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Breast cancer (BC) is an aggressive cancer with a high percentage recurrence and metastasis. As one of the most common distant metastasis organ in BC, lung metastasis has a worse prognosis than that of liver and bone. Therefore, it’s important to explore some potential prognostic markers associated with the lung metastasis in BC for preventive treatment. In this study, transcriptomic data and clinical information of BC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Co-expression modules constructed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) found the royal blue module was significantly associated with lung metastasis in BC. Then, co-expression genes of this module were analyzed for functional enrichment. Furthermore, the prognostic value of these genes was assessed by GEPIA Database and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Results showed that the hub genes, LMNB and CDC20, were up-regulated in BC and had a worse survival of the patients. Therefore, we speculate that these two genes play crucial roles in the process of lung metastasis in BC, which can be used as potential prognostic markers in lung metastasis of BC. Collectively, our study identified two potential key genes in the lung metastasis of BC, which might be applied as the prognostic markers of the precise treatment in breast cancer with lung metastasis.

Background Computed tomography (CT)‐guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) is a very common ablation method that shows a good local tumor control rate in primary and secondary lung tumors. At present, few reports have explored the safety and efficacy of MWA for lung metastases from breast cancer. Methods From January 2012 to January 2018, 32 breast cancer patients with 46 pulmonary metastases received CT‐guided percutaneous MWA. The study was approved by the local institutional review board. The clinical efficacy and complications of MWA were investigated. Results The median follow‐up time was 32 months and the main effective rate was 97.8% (45/46). Five of 46 lesions had local progression (10.9%), with a median progression time of 10 months. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall survival (OS) rates were 96.9%, 53.3%, and 17.8%, respectively. The median OS time was 36 months. Among 46 MWA treatments, 11 (23.9%) had massive pneumothorax, two (4.3%) had massive pleural effusion, and two (4.3%) had a pulmonary infection. Conclusion CT‐guided percutaneous MWA may be safe and effective for treating lung metastases from breast cancer., Most patients with lung metastases from breast cancer, especially those with multiple metastases, are ineligible for operation. Thirty‐two patients who underwent microwave ablation (MWA) for lung metastases from breast cancer over a 6‐year period were examined. Computed tomography‐guided percutaneous MWA may be safe and effective for treating lung metastases from breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE To quantify synchronous lung metastasis risk based on renal tumor size and determine a renal tumor size threshold to determine when chest imaging is warranted. METHODS We assessed 253,838 patients diagnosed with a renal tumor who underwent staging chest imaging between 2010 and 2016 within the National Cancer Database. Patients were stratified by renal tumor size in 10 mm increments, and synchronous lung metastasis risk was calculated for each category. Logistic regression analyses were used to test the relationship between renal tumor size and presence of synchronous lung metastasis after adjusting to all available covariables. RESULTS Overall, 14,524 out of 253,838 (5.7%) patients had evidence of synchronous lung metastasis. Median (IQR) tumor size for patients with vs without sLM was 90 mm (65-115) vs 40 mm (25-60), respectively. The incidence of synchronous lung metastasis was low for renal tumors

Background. Up to now, an accurate nomogram to predict the lung metastasis probability in Ewing sarcoma (ES) at initial diagnosis is lacking. Our objective was to construct and validate a nomogram for the prediction of lung metastasis in ES patients. Methods. A total of 1157 patients with ES from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were retrospectively collected. The predictors of lung metastasis were identified via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic analysis. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were validated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical usefulness and net benefits of the prediction model. Results. Factors including age, tumor size, primary site, tumor extension, and other site metastasis were identified as the ultimate predictors for the nomogram. The calibration curves for the training and validation cohorts both revealed good agreement, and the Hosmer&ndash, Lemeshow test identified that the model was well fitted (p &gt, 0.05). In addition, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) values in the training and validation cohorts were 0.732 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.607&ndash, 0.808) and 0.741 (95% CI: 0.602&ndash, 0.856), respectively, indicating good predictive discrimination. The DCA showed that when the predictive metastasis probability was between 1% and 90%, the nomogram could provide clinical usefulness and net benefit. Conclusion. The nomogram constructed and validated by us could provide a convenient and effective tool for clinicians that can improve prediction of the probability of lung metastasis in patients with ES at initial diagnosis.

Aim: This study aimed to construct AS1411 and EpDT3-conjugated PEGylated silver nanotriangles (AENTs) and assess their ability to target breast cancer and cancer stem cells, as well as the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of AENT-mediated photothermal therapy. Materials & methods: AENTs were constructed and characterized. The targeting properties, as well as antitumor and antimetastatic activities, were evaluated in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, cancer stem cells and breast cancer-bearing mice. Results: AENTs displayed excellent targeting property to breast cancer cells and cancer stem cells. AENT-mediated photothermal therapy greatly inhibited (>45%) the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, as well as tumor growth and lung metastasis in the mice. Conclusion: AENT-mediated photothermal therapy might be an effective strategy for the treatment of breast cancer.

The granular cell tumor or Abrikossoff's tumor is a rare tumor, most often benign in evolution. Malignant forms are exceptional. We report, here, a very rare case of granular cell tumor, localized in the perianal region, in a 54-year-old woman with lung metastases. CT and MRI with contrast showed a locally advanced tumor process in the right para-anal region associated with multiple "balloon release" lung lesions. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunostaining after surgical biopsy. Very few cases of malignant granular cell tumors with lung metastasis have been reported in the literature.

The chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) is shown to promote the progression of breast cancer. We previously identified cancer cell-derived granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a potential regulator of MCP-1 production in the murine 4T1 breast cancer, but it played a minimum role in overall MCP-1 production. Here, we evaluated the crosstalk between 4T1 cells and fibroblasts. When fibroblasts were co-cultured with 4T1 cells or stimulated with the culture supernatants of 4T1 cells (4T1-sup), MCP-1 production by fibroblasts markedly increased. 4T1 cells expressed mRNA for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-a, b and c, and the PDGF receptor inhibitor crenolanib almost completely inhibited 4T1-sup-induced MCP-1 production by fibroblasts. However, PDGF receptor antagonists failed to reduce MCP-1 production in tumor-bearing mice. Histologically, 4T1 tumors contained a small number of αSMA-positive fibroblasts, and Mcp-1 mRNA was mainly associated with macrophages, especially those surrounding necrotic lesions on day 14, by in situ hybridization. Thus, although cancer cells have the capacity to crosstalk with fibroblasts via PDGFs, this crosstalk does not play a major role in MCP-1 production or cancer progression in this model. Unraveling complex crosstalk between cancer cells and stromal cells will help us identify new targets to help treat breast cancer patients.

Background Combined small cell lung cancer (c-SCLC) distinguishes itself from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) due to its inclusion of both SCLC and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) components. Few studies have compared clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis and factors affecting survival. We therefore addressed the issues in this study. Patients and Methods A total of 400 c-SCLC and 20,841 SCLC patients were enrolled using SEER database. Difference in clinicopathological characteristics of SCLC and c-SCLC patients was analyzed using chi-square. Kaplan–Meier was applied to compare their survival before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Cox regression model was adopted to assess the impact of different clinical variables on survival. Logistic regression was applied to identify risk factors for c-SCLC and SCLC patients. Results Differences in race, sex, T stage, N stage, surgery, bone, brain and liver metastasis were detected between c-SCLC and SCLC patients. c-SCLC patients had better overall survival (OS) than SCLC patients before PSM. Age, race, sex, T stage, N stage, surgery, bone, brain, liver and lung metastasis were prognostic factors affecting OS for c-SCLC and SCLC (P < 0.05). However, a significant OS benefit was not observed in c-SCLC after adjusting for clinicopathological variables (HR, 0.950; 95% CI, 0.842–1.073; P=0.411). No significant OS difference was found between c-SCLC and SCLC patients after PSM (P = 0.789). c-SCLC patients had lower risk of lymph node (OR: 0.555; 95% CI: 0.439–0.703; P < 0.001) and liver metastasis (OR: 0.591; 95% CI: 0.448–0.779; P < 0.001), whereas had no significant differences in bone and brain metastasis risks (P > 0.05) compared with SCLC patients. Conclusion The prognosis of c-SCLC did not significantly differ from that of SCLC if clinicopathological characteristics are controlled. Better prognosis for c-SCLC patients over SCLC patients may be ascribed to fewer liver and lymph node metastases upon diagnosis.

Tumor metastasis is responsible for chemotherapeutic failure and cancer-related death. Moreover, circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters play a pivotal role in tumor metastasis. Herein, we develop cancer-specific calcium nanoregulators to suppress the generation and circulation of CTC clusters by cancer membrane-coated digoxin (DIG) and doxorubicin (DOX) co-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles (CPDDs). CPDDs could precisely target the homologous primary tumor cells and CTC clusters in blood and lymphatic circulation. Intriguingly, CPDDs induce the accumulation of intracellular Ca2+ by inhibiting Na+/K+-ATPase, which help restrain cell–cell junctions to disaggregate CTC clusters. Meanwhile, CPDDs suppress the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, resulting in inhibiting tumor cells escape from the primary site. Moreover, the combination of DOX and DIG at a mass ratio of 5:1 synergistically induces the apoptosis of tumor cells. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that CPDDs not only effectively inhibit the generation and circulation of CTC clusters, but also precisely target and eliminate primary tumors. Our findings present a novel approach for anti-metastasis combinational chemotherapy., Graphical abstract Cancer-specific calcium nanoregulator was developed to enhance anti-metastasis combinational chemotherapy, which showed remarkable anti-tumor and anti-metastasis efficacy by targeting the homologous tumor cells, restraining the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, dissociating and depleting circulating tumor cell clusters.Image 1

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in giant cell tumor of bone (GCT). Methods: The patients with GCT were identified in the hospital records and pre-treatment complete blood count results were acquired retrospectively. Whether preoperative NLR lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values had prognostic significance in predicting recurrence was evaluated by Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Furthermore, the prognostic value of NLR was evaluated by Multivariable Cox Regression analysis. Results: There were 96 patients with GCT. It was found that only NLR values had prognostic significance for predicting recurrence (AUC:0.647; 95% CI:0.533-0.762; P=0.021). The statistically significant cut-off value of NLR for predicting re- currence was ≥2.25.NLR was ≥2.25 in 51% (n = 49) of patients. Multivariable analysis showed that NLR ≥2.25 (HR=2.9, 95% CI:1.3-6.6; p=0.009) and lung metastasis (HR=7.9, 95% CI:2.2-28.2; p=0.001) were independent factors of recurrence. In patients with lung metastasis and patients with NLR ≥2.25, recurrence was observed in a sooner period (Log rank test; p=0.001; p=0.009, respectively). Conclusion: Our findings showed that NLR is a new and promising inflammation-based prognostic factor in GCT patients. Keywords: Giant cell tumor of bone; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; prognostic significance.

Pregnancy with choriocarcinoma is a rare tumor. It is rare for neonates to survive the third trimester. This article reports the clinical data of a live fetal pregnancy with choriocarcinoma complicated by brain and lung metastases. The patient was admitted to the hospital for “menopause 28 weeks + 5 days, dizziness with nausea and vomiting 2 days.” After 5 hours of admission, the patient had sudden convulsions, urinary incontinence, and coma. A head computed tomography (CT) examination in the emergency department revealed a cerebral hemorrhage in the right occipital lobe and broke into the ventricular system with brain herniation. She was immediately transferred to the intensive care unit for the emergency cesarean section and intracerebral hematoma removal. A postoperative CT scan revealed that the tumor in the upper lobe of the right lung was considered lung cancer, with multiple metastases in both lungs. Postoperative pathology was metastatic choriocarcinoma tissue seen in the blood clot. Based on the pathological diagnosis of choriocarcinoma, a chemotherapy regimen was developed with 2 courses of EP regimen and 8 courses of combined EMA-CO chemotherapy regimen. The patients were followed up for 2 years and ultimately resolved.

BACKGROUND: The most common metastatic site of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is lung metastasis. When the patient has lung metastasis, the development of the disease will become very rapid. In severe cases, it will cause rapid death of the patient. Therefore, the treatment of HCC after lung metastasis has become a hot research topic. This study was designed to investigate the curative effect and prognostic factors of hepatectomy in patients with HCC with lung metastasis (LM) (HCC + LM patients) using meta-analysis. METHODS: RevMan 5.3 software was used to screen literature based on randomized controlled studies on the curative effect and prognostic factors of hepatectomy for HCC + LM published between January 2000 to January 2020 in the PubMed, Web of Science, Spring, and Science Direct databases. RESULTS: A total of 13 articles were included, comprising 754 patients in the H group and 1,201 patients in the NH group. Meta-analysis results showed that the maximum diameter of liver tumors in the H group was much larger than that in the NH group (MD =-0.62; 95% CI: -1.20 to -0.04; Z=2.09; P=0.04). The survival rate 1, 3, and 5 years after treatment in group H was higher than that in the NH group [Mantel-Haenszel (MH) =2.91, 2.80, and 4.96; 95% CI: 2.25-3.76, 2.22-3.52, and 3.74-6.59; Z=8.20, 8.73, and 11.09, respectively; P

Here, we report a case of an orbital solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) with multiple local recurrences, even after orbital exenteration, and lung metastases after 41 years. The report discusses the clinical and histopathological findings of this case. A 34-year-old female patient with an orbital SFT was treated with orbital exenteration after local resection failed to prevent a recurrence. Ten years later, the patient underwent radiation therapy, followed by two rounds of gamma knife treatment, leading to remission. Forty-one years after the first treatment, the patient, at the age of 75 years, was found to have lung metastases along with orbital recurrence for the eighth time. The patient underwent radiation therapy but died from radiation pneumonitis. Our case emphasizes the need for long-term follow-up of patients with orbital tumors, even after orbital exenteration, to monitor for metastasis.

Tumor recurrence after surgery is the main cause of treatment failure. However, the initial stage of recurrence is not easy to detect, and it is difficult to cure in the late stage. In order to improve the life quality of postoperative patients, an efficient synergistic immunotherapy was developed to achieve early diagnosis and treatment of post-surgical tumor recurrence, simultaneously. In this paper, two kinds of theranostic agents based on gold nanorods (AuNRs) platform were prepared. AuNRs and quantum dots (QDs) in one agent was used for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology to indicate the occurrence of in situ recurrence, while AuNRs in the other agent was used for photothermal therapy (PTT), together with anti-PDL1 mediated immunotherapy to alleviate the process of tumor metastasis. A series of assays indicated that this synergistic immunotherapy could induce tumor cell death and the increased generation of CD3+/CD4+ T-lymphocytes and CD3+/CD8+ T-lymphocytes. Besides, more immune factors (IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ) produced by synergistic immunotherapy were secreted than mono-immunotherapy. This cooperative immunotherapy strategy could be utilized for diagnosis and treatment of postoperative tumor recurrence at the same time, providing a new perspective for basic and clinical research., Graphical abstract This efficient synergistic immunotherapy was developed to achieve early diagnosis and treatment of post-surgical tumor recurrence, simultaneously.Image 1

A 68-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) visited his previous hospital due to abdominal pain and was diagnosed with ruptured HCC. Before visiting our hospital, he underwent HCC treatment at his previous hospital, but his tumors did not improve. Although he started treatment with sorafenib, the tumors rapidly grew. Subsequently, regorafenib was given, and the tumors shrank. After 22 months being treated with regorafenib, HCC reoccurred, with a new lung metastasis and a contrast-enhanced nodule on the peritoneal dissemination appearing. He underwent conversion surgery and survived for 4.5 years after his HCC was diagnosed.

Selective targeting of transfected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) carrying specific antioncogenes to the tumor was suggested as a treatment option. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) was shown to inhibit the proliferation and aggressiveness of osteosarcoma (OS) cells. Here, we aimed to assess the homing efficiency of intraperitoneally administered hMSCs transfected with BMP2 to the tumoral site and their effects on OS using an orthotopic xenograft murine model. Orthotopic xenograft murine model of OS in six-week-old female NOD/SCID mice using 143B cells was established. hMSCs transfected with BMP2 (BMP2+hMSC) were used. In vivo experiments performed on four groups of mice that received no treatment, or intraperitoneally administered BMP2, hMSCs, and BMP2+hMSCs. Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies were used to evaluate the pathological identification and to assess the dimensions and necrotic foci of the tumor, the features of lung metastases, and immunostaining against p27, Ki-67, and caspase-3 antibodies. The osteogenic differentiation markers BMP2, BMP4, COL1A1, OPN, OCN and PF4 evaluated using RT-PCR. The tumor dimensions in the hMSCs group were significantly higher than those of the remaining groups (p < 0.01). The number of metastatic foci in the BMP2+hMSCs group was significantly lower than those of the other groups (p < 0.01). The current results showed that the intraperitoneal route could be efficiently used for targeting hMSCs to the tumoral tissues for effective BMP2 delivery. In this study, the effects of BMP2 transfected hMSCs on human OS and metastasis were promising for achieving osteogenic differentiation and reduced metastatic process.

Background The toxicity and inefficient delivery of triptolide (TPL) in tumor therapy have greatly limited the clinical application. Thus, we fabricated a CD44-targeting and tumor microenvironment pH/redox-sensitive nanosystem composed of hyaluronic acid-vitamin E succinate and poly (β-amino esters) (PBAEss) polymers to enhance the TPL-mediated suppression of breast cancer proliferation and lung metastasis. Results The generated TPL nanoparticles (NPs) had high drug loading efficiency (94.93% ± 2.1%) and a desirable average size (191 nm). Mediated by the PBAEss core, TPL/NPs displayed a pH/redox-dual-stimuli-responsive drug release profile in vitro. Based on the hyaluronic acid coating, TPL/NPs exhibited selective tumor cellular uptake and high tumor tissue accumulation capacity by targeting CD44. Consequently, TPL/NPs induced higher suppression of cell proliferation, blockage of proapoptotic and cell cycle activities, and strong inhibition of cell migration and invasion than that induced by free TPL in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Importantly, TPL/NPs also showed higher efficacy in shrinking tumor size and blocking lung metastasis with decreased systemic toxicity in a 4T1 breast cancer mouse model at an equivalent or lower TPL dosage compared with that of free TPL. Histological immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical analyses in tumor and lung tissue revealed that TPL/NPs induced a high level of apoptosis and suppressed expression of matrix metalloproteinases, which contributed to inhibiting tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis. Conclusion Collectively, our results demonstrate that TPL/NPs, which combine tumor active targeting and pH/redox-responsive drug release with proapoptotic and antimobility effects, represent a promising candidate in halting breast cancer progression and metastasis while minimizing systemic toxicity. Graphic Abstract

The changes that occur during metastasis lodging is under intense research now to develop preventive new drugs to fight against the deadly metastasis. The molecular drug, all trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) has regulatory effects on signal mediated metabolism. In this study, we have analyzed the metastasis facilitating metabolic changes in mice lung when a highly metastatic melanoma cell line (B16F10) having potency to lodge in lung was implanted via tail vein injection into C57BL/6 mice (1×106 cells/ml in PBS). One group of implanted mice were treated with 0.60 mg of ATRA per Kg body weight daily for 21 days. The alteration of protein, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants (SOD, Catalase, GPX, GSH) levels and the lipid profile with cholesterol level were evaluated in the lung tissues. The ATRA treatment caused 62.16% inhibition on metastatic nodule formation. Compared to normal mice, the cancer control mice showed an increased (p≤ 0.01**) total protein, LPO and NO and a decreased antioxidant. In ATRA treated group, all these levels were reverted to near normal levels with a high significance (p≤ 0.01**) difference from untreated cancer mice. The lipid profile and cholesterol level also were altered in cancer and were normalized in ATRA treated group with high significance (p≤ 0.01**). All these results implies that the metabolic changes induced in the lung tissue during metastatic lodging of melanoma cells were prevented and regularized by the ATRA treatment in vivo which give a scope of anti-metastatic therapy using ATRA.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are autoimmune demyelinating diseases involving the central nervous system, affecting the spinal cord and optic nerves. There are few reports of paraneoplastic NMOSD associated with malignant melanoma. Here, we report a rare case of anti‐aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody‐positive NMOSD associated with malignant melanoma. A 61‐year‐old Japanese woman was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and lung metastasis four years after a diagnosis of anti‐AQP4 antibody‐positive NMOSD. When diagnosing and treating patients with NMOSD, physicians should be aware of the development of malignancy for at least several years., This is only the second reported case of anti‐AQP4 antibody‐positive NMOSD with malignant melanoma. Physicians should be aware of development of malignancy for at least several years after diagnosing and treating patients with NMOSD.

Cannonball lesions are numerous, well-circumscribed, round pulmonary lesions and may be identified on plain radiograph or advanced imaging. This morphology can be associated with infectious causes, rheumatologic disease and metastatic disease. Classically, when cannonball lesions are associated with metastatic disease, they are seen in renal cell carcinoma and choriocarcinoma. We report a case of a 62-year-old Middle Eastern male who presented with shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue and was found to have bilateral multiple pulmonary cannonball lesions and mass in the pancreas. Biopsy of one the lung lesions was consistent with pancreatic cancer. Our case adds to the limited literature available regarding cannonball lung lesions in the setting of pancreatic cancer. Health care providers should be aware of the various etiologies of cannonball lesions.

Background To investigate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of pulmonary metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) contiguous with the mediastinum using the artificial pneumothorax technique. Method A total of 40 lesions in 32 patients with pulmonary metastases from HCC contiguous with the mediastinum accepted RFA treatment from August 2014 to May 2018 via the artificial pneumothorax technique. After ablation, clinical outcomes were followed up by contrast enhanced CT. Technical success, local tumor progression (LTP), intrapulmonary distant recurrence (IDR), and adverse events were evaluated. Overall survival (OS) and local tumor progression free survival (LTPFS) were recorded for each patient. Results The tumor size was 1.4 ± 0.6 cm in diameter. RFA procedures were all successfully performed without intra-ablative complications. Technical success was noted in 100% of the patients. Five cases of LTP and 8 cases of IDR occurred following the secondary RFA for treatment. Slight pain was reported in all patients. No major complications were observed. The 1, 2, and 3-year LTPFS rates were 90.6, 81.2, and 71.8%, and the 1, 2, and 3-year OS rates were 100, 100 and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusion Artificial pneumothorax adjuvant RFA is a feasible, safe, and efficient method for treatment of pulmonary metastases from HCC contiguous with the mediastinum.

Spontaneous regressions of primary and/or metastatic lesions have been rarely reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we report the case of a 71-year-old man with HCC, focusing on shape changes of lung metastases over time. Lung metastasis of HCC was histologically diagnosed by percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy after the treatment of primary HCC lesion. Lung lesions had been observed on enhanced contrast computed tomography for >3 years without any local or systemic treatment for them. During this period, treatments including surgical procedure for relapsed bladder cancer and transarterial chemoembolization for HCC were performed. Metastatic lung lesions immediately regressed after these treatments. Therefore, accumulation of such cases may help elucidate spontaneous regression mechanisms in primary HCC or its lung metastases.

Metastatic burden is a critical factor for therapy decision‐making in metastatic hormone‐sensitive prostate cancer. The present study aimed to identify prognostic factors in men with high‐ or low‐metastatic burden treated with primary androgen‐deprivation therapy. The study included 2450 men with de novo metastatic prostate cancer who were treated with primary androgen‐deprivation therapy at 30 institutions across Japan between 2008 and 2017. We investigated the prognostic value of various clinicopathological parameters for progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients stratified by low‐ or high‐metastatic burden. Among the 2450 men, 841 (34.3%) and 1609 (65.7%) were classified as having low‐ and high‐metastatic burden, respectively. Median PFS of the low‐ and high‐burden groups were 44.5 and 16.1 months, respectively, and the median OS was 103.2 and 62.7 months, respectively. Percentage of biopsy‐positive core, biopsy Gleason grade group, T‐stage, and N‐stage were identified to be differentially prognostic. M1a was associated with worse PFS than was M1b in the low‐burden group, whereas lung metastasis was associated with better PFS and OS than was M1b in the high‐burden group. Differential prognostic factors were identified for patients with low‐ and high‐burden metastatic prostate cancer. These results may assist in decision‐making to select the optimal therapeutic strategies for patients with different metastatic burdens., This study investigated prognostic factors according to metastatic burden, and found that prognostic impact of some factors was different. This finding may be valuable in decision‐making to select the optimal therapeutic strategies for patients with different metastatic burdens.

Background Miliary pulmonary metastasis characterized by tiny nodules is a rare metastatic pattern in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is usually seen in patients harboring an EGFR mutation, and amylase-producing lung cancer is highly uncommon and rarely reported in NSCLC patients who have an EGFR mutation. Case A 32-year-old Japanese female was found to have miliary pulmonary nodules throughout both lung fields on a chest x-ray examination during an annual health check-up. Further examination by computed tomography (CT) revealed diffuse, bilateral, miliary nodules. Blood tests showed no increased tumor marker levels, but there was a significantly increased serum amylase level. A diagnosis of ALK-rearranged adenocarcinoma was made based on the results of a mediastinal lymph node biopsy obtained by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). Treatment with alectinib resulted in rapid regression of the CT shadows and a reduction in the patient's serum amylase level. Conclusion We have reported a case of ALK-rearranged NSCLC with a miliary pulmonary metastasis pattern that was sensitive to alectinib and in which the serum amylase level decreased in response to treatment with alectinib. Young patients with miliary pulmonary metastasis should be checked for all driver mutations.

Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of death worldwide and involves an extremely complex process composed of multiple steps. Our previous study demonstrated that apoptosis signal‐regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) deficiency in mice attenuates tumor metastasis in an experimental lung metastasis model. However, the steps of tumor metastasis regulated by ASK1 remain unclear. Here, we showed that ASK1 deficiency in mice promotes natural killer (NK) cell‐mediated intravascular tumor cell clearance in the initial hours of metastasis. In response to tumor inoculation, ASK1 deficiency upregulated immune response‐related genes, including interferon‐gamma (IFNγ). We also revealed that NK cells are required for these anti‐metastatic phenotypes. ASK1 deficiency augmented cytokine production chemoattractive to NK cells possibly through induction of the ligand for NKG2D, a key activating receptor of NK cells, leading to further recruitment of NK cells into the lung. These results indicate that ASK1 negatively regulates NK cell‐dependent anti‐tumor immunity and that ASK1‐targeted therapy can provide a new tool for cancer immunotherapy to overcome tumor metastasis., ASK1 regulates the initial steps of tumor lung metastasis in an NK cell‐dependent fashion. ASK1 deficiency in mice enhances cytokine production of NK cells and NK cell recruitment in response to tumor inoculation. ASK1 deficiency leads to upregulation of NKG2D ligands H60, which might augment NK cell‐dependent intravascular tumor cell clearance.

Objectives:. To establish Nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) rate of pancreatic cancer patients with lung metastasis by utilizing the database of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Methods:. We obtained the data of 363 pancreatic cancer patients with lung metastasis who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2016 from the SEER database. These patients were randomly divided into training (n = 255) and validation (n = 108) cohorts. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was performed to evaluate the prognostic effects of multiple clinicopathologic factors on OS. Significant prognostic factors were combined to build Nomogram. The predictive performance of Nomogram was evaluated via internal (training cohort data) and external validation (validation cohort data) by calculating index of concordance (C-index) and plotting area under curve (AUC) and calibration curves. All data from SEER database have been fully de-identified and may be used without further independent ethics committee approval. Results:. In the training cohort, the results of Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that, tumor location, surgery, chemotherapy and other organ of metastasis were significantly associated with the survival prognosis (P

Follicular neoplasms of the thyroid gland are benign follicular adenoma and follicular carcinoma. To distinguish follicular carcinoma from a follicular adenoma based on cytologic, sonographic or clinical features alone is very difficult. As follicular adenoma of the thyroid is a benign tumor usually do not metastasize. Here, a case is presented with follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) with lung metastasis which was treated as follicular adenoma four years back. Patient had left hemithyroidectomy for follicular adenoma and ignored to have regular follow up. He suddenly developed fever, chest pain and dry cough. CT scan evaluated a fairly big lung mass which eventually came out as metastatic follicular carcinoma. From this reported case, it is evident that regular checkup of patient with follicular adenoma should be ensured for early diagnosis of further transformation of adenoma to malignancy. Bangladesh J. Nuclear Med. 22(2): 157-160, Jul 2019

Our study aims to detect the underlying mechanism of the suppressive effect of Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1) on lung metastasis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We found that FSTL1 had no effect on the proliferation and metastasis of 4T1 cells in vitro, while in the tumor-bearing Fstl1 heterozygous (Fstl1+/-) mice, the number of anti-tumor T lymphocytes in the lung was significantly reduced with the increase in lung metastasis. Impaired development of T cells can cause dysfunction of adaptive immune system, which promotes cancer metastasis. Therefore the effect of FSTL1 on T cell development was further investigated. Lower population of T cells in periphery and decreased proliferation of CD4- CD8- double negative (DN) thymocytes and impairment development of T cells were found in Fstl1+/- mice. Furthermore, high expression of FSTL1 in medullary thymus epithelial (mTEC) cells and decreased mRNA expression of inducible costimulator on activated T-cell ligand (Icosl) in mTECsh Fstl1 were detected. Combining other studies that the generation of ICOSL by mTEC cells promotes CD4+ single positive (SP) thymocytes to produce IL-2, which promotes T cell development. Our results indicate FSTL1 deficiency in mTEC cells impairs T cell development to promote the lung metastasis of TNBC.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor affecting mainly children and young adults and commonly involves extremities. The aim of this study was to assess the patient-related, tumor-related, and treatment-related factors affecting the overall survival in patients with non-metastatic extremity osteosarcoma. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective, single institutional study of 100 patients with non-metastatic extremity osteosarcoma was done between 2014 and 2019. Age, sex, histologic type, tumor site, use of preoperative chemotherapy and its duration, response to chemotherapy, type of surgery, presence of local recurrence, occurrence of lung metastasis, and survival data were recorded. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier method. p < 0.05 by log-rank test was considered statistically significant. Statistical data were analyzed using SPSS v.25(IBM). RESULTS: The median age of presentation was 18 years with male sex preponderance. The most common site of presentation was distal femur, and commonest histological variant was osteoblastic osteosarcoma. Incidence of local recurrence was 9%, and lung metastasis was identified in 12% on follow-up. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 65.5%, and 5-year local recurrence-free survival was 57.6%. The 5-year OS in neoadjuvant chemotherapy group was 80% compared to 39.5% in upfront surgery group (p = 0.015). The 5-year OS in patients with tumor necrosis > 90% and < 90% was 93.2% and 71.2%, respectively (p = 0.038). The 5-year OS in patients without lung metastasis was 76%, whereas none who developed lung metastasis has survived 5 years (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, good response to chemotherapy, and the absence of lung metastasis on follow-up can independently predict better overall survival.

Background: There is limited consensus on whether metastatic patterns are correlated with prognosis and treatment efficacy in pancreatic cancer. A better understanding of clinical implication of the metastatic patterns is pivotal for therapeutic decision-making and drug development. Methods: This study included 977 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC) in three cohorts. The training cohort included 273 patients from clinical trial NCT00574275 and 367 patients from clinical trial NCT01124786. As the validation cohort, 337 patients from Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital and Shanghai General Hospital were enrolled. The correlations between different patterns of metastases and clinicopathological characteristics were investigated with the Pearson Chi-Square test. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were applied to analyze the survival outcomes among groups with different metastatic patterns. The prognostic value of the number of metastatic sites and other variables was evaluated using the Cox regression model. Results: MPC patients aged ≥65 years had a higher rate of lung metastasis and those with liver metastasis were prone to have a high level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). Additionally, patients with isolated lung metastasis had much better overall survival (OS) than those with isolated liver or peritoneum metastasis. Cox regression analyses showed that the number of metastatic sites was an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with MPC. Furthermore, for patients with one-site or two-site metastasis, there was a significant difference in OS among patients receiving no chemotherapy, monotherapy and combination therapy. However, for patients with more than two metastatic sites, receiving combination therapy or monotherapy showed limited superiority in OS over receiving no chemotherapy. Conclusion: MPC patients with isolated lung metastasis had better OS than those with isolated liver or peritoneum metastasis. Moreover, the number of metastatic sites showed prognostic and predictive value in patients with MPC.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is more likely to occur in patients with a history of Fontan surgery, possibly due to long-term liver congestion. Proton beam therapy (PBT) may be effective for HCC that develops after Fontan surgery. Methods: Six lesions in 5 patients (3 females, 2 males) received PBT. The median age of the patients was 33 (range 21 - 42) years, and the median age at the time of the Fontan procedure was 6 (5 - 13) years. Four patients had multiple HCC at the time of PBT. The median tumor size was 57 (22 - 80) mm and 4 patients were classified as Child-Pugh B. Two patients received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization before PBT. The schedule of PBT was 66 Gy (RBE) in 10 fractions for 2 lesions, 72.6 Gy (RBE) in 22 fractions for 2 lesions, and 74 GyE (RBE) in 37 fractions for 2 lesions. Results: The median follow-up period was 31 (10 - 46) months, and the numbers of survivors, deaths from primary diseases, and deaths from other diseases were 3, 1, and 1, respectively. There were no local recurrences, one intrahepatic metastasis, one lung metastasis, and one intrathoracic metastasis. Conclusion: Although experiences on a small number of patients cannot conclude things, we believe that PBT can be a reasonable choice of radical treatment for HCC occurring after the Fontan procedure.

Rationale: Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common type of bone tumor, which seriously affects the patients' limb function and life quality. OS has a strong tendency of lung metastasis, and the five-year survival rate of patients with metastatic osteosarcoma is less than 20%. Thus, new treatment targets and strategies are urgently needed. Methods: The expression of the histone demethylase KDM6B and H3K27me3 levels in OS specimens were analyzed using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical assays. The biological functions of KDM6B were determined using in vitro transwell, wound healing assays, and an in vivo orthotopic injection-induced lung metastasis model. Subsequently, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) combined with transcriptomic RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and subsequent ChIP-qPCR, western blot, and aerobic glycolysis assays were used to explore the mechanism of KDM6B function and validate the candidate target gene of KDM6B. Results: KDM6B expression was significantly upregulated in OS patients, and high KDM6B expression was associated with poorer prognosis in OS patients. Targeting KDM6B significantly inhibited OS cell migration in vitro and lung metastasis in vivo. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analysis revealed that KDM6B increases lactate dehydrogenase LDHA expression in OS cells by directly mediating H3K27me3 demethylation. The phenotypes of inhibited cell metastasis in KDM6B-knockdown OS cells was reversed upon overexpression of LDHA. Finally, a small molecule inhibitor targeting KDM6B significantly inhibited OS cell migration in vitro and lung metastasis in vivo. Conclusions: Collectively, we elucidated that upregulated KDM6B facilitates tumor metastasis in OS via modulating LDHA expression. Our findings deepen the recognition of OS metastasis mechanism and suggest that KDM6B might be a new potential therapeutic target for the treatment of OS (especially highly metastatic OS).

Highlights • The prognosis of patients with advanced HCC remains poor even if appropriate treatments are administered. • Spontaneous regression of lung metastases of hepatocellular is a rare condition. • We discuss the mechanism for spontaneous regression of multiple pulmonary recurrences of hepatocellular carcinoma., Introduction Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare condition. However, although there have been multiple reports of spontaneous regression, the definitive pathogenic mechanism of this phenomenon is still unclear. Case presentation We encountered a case of a 78-year-old man who was undergoing dialysis for end-stage kidney disease with hepatitis C virus-associated chronic hepatitis presenting with HCC. The patient had previously undergone right lobectomy of the liver, but the cancer recurred with multiple lung metastases after 5 months. Approximately 13 months after the initial diagnosis of recurrence, the lung metastases decreased in size and eventually resolved without any anticancer therapy. The patient remains alive for over 41 months after recurrence. Discussion Based on our case and literature, Hypoxia with hypotension due to hemodialysis can reduce the blood and oxygen supply of the body, which may lead to the spontaneous regression of the metastatic tumors. Conclusion We herein reported a case of spontaneous regression of HCC undergoing dialysis.

Context Distant metastases (DM) from childhood differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) are uncommon and published studies are limited. Objective This work aimed to describe the outcomes of patients with DM from childhood DTC and to evaluate the molecular landscape of these tumors. Methods A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary cancer center including patients with pediatric DTC (diagnosed at age ≤ 18 years from 1946 to 2019) and DM. Results We identified 148 patients; 144 (97%) had papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 104 (70%) were female. Median age at DTC diagnosis was 13.4 years (interquartile range [IQR], 9.9-15.9 years). Evaluable individuals received a median of 2 (IQR, 1-3) radioactive iodine (RAI) treatments at a median cumulative administered activity of 238.0 mCi (IQR, 147.5-351.0 mCi). The oncogenic driver was determined in 64 of 69 PTC samples: RET fusion (38/64; 59%), NTRK1/3 fusions (18/64; 28%), and the BRAF V600E mutation (8/64; 13%). At last evaluation, 93% had persistent disease. The median overall and disease-specific survival after DTC diagnosis were 50.7 and 52.8 years, respectively. Eight (5%) PTC patients died of disease after a median of 30.7 years (IQR, 20.6-37.6 years). Conclusion Childhood DTC with DM persists in most patients despite multiple courses of RAI, but disease-specific death is uncommon, typically occurring decades after diagnosis. Fusion genes are highly prevalent in PTC, and all identified molecular alterations have appropriate targeted therapies. Future studies should focus on expanding genotype-phenotype correlations, determining how to integrate molecularly targeted therapy into treatment paradigms, and relying less on repeated courses of RAI to achieve cure in patients with DM from childhood DTC.

Metastatic spread is the most important life-threatening feature of colorectal cancer and is supposed to be mainly driven by alterations in different carcinogenic pathways. The present study compared mutation and expression profiles of distinctive biomarkers in colorectal cancer patients with different clinical metastatic patterns. As for a case-control study, patients were matched according to T category, grading and primary tumour site. Overall, 246 patients with either exclusive lung metastasis (N = 82), exclusive liver metastasis (N = 82) or non-metastatic colorectal cancer (N = 82) were identified. Paraffin-embedded specimens were examined for mutations in the RAS and RAF genes and for the expression of β-catenin and CD133. Clinical endpoints were presence or absence of distant metastasis, formation of metastasis in lungs versus the liver and survival. MAPK pathway mutations in either the KRAS, NRAS or BRAF gene were associated with the development of lung metastasis (63.4%) compared to the control group (47.6%; p = 0.04). MAPK pathway alterations plus high β-catenin expression were associated with metastasis to the lungs but not to the liver (28.0% vs. 13.4%; p = 0.02). High CD133 expression correlated with the development of liver metastasis compared to the control group (30.5% vs. 14.6%; p = 0.02). This data indicates that different patterns of distant spread are associated with specific biomarker alterations and may represent different molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer. However, underlying mechanisms of metastasis formation in different anatomic sites remains unclear. Since knowledge of the anticipated site of distant spread would substantially impact clinical management, further research is needed to identify solid biomarkers for different metastatic patterns.

Background Receptor status in breast cancer is known to be related to survival. However, the relationship between breast cancer subtype, preferential sites of metastasis, and overall survival is not clear. Methods A total of 414,528 patients from the National Cancer Database (2010-2013) were examined. All patients received surgery and systemic treatments. Breast cancer was subtyped based on hormonal receptor (HR) and HER2 status. Results HR-/HER2+ breast cancer patients had the highest overall rate of metastasis while HR+/HER2- had the lowest. HR+/HER2+ cancer had the most frequent metastasis to the bone, and HR-/HER2+ to brain, liver, lung and multiple sites. Generally, patients with brain or multiple metastasis had the worst overall survival (OS) across different subtypes. Patients with bone oligometastasis tend to have better OS than patients with metastasis to other site but significantly worse OS than patients without any metastasis. Conclusions This large study exhibits how breast cancer subtype plays a role in the rate and site of metastasis as well as in overall survival. Surveillance and treatment strategies should be tailored on the risk and potential site of metastases based upon receptor subtype.

Background: In case of multiple pulmonary and extrapul-monary lesions, it is difficult to determine if the lung mass was primary lesion or metastasis from a distant organ, even in multiple pulmonary lesions. it is difficult to determine sit of primary one. Aim of Study: We retrospectively measure the SUVmax and D SUVmax in pulmonary and extrapulmonary lesions and identify if there is a cutoff value of SUVmax between patho-logically proved synchronous second primary and metastatic lesions. Patients and Methods: 65 patients (50 male and 15 female with age ranged from 35 to 70 years) who had multiple pulmonary and extrapulmonary lesions were evaluated by PET/CT, all patients were evaluated by oncology physicians, patients were selected after histopathological evaluation, patients with lung metastasis taken as a control group. SUVmax and D SUVmax were measured in both groups. Results: A significant (DSUV) max difference between both included groups: Metastatic lung cancers and second primary lung tumours with a cutoff value of 35% while no significant DSUVmax between the studied cases in the same groups, as below this level approved for metastatic lesion and above this cutoff values consistent with the synchronous second primary tumour, this help in better staging and man-agement of lung cancer. Conclusion: PET CT is considered as a functional non-invasive technique, we recommended that all patients with multiple pulmonary and extrapulmonary lesions to add this investigation, before taking the decision of management, it can differentiate between multiple primaries and metastatic lesion depending upon the FDG activity.

Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are very rare malignant tumors arising from the mesenchymal tissues of tunica, epididymis or spermatic cord. They present as painless hard masses in inguinoscrotal region, and large tumors can be mistaken for testicular tumors. They can spread to retroperitoneal lymph nodes or hematogenously metastasize to lung, bones and bone marrow. Here, we report a case of Embryonal RMS with spindle cell component presenting with painless scrotal mass and lung metastasis at initial diagnosis.

Ameloblastoma is a benign odontogenic epithelial neoplasm. Lung metastasis of ameloblastoma is extremely rare, and its biological behavior is still largely unknown. There is no consensus regarding the best method to treat metastasizing ameloblastoma. This report documents a 37-year-old female patient with multiple incidental bilateral pulmonary nodules on computed tomography (CT) and a medical history of ameloblastoma of the left mandible. On admission, her physical examinations and laboratory examinations were unremarkable. The patient underwent partial lobectomy of the middle right and lower right lung nodules via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and the pathological diagnosis was confirmed as ‘metastasizing ameloblastoma.’ No adjuvant therapy was administered, and no evidence of progression was observed at the 12-month follow-up. This is a rare case with multiple lung metastasis from ameloblastoma who was successfully treated with multiple pulmonary resections. The present study indicated that surgery may be considered an appropriate choice for lung metastasis of ameloblastoma.

Background Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is considered a pre-cancerous biliary lesion and/or an early cancer lesion, although its classification remains unclear. The 2019 revised edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Digestive System proposed type 1 and type 2 as new classification categories, and meta-analyses and/or multi-center cohort studies are beginning to be reported. However, treatment for IPNB recurrence and metastasis remains unclear. Case presentation A 60-year-old man who was referred to our hospital after a suspected liver tumor was diagnosed using abdominal ultrasonography. Imaging findings revealed an irregularly shaped tumor in segment 5 (S5) of the liver (size 20 mm). The S5 lesion was suspected as IPNB, and segmentectomy was performed. The pathological findings revealed invasive carcinoma derived from IPNB, and immunohistochemistry revealed positive expression of MUC1, MUC5AC, and MUC6, but negative expression of CDX2 and MUC2. At 9 months after the surgery, computed tomography revealed a tumor in the right bile duct, which was diagnosed as liver recurrence of IPNB, and right hepatectomy was performed. The histopathological findings were the same as for the first resected specimen (i.e., IPNB). At 45 months after the second surgery, computed tomography revealed nodules in both lungs, which were diagnosed as lung metastases from IPNB and resected in two separate procedures. The pathological findings were metastatic carcinoma from IPNB for both lung lesions. The patient is currently alive and undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy (S-1), which was initiated 64 months after the first resection and 12 months after resection of the lung metastases. Conclusion We encountered a rare case of lung metastases from IPNB, which were diagnosed immunohistologically. Because IPNB is generally a slow-growing tumor, resection may be feasible for IPNB recurrence and/or metastasis, which may be detected during long-term follow-up. Thus, even if resection is performed for primary IPNB, additional surgical treatment may be feasible in this setting.

We describe the case of a 75-year-old patient who progressed over a 12-year period from localized to symptomatic metastatic prostate cancer (PrCa) with lung as the sole organ of involvement. In this case, the specific sequence of positron emission tomography (PET)-based next-generation imaging with 18F-sodium fluoride-, 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-, and 18F-DCFPyL PET/computed tomography and biopsies allowed illustration of the pathway of disease progression from nonglycolytic hormone-sensitive PrCa to glycolytic castrate-resistant PrCa without neuroendocrine features. The observations provide a unique insight into the timelines of anatomical and metabolic progression of metastatic PrCa. They highlight the value of close radiographic surveillance of metastatic PrCa with modern imaging to guide early treatment interventions.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Despite significant therapeutic advances in recent years, breast cancer also still causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths in women, the vast majority of which (> 90%) are caused by metastases. However, very few mouse mammary cancer models exist that faithfully recapitulate the multistep metastatic process in human patients. Here we assessed the suitability of a syngrafting protocol for a Myc-driven mammary tumor model (WAP-Myc) to study autochthonous metastasis. A moderate but robust spontaneous lung metastasis rate of around 25% was attained. In addition, increased T cell infiltration was observed in metastatic tumors compared to donor and syngrafted primary tumors. Thus, the WAP-Myc syngrafting protocol is a suitable tool to study the mechanisms of metastasis in MYC-driven breast cancer.

Background Pulmonary segmentectomy is an important surgical option for complete resection in patients with poor lung function. However, correctly recognizing the intersegmental plane for accurate segmentectomy is sometimes difficult. We therefore developed a novel method that allows the detection of intersegmental planes using an indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging device, photodynamic eye (PDE) camera, PDE-neo. Methods As a prospective study, we performed bronchial ICG-guided segmentectomy using PDE-neo. The patients were placed in a lateral position under general anesthesia, and we performed a combined muscle-sparing minithoracotomy with video assistance. The pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, and segmental bronchi were separated, and ICG mixed with autologous blood was introduced by spraying through the resected segment bronchi to enable visualization of the intersegmental surface with PDE-neo. This study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Board of Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Results Overall, 10 lung malignancy patients, including 8 males and 2 females, participated in this study from March 2011 to October 2013. The median age was 69 years (range, 29-76 years). Pathologic diagnoses were 7 adenocarcinomas, 1 adenosquamous carcinoma, 1 carcinoid tumor, and 1 lung metastasis from the parotid gland cancer. The intersegmental planes of 8 cases could be identified by this method using a PDE-neo, whereas those of 2 cases did not show clear demarcations. The reason was that because of severe emphysema, air flowed from the resected segment to the surrounding segments, obliterating the demarcation between the two segmental planes. There were no recurrent cases and only two deaths due to other diseases were observed; and the 5-year cause-specific survival rate was 100%. Conclusions Intersegmental planes could be more easily identified using ICG fluorescence imaging during segmentectomy. This method is feasible and effective and has a good long-term prognosis.