Objective To investigate the effects of gefitinib in the treatment of sarcomatoid carcinoma. Methods Clinical data of a case of sarcomatoid carcinoma was analyzed and related literatures were reviewed.Results A patient with sarcomatoid carcinoma was admitted with progressive dry cough,chest pain and dyspnea for 3 months. The patient was diagnosed as lung sarcomatoid carcinoma by thoracoscopy and treated with gefitinib. After 2 weeks treatment, symptoms disappeared and tumor was stable for 4 months. Literatures review suggested that sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor. Treatment of sarcomatoid carcinoma includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but these methods show little effect in advanced patients. In our case, the patient with sarcomatoid carcinoma in stage Ⅳ was treated by gefitinib and showed favourable effect. Conclusions Advanced sarcomatoid carcinoma patients have a short life span and poor life quality. Gefitinib may provide these patients a feasible therapeutic approach.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of balloon bronchoplasty and metallic stents in lung transplant-related central airway stenosis.MethodsData of lung transplant recipients with central airway stenosis who underwent therapeutic bronchoscopic interventions between January 2011 and June 2019 at our institution were reviewed. The clinical follow-up included dyspnea index, forced expiratory Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), six-minute walk distance (6MWD), and the rate of bronchoscopic dilation.ResultsThirty-four lung transplant recipients with airway stenosis were included in our study. All these patients were treated by balloon bronchoplasty through flexural bronchoscopy, and 7 additionally needed temporary metal stent implantation for 28 to 67 days in order to palliate recurrent central airway stenosis. The percentages of immediate efficacy were 86% (180/209) and 100% (7/7), respectively. After serial balloon dilatation, the recipients with central airway stenosis had significantly lower dyspnea index (3.24±0.55 vs. 1.91±0.62, P<0.01), higher FEV1 ［(1.43±0.21)L vs. (1.72±0.27)L, P<0.01］ and longer 6MWD ［(317.3±61.7)m vs. (372.9±52.6)m, P<0.01］. Six recipients with central airway stenosis received 33 interventions in 6 months before stent implantation and 10 interventions in 6 months after stent extraction.ConclusionsLung transplant recipients with central airway stenosis have a good respond to balloon bronchoplasty and stent placement. Airway stenosis after lung transplantation can be successfully managed with bronchoscopic dilatation and temporary stent placement.