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Background: Wide variation is seen in the dosage of preoperative induction radiation therapy for esophageal cancer. We investigated associations between outcomes after esophagectomy and dosage of induction radiation therapy., Methods: Patients undergoing induction radiation therapy (30 to 70 Gy), followed by esophagectomy, were identified from the National Cancer Database and classified as low (<40 Gy), standard (40 to 50.4 Gy), and high dose (>50.4 Gy). Perioperative outcomes and overall survival were compared. Subgroup analysis compared two common dosages: 45 Gy and 50.4 Gy., Results: From 2004 to 2014, 10,738 patients (84.7%) received standard-dose radiation, increasing from 69.7% in 2004 to 93.6% in 2014 (p < 0.001), 1,329 (10.5%) received low-dose radiation, and 608 (4.8%) received high-dose radiation. Higher rates of pathologic complete response (pCR; low: 11.7%, standard: 16.2%, high: 21.0%; p < 0.001) and downstaging (low: 52.0%, standard: 56.4%, high: 63.1%, p = 0.001) were observed as the dosage increased. On multivariable analysis, compared with standard-dose, high-dose radiation was associated with higher 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.11; p < 0.001) without a higher likelihood of downstaging or pCR. Low-dose radiation was associated with lower likelihood of downstaging (OR, 0.85; p = 0.04) and pCR (OR, 0.67; p < 0.001) without lowering the risk of 30-day mortality. The dose of 50.4 Gy was associated with higher likelihood of pCR (OR, 1.12; p = 0.04), without affecting 30-day mortality, compared with 45 Gy., Conclusions: High-dose induction radiation (>50.4 Gy) is associated with increased perioperative death after esophagectomy, without a significant improvement in tumor response. Low-dose radiation (<30 Gy) is associated with worse tumor response without a lower risk of perioperative death. Within standard dosages, 50.4 Gy is associated with higher likelihood of pCR without adversely affecting perioperative mortality compared with 45 Gy., (Copyright © 2019 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pneumonia after pulmonary resection occurs in 5% to 12% of patients and causes substantial morbidity. Oral hygiene regimens lower the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonias; however, the impact in patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection is unknown. We conducted a prospective pilot study to assess the feasibility of an oral hygiene intervention in this patient cohort., Methods: Patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection were prospectively enrolled in a single-arm interventional study with time-matched controls. Participants were asked to brush their teeth with 0.12% chlorhexidine three times daily for 5 days before their operations and 5 days or until the time of discharge after their operations. Patients were eligible if they had known or suspected lung cancer and were undergoing (1) any anatomic lung resection or (2) a wedge resection with forced expiratory volume in 1 second or diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide less than 50% predicted., Results: Sixty-two patients were enrolled in the pilot intervention group and compared with a contemporaneous cohort of 611 patients who met surgical inclusion criteria. Preoperative adherence to the chlorhexidine toothbrushing regimen was high: median 100% (interquartile range: 87% to 100%). Postoperatively, 80% of patients continued toothbrushing, whereas 20% declined further participation. Among those who participated postoperatively, median adherence was 86% (interquartile range: 53% to 100%). There was a trend toward reduction in postoperative pneumonia: 1.6% (1 of 62) in the intervention cohort versus 4.9% (30 of 611) in the time-matched cohort (p = 0.35). The number needed to treat to prevent one case of pneumonia was 30 patients., Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated patients can comply with an inexpensive perioperative oral hygiene regimen that may be promising for reducing morbidity (Clinical Trials Registry: NCT01446874)., (Copyright © 2019 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Allosensitization can be a significant barrier to transplantation for some patients, and previous studies suggested that pre-transplant allosensitization was associated with worse outcomes after lung transplantation. However, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody testing has evolved significantly over the past 10 years, and current assays are highly sensitive and specific., Methods: We examined the impact of pre-transplant allosensitization on post-transplant outcomes in the era of solid-phase multiplex HLA antibody detection assays in this retrospective, single-center study of 304 adult transplant recipients between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2012. We accepted donor organs for allosensitized patients if a virtual crossmatch was compatible with all previously identified antibodies., Results: In univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, pre-transplant allosensitization, the calculated panel reactive antibody, and the number of pre-transplant HLA antibodies were not associated with the development of acute cellular rejection, lymphocytic bronchiolitis, donor-specific HLA antibodies, chronic lung allograft dysfunction, or graft failure., Conclusions: Pre-transplant allosensitization does not adversely affect outcomes after lung transplantation when the potentially reactive HLAs are avoided in the donor by a virtual crossmatch with the recipient., (Copyright © 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Conflicting evidence currently exists regarding the causes and effects of delay of care in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We hypothesized that delayed surgery in early-stage NSCLC is associated with worse short-term and long-term outcomes., Methods: Treatment data of clinical stage I NSCLC patients undergoing surgical resection were obtained from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Treatment delay was defined as resection 8 weeks or more after diagnosis. Propensity score matching for patient and tumor characteristics was performed to create comparable groups of patients receiving early (less than 8 weeks from diagnosis) and delayed surgery. Multivariable regression models were fitted to evaluate variables influencing delay of surgery., Results: From 1998 to 2010, 39,995 patients with clinical stage I NSCLC received early surgery, while 15,658 patients received delayed surgery. Of these, 27,022 propensity-matched patients were identified. Those with a delay in care were more likely to be pathologically upstaged (18.3% stage 2 or higher versus 16.6%, p < 0.001), have an increased 30-day mortality (2.9% vs 2.4%, p = 0.01), and have decreased median survival (57.7 ± 1.0 months versus 69.2 ± 1.3 months, p < 0.001). Delay in surgery was associated with increasing age, non-white race, treatment at an academic center, urban location, income less than $35,000, and increasing Charlson comorbidity score (p < 0.0001 for all). Delayed patients were more likely to receive a sublobar resection (17.2% vs 13.1%, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Patients receiving delayed resection for clinical stage I NSCLC have higher comorbidity scores that may affect ability to perform lobectomy and result in higher perioperative mortality. However, delay in resection is independently associated with increased rates of upstaging and decreased median survival. Strategies to minimize delay while medically optimizing higher risk patients are needed., (Copyright © 2015 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The study objective was to evaluate the influence of surgeon experience on outcomes in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer., Methods: In an institutional database, patients undergoing operations for pathologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer were categorized by surgeon experience: within 5 years of completion of training, the low experience group; with 5 to 15 years of experience, the moderate experience group; and with more than 15 years, the high experience group., Results: From 2000 to 2012, 800 operations (638 lobectomies, 162 sublobar resection) were performed with the following distribution: low experience 178 (22.2%), moderate experience 224 (28.0%), and high experience 398 (49.8%). Patients in the groups were similar in age and comorbidities. The use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was higher in the moderate experience group (low experience: 62/178 [34.8%], moderate experience: 151/224 [67.4%], and high experience: 133/398 [33.4%], P < .001), as was the mean number of mediastinal (N2) lymph node stations sampled (low experience: 2.8 ± 1.6, moderate experience: 3.5 ± 1.7, high experience: 2.3 ± 1.4, P < .001). The risk of perioperative morbidity was similar across all groups (low experience: 54/178 [30.3%], moderate experience: 51/224 [22.8%], and high experience: 115/398 [28.9%], P = .163). Five-year overall survival in the moderate experience group was 76.9% compared with 67.5% in the low experience group (P < .001) and 71.4% in the high experience group (P = .006). In a Cox proportional hazard model, increasing age, male gender, prior cancer, and R1 resection were associated with an elevated risk of mortality, whereas being operated on by surgeons with moderate experience and having a greater number of mediastinal (N2) lymph node stations sampled were protective., Conclusions: The experience of the surgeon does not affect perioperative outcomes after resection for pathologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer. At least moderate experience after fellowship is associated with improved long-term survival., (Copyright © 2015 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We sought to compare the relative cost-effectiveness of surgical intervention and stereotactic body radiation therapy in high risk patients with clinical stage I lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer)., Methods: We compared patients chosen for surgical intervention or SBRT for clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer. Propensity score matching was used to adjust estimated treatment hazard ratios for the confounding effects of age, comorbidity index, and clinical stage. We assumed that Medicare-allowable charges were $15,034 for surgical intervention and $13,964 for stereotactic body radiation therapy. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was estimated as the cost per life year gained over the patient's remaining lifetime by using a decision model., Results: Fifty-seven patients in each arm were selected by means of propensity score matching. Median survival with surgical intervention was 4.1 years, and 4-year survival was 51.4%. With stereotactic body radiation therapy, median survival was 2.9 years, and 4-year survival was 30.1%. Cause-specific survival was identical between the 2 groups, and the difference in overall survival was not statistically significant. For decision modeling, stereotactic body radiation therapy was estimated to have a mean expected survival of 2.94 years at a cost of $14,153 and mean expected survival with surgical intervention was 3.39 years at a cost of $17,629, for an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $7753., Conclusions: In our analysis stereotactic body radiation therapy appears to be less costly than surgical intervention in high-risk patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer. However, surgical intervention appears to meet the standards for cost-effectiveness because of a longer expected overall survival. Should this advantage not be confirmed in other studies, the cost-effectiveness decision would be likely to change. Prospective randomized studies are necessary to strengthen confidence in these results., (Copyright © 2012 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Lung transplantation has become accepted therapy for end-stage pulmonary disease. The objective of this study was to review a single-institution experience of adult lung transplants., Methods: We reviewed 1000 adult lung transplants that were performed at Washington University between July 1988 and January 2009., Results: Transplants were performed for emphysema (52%), cystic fibrosis (18.2%), pulmonary fibrosis (16.1%), and pulmonary vascular disease (7.2%). Overall recipient age was 48 ± 13 years with an increase from 43 ± 12 years (July 1988-November 1993) to 50 ± 14 years (June 2005-January 2009). Overall incidence of primary graft dysfunction was 22.1%. Hospital mortality was higher for patients who had primary graft dysfunction (primary graft dysfunction, 13.6%; no primary graft dysfunction, 4%; P < .001). Freedom from bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome was 84% at 1 year, 38.2% at 5 years, and 12.2% at 10 years. Survival at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 84%, 56.4%, 32.2%, and 17.8%, respectively. Five-year survival improved from 49.6% (July 1988-November 1993) to 62.1% (October 2001-June 2005). Primary graft dysfunction was associated with lower survival at 1, 5, and 10 years (primary graft dysfunction: 72.8%, 43.9%, and 18.7%, respectively; no primary graft dysfunction: 87.1%, 59.8%, and 35.7%, respectively, P < .001) and lower rates of freedom from bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (primary graft dysfunction: 78%, 27.5%, and 8.5%, respectively; no primary graft dysfunction: 85.4%, 40.7%, and 13.1%, respectively, P = .007)., Conclusions: Five-year survival has improved over the study period, but long-term outcomes are limited by bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Primary graft dysfunction is associated with higher rates of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and impaired short- and long-term survival. A better understanding of primary graft dysfunction and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is critical to improve outcomes., (Copyright © 2011 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)