Alterations in the signaling pathways of epidermal growth factor receptors (HERs) are associated with tumor aggressiveness. Neurotensin (NTS) and its high affinity receptor (NTSR1) are up regulated in 60% of lung cancers. In a previous clinical study, NTSR1 overexpression was shown to predict a poor prognosis for 5 year overall survival in a selected population of stage I lung adenocarcinomas treated by surgery alone. In a second study, shown here, the frequent and high expression of ...

PURPOSE: If immune cells are involved in tumor surveillance and have a prognostic impact in most primary tumors, little is known about their significance in metastases. Because patients' survival is heterogeneous, even at metastatic stages, we hypothesized that immune cells may be involved in the control of metastases. We therefore characterized the tumor immune microenvironment and its prognostic value in colorectal and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastases, and compared it to primary ...

Epidemiological studies have shown that asbestos fibers constitute the major occupational risk factor and that asbestos acts synergistically with tobacco smoking to induce lung cancer. Although some somatic gene alterations in lung cancer have been linked to tobacco smoke, few data are available on the role of asbestos fibers. P16/CDKN2A is an important tumor suppressor gene that is frequently altered in lung cancer via promoter 5'-CpG island hypermethylation and homozygous deletion, and ...

Three hundred seven cases of patients who underwent operation for thymoma (196 of whom had myasthenia gravis) were analyzed to assess the prognostic values of Masaoka clinical staging, completeness of resection, histologic classification, history of myasthenia gravis, and postoperative radiotherapy. According to the Masaoka staging system, 135 thymomas were stage I, 70 were stage II, 83 were stage III, and 19 were stage IV. According to the Verley and Hollmann histologic classification ...

OBJECTIVE: The research was designed to evaluate the results of surgical resection of renal lung metastases.

METHODS: Between 1960 and 1994, 50 consecutive patients underwent resection for pulmonary metastases from renal cell carcinoma. Mean age was 59 years (range: 40-78 years). Mean time between nephrectomy and pulmonary resection was 3 years (range: 0-18 years). Nineteen patients had solitary metastase, 13 multiple unilateral, and 18 bilateral. Wedge excision was performed in 28 ...

OBJECTIVES: Superior vena cava (SVC) resection with prosthetic replacement for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is infrequently performed and oncological results are unclear. To establish a historical benchmark for this extended surgery, we have updated and reviewed data from four international centers.

METHODS: Data were obtained through retrospective chart review. Prognostic factors were analyzed using first univariate techniques and subsequently multiple regression (logistic ...

OBJECTIVE: Successful treatment of postoperative empyema remains a challenge for thoracic surgeons. We report herein our 12-year experience in the management of this condition by means of open window thoracostomy.

METHODS: Open window thoracostomy was used in the treatment of 46 patients with empyema complicating pulmonary resection. A bronchopleural fistula was associated in 39 of 46 cases. Previous operations included pneumonectomy (n = 30), bilobectomy (n = 5), lobectomy (n = 9), and ...

Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is considered as a reliable marker for differential diagnosis in distinguishing primary adenocarcinomas of the lung from extrathoracic origins. We previously reported the first case of lung metastasis of colorectal origin, with nuclear expression of TTF-1. As most previous studies were performed on series of extrathoracic primary tumors, we raised the question of a possible role of lung microenviroment in TTF-1 expression. We investigated the rate ...

BACKGROUND: Hypothesizing that nutritional status, systemic inflammation and tumoral immune microenvironment play a role as determinants of lung cancer evolution, the purpose of this study was to assess their respective impact on long-term survival in resected non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC).

METHODS AND FINDINGS: Clinical, pathological and laboratory data of 303 patients surgically treated for NSCLC were retrospectively analyzed. C-reactive protein (CRP) and prealbumin levels were ...

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pneumonia (POP) is a life-threatening complication of lung resection. The incidence, causative bacteria, predisposing factors, and outcome are poorly understood.

DESIGN: Prospective observational study.

METHODS: A prospective study of all patients undergoing major lung resections for noninfectious disease was performed over a 6-mo period. Culture of intraoperative bronchial aspirates was systematically performed. All patients with suspicion of pneumonia ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to study clinical characteristics, surgical treatment and outcome of patients with solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura operated in our institutions in a 20-year period.

METHODS: Clinical records of all patients operated for solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura between 1981 and 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Tumors were classified as malignant in the presence of at least one of the following criteria: (1) high mitotic activity; (2) high ...

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the role of the neurotensin/neurotensin receptor I (NTSR1) complex in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The expression of neurotensin and NTSR1 was studied by transcriptome analysis and immunohistochemistry in two series of 74 and 139 consecutive patients with pathologic stage I NSCLC adenocarcinoma. The findings were correlated with clinic-pathologic features. Experimental tumors were generated from the ...

BACKGROUND: Extended resection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) involving the superior vena cava (SVC) system is infrequently performed and oncologic benefits are still uncertain.

METHODS: From 1983 to 1996, 25 patients underwent resection of the SVC system for T4, NSCLC.

RESULTS: A total of 12 pneumonectomies (48%), ten lobectomies (40%), and three wedge resections (12%) were performed. Seven patients had complete resection of the SVC with graft interposition, 12 patients underwent ...

BACKGROUND: Hypothesizing that morphometric measurements are reliable markers of fitness in patients with lung cancer requiring aggressive surgical intervention, the purpose of this study was to assess their impact on postoperative outcome and long-term survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requiring pneumonectomy.

METHODS: Height, weight, and body mass index (BMI), as well as usual clinical, laboratory (including C-reactive protein [CRP] concentrations), and ...

To determine long-term survival and prognostic factors, 208 patients with primary tracheal tumors were evaluated in a retrospective multicenter study including 26 centers. Ninety-four patients had squamous cell carcinoma, four had adenocarcinoma, 65 had adenoid cystic carcinoma, and 45 patients had miscellaneous tumors. The following resections were performed: tracheal resection with primary anastomosis, 165; carinal resection, 24; and laryngotracheal resection, 19. Postoperative ...