BACKGROUND

COVID-19 infection poses a continuing challenge especially to those already with prior lung disease. To analyze such patients’ profile is essential in today’s health care management.

The study aimed to compare the outcomes of COVID-19 confirmed patients with and without primary lung cancer in terms of hospital stay, recovery, and mortality.

The study employed a retrospective cohort design. Chart review of all adult COVID-19 patients in Philippine General Hospital from January 2021 to June 2021 was done. A matched cohort study was conducted between COVID-19 patients with and without primary lung cancer.

Among the 953 COVID-19 patients, there were 14 patients with primary lung cancer. In terms of length of hospital stay, patients with primary lung cancer had shorter days from 1.32 to 15.1 days compared to 2.28 to 18.36 days in patients without primary lung cancer (p-value 0.271). Furthermore, they had 64% recovery rate compared to 78% in those without primary lung cancer (p-value 0.118). In terms of overall mortality rate, primary lung cancer patients had 36% rate as compared to 22% in the non-lung cancer group (p-value 0.119). Diabetes mellitus, mild to severe COVID, Remdesivir, and antibiotic use were associated with longer hospital stay while oxygen support via nasal cannula and invasive ventilation led to shorter hospital stay. Age above 50 years, chronic liver disease, other malignancy, shortness of breath, oxygen support via face mask, high flow nasal cannula, invasive ventilation, antibiotic use, hemoperfusion and nebulization showed a decrease chance of recovery while on contrary, Remdesivir showed an increase chance of recovery. An increase mortality rate was seen among age above 50 years, chronic liver disease, other malignancy, shortness of breath, oxygen support via facemask, high flow nasal cannula, invasive ventilation, antibiotics, hemoperfusion, and nebulization, in contrast to a decrease in Remdesivir therapy.

Among all admitted COVID-19 patients, primary lung cancer patients were associated with shorter hospital stay (8.21+6.89days), lower rate of recovery (64%), and higher mortality rate (36%) as compared to those without primary lung cancer. However, based on the computed p-values for each outcome, these differences are not statistically significant.

INTRODUCTION: The high prevalence and mortality rates of breast cancer and lung cancer in Singapore necessitate robust screening programmes to enable early detection and intervention for improved patient outcomes, yet 2024 uptake and coverage remain suboptimal. This narrative review synthesises expert perspectives from a recent roundtable discussion and proposes strategies to advance breast cancer and lung cancer screening programmes. METHOD: A 2024 roundtable convened clinical practitioners, health policymakers, researchers and patient advocates discussed current challenges and opportunities for improving cancer screening in Singapore. Perspectives and insights were analysed to identify themes related to existing programme gaps, opportunities for innovation and implementation challenges. DISCUSSION: Singapore's national breast cancer screening programme has been in place for over 2 decades, yet screening uptake remains suboptimal. A national lung cancer screening programme, in contrast, is still in its early stages of implementation. Regardless, employment of risk stratification approaches that integrate genetic, demographic and lifestyle factors could enhance screening effectiveness by identifying high-risk indivi-duals, while also taking local epidemiological trends into consideration. Integration of digital health technologies, artificial intelligence and behavioural change models can enhance cancer screening uptake and accuracy to overcome barriers such as low awareness, cultural beliefs and socioeconomic factors that contribute to low participation rates. CONCLUSION Key recommendations include enhancing public awareness, refining screening guidelines, expanding access and applying innovative technologies. A coordinated effort among stakeholders is crucial to continually assess and enhance screening programmes to narrow the practice-policy gap and ultimately reduce breast cancer and lung cancer burden in Singapore.
Humans ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Lung Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Early Detection of Cancer/methods* ; Female ; Mass Screening/organization & administration*

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with its high mortality rate primarily attributed to delayed diagnosis. Radiomics, by extracting abundant quantitative features from medical images, offers novel possibilities for early diagnosis and precise treatment of lung cancer. This article reviewed the latest advancements in radiomics for lung cancer management, particularly its integration with artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize diagnostic processes and personalize treatment strategies. Despite existing challenges, such as non-standardized image acquisition parameters and limitations in model reproducibility, the incorporation of AI significantly enhanced the precision and efficiency of image analysis, thereby improving the prediction of disease progression and the formulation of treatment plans. We emphasized the critical importance of standardizing image acquisition parameters and discussed the role of AI in advancing the clinical application of radiomics, alongside future research directions.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Artificial Intelligence ; Early Detection of Cancer/methods* ; Precision Medicine ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Radiomics

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant therapeutic strategies play a pivotal role in the comprehensive treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) generally exhibits a more favorable response to neoadjuvant therapy compared with lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). The aim of this study is to elucidate how baseline cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-associated endothelial cells (TAECs) influence the differential therapeutic outcomes of neoadjuvant treatment in SCC versus ADC. METHODS: We retrospectively collected pretreatment biopsy samples from 104 patients with stage II-III NSCLC who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) or neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NAIC) at Shandong Cancer Hospital between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2023. Tissue microarrays were constructed using an automated arrayer, and multiplex immunofluorescence staining (α-SMA/CD31/CK/DAPI) was performed to identify CAFs (α-SMA+/CK-) and TAECs (CD31+/CK-). Quantitative analyses included CAFs and TAECs densities, the nearest neighbor distance (NND) between CAFs and TAECs, and their spatial proximity (30 μm). Differences in major pathological response (MPR) between groups, defined as residual viable tumor cells ≤10% in resected specimens after neoadjuvant therapy, were assessed using the χ² test. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to analyze intergroup differences in quantitative indicators, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the predictive performance of immune-related markers for MPR in the NAIC cohort. RESULTS: Among the 104 NSCLC patients who received neoadjuvant therapy, 35 underwent NAIC and 69 received NAC. Overall, patients with SCC were more likely to achieve MPR compared with those with ADC (50.0% vs 22.4%, P=0.006). This trend persisted in the NAIC subgroup (72.7% vs 30.8%, P=0.038), whereas no significant difference in MPR rates was observed between SCC and ADC in the NAC subgroup. At baseline, prior to NAIC or NAC, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expression, CAFs and TAECs densities, CAFs-TAECs NND, and CAFs-TAECs proximity (30 μm) showed no significant differences between SCC and ADC. In patients with SCC receiving NAIC, baseline PD-L1/PD-1 expression, CAFs density, and TAECs density showed not significant differences between MPR and NMPR groups. However, the CAFs-TAECs distance was significantly greater in the MPR group (NND: 31.2 vs 24.7 μm, P=0.038), and the number of TAECs within 30 μm of CAFs was significantly lower (proximity: 1.1 vs 3.6, P=0.038). Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that low TAECs density was associated with MPR following NAIC (OR=36.00, 95%CI: 2.68-1486.88, P=0.019). Furthermore, ROC analysis demonstrated that baseline CAFs-TAECs NND and proximity (30 μm) exhibited strong predictive performance for MPR in SCC patients treated with NAIC, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.893, sensitivity of 0.857, and specificity of 1.000. CONCLUSIONS CAFs are more spatially distant from TAECs and more prone to MPR after NAIC in SCC, which may be related to the reduced interaction of CAFs with TAECs and reduced tumor-associated angiogenesis.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/therapy* ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Endothelial Cells/drug effects* ; Aged ; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/drug effects* ; Immunotherapy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy* ; Adult

Background: COVID-19 infection poses a continuing challenge especially to those already with prior lung disease. To analyze such patients’ profile is essential in today’s health care management. Objective: The study aimed to compare the outcomes of COVID-19 confirmed patients with and without primary lung cancer in terms of hospital stay, recovery, and mortality. Methods: The study employed a retrospective cohort design. Chart review of all adult COVID-19 patients in Philippine General Hospital from January 2021 to June 2021 was done. A matched cohort study was conducted between COVID-19 patients with and without primary lung cancer. Results: Among the 953 COVID-19 patients, there were 14 patients with primary lung cancer. In terms of length of hospital stay, patients with primary lung cancer had shorter days from 1.32 to 15.1 days compared to 2.28 to 18.36 days in patients without primary lung cancer (p-value 0.271). Furthermore, they had 64% recovery rate compared to 78% in those without primary lung cancer (p-value 0.118). In terms of overall mortality rate, primary lung cancer patients had 36% rate as compared to 22% in the non-lung cancer group (p-value 0.119). Diabetes mellitus, mild to severe COVID, Remdesivir, and antibiotic use were associated with longer hospital stay while oxygen support via nasal cannula and invasive ventilation led to shorter hospital stay. Age above 50 years, chronic liver disease, other malignancy, shortness of breath, oxygen support via face mask, high flow nasal cannula, invasive ventilation, antibiotic use, hemoperfusion and nebulization showed a decrease chance of recovery while on contrary, Remdesivir showed an increase chance of recovery. An increase mortality rate was seen among age above 50 years, chronic liver disease, other malignancy, shortness of breath, oxygen support via facemask, high flow nasal cannula, invasive ventilation, antibiotics, hemoperfusion, and nebulization, in contrast to a decrease in Remdesivir therapy. Conclusions Among all admitted COVID-19 patients, primary lung cancer patients were associated with shorter hospital stay (8.21+6.89days), lower rate of recovery (64%), and higher mortality rate (36%) as compared to those without primary lung cancer. However, based on the computed p-values for each outcome, these differences are not statistically significant.
COVID-19 ; lung cancer ; lung neoplasm

To standardize the prevention and clinical management of lung cancer, improve patients' survival outcomes, and offer professional insight for clinicians, the Oncology Society of Chinese Medical Association has summoned experts from departments of pulmonary medicine, oncology, thoracic surgery, radiotherapy, imaging, and pathology to formulate the Oncology Society of Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in China (2023 edition) through consensus meetings. Updates in this edition include 1) cancer screening: deletion of high-risk traits of lung cancer based on epidemiological investigations in the Caucasian population, while preserving features confirmed by research on the Chinese population. Advice on screening institutions is also added to raise awareness of the merits and demerits of lung cancer screening through detailed illustrations. 2) Principles of histopathologic evaluation: characteristics of four types of neuroendocrine tumors (typical carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, large cell carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma) are reviewed. 3) Surgical intervention: more options of resection are available for certain peripheral lesions based on several clinical studies (CALGB140503, JCOG0802, JCOG1211). 4) neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy: marked improvement in the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy are reviewed; more options for consolidation immunotherapy after radiochemotherapy have also emerged. 5) Targeted and immune therapy: tyrosine kinase inhibitors of sensitive driver mutations such as EGFR and ALK as well as rare targets such as MET exon 14 skipping, RET fusion, ROS1 fusion, and NTRK fusion have been approved, offering more treatment options for clinicians and patients. Furthermore, multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors have been granted for the treatment of NSCLC and SCLC, resulting in prolonged survival of late-stage lung cancer patients. This guideline is established based on the current availability of domestically approved medications, recommendations of international guidelines, and present clinical practice in China as well as integration of the latest medical evidence of pathology, genetic testing, immune molecular biomarker detection, and treatment methods of lung cancer in recent years, to provide recommendations for professionals in clinical oncology, radiology, laboratory, and rehabilitation.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/therapy* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/therapy* ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/therapeutic use* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Carcinoid Tumor

BACKGROUND: Screening using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is a more effective approach and has the potential to detect lung cancer more accurately. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the accuracy of population-based screening studies primarily assessing baseline LDCT screening for lung cancer. METHODS: MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica Database, and Web of Science were searched for articles published up to April 10, 2022. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the data of true positives, false-positives, false negatives, and true negatives in the screening test were extracted. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 was used to evaluate the quality of the literature. A bivariate random effects model was used to estimate pooled sensitivity and specificity. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated by using hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristics analysis. Heterogeneity between studies was measured using the Higgins I2 statistic, and publication bias was evaluated using a Deeks' funnel plot and linear regression test. RESULTS: A total of 49 studies with 157,762 individuals were identified for the final qualitative synthesis; most of them were from Europe and America (38 studies), ten were from Asia, and one was from Oceania. The recruitment period was 1992 to 2018, and most of the subjects were 40 to 75 years old. The analysis showed that the AUC of lung cancer screening by LDCT was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-0.99), and the overall sensitivity and specificity were 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94-0.98) and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82-0.91), respectively. The funnel plot and test results showed that there was no significant publication bias among the included studies. CONCLUSIONS Baseline LDCT has high sensitivity and specificity as a screening technique for lung cancer. However, long-term follow-up of the whole study population (including those with a negative baseline screening result) should be performed to enhance the accuracy of LDCT screening.
Humans ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Mass Screening ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; China ; Mass Screening

BACKGROUND: With the aging of the population and the increased importance of lung cancer screening, the number of early-stage lung cancer patients has been on the rise in recent years, which can be classified into operable early-stage lung cancer and inoperable early-stage lung cancer. The most common pathological type is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is the optimal treatment for inoperable early-stage NSCLC. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognosis of early-stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT and its influencing factors in order to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and improve the survival and quality of life. METHODS: Clinical data and follow-up outcomes of early-stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT in our hospital from August 2010 to August 2020 were collected. Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the prognosis, and the Cox proportional risk model was used for multivariate prognostic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were included with a median follow-up time of 43.2 (range: 4.8-132.1) mon. The local control (LC) rates at 1-yr, 2-yr and 5-yr were 98.1%, 94.8% and 86.5% respectively. Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score greater than 80 was an independent prognostic factor for LC (P=0.02). The overall survival (OS) rates at 1-yr, 2-yr and 5-yr were 97.6%, 93.0% and 68.9% respectively. A biological equivalent dose when α/β=10 (BED10) greater than 132 Gy was an independent prognostic factor for OS (P=0.04). Progression-free survival (PFS) rates at 1-yr, 2-yr and 5-yr were 93.3%, 79.5% and 55.3% respectively. The distance metastasis free survival (DMFS) rates at 1-yr, 2-yr and 5-yr were 94.5%, 83.2% and 58.4% respectively. BED10 greater than 150 Gy was an independent prognostic factor for DMFS (P=0.02). The regional control (RC) rates at 1-yr, 2-yr and 5-yr were 98.8%, 95.4% and 87.9% respectively. CONCLUSIONS SBRT is effective in treating early-stage NSCLC. KPS greater than 80 is an independent prognostic factor for LC; BED10 greater than 132 Gy is an independent prognostic factor for OS; BED10 greater than 150 Gy is an independent prognostic factor for DMFS.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology* ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Radiosurgery/methods* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Quality of Life ; Prognosis ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of Miao medicinal crossbow acupuncture therapy as adjuvant treatment for lung cancer pain based on oxycodone hydrochloride extended-release tablet. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with lung cancer pain were randomized into an observation group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (30 cases). In the control group, oxycodone hydrochloride extended-release tablet was given orally, 10 mg a time, once every 12 hours. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, Miao medicinal crossbow acupuncture therapy was applied once every other day in the observation group. The treatment of 14 days was required in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the numerical rating scale (NRS) score, number of break-out pain and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score were observed in the two groups. The equivalent oxycodone consumption and rate of adverse reactions were recorded, the analgesic effect was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the NRS scores and number of break-out pain were decreased while the KPS scores were increased after treatment in the two groups (P<0.01). After treatment, the NRS score and number of break-out pain in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.01), the KPS score in the observation group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). The equivalent oxycodone consumption of whole course and the rate of adverse reactions i.e. constipation, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). The analgesic effect rate was 93.1% (27/29) in the observation group, which was superior to 63.3% (19/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION On the basis of oxycodone hydrochloride extended-release tablet, Miao medicinal crossbow acupuncture therapy as adjuvant treatment can effectively relieve the pain degree, reduce the number of break-out pain and improve the health status and quality of life in patients with lung cancer pain, enhance the efficacy of medication and reduce its adverse reactions.
Humans ; Cancer Pain ; Oxycodone ; Quality of Life ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pain ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Lung ; Analgesics