21–30 mm) and nodule consistency. Log-rank test statistics were calculated.
The frequency of PAI versus VPI was significantly lower in patients with subsolid nodules than in those with solid nodules (4.9% versus 27.7% p < 0.0001), and correspondingly, Kaplan-Meier lung cancer survival was significantly higher among patients with subsolid nodules (99.1% versus 91.3% p = 0.0009). Multivariable Cox regression found that only tumor diameter (adjusted hazard ratio HR =1.07, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.01–1.14, p = 0.02) and PAI (adjusted HR = 3.15, 95% CI: 1.25–7.90, p = 0.01) remained significant, whereas VPI was not significant (p = 0.15). When clinical and computed tomography findings were included with the pathologic findings, Cox regression showed that the risk of dying of lung cancer increased 10-fold (HR = 10.06, 95% CI: 1.35–75.30) for NSCLCs in patients with solid nodules and more than twofold (by a factor of 2.27) in patients with moderate to severe emphysema (HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.01–5.11), as well as with increasing tumor diameter (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.13), whereas PAI was no longer significant (p = 0.19).
Nodule consistency on computed tomography was a more significant prognostic indicator than either PAI or VPI. We propose that patients with NSCLC with VPI and a maximum tumor diameter of 30 mm or less not be upstaged to T2 without further large, multicenter studies of NSCLCs, stratified by the new T status and that classification be considered separately for patients with subsolid or solid nodules.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis, small airways disease, and emphysema. Diagnosis of COPD requires spirometric evidence and may be normal even when small ...airways disease or emphysema is present. Emphysema increases the risk of exacerbations, and is associated with all-cause mortality and increased risk of lung cancer. We evaluated the prevalence of emphysema in participants with and without a prior history of COPD.
We reviewed a prospective cohort of 52,726 subjects who underwent baseline low dose CT screening for lung cancer from 2003 to 2016 in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program.
Of 52,726 participants, 23.8%(12,542) had CT evidence of emphysema. Of these 12,542 participants with emphysema, 76.5%(9595/12,542) had no prior COPD diagnosis even though 23.6% (2258/9595) had moderate or severe emphysema. Among 12,542 participants, significant predictors of no prior COPD diagnosis were: male (OR = 1.47, p < 0.0001), younger age (ORage10 = 0.72, p < 0.0001), lower pack-years of smoking (OR10pack-years = 0.90, p < 0.0001), completed college or higher (OR = 1.54, p < 0.0001), no family history of lung cancer (OR = 1.12, p = 0.04), no self-reported cardiac disease (OR = 0.76, p = 0.0003) or hypertension (OR = 0.74, p < 0.0001). The severity of emphysema was significantly lower among the 9595 participants with no prior COPD diagnosis, the OR for moderate emphysema was ORmoderate = 0.58(p = 0.0007) and for severe emphysema, it was ORsevere = 0.23(p < 0.0001).
Emphysema was identified in 23.8% participants undergoing LDCT and was unsuspected in 76.5%. LDCT provides an opportunity to identify emphysema, and recommend smoking cessation.
•Emphysema was identified in 23.8% participants and was unsuspected in 76.5%.•23.6% of participants with unsuspected COPD had moderate or severe emphysema on LDCT.•COPD is underdiagnosed in patients undergoing LDCT.•LDCT provides an opportunity to identify emphysema, reduce morbidity and mortality.
OBJECTIVE. Appropriate radiologic interpretation of screening CT can minimize unnecessary workup and intervention. This is particularly challenging in the baseline round. We report on the quality ...assurance process we developed for the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program. MATERIALS AND METHODS. After initial training at the coordinating center, radiologists at 10 participating institutions and at the center independently interpreted the first 100 baseline screenings. The radiologist at the institutions had access to the center interpretations before issuing the final reports. After the first 100 screenings, the interpretations were jointly discussed. This report summarizes the results of the initial 100 dual interpretations at the 10 institutions. RESULTS. The final institution interpretations agreed with the center in 895 of the 1000 interpretations. Compared with the center, the frequency of positive results was higher at eight of the 10 institutions. The most frequent reason of discrepant interpretations was not following the protocol (n = 55) and the least frequent was not identifying a nodule (n = 3). CONCLUSION. The quality assurance process helped focus educational programs and provided an excellent vehicle for review of the protocol with participating physicians. It also suggests that the rate of positive results can be reduced by such measures.
Objectives
Differences in results of baseline and subsequent annual repeat rounds provide important information for optimising the regimen of screening.
Methods
A prospective cohort study of 65,374 ...was reviewed to examine the frequency/percentages of the largest noncalcified nodule (NCN), lung cancer cell types and Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival rates, separately for baseline and annual rounds.
Results
Of 65,374 baseline screenings, NCNs were identified in 28,279 (43.3%); lung cancer in 737 (1.1%). Of 74,482 annual repeat screenings,
new
NCNs were identified in 4959 (7%); lung cancer in 179 (0.24%). Only adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in subsolid NCNs. Percentages of lung cancers by cell type were significantly different (
p
< 0.0001) in the baseline round compared with annual rounds, reflecting length bias, as were the ratios, reflecting lead times. Long-term K-M survival rate was 100% for typical carcinoids and for adenocarcinomas manifesting as subsolid NCNs; 85% (95% CI 81–89%) for adenocarcinoma, 74% (95% CI 63–85%) for squamous cell, 48% (95% CI 34–62%) for small cell. The rank ordering by lead time was the same as the rank ordering by survival rates.
Conclusions
The significant differences in the frequency of NCNs and frequency and aggressiveness of diagnosed cancers in baseline and annual repeat need to be recognised for an optimal regimen of screening.
Key Points
•
Lung cancer aggressiveness varies considerably by cell type and nodule consistency.
•
Kaplan–Meier survival rates varied by cell type between 100% and 48%.
•
The percentages of lung cancers by cell type in screening rounds reflect screening biases.
•
Rank ordering by cell type survival is consistent with that by lead times.
•
Empirical evidence provides critical information for the regimen of screening.
Purpose
Clinical management decisions arising from the baseline round for lung cancer screening are the most challenging, as findings have accumulated over a lifetime and may be of no clinical ...concern. To minimize unnecessary harms and costs of workup prior to the first, annual repeat screening, workup should be limited to participants with the highest suspicion of lung cancer while still aiming to identify small, early lung cancers.
Methods
We compared recommendations for immediate, delayed (by 3 or 6 months) workup to assess growth at a malignant rate, and the resulting overall and potential biopsies of three baseline screening protocols: I-ELCAP, the two scenarios of ACR-LungRADS, and the European Consortium. For each protocol, the efficiency ratio (ER) of each recommendation was calculated by dividing the number of participants recommended for that workup by the number of resulting lung cancer diagnoses. The ER for potential biopsies was calculated, assuming that biopsies were performed on all participants recommended for immediate workup as well as those diagnosed with lung cancer after delayed workup.
Results
For I-ELCAP, ACR-LungRADS Scenario 1, ACR-LungRADS Scenario 2, and the European consortium, the overall ER was 13.9, 18.3, 18.3, and 31.9, respectively, and for potential biopsies, it was 2.2, 8.1, 3.2, and 4.4, respectively. ER for immediate workup was 2.9, 8.6, 3.9, and 5.6, respectively, and for delayed workup was 36.1, 160.3, 57.8, and 111.9, respectively.
Conclusions
I-ELCAP recommendations had the lowest ER values for overall, immediate, and delayed workup, and for potential biopsies.
Key Points
• Small differences in protocol thresholds can lead to many unnecessary diagnostic workups.
• I-ELCAP recommendations were the most efficient for immediate and overall workup, and potential biopsies.
•
Definition of a “positive result” and recommendations for further workup in the baseline round needs to be continually reevaluated and updated.
Bloodless surgery and a reduction in the use of allogeneic blood products has long been the standard of care in medicine. Many individuals in our communities have demanded this form of surgical ...treatment for personal and religious reasons. On 6 December 2002, a 72-year-old male patient was admitted to our institution as a critical air flight transfer. The patient’s height was 190.5 cm and weight was 59.3 kg (body surface area 1.83 m2). His preliminary diagnosis was chest pain with myocardial infarction as evidenced by elevated blood cardiac isoenzymes. His principle diagnosis was subendocardial infarction with paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. Cardiac catheterization was performed and demonstrated severe triple vessel disease with an ejection fraction of 30%. He was evaluated and accepted as a candidate for coronary artery bypass grafting. Multidisciplinary consultation concluded that a safe and effective method of perioperative treatment would involve the use of arrested heart support with cold blood cardioplegia using a low prime miniature perfusion circuit as no blood products would be considered for use. Additionally, the combined modalities of perfusion interventions to minimize hemodilution consisted of intraoperative autologous blood collection totaling 500 mL and rapid autologous priming of the miniature perfusion circuit. The miniature perfusion system was a low prime Cardiovention (Santa Clara, CA) CORx device which includes a hollow-fiber oxygenator and integral centrifugal pump with a surface area of 1.2 m2. This system also incorporates an air sensing solenoid which triggers rapid air evacuation in a bolus range of 1 mL or greater. Kinetic venous drainage is another feature of this device as the centrifugal pump is integrated into the oxygenator. We believed that a miniature extracorporeal circuit would enhance the desired clinical outcome as opposed to the risk of: (1) off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) approach and the concern of emergent transition to an on-pump procedure and (2) use of larger surface area with conventional systems that impose a greater hemodilutional effect. Leukocyte filtration was employed as the patient had a significant past medical history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We herein report our clinical experience with this method of treatment on a patient who refused the use of blood products in his surgical treatment. It is our belief that the multiple modalities utilized in combination during this procedure resulted in positive clinical outcomes as demonstrated by an intubation time of 8 hours 35 min with a discharge on the fifth postoperative day.
Patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) impose a significant risk for postoperative morbidity and mortality requiring cardiovascular surgical intervention and the use of ...extracorporeal circulation. Recently, we treated a 58-year-old male with acute coronary syndrome complicated with recurrent ventricular arrhythmia, hypoxemia secondary to severe COPD and resolving pneumonia, who required urgent coronary revascularization. A novel operative strategy was used that included beating heart bypass grafting with cardiac decompression and support with a miniature perfusion circuit, kinetic-assisted venous return, rapid autologous priming and leukocyte filtration. The combination of multiple modalities was chosen because the patient was in a pre-existing inflammatory condition and had severe COPD. We herein report our perioperative clinical experience with this patient and the use of multiple modalities for extracorporeal perfusion therapy in managing this challenging case. We believe that, based upon his clinical course of ventilation time (17.4 hours) and postoperative length of hospital stay (5 days), this high risk patient demonstrated a positive clinical outcome as a result of these techniques.
PDF
