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Background and objective Malignant pleural effusion (PE) was generally defined as pleural effusion containing tumors with poor prognosis. Some kinds of undefined pleural effusions due to too small amount of effusion had poor prognosis too. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients who suffered from limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) complicated with pleural effusion. Methods A retrospective analysis included 542 patients who were diagnosed with LS-SCLC and had treatment in our hospital from October 2007 to January 2016. We had observed 109 patients who were diagnosed with pleural effusion at their first visit to the doctor. We analyzed the clinical characters, survival time and the prognostic factors of the 109 patients. Our main observation targets were overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Results The median OS and PFS of whole group were 29.4 and 18.2 months. Before treatment, survival time of patients with PE were significantly shorter than patients without PE (median OS: 21.0 vs 31.7 months; median PFS: 14.1 vs 9.1 months; Log-rank, P=0.001, P=0.014). Multi-factor analysis of multivariate Cox shows PE was the independent prognostic factor of LS-SCLC (P=0.04). Single factor analysis showed factors affecting PE patient’s survival time included clinical stages, lymph node (LN) stages, KPS scores, pulmonary atelectasis and the state of pleural after treatment. Cox multi-factor analysis reminded that the state of pleural effusion after treatment was the independent prognostic factor of LS-SCLC complicated with pleural effusion (P=0.016). There were three groups was apportioned patients without pleural effusion before treatment (group 1; n=433), patients whose pleural effusion disappeared after treatment (group 2; n=67) and patients whose pleural effusion didn’t disappear after treatment (group 3; n=32).The median OS were 31.7, 23.2, 16.8 months in the group 1, 2, 3 and the median PFS were 19.1, 17.9, 11.4 months. Obvious difference was noted by the comparison of survival time of these three groups (Log-rank P

Background and objective The group of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are usually highly sensitive to chemotherapy, and less than 15% of them are resistant to drugs. We respectively evaluate the correlation of the sequence and timing of radiotherapy with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with limited-stage SCLC (LS-SCLC), and to figure out whether concurrent chemoradiotherapy is superior to sequent chemoradiotherapy. Methods Sixty-seven patients diagnosed with LS-SCLC from January 2009 to June 2014 failed to respond to induction chemotherapy. According to the sequence of therapy, they were divided into concurrent chemoradiotherapy group (n=32) and sequent chemoradiotherapy group (n=35). Ninety-four percent of the patients were diagnosed with stage III, and six percent were stage Ib-IIb. Twenty-five patients were treated with prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival time and Log-rank test was used for between-group comparisons. Between-group comparison of categorical data was made by χ2 test. Results In all patients, the 2-year OS, PFS and LC rates were 53.7%, 20.9% and 58.2%. The 2-year OS and PFS rates of concurrent chemoradiotherapy group and sequent chemoradiotherapy were 37.5% vs 54.3% (P=0.048) and 12.5% vs 28.6% (P=0.149). Hematologic toxicities were more common in concurrent group than sequent one (P=0.031), and no statistical difference was observed between the two groups in terms of grade 3 radiation esophagitis, pneumonitis and gastrointestinal reactions (9.4% vs 0, P=0.176; 12.5% vs 2.9%, P=0.318; 12.5% vs 2.9%, P=0.109). Patients treated with PCI have superior OS and PFS comparing with those not (56.0% vs 38.1%, P=0.029; 24% vs 19%, P=0.012). Conclusion Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with original chemotherapy regimens may not be suitable for patients who failed to respond to induction chemotherapy in LS-SCLC, and second-line regimens or radiotherapy alone can be used for them, but prospective trils with large sample are still needed to confirm that.

Lung adenocarcinoma with micropapillary pattern (MPP) is a kind of rare high invasive malignant tumor, which has been noticed because of high mortality. In 2011, the new pathological classification of lung adenocarcinoma classify it as an independent pathological type, researches on the individual treatment of the disease had been gradually expanded. Recent studies have demonstrated that lung adenocarcinoma with MPP has obvious heterogeneities in metastasis mechanism, clinical pathology, imageology, therapeusis and prognosis. In this paper, we discuss the progress of metastasis mechanism and clinical relevance in lung adenocarcinoma with MPP.

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has an important role in the development of embryo, as well as that in the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent researches have demonstrated that both morphological and phenotypic conversions emerge in cells undergoing EMT. As most of relevant studies were on other cancers, it is essential to uncover whether it is the similar mechanisms accounting for EMT in NSCLC. With the progress of the studies, EMT-related basic researches are gradually applied to predicting the prognosis of NSCLC. The aim of this article was to discuss the mechanisms related to EMT emerging in NSCLC.

Background and objective The clinical value of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in stage N2 nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversy. The aim of this study is to analyze the efficacy of PORT in subgroup of stage N2 NSCLC, which can help clinicians to choose proper patients for PORT. Methods Clinical data of 359 patients with stage N2 NSCLC treated with radical surgery between Mar. 2000 and Jul. 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Two hundred and seven patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and one hundred and four patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. First, the group of patients were analyzed to evaluate the factors affecting the overall survival. The all patients were divided based on tumor size and the number of lymph node metastasis station (single station or multiple station) so as to evaluate the role of PORT. The endpoint was overall survival (OS) and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS). Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the OS, LRFS and Log-rank was used to compare the difference in OS and LRFS between different groups. Results The median duration of follow-up was 2.3 years. 224 patients died. The median survival was 1.5 years and 1, 3, 5-year survival were 78%, 38% and 26%. Univariate analysis showed tumor size, the number of lymph node metastasis station and PORT were correlated with OS. Among patients, 5-year survival rates in PORT and non-PORT were 29% and 24% (P=0.047) respectively. In subgroups, PORT was related with high survival in patients with multiple station N2 compared to non-PORT: 36% vs 20% (P=0.013) and 33% vs 15% (P=0.002) in patients in patients with tumor size > 3 cm. Also, it was related with low local recurrence compared to non-PORT: 65% vs 48% (P=0.006) and 62% vs 48% (P=0.033). Conclusion PORT can improve overall survival for N2 NSCLC, especially the patients with the factors as follows: tumor size > 3 cm and multiple station N2 can benefit from PORT more or less.

Background and objective Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been introduced in order to reduce locoregional recurrence, but it remains controversy whether PORT can improve survival. Therefore, we want to investigate the effect of PORT and the relationship between failure patterns and primarily location of stage IIIA (N2) in NSCLC. Methods This retrospective analysis included 233 patients who underwent resection of NSCLC, first recurrence involving a local-regional site. It illustrated the factors affecting local recurrence and the sites of failure on the basis of lobe of primary tumor. Results Multivariable analysis demonstrated the number of positive lymph nodes (P=0.003), T stage (P