1,721,272 research outputs found
Progress in the Management of Advanced Thoracic Malignancies in 2017
No full textThe treatment paradigm of NSCLC underwent a major revolution during the course of 2017. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) brought remarkable improvements in response and overall survival both in unselected pretreated patients and in untreated patients with programmed death ligand 1 expression of 50% or more. Furthermore, compelling preliminary results were reported for new combinations of anti-programmed cell death 1/programmed death ligand 1 agents with chemotherapy or anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 inhibitors. The success of the ICIs appeared to extend to patients with SCLC, mesothelioma, or thymic tumors. Furthermore, in SCLC, encouraging activity was reported for an experimental target therapy (rovalpituzumab teserine) and a new chemotherapeutic agent (lurbinectedin). For oncogene-addicted NSCLC, next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (such as osimertinib or alectinib) have demonstrated increased response rates and progression-free survival compared with first-generation TKIs in patients with both EGFR-mutated and ALK receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ALK)-rearranged NSCLC. However, because of the lack of mature overall survival data and considering the high efficacy of these drugs in patients with NSCLC previously exposed to first- or second-generation TKIs, definitive conclusions concerning the best treatment sequence cannot yet be drawn. In addition, new oncogenes such as mutant BRAF, tyrosine-protein kinase met gene (MET) and erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 gene (HER2), and ret proto-oncogene (RET) rearrangements have joined the list of potential targetable drivers. In conclusion, the field of thoracic oncology is on the verge of a breakthrough that will open up many promising new therapeutic options for physicians and patients. The characterization of biomarkers predictive of sensitivity or resistance to immunotherapy and the identification of the optimal therapeutic combinations (for ICIs) and treatment sequence (for oncogene-addicted NSCLC) represent the toughest upcoming challenges in the domain of thoracic oncology
Hyperprogression-Immunotherapy-Related Phenomenon vs Intrinsic Natural History of Cancer-In Reply
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Pseudoprogression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer upon Immunotherapy: Few Drops in the Ocean?
No full textMoving immune checkpoint blockade in thoracic tumors beyond NSCLC
No full textSCLC and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) are historically characterized by a disappointing lack of significant therapeutic breakthroughs for novel agents, and both malignancies represent true unmet medical needs. Given the promising results of anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4 and anti-programmed cell death-1/programmed death ligand-1 antibodies in the treatment of advanced NSCLCs, these immune checkpoint inhibitors are now also under investigation in SCLC and MPM, as well as in thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). Here, we review the biological and clinical rationale for immune checkpoint inhibition in SCLC, MPM, and TETs and present preliminary clinical results with available antibodies. Immunotherapeutic perspectives for these malignancies in terms of novel agents currently under evaluation or anticipated in the near future are also discussed. Current immune checkpoint blockers targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4 and the programmed cell death-1/programmed death ligand-1 axis, administered alone or in combination and as multimodality treatment, are likely to be a valuable addition to the therapeutic array for managing SCLC and MPM; studies in TETs, which are currently in their infancy, are merited. Close attention to potential toxicities will be important to the success of such strategies in these settings
The use of immunotherapy in older patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
No full textImmune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) have a pivotal role in the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), both as single agent and in combination strategies, providing a meaningful clinical and survival benefit.Older patients are underrepresented in clinical trials, including those involving immunotherapy, even though almost half of the patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC are aged 70 years or older. Moreover, due to selection biases, usually "fit" patients are preferably enrolled. This results in a lack of evidence regarding the use of ICBs in the older population, particularly when referring to chemo-immunotherapy regimens.Since ICBs are indeed of paramount importance in the treatment of patients with NSCLC, efforts are needed to optimize their use also in the older population. This entails furthermore taking into account additional features including the degree of fitness of the patient and the different health domains that can be affected by aging.This review aims to delve into the current evidences about the efficacy and toxicity of ICBs in monotherapy and in combination in older patients with advanced NSCLC, the role of the comprehensive geriatric assessment in supporting the selection of patients receiving immunotherapy, as well as the value of immunosenescence in modulating the activity of these drugs
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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