Lung cancer : journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
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18FDG-PET and multislice computerized axial tomography (CT) scan are used for diagnosis, staging and response evaluation in NSCLC patients. The correlation between the response assessment by both imaging techniques and survival was assessed in patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC treated with induction chemotherapy followed by consolidation radiotherapy. ⋯ A CR on 18FDG-PET following induction chemotherapy for locally advanced, unresectable NSCLC seems to be a more powerful prognostic marker for survival compared to PR on CT.
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The effect of chemotherapy on survival of patients with advanced NSCLC is modest, therefore patient reported outcomes (PRO's) are of high interest in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards On Reporting Trials) is a quality checklist of 22 items for the conduct and reporting of RCTs. The aim of this report was to analyse to what extent the different RCTs with information on PRO's adhere to the CONSORT statement. ⋯ The overall adherence of peer-reviewed RCTs to CONSORT is reasonable, with nonetheless major differences between journals, and with no clear sign of change over time. Apart from modest survival differences, benefits in PRO endpoints are present in all categories of studies we analysed.
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Chemical pleurodesis is an accepted palliative therapy for patients with recurrent, symptomatic, malignant pleural effusions (MPE). The purpose of the study was to determine the factors that have an effect on successful pleurodesis for MPE. ⋯ Our results show that pleurodesis using talc as the sclerosing agent is a simple and acceptable procedure with high efficacy for controlling MPE, especially when used in appropriate patients.
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Indeterminate non-calcified lung nodules are frequent when low-dose spiral computed tomography (LD-CT) is used for lung cancer screening. We assessed the diagnostic utility of a non-invasive work-up protocol for nodules detected at baseline in volunteers enrolled in our single-centre screening trial, and followed for at least 1 year. ⋯ The protocol limits invasive diagnostic procedures while few patients have diagnosis delay, supporting the feasibility of lung cancer screening in high-risk subjects by LD-CT. Nevertheless further optimization of the clinical management of screening-detected nodules is necessary.
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Comparative Study
Comparative clinical and economic outcomes of treatments for refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Various drug therapies are available for treatment of refractory stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but their comparative economic value is unclear. ⋯ The results of our analysis suggest treatment of refractory NSCLC with erlotinib is less costly compared with alternative treatments, and suggested improvements in QALYs should be confirmed in controlled clinical trials.