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Background The number of surgical procedures has increased among patients with early-stage lung cancer. If the poor prognostic factors for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be simply validated preoperatively, appropriate treatment will be provided. The current study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with resected stage I NSCLC. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological information of patients (n = 149) who underwent lobectomy for stage I NSCLC between May 2014 and July 2016. Data about peripheral blood analysis, histopathological finding, and follow-up assessment results were collected from the databases. Patients were divided into the low and high fibrinogen groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the predictors of recurrence and survival. Results Compared with the low fibrinogen group (

Background: Identifying the preoperative risk factors for lymph node upstaging could contribute to the development of individualized perioperative treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The current study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for lymph node upstaging, including gene mutation and programmed death ligand-1 expression in patients with resectable NSCLC. Methods: Data on the clinicopathological characteristics of patients who underwent lobectomy for clinical N0 NSCLC at our institution were collected. The clinicopathological findings of the pathological N0 and lymph node upstaging groups were then analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the predictive factors for nodal upstaging. Results: Of 291 patients, 40 had postoperative nodal upstaging (n = 25, N1; n = 15, N2). Large tumor size and high maximum standardized uptake value were significantly associated with nodal upstaging. The nodal upstaging group had a higher proportion of patients with solid adenocarcinoma and lymphatic, vascular, and pleural invasion than the pathological N0 group. Further, the nodal upstaging group had a higher proportion of patients with positive programmed death ligand-1 expression than the pathological N0 group. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that tumor size and positive programmed death ligand-1 expression were associated with nodal upstaging. Conclusion: The appropriate therapeutic strategy including preoperative treatment and resection should be cautiously considered preoperatively in patients with clinical N0 NSCLC who have large tumors and positive programmed death ligand-1 expression.

Purpose Many effective vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been developed, but a weaker response in individuals undergoing anticancer treatment has been reported. This study evaluates the immunogenic status and safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), receiving tegafur–uracil (UFT) as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods The subjects of this prospective study were 40 patients who underwent surgery for NSCLC and received SARS-CoV-2 vaccines postoperatively. We compared the antibody titers of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the adverse events between patients who received adjuvant UFT and patients who did not. Results The mean anti-S1 IgG titers were not significantly different between the UFT and without-UFT groups (mean optimal density, 0.194 vs. 0.205; P = 0.76). Multivariate analysis identified the period after the second vaccination as an independent predictor of anti-S1 IgG titer (P = 0.049), but not the UFT status (with or without-UFT treatment; P = 0.47). The prevalence of adverse events did not differ significantly between the groups, and no severe adverse events occurred. Conclusions The efficacy and safety of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for NSCLC patients who received postoperative adjuvant UFT chemotherapy were comparable to those for NSCLC patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant UFT chemotherapy. Clinical trial registration This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) in Japan (UMIN000047380).

Background We investigated the most effective suction pressure for preventing or promptly improving postoperative air leaks on digital drainage devices after lung resection. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the postoperative data of 242 patients who were monitored with a digital drainage system after pulmonary resection in our institution between December 2017 and June 2020. We divided the patients into three groups according to the suction pressure used: A (low-pressure suction group: − 5 cm H2O), B (intermediate-pressure group: − 10 cm H2O), and C (high-pressure suction group: − 20 cm H2O). We evaluated the duration of air leaks, timing of chest tube replacement, the amount of postoperative air leak, volume of fluid drained before chest tube removal, and the total number of air leaks during drainage. Results In total, 217 patients were included in this study. The duration of air leaks gradually decreased with significant difference between the groups, the highest decrease in A, the lowest decrease in C (P = 0.019). Timing of chest tube replacement, on the other hand, did not significantly differ between the three groups (P = 0.126). The number of postoperative air leaks just after surgery did not significantly differ between the three groups (P = 0.175), but the number of air leaks on postoperative day 1 were fewest in group A, then B, and greatest in group C (P = 0.033). The maximum amount of air leaks during drainage was lowest in A, then B, and highest in C (P = 0.036). Volume of fluid drained before chest tube removal did not significantly differ between the three groups (P = 0.986). Conclusion Low-pressure suction after pulmonary resection seems to avoid or promptly improve postoperative air leaks in digital drainage devices after lung resection. Trial registration This is a single-institution, retrospective analysis-based study of data from an electronic database. Study protocol was approved by the Akashi Medical Center Institutional Research Ethics Board (approval number: 2020–9).

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, occasionally accompanied by malignant tumors. Immunosuppressive therapy is the mainstay treatment for idiopathic NMOSD; no guidelines have been published for paraneoplastic NMOSD because it is rarely reported in the literature. We report a rare case of a 67-year-old man with paraneoplastic NMOSD associated with thymic carcinoid whose cells expressed aquaporin-4 antibody. After surgical resection, the patient's symptoms improved, and serum aquaporin-4 autoantibody turned negative. We believe that radiographic examination for mediastinal tumors in patients with NMOSD is necessary because thymic epithelial tumors could have a role in the pathogenesis of paraneoplastic NMOSD. After mediastinal tumor has been detected, they should be surgically resected to improve neurological symptoms.

A 14-year-old girl was diagnosed with hemothorax associated with pulmonary arteriovenous fistula rupture, and emergency surgery was performed. One week before her surgery, her mother at 32 weeks of gestation underwent emergency surgery for hemothorax caused by pulmonary arteriovenous fistula rupture. Both were diagnosed with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. The indications for treatment of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in young patients remain controversial because the risk of complications concerning pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is lower in young patients than in adult patients. We recommend that aggressive treatment should be performed for pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasis with a family history of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula rupture even if the patient is asymptomatic and young, because such patients may have a high risk of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula rupture.

Rib osteomyelitis is a rare disease, comprising 1% or less of all osteomyelitis. Treatment of rib osteomyelitis includes prolonged antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention. Indications for surgical treatment of rib osteomyelitis remain unclear, however, because of few reported cases. We report the first known case of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli rib osteomyelitis caused by urosepsis. The 69-year-old male patient remains free of recurrence and symptoms after rib resection and vacuum-assisted closure treatment with antibiotic therapy. Rib osteomyelitis should be considered as differential diagnosis when patients report chest pain after bacteraemic infection. We recommend surgical treatment for patients with drug-resistant bacterial rib osteomyelitis.