Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although improvement has been achieved in platinum-based chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors-based molecular targeted therapy, they still have limitations. Immunotherapy has recently emerged as a very effective new treatment, and there is now growing enthusiasm in cancer immunotherapy worldwide. We summarized the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors in clinical trials, and the current status and progress of anti programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) agents in lung cancer treatment. Attention has been paid to finding out the factors which influence the therapeutic effect of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy and reducing the occurrence of adverse events.
Abstract： Objective To compare clinical outcomes and postoperative quality of life （QOL） of difference surgical strategies for patients with esophagogastric junction （EGJ） cancer， and investigate the best surgical strategy. Methods A total of 148 patients with EGJ cancer underwent surgical treatment in Xuzhou First People’s Hospital from July 2007 to October 2011. There were 111 male patients and 37 female patients with an average age of 64 （47-77）years. All the patients were divided into 3 groups according to different surgical strategies for them based on their respective preoperative assessment and tumor invasion degree. In group A， 81 patients underwent proximal subtotal gastrectomy and subaortic gastroesophageal anastomosis. In group B， 20 patients underwent total gastrectomy and esophagojejunostomy. In group C， 47 patients underwent proximal subtotal gastrectomy and jejunal interposition. Postoperative mortality and morbidity were compared among the three groups. Cancer metastasis rate and 1-year survival rate were also compared among the three groups. QOL questionnaire （EORTC QLQ C-30 and tumor specific module QLQ-OES24） was used to evaluate patients’ QOL during follow-up. Results There was no statistical difference in postoperative morbidity （P=0.762）and mortality （P=0.650）among the three groups. There was no statistical difference in cancer metastasis rate at 1 year after surgery among the three groups （P=0.983）. One-year survival rate was 100% in all the three groups. At 1 year after surgery， physical functioning score （P=0.037，0.000） and global health score （P=0.035，0.006） of group A and group C were significantly higher than those of group B， and there was no statistical difference in physical functioning score and global health score between group A and group C （P＞0.05）. Emotional function score of group B was significantly lower than that of group C （P=0.015）. Fatigue score （P=0.040，0.006）， anorexia（P=0.045，0.025）， nausea and vomiting symptom score （P=0.033，0.048） of group A and group C were significantly lower than those of group B. Pain score of group A was significantly lower than that of group C （P=0.009）. Insomnia score of group A was significantly higher than that of group C （P=0.028）. Reflux score of group A was significantly higher than that of group B and group C （P=0.025，P=0.021）. Conclusion Postoperative QOL in patients with EGJ cancer who undergo total gastrectomy is comparatively unsatisfactory. Proximal subtotal gastrectomy and jejunal interposition can significantly improve postoperative QOL. Postoperative QOL evaluation is helpful to choose better surgical strategies for patients with EGJ cancer.
ObjectiveTo explore the safety and short-term efficacy of uniportal and three-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomical segmentectomy for pulmonary nodules. MethodsThe clinical data of 225 patients with consecutive VATS anatomic segmentectomy by the same surgeon in Xuzhou Central Hospital between December 2019 and February 2022 was retrospectively reviewed. There were 85 males and 140 females with an average age of 57.3±11.6 years. These patients were divided into an uniportal VATS group (128 patients) and a three-port VATS group (97 patients) according to the surgical procedures. Single-direction anatomical procedure was utilized in the uniportal VATS group. The operation time, blood loss during the surgery, number of dissected lymph nodes, duration and volume of chest drainage, incidence of complications, and postoperative hospital stay of the two groups were compared. ResultsThere was no conversion to thoracotomy, addition of surgical ports, or mortality in this cohort, with tumor-negative surgical margins. The postoperative pathological staining confirmed 2 (0.9%) patients of lymph node metastasis (pN1) and 4 (1.8%) patients of adenocarcinoma with micropapillary component. As compared with the three-port VATS group, patients in the uniportal VATS group had shorter operation time (115.6±54.7 min vs. 141.5±62.8 min, P=0.001), less intraoperative blood loss (77.2±49.6 mL vs. 96.9±98.1 mL, P=0.050), less total thoracic drainage [394.0 (258.8, 580.0) mL vs. 530.0 (335.0, 817.5) mL, P=0.010], and shorter postoperative hospital stay (7.7±3.7 d vs. 8.7±3.5 d, P=0.031). Both groups showed similar stations and numbers of dissected lymph nodes, incidence of operation-related complications, duration of chest tube drainage, and the drainage volume in the first and second postoperative days (P>0.05). No tumor recurrence or metastasis was recorded in this cohort during the follow-up of 11 (1-26) months. ConclusionSingle-direction uniportal VATS anatomical segmentectomy is safe and feasible for the treatment of pulmonary nodules, with better short-term efficacy as compared with the three-port VATS procedure, including shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss and thoracic drainage. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the precise indications of segmentectomy for lung cancer.
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility of early chest tube removal following single-direction uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (S-UVATS) anatomical lobectomy. MethodsThe clinical data of consecutive VATS lobectomy by different surgeons in Xuzhou Central Hospital between May 2019 and February 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Finally, the data of 1 084 patients were selected for analysis, including 538 males and 546 females, with a mean age of 61.0±10.1 years. These patients were divided into a S-UVATS group with 558 patients and a conventional group (C-UVATS) with 526 patients according to the surgical procedures. The perioperative parameters such as operation time, blood loss were recorded. In addition, we assessed the amount of residual pleural effusion and the probability of secondary thoracentesis when taking 300 mL/d and 450 mL/d as the threshold of chest tube removal. ResultsTumor-negative surgical margin was achieved without mortality in this cohort. As compared with the C-UVATS group, patients in the S- UVATS group demonstrated significantly shorter operation time (P<0.001), less blood loss (P=0.002), lower rate of conversion to multiple-port VATS or thoracotomy (P=0.003), but more stations and numbers of dissected lymph nodes as well as less suture staplers (P<0.001). Moreover, patients in the S-UVATS demonstrated shorter chest tube duration, less total volume of thoracic drainage and shorter postoperative hospital stay, with statistical differences (P<0.001). After excluding patients of chylothorax and prolonged air leaks>7 d, subgroup analysis was performed. First, assuming that 300 mL/d was the threshold for chest tube removal, as compared with the C-UVATS group, patients in the S-UVATS group would report less residual pleural effusion and less necessitating second thoracentesis with residual pleural effusion>500 mL (P<0.05). Second, assuming that 450 mL/d was the threshold for chest tube removal, as compared with the C-UVATS group, the S-UVATS group would also report less residual pleural effusion and less necessitating second thoracentesis with residual pleural effusion>500 mL (P<0.05). Further multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that S-UVATS was significantly negatively related to drainage volume>1 000 mL (P<0.05); whereas combined lobectomy, longer operation time, more blood loss and air leakage were independent risk factors correlated with drainage volume>1 000 mL following UVATS lobectomy (P<0.05). ConclusionThe short-term efficacy of S-UVATS lobectomy is significantly better than that of the conventional group, indicating shorter operation time and less chest drainage. However, early chest tube removal with a high threshold of thoracic drainage volume probably increases the risk of secondary thoracentesis due to residual pleural effusion.