Faculty Profiles - SHIEN Kazuhiko

Papers - SHIEN Kazuhiko

Division display >> ／ All the affair displays 1 - 148 of about 148

Long short-term memory algorithm for personalized tacrolimus dosing: A simple and effective time series forecasting approach post-lung transplantation

Haruki Choshi, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Maki Tanioka, Hayato Arai, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2025.3

Prognostic Analysis of Pathological Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma Harboring Major EGFR Mutations. International journal

Shinkichi Takamori, Makoto Endo, Akira Hamada, Shuta Ohara, Shota Fukuda, Yasuaki Tomioka, Satoshi Takamori, Atsushi Osoegawa, Kotaro Nomura, Kosuke Fujino, Mao Yoshikawa, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kenichi Suda, Fumihiko Kinoshita, Kazuki Hayasaka, Hirotsugu Notsuda, Taichi Nagano, Kyoto Matsudo, Asato Hashinokuchi, Taichi Matsubara, Shinya Katsumata, Satoshi Shiono, Junichi Soh, Yasuhisa Ohde, Mototsugu Shimokawa

Clinical lung cancer 2024.12

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: While Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has favorable outcomes with targeted therapy, early-stage prognosis remains influenced by pathological factors and central nervous system (CNS) recurrence. The study aimed to clarify prognostic factors in pathological stage (pStage) I EGFR mutation-positive LUAD. METHODS: Between 2015 and 2018, 2,191 pStage I LUAD cases with known EGFR status (excluding EGFR testing after recurrence) who received anatomical resection were included from multiple institutions in Japan. Univariate and multivariate analyses of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed. RESULTS: 1,073 (49.0%) cases harbored EGFR mutations, including 419 (19.1%) with 19del and 529 (24.1%) with L858R. In cases with major EGFR mutation (n = 948), multivariate analysis showed that the absence of noninvasive area (NIA) (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.778, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.174-2.692, P = .0065), pStage (IA2 vs. IA1, HR: 2.079, 95% CI: 1.129-3.827, P = .0345; IA3 vs. IA1, HR: 4.009, 95% CI: 2.088-7.696, P = .0001; IB vs. IA1, HR: 5.280, 95% CI: 2.871-9.709, P < .0001), and presence of lymphatic invasion (HR: 1.855, 95% CI: 1.103-3.119, P = .0197) were independent predictors of shorter DFS, and only advanced pStage was an independent predictor of CNS recurrence (relative risk for pStage IA3 or more: 9.729, P < .0001). CONCLUSION: In EGFR mutation-positive pStage I LUAD, those without NIA, with higher pStage and lymphatic invasion were independent predictive factors for DFS, and pStage ≥ IA3 was an independent predictor of CNS recurrence.

DOI： 10.1016/j.cllc.2024.12.011

Prognostic impact of PD-L1 expression in surgically resected EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma: A real-world database study in Japan (CReGYT-01 EGFR study). International journal

Kotaro Nomura, Kazuki Takada, Fumihiko Kinoshita, Satoshi Muto, Taichi Matsubara, Yasunobu Kouki, Shinya Katsumata, Akira Hamada, Naoki Haratake, Kosuke Fujino, Mao Yoshikawa, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kenichi Suda, Shuta Ohara, Shota Fukuda, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Tatsuro Okamoto, Fumihiko Hirai, Keiju Aokage, Satoshi Shiono, Junichi Soh, Masahiro Tsuboi, Mototsugu Shimokawa, Yasuhisa Ohde

International journal of cancer 2024.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

The expression of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and mutation in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are biomarkers used for perioperative treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. However, the clinical significance of PD-L1 expression in surgically resected EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma remains unclear. We conducted a real-world database of patients with surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma from 2015 to 2018 was constructed across 21 centers in Japan. The association among PD-L1 expression, EGFR mutations, and prognosis was evaluated. Among 847 patients, PD-L1 expression was negative (tumor proportion score [TPS] < 1%) in 429 (51%), weakly positive (TPS = 1%-49%) in 275 (32%), and strongly positive (TPS ≥50%) in 143 (17%) patients. EGFR mutations were detected in 331 (39%) patients. PD-L1 expression was associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p < .001) in both EGFR-mutant and wild-type patients. However, in EGFR-mutant patients, PD-L1 expression was not associated with overall survival (OS) (p = .506). Multivariable analysis confirmed an association between PD-L1 expression and RFS but not OS. Furthermore, in EGFR-mutant patients treated with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment post-relapse, PD-L1 expression was not associated with overall response rate (p = .714), disease control rate (p = .554), or progression-free survival (p = .660). In conclusion, PD-L1 expression predicted poor RFS-independent EGFR status but did not show any association with OS in EGFR-mutant patients. The efficacy of post-relapse EGFR-TKI treatment was independent of PD-L1 expression. The significance of PD-L1 expression in perioperative EGFR-TKI therapy should be evaluated.

DOI： 10.1002/ijc.35270

胸腺上皮性腫瘍:再発治療、周術期治療、新規治療胸腺癌の術式と術後予後に関する多施設共同後ろ向き観察研究胸腺癌に対しての縮小手術は許容されるか

林龍也, 岡崎幹生, 土生智大, 枝園和彦, 諏澤憲, 山本寛斉, 大塚智昭, 渡邉元嗣, 山田英司, 藤原俊哉, 葉山牧夫, 山根正修, 井野川英利, 平見有二, 青江基, 山下素弘, 佐野由文, 中田昌男, 豊岡伸一

日本胸部外科学会定期学術集会 77回 LPD2 - 3 2024.11

肺癌周術期治療の現在と未来術前導入化学放射線療法の経験に基づく当院の肺がん周術期治療の現状と工夫

枝園和彦, 柳光剛志, 富岡泰章, 田中真, 諏澤憲, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 杉本誠一郎, 豊岡伸一

日本癌治療学会学術集会抄録集 62回 OSY1 - 5 2024.10

局所進行肺癌に対する治療を再考する切除可能局所進行肺癌に対する導入化学放射線療法の長期成績

諏澤憲, 岡田和大, 柳光剛志, 富岡泰章, 田中真, 枝園和彦, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 杉本誠一郎, 豊岡伸一

日本癌治療学会学術集会抄録集 62回 OPD5 - 5 2024.10

臓器移植レシピエントの感染症肺移植レシピエントにおける新型コロナウイルス感染症 5類移行後の現状

妹尾知哉, 杉本誠一郎, 調枝治樹, 柳光剛志, 富岡泰章, 田中真, 石原恵, 堂口佳子, 枝園和彦, 諏澤憲, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 豊岡伸一

移植 59 ( 総会臨時 ) 161 - 161 2024.9

肺移植後長期管理 Up to date 肺移植後の慢性腎臓病に対する長期管理 up to date

杉本誠一郎, 柳光剛志, 富岡泰章, 田中真, 石原恵, 堂口佳子, 諏澤憲, 枝園和彦, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 豊岡伸一

移植 59 ( 総会臨時 ) 173 - 173 2024.9

再肺移植後急性期に膵頭部癌による出血性膵炎を繰り返したNightmare case

林龍也, 田中真, 石原恵, 堂口佳子, 梅田将志, 調枝治樹, 柳光剛志, 富岡泰章, 枝園和彦, 諏澤憲, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 杉本誠一郎, 豊岡伸一

移植 59 ( 総会臨時 ) 255 - 255 2024.9

脳死片肺移植後の抗体関連型拒絶反応に対する集学的治療の経験

調枝治樹, 杉本誠一郎, 柳光剛志, 富岡泰章, 田中真, 堂口佳子, 石原恵, 枝園和彦, 諏澤憲, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 豊岡伸一

移植 59 ( 総会臨時 ) 294 - 294 2024.9

両側脳死肺移植後のサイトメガロウイルス感染症の予防にレテルモビルが有効だった一例

俣野貴慶, 杉本誠一郎, 田中真, 柳光剛志, 調枝治樹, 富岡泰章, 堂口佳子, 石原恵, 諏澤憲, 枝園和彦, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 豊岡伸一

移植 59 ( 総会臨時 ) 373 - 373 2024.9

肺移植後の機能性ディスペプシアに対しPEG-J留置が奏功した一例

柳光剛志, 杉本誠一郎, 田中真, 富岡泰章, 石原恵, 堂口佳子, 枝園和彦, 諏澤憲, 三好健太郎, 岡崎幹生, 豊岡伸一

移植 59 ( 総会臨時 ) 374 - 374 2024.9

Prophylactic effect of tissue flap in the prevention of bronchopleural fistula after surgery for lung cancer. Reviewed

Tomohiro Habu, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Kentaro Nakata, Kohei Hashimoto, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Surgery today 2024.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a serious complication of lung resection. To avoid BPF, the bronchial stump/anastomotic site is often covered with a flap of surrounding tissue. One risk factor for BPF is radical lung resection after induction chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer. We retrospectively reviewed our database to elucidate the characteristics of tissue flaps that prevent BPF. METHODS: This retrospective study included 152 patients treated between 1999 and 2019. We examined the clinicopathological characteristics, including the type and thickness of the tissue flap used to cover the bronchial stump/anastomotic site, and postoperative complications, including BPF. RESULTS: BPF occurred in 5 patients (3.3%). All 5 patients had complications that could have affected delayed wound healing, such as pneumonia. The covering tissue flap thickness was significantly greater in patients without BPF than in those who developed BPF (p = 0.0290). Additionally, the tissue flap thickness was significantly greater than in those with BPF (p = 0.0077), even in high-risk patients who developed pneumonia or radiation pneumonitis on the operative side within 6 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Perioperative management is crucial to avoid complications affecting the healing of the bronchial stump/anastomotic site, and the covering tissue flap thickness may be an important factor in avoiding or minimizing BPF.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-024-02927-6

Augmented humoral response to third and fourth dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in lung transplant recipients. Reviewed International journal

Shinichi Kawana, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Kei Matsubara, Haruki Choshi, Shin Tanaka, Megumi Ishihara, Tomohiro Habu, Kohei Hashimoto, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Mikio Okazaki, Masanori Nakayama, Shinichi Toyooka

Respiratory investigation 62 ( 5 ) 804 - 810 2024.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Since lung transplant recipients (LTRs) exhibit low immunogenicity after two doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines, optimal vaccine strategies for SARS-CoV-2 are required in LTRs. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of the third and fourth doses of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in LTRs. METHODS: We conducted a single-center study of 73 LTRs and 23 healthy controls (HCs). Participants received two-to-four doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. The LTRs were divided into three groups based on the number of vaccine dose. IgG titers against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were measured, and adverse events were assessed. Factors associated with humoral response were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The Dose 4 group (n = 27) had a higher humoral response rate (P = 0.018) and higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody (P = 0.04) than the Dose 2 group (n = 14). The Dose 3 group (n = 32) had lower humoral response rates (P = 0.005) and levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody (P = 0.0005) than the HCs (n = 23) even after the same dose. Systemic adverse events were milder in the LTRs than in the HCs (P < 0.05). Increased number of vaccine dose was identified as a predictor of positive humoral response (P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Booster doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines may enhance humoral response with mild adverse events in LTRs. Repeated vaccination might be warranted for LTRs to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

DOI： 10.1016/j.resinv.2024.07.004

Utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as an indicator of tumor immune status in non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Kazuma Iwata, Ken Suzawa, Kohei Hashimoto, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Japanese journal of clinical oncology 54 ( 8 ) 895 - 902 2024.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been reported as a prognostic biomarker in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the underlying biological rationale remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore the potential utility of NLR as a surrogate biomarker for immune response to cancer and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. METHODS: This retrospective study included the medical records of 120 patients with NSCLC who underwent surgery at the study institution in 2012. NLR in peripheral blood was determined from blood test within 30 days before surgery. Tumor immune status was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining to identify CD3+, CD8+ and FOXP3+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and the relationship of NLR, with clinicopathologic characteristics including 5-year overall survival (OS), and the tumor immune status was investigated. The median values of NLR and TIL count were used as cutoff points. RESULTS: The 5-year OS was significantly better in patients with low NLR (<2.2) than in those with high NLR (≥2.2) (70.1% vs. 56.8%, P = 0.042) and in patients with high CD3+ TIL count (≥242) than in those with low CD3+ TIL count (<242) (70% vs. 56.8%, P = 0.019). Additionally, the CD3+ TIL count was negatively correlated with preoperative NLR (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: NLR might potentially reflect the immune status of tumor microenvironment, explaining its impact on prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1093/jjco/hyae058

Postoperative Complications in Living Donors for Lung Transplantation. Reviewed International journal

Shin Tanaka, Kento Fujii, Megumi Ishihara, Haruki Choshi, Kei Matsubara, Kohei Hashimoto, Shuji Okahara, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Transplantation direct 10 ( 5 ) e1617 2024.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Living donor lobar lung transplantation is a life-saving procedure for critically ill patients. This requires 2 healthy donors exposed to risks and without medical benefit. Therefore, the donor's safety and minimal postoperative complications are crucial. This study aimed to investigate the short-term outcomes and identify the risk factors affecting these outcomes. METHODS: The data of 175 living donors enrolled between 1998 and 2022 were analyzed. Donors were divided into era 1 (1998-2009) and era 2 (2010-2022). RESULTS: The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 39%, of which 7% were major complications. Donors who underwent surgery on the right side had a higher incidence of delayed pulmonary fistulae (P = 0.01) and elevated liver enzyme levels (P = 0.028). Living donor surgery on the right side (P = 0.01), era 2 (P = 0.01), and the need for plasty (P = 0.04) were predictors of postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Updated data on complications and their correlation with postoperative quality of life from this study could aid in the selection of potential donors and facilitate informed consent.

DOI： 10.1097/TXD.0000000000001617

Adrenergic microenvironment driven by cancer‐associated Schwann cells contributes to chemoresistance in patients with lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Yusuke Otani, Haruyoshi Katayama, Yidan Zhu, Rongsheng Huang, Takafumi Shigehira, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Tadahiko Shien, Shinichi Toyooka, Atsushi Fujimura

Cancer Science 115 ( 7 ) 2333 - 2345 2024.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Doublecortin (DCX)-positive neural progenitor-like cells are purported components of the cancer microenvironment. The number of DCX-positive cells in tissues reportedly correlates with cancer progression; however, little is known about the mechanism by which these cells affect cancer progression. Here we demonstrated that DCX-positive cells, which are found in all major histological subtypes of lung cancer, are cancer-associated Schwann cells (CAS) and contribute to the chemoresistance of lung cancer cells by establishing an adrenergic microenvironment. Mechanistically, the activation of the Hippo transducer YAP/TAZ was involved in the acquisition of new traits of CAS and DCX positivity. We further revealed that CAS express catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes and synthesize adrenaline, which potentiates the chemoresistance of lung cancer cells through the activation of YAP/TAZ. Our findings shed light on CAS, which drive the formation of an adrenergic microenvironment by the reciprocal regulation of YAP/TAZ in lung cancer tissues.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.16164

Effective division of the intersegmental plane using a robotic stapler in robotic pulmonary segmentectomy. Reviewed

Mikio Okazaki, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kohei Hashimoto, Shin Tanaka, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Surgery today 2024.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSES: Robot-assisted thoracoscopic (RATS) segmentectomy is becoming increasingly common because of the expanded indications for segmentectomy and the widespread adoption of robotic surgery. The precise division of the intersegmental plane is necessary to ensure oncologic margins from the tumor and to preserve the lung function. In this study, we present a strategy for accurately dividing the intersegmental plane using a robotic stapler and review the surgical outcomes. METHODS: RATS portal segmentectomy was performed using the Da Vinci Xi system and the intersegmental plane was dissected using a robotic stapler. We evaluated the perioperative outcomes in 92 patients who underwent RATS portal segmentectomy between May 2020 and January 2023. These results were compared with those of 82 patients who underwent complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (CVATS) during the same period. RESULTS: The operative and console times were 162 and 97 min, respectively. No intraoperative complications occurred, and postoperative complications were observed in four cases (4.3%). The operative time, blood loss, postoperative complications, and maximum incision size were significantly lower in the RATS group than in the CVATS group. However, RATS requires a significantly higher number of staplers than CVATS. CONCLUSIONS: The division of the intersegmental plane using a robotic stapler in RATS portal segmentectomy was, therefore, found to be safe and effective.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-024-02840-y

Impact of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer who suffer radiation pneumonitis during the course of induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Reviewed

Yujiro Kubo, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Kei Matsubara, Kohei Hashimoto, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Kuniaki Katsui, Takao Hiraki, Katsuyuki Kiura, Shinichi Toyooka

Surgery today 54 ( 9 ) 995 - 1004 2024.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is an obstacle for patients after surgery following induction chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). We performed a comparative analysis of the association between clinicopathological factors, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prognosis, in LA-NSCLC patients with or without RP during induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. METHODS: The subjects of this analysis were 168 patients undergoing trimodality therapy for LA-NSCLC between January, 1999 and May, 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: the RP group (n = 41) and the non-RP group (n = 127). We compared the clinicopathological factors including the NLR between the groups and analyzed the association between the NLR and prognosis. RESULTS: The RP group had more patients with tumors located in the lower lobe, more bilobar resections, shorter operative times, no implementation of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and a higher postoperative NLR than the non-RP group. There were no significant differences in serious postoperative complications and the prognosis. Patients with a low postoperative NLR had a significantly better prognosis in the non-RP group, and a trend toward a better prognosis even in the RP group. CONCLUSION: Postoperative NLR may be a useful prognostic factor, even for patients who suffer RP after trimodality therapy for LA-NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-024-02816-y

Impact of central nervous system metastasis after complete resection of lung adenocarcinomas harboring common EGFR mutation - A real-world database study in Japan: The CReGYT-01 EGFR study. Reviewed International journal

Shinya Katsumata, Mototsugu Shimokawa, Akira Hamada, Naoki Haratake, Kotaro Nomura, Kosuke Fujino, Mao Yoshikawa, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kenichi Suda, Shuta Ohara, Shota Fukuda, Fumihiko Kinoshita, Kazuki Hayasaka, Hirotsugu Notsuda, Shinkichi Takamori, Satoshi Muto, Yusuke Takanashi, Kiyomichi Mizuno, Akikazu Kawase, Takamitsu Hayakawa, Keigo Sekihara, Michihito Toda, Somei Matsuo, Kyoshiro Takegahara, Masaki Hashimoto, Kenta Nakahashi, Makoto Endo, Hiroki Ozawa, Ryo Fujikawa, Yasuaki Tomioka, Kei Namba, Taichi Matsubara, Jun Suzuki, Hikaru Watanabe, Kazuki Takada, Hironobu Hoshino, Taisuke Kaiho, Takahide Toyoda, Yasunobu Kouki, Satoshi Shiono, Junichi Soh, Yasuhisa Ohde

European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) 201 113951 - 113951 2024.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the impact of central nervous system (CNS) metastasis on performance status (PS) at relapse, on subsequent treatment(s), and on survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring common epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. METHODS: We conducted the multicenter real-world database study for patients with radical resections for lung adenocarcinomas between 2015 and 2018 at 21 centers in Japan. EGFR mutational status was examined at each center. RESULTS: Of 4181 patients enrolled, 1431 underwent complete anatomical resection for lung adenocarcinoma harboring common EGFR mutations. Three-hundred-and-twenty patients experienced disease relapse, and 78 (24%) had CNS metastasis. CNS metastasis was significantly more frequent in patients with conventional adjuvant chemotherapy than those without (30% vs. 20%, P = 0.036). Adjuvant chemotherapy did not significantly improve relapse-free survival at any pathological stage (adjusted hazard ratio for stage IA2-3, IB, and II-III was 1.363, 1.287, and 1.004, respectively). CNS metastasis did not affect PS at relapse. Subsequent treatment, mainly consisting of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), could be equally given in patients with or without CNS metastasis (96% vs. 94%). Overall survival after relapse was equivalent between patients with and without CNS metastasis. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of conventional adjuvant chemotherapy may be limited in patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring EGFR mutations. CNS metastasis is likely to be found in practice before deterioration in PS, and may have little negative impact on compliance with subsequent EGFR-TKIs and survival after relapse. In this era of adjuvant TKI therapy, further prospective observational studies are desirable to elucidate the optimal management of CNS metastasis.

DOI： 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.113951

Plasma concentrations of histidine-rich glycoprotein in primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation. Reviewed International journal

Toshio Shiotani, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Yasuaki Tomioka, Shin Tanaka, Toshiharu Mitsuhashi, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Shinichi Toyooka

Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 38 ( 2 ) 2024.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

OBJECTIVES: Histidine-rich glycoprotein has been reported as an anti-inflammatory glycoprotein that inhibits acute lung injury in mice with sepsis and as a prognostic biomarker in patients with sepsis. We investigated the relationship between plasma concentrations of histidine-rich glycoprotein and the risk of occurrence of primary graft dysfunction. METHODS: According to the primary graft dysfunction grade at post-transplant 72 hours, patients who underwent lung transplantation were divided into three groups: non-primary graft dysfunction group (grade 0-1), moderate primary graft dysfunction group (grade 2), and severe primary graft dysfunction group (grade 3). The plasma concentrations of histidine-rich glycoprotein measured daily during the first post-transplant 7 days were compared among the three groups. Appropriate cutoff values of the concentrations were set for survival analyses after lung transplantation. RESULTS: A total of 68 patients were included. The plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein concentration at post-transplant 72 hours was significantly lower in the severe primary graft dysfunction group (n = 7) than in the other two groups (non-primary graft dysfunction group (n = 43), P = 0.042; moderate primary graft dysfunction group (n = 18), P = 0.040). Patients with plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein concentration ≥34.4 µg/mL at post-transplant 72 hours had significantly better chronic lung allograft dysfunction-free survival (P = 0.012) and overall survival (P = 0.037) than those with the concentration <34.4 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein concentrations at post-transplant 72 hours might be associated with the risk of development of primary graft dysfunction.

DOI： 10.1093/icvts/ivae021

PAI-1 mediates acquired resistance to MET-targeted therapy in non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Yin Min Thu, Ken Suzawa, Shuta Tomida, Kosuke Ochi, Shimpei Tsudaka, Fumiaki Takatsu, Keiichi Date, Naoki Matsuda, Kazuma Iwata, Kentaro Nakata, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

PloS one 19 ( 5 ) e0300644 2024

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Mechanisms underlying primary and acquired resistance to MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in managing non-small cell lung cancer remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the possible mechanisms acquired for crizotinib in MET-amplified lung carcinoma cell lines. Two MET-amplified lung cancer cell lines, EBC-1 and H1993, were established for acquired resistance to MET-TKI crizotinib and were functionally elucidated. Genomic and transcriptomic data were used to assess the factors contributing to the resistance mechanism, and the alterations hypothesized to confer resistance were validated. Multiple mechanisms underlie acquired resistance to crizotinib in MET-amplified lung cancer cell lines. In EBC-1-derived resistant cells, the overexpression of SERPINE1, the gene encoding plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), mediated the drug resistance mechanism. Crizotinib resistance was addressed by combination therapy with a PAI-1 inhibitor and PAI-1 knockdown. Another mechanism of resistance in different subline cells of EBC-1 was evaluated as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition with the upregulation of antiapoptotic proteins. In H1993-derived resistant cells, MEK inhibitors could be a potential therapeutic strategy for overcoming resistance with downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway activation. In this study, we revealed the different mechanisms of acquired resistance to the MET inhibitor crizotinib with potential therapeutic application in patients with MET-amplified lung carcinoma.

DOI： 10.1371/journal.pone.0300644

Periostin secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes cancer progression and drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Fumiaki Takatsu, Ken Suzawa, Shuta Tomida, Yin Min Thu, Masakiyo Sakaguchi, Tomohiro Toji, Masayoshi Ohki, Shimpei Tsudaka, Keiichi Date, Naoki Matsuda, Kazuma Iwata, Yidan Zhu, Kentaro Nakata, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Akiko Nakayama, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) 101 ( 12 ) 1603 - 1614 2023.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important components in the tumor microenvironment, and we sought to identify effective therapeutic targets in CAFs for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we established fibroblast cell lines from the cancerous and non-cancerous parts of surgical lung specimens from patients with NSCLC and evaluated the differences in behaviors towards NSCLC cells. RNA sequencing analysis was performed to investigate the differentially expressed genes between normal fibroblasts (NFs) and CAFs, and we identified that the expression of periostin (POSTN), which is known to be overexpressed in various solid tumors and promote cancer progression, was significantly higher in CAFs than in NFs. POSTN increased cell proliferation via NSCLC cells' ERK pathway activation and induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which improved migration in vitro. In addition, POSTN knockdown in CAFs suppressed these effects, and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the POSTN knockdown improved the sensitivity of EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells for osimertinib treatment. Collectively, our results showed that CAF-derived POSTN is involved in tumor growth, migration, EMT induction, and drug resistance in NSCLC. Targeting CAF-secreted POSTN could be a potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC. KEY MESSAGES: • POSTN is significantly upregulated in CAFs compared to normal fibroblasts in NCSLC. • POSTN increases cell proliferation via activation of the NSCLC cells' ERK pathway. • POSTN induces EMT in NSCLC cells and improves the migration ability. • POSTN knockdown improves the sensitivity for osimertinib in EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells.

DOI： 10.1007/s00109-023-02384-7

ASO Visual Abstract: Prognostic Impact of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes, Tertiary Lymphoid Structures, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Pulmonary Metastases from Uterine Leiomyosarcoma. Reviewed International journal

Naoki Matsuda, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Tomohiro Habu, Kazuma Iwata, Kei Matsubara, Shin Tanaka, Kohei Hashimoto, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Tomohiro Toji, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Katsuhito Takahashi, Shinichi Toyooka

Annals of surgical oncology 2023.9

Prognostic Impact of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes, Tertiary Lymphoid Structures, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Pulmonary Metastases from Uterine Leiomyosarcoma. Reviewed International journal

Naoki Matsuda, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Tomohiro Habu, Kazuma Iwata, Kei Matsubara, Shin Tanaka, Kohei Hashimoto, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Tomohiro Toji, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Katsuhito Takahashi, Shinichi Toyooka

Annals of surgical oncology 30 ( 13 ) 8727 - 8734 2023.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in tumor tissue has been related to the prognosis in various malignancies. Meanwhile, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a systemic inflammation marker also has been associated with the prognosis in them. However, few reports have investigated the relationship between pulmonary metastases from sarcoma and these biomarkers. METHODS: We retrospectively recruited 102 patients undergoing metastasectomy for pulmonary metastases from uterine leiomyosarcoma at Okayama University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2019. TILs and TLSs were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of surgically resected specimens of pulmonary metastases using anti-CD3/CD8/CD103/Foxp3/CD20 antibodies. NLR was calculated from the blood examination immediately before the most recent pulmonary metastasectomy. We elucidated the relationship between the prognosis and these factors. Because we considered that the status of tumor tissue and systemic inflammation were equally valuable, we also assessed the impact of the combination of TILs or TLSs and NLR on the prognosis. RESULTS: As for TILs, CD3-positive cells and CD8-positive cells were correlated with the prognosis. The prognosis was significantly better in patients with CD3-high group, CD8-high group, TLSs-high group, and NLR-low group, respectively. The prognosis of CD8-high/NLR-low group and TLSs-high/NLR-low group was significantly better than that of CD8-low/NLR-high group and TLSs-low/NLR-high group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CD3-positive TILs, CD8-positive TILs, TLSs, and NLR are correlated with the prognosis, respectively. The combination of CD8-positive TILs or TLSs and NLR may be the indicators to predict the prognosis of patients with pulmonary metastases from uterine leiomyosarcoma.

DOI： 10.1245/s10434-023-14176-x

Restrictive allograft dysfunction rather than bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome had a major impact on the overall survival after living-donor lobar lung transplantation. Reviewed

Kei Matsubara, Shinji Otani, Haruchika Yamamoto, Kohei Hashimoto, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Surgery today 54 ( 4 ) 317 - 324 2023.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is a known long-term fatal disorder after lung transplantation. In this study, we evaluated the CLAD classification of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) for living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT). METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective review of data from 73 patients who underwent bilateral LDLLT between 1998 and 2019. Factors related to opacity on computed tomography (CT) and restriction on pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were also analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 26 (36%) patients were diagnosed with CLAD, including restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), n = 10 (38.5%); bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), n = 8 (30.8%); mixed, n = 1 (3.8%); undefined, n = 2 (7.7%); and unclassified, n = 5 (19.2%). The 5-year survival rate after the CLAD onset was 60.7%. The survival of patients with BOS was significantly better than that of patients with RAS (p = 0.012). In particular, patients with restriction on PFT had a significantly worse survival than those without restriction (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CLAD after bilateral LDLLT does not have a major impact on the recipient survival, especially in patients with BOS. Restriction on PFT may predict a particularly poor prognosis in patients with CLAD after bilateral LDLLT.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-023-02729-2

ASO Visual Abstract: EGFR Mutation is a Prognostic Factor in Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Dissemination Detected During or After Surgery. Reviewed International journal

Toshiya Fujiwara, Kazuhiko Shien, Motoki Matsuura, Junichi Soh, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Soshi Takao, Yuho Maki, Tsuyoshi Ueno, Ryujiro Sugimoto, Ken Suzawa, Mikio Okazaki, Hiroyuki Tao, Makio Hayama, Masafumi Kataoka, Yoshifumi Sano, Hidetoshi Inokawa, Motohiro Yamashita, Osamu Kawamata, Kazuhiko Kataoka, Shinichi Toyooka

Annals of surgical oncology 2023.7

Percentage of low attenuation area on computed tomography detects chronic lung allograft dysfunction, especially bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, after bilateral lung transplantation. Reviewed International journal

Yujiro Kubo, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Toshio Shiotani, Kei Matsubara, Kohei Hashimoto, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Shinichi Toyooka

Clinical transplantation 37 ( 11 ) e15077 2023.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

INTRODUCTION: The percentage of low attenuation area (%LAA) on computed tomography (CT) is useful for evaluating lung emphysema, and higher %LAA was observed in patients with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). This study investigated the relationship between the %LAA and the development of CLAD after bilateral lung transplantation (LT). METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective study of 75 recipients who underwent bilateral LT; the recipients were divided into a CLAD group (n = 30) and a non-CLAD group (n = 45). The %LAA was calculated using CT and compared between the two groups from 4 years before to 4 years after the diagnosis of CLAD. The relationships between the %LAA and the percent baseline values of the pulmonary function test parameters were also calculated. RESULTS: The %LAA was significantly higher in the CLAD group than in the non-CLAD group from 2 years before to 2 years after the diagnosis of CLAD (P < .05). In particular, patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) exhibited significant differences even from 4 years before to 4 years after diagnosis (P < .05). Significant negative correlations between the %LAA and the percent baseline values of the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = -.36, P = .0031), the forced vital capacity (r = -.27, P = .027), and the total lung capacity (r = -.40, P < .001) were seen at the time of CLAD diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The %LAA on CT was associated with the development of CLAD and appears to have the potential to predict CLAD, especially BOS, after bilateral LT.

DOI： 10.1111/ctr.15077

EGFR Mutation is a Prognostic Factor in Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Dissemination Detected During or After Surgery. Reviewed International journal

Toshiya Fujiwara, Kazuhiko Shien, Motoki Matsuura, Junichi Soh, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Soshi Takao, Yuho Maki, Tsuyoshi Ueno, Ryujiro Sugimoto, Ken Suzawa, Mikio Okazaki, Hiroyuki Tao, Makio Hayama, Masafumi Kataoka, Yoshifumi Sano, Hidetoshi Inokawa, Motohiro Yamashita, Osamu Kawamata, Kazuhiko Kataoka, Shinichi Toyooka

Annals of surgical oncology 30 ( 11 ) 6697 - 6702 2023.6

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Primary lung tumors are sometimes resected when either pleural dissemination (PD) or malignant pleural effusion (MPE) exists. This study clarified the prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with either PD and MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined patients with NSCLC from a multicenter database who had either PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery between 2005 and 2015. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Among 9463 registered patients, PD, MPE, or both, were found in 114 patients with NSCLC during or after surgery. Primary tumor resection and exploratory thoracotomy were performed in 65 and 49 patients, respectively. In univariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis (c-N0 or unknown), EGFR mutation, and combination of chemotherapy or tyrosine kinase inhibitors after surgery were better prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), whereas in the multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis, and EGFR mutation were favorable independent prognostic factors in OS. Additionally, limited to patients with EGFR mutation, patients with primary lung tumor resection showed a significantly better 5-year OS than those with exploratory thoracotomy (86.4 vs. 44.8%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that surgical resection of primary tumors could improve the prognosis of patients with PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery when the tumors harbor an EGFR mutation.

DOI： 10.1245/s10434-023-13791-y

ASO Author Reflections: Prognostic Impact of the Primary Tumor Resection for Lung Cancer Patients Diagnosed with Pleural Dissemination in the Perioperative Period-Importance of Biomarker-Based Treatment Decision Making. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien, Toshiya Fujiwara, Shinichi Toyooka

Annals of surgical oncology 30 ( 11 ) 6703 - 6704 2023.6

Identification of genetic loci associated with renal dysfunction after lung transplantation using an ethnic-specific single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Reviewed International journal

Yasuaki Tomioka, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Haruchika Yamamoto, Shuta Tomida, Toshio Shiotani, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Shinji Otani, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Masaomi Yamane, Shinichi Toyooka

Scientific reports 13 ( 1 ) 8912 - 8912 2023.6

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Renal dysfunction is a long-term complication associated with an increased mortality after lung transplantation (LT). We investigated the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the development of renal dysfunction after LT using a Japanese-specific SNP array. First, eligible samples of 34 LT recipients were genotyped using the SNP array and divided into two groups, according to the presence of homozygous and heterozygous combinations of mutant alleles of the 162 renal-related SNPs. To identify candidate SNPs, the renal function tests were compared between the two groups for each SNP. Next, we investigated the association between the candidate SNPs and the time course of changes of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the 99 recipients until 10 years after the LT. ΔeGFR was defined as the difference between the postoperative and preoperative eGFR values. Eight SNPs were identified as the candidate SNPs in the 34 recipients. Validation analysis of these 8 candidate SNPs in all the 99 recipients showed that three SNPs, namely, rs10277115, rs4690095, and rs792064, were associated with significant changes of the ΔeGFR. Pre-transplant identification of high-risk patients for the development of renal dysfunction after LT based on the presence of these SNPs might contribute to providing personalized medicine.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-023-36143-y

S100A8/A9 as a prognostic biomarker in lung transplantation. Reviewed International journal

Kentaro Nakata, Mikio Okazaki, Shinichi Kawana, Yujiro Kubo, Dai Shimizu, Shin Tanaka, Kohei Hashimoto, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Clinical transplantation 37 ( 9 ) e15006 2023.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

OBJECTIVES: S100A8/A9 is a damage-associated molecule that augments systemic inflammation. However, its role in the acute phase after lung transplantation (LTx) remains elusive. This study aimed to determine S100A8/A9 levels after lung transplantation (LTx) and evaluate their impact on overall survival (OS) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD)-free survival. METHODS: Sixty patients were enrolled in this study, and their plasma S100A8/A9 levels were measured on days 0, 1, 2, and 3 after LTx. The association of S100A8/A9 levels with OS and CLAD-free survival was assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: S100A8/A9 levels were elevated in a time-dependent manner until 3 days after LTx. Ischemic time was significantly longer in the high S100A8/9 group than in the low S100A8/A9 group (p = .017). Patients with high S100A8/A9 levels (> 2844 ng/mL) had worse prognosis (p = .031) and shorter CLAD-free survival (p = .045) in the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis than those with low levels. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high S100A8/A9 levels were a determinant of poor OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-12; p = .028) and poor CLAD-free survival (HR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.1-15; p = .03). In patients with a low primary graft dysfunction grade (0-2), a high level of S100A8/A9 was also a poor prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provided novel insights into the role of S100A8/A9 as a prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for LTx.

DOI： 10.1111/ctr.15006

Diagnostic value of circulating microRNA-21 in chronic lung allograft dysfunction after bilateral cadaveric and living-donor lobar lung transplantation. Reviewed International journal

Toshio Shiotani, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Yasuaki Tomioka, Haruchika Yamamoto, Shin Tanaka, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Shinichi Toyooka

Heliyon 9 ( 4 ) e14903 2023.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis have been shown to be associated with the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) after lung transplantation (LT). We investigated the role of circulating miRNAs in the diagnosis of CLAD after bilateral LT, including cadaveric LT (CLT) and living-donor lobar LT (LDLLT). METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 37 recipients of bilateral CLT (n = 23) and LDLLT (n = 14), and they were divided into a non-CLAD group (n = 24) and a CLAD group (n = 13). The plasma miRNA levels of the two groups were compared, and correlations between their miRNAs levels and percent baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and total lung capacity (TLC) values were calculated from one year before to one year after the diagnosis of CLAD. RESULTS: The plasma levels of both miR-21 and miR-155 at the time of the diagnosis of CLAD were significantly higher in the CLAD group than in the non-CLAD group (miR-21, P = 0.0013; miR-155, P = 0.042). The miR-21 levels were significantly correlated with the percent baseline FEV1, FVC, and TLC value of one year before and at the time of diagnosis of CLAD (P < 0.05). A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the performance of miR-21 levels in the diagnosis of CLAD yielded an area under the curve of 0.89. CONCLUSION: Circulating miR-21 appears to be of potential value in diagnosing CLAD after bilateral LT.

DOI： 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14903

Surgical outcome of ipsilateral anatomical resection for lung cancer after pulmonary lobectomy. Reviewed International journal

Mikio Okazaki, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Kota Araki, Mototsugu Watanabe, Masanori Okada, Yuho Maki, Tsuyoshi Ueno, Shinji Otani, Ryujiro Sugimoto, Hitoshi Nishikawa, Riki Okita, Makio Hayama, Hiroyuki Tao, Toshiya Fujiwara, Hidetoshi Inokawa, Yuji Hirami, Yoshifumi Sano, Motohiro Yamashita, Osamu Kawamata, Motoki Matsuura, Shinichi Toyooka

European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery 63 ( 3 ) 2023.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

OBJECTIVES: Ipsilateral reoperation after pulmonary lobectomy is often challenging because of adhesions from the previous surgery. In this study, we retrospectively examined the surgical outcome and prognosis of ipsilateral anatomical resection for lung cancer after pulmonary lobectomy using a multicentre database. METHODS: We evaluated the perioperative outcomes and overall survival of 51 patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy followed by ipsilateral anatomical resection for lung cancer between January 2012 and December 2018. In addition, patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were compared with 3411 patients with stage I lung cancer who underwent pulmonary resection without prior ipsilateral lobectomy. RESULTS: Ipsilateral anatomical resections included 10 completion pneumonectomies, 19 pulmonary lobectomies and 22 pulmonary segmentectomies. Operative time was 312.2 ± 134.5 min and intraoperative bleeding was 522.2 ± 797.5 ml. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 9 and 15 patients, respectively. However, the 5-year overall survival rate after anatomical resection followed by ipsilateral lobectomy was 83.5%. Furthermore, in patients with c-stage I NSCLC, anatomical resection followed by ipsilateral lobectomy was not associated with worse survival than anatomical resection without prior ipsilateral lobectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical resection following ipsilateral lobectomy is associated with a high frequency of intraoperative and postoperative complications. However, the 5-year overall survival in patients with c-stage I NSCLC who underwent ipsilateral anatomical resection after pulmonary lobectomy is comparable to that in patients who underwent anatomical resection without prior pulmonary lobectomy.

DOI： 10.1093/ejcts/ezad048

Donor's long-term quality of life following living-donor lobar lung transplantation. Reviewed International journal

Kento Fujii, Shin Tanaka, Megumi Ishihara, Kei Matsubara, Kohei Hashimoto, Shuji Okahara, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Shinji Otani, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Masaomi Yamane, Shinichi Toyooka

Clinical transplantation 37 ( 4 ) e14927 2023.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

INTRODUCTION: Living-donor lobar lung transplantation is an alternative procedure to deceased donation lung transplantation. It involves graft donation from healthy donors; however, only a few reports have discussed its long-term prognosis in living lung donors and their associated health-related quality of life. This study aimed to examine living lung donors' health-related quality of life. METHODS: In our cross-sectional survey of living lung donors, we assessed health-related quality of life based on three key aspects (physical, mental, and social health) using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. We also evaluated chronic postoperative pain and postoperative breathlessness using the numeric rating scale and the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea scale, respectively. RESULTS: We obtained consent from 117 of 174 living lung donors. The average scores of the living lung donors on the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey were higher than the national average. However, some donors had poorer physical, mental, and social health, with lower summary scores than the national averages. Low mental component summary predictors included donor age (<40 years; odds ratio = 10.2; p<.001) and recipient age (<18 years; odds ratio = 2.73; p<.032). Low role-social component summary predictors included high lung allocation score (≥50; odds ratio = 3.94, p<.002) and recipient death (odds ratio = 3.64; p = .005). There were no predictors for physical component summary. Additionally, many donors did not complain of pain or dyspnea. CONCLUSIONS: Living lung donors maintained acceptable long-term health-related quality of life after surgery. Potential donors should be informed of relevant risk factors, and high-risk donors should receive appropriate support. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1111/ctr.14927

【最新臨床肺癌学-診断・治療の最新動向-】診断遺伝子診断肺癌の遺伝子診断最新の状況と展望 Reviewed

枝園和彦, 豊岡伸一

日本臨床 80 ( 増刊8 最新臨床肺癌学 ) 311 - 316 2022.12

Functional Blockage of S100A8/A9 Ameliorates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Lung. Reviewed International journal

Kentaro Nakata, Mikio Okazaki, Tomohisa Sakaue, Rie Kinoshita, Yuhei Komoda, Dai Shimizu, Haruchika Yamamoto, Shin Tanaka, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Toshiaki Ohara, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Masaomi Yamane, Akihiro Matsukawa, Masakiyo Sakaguchi, Shinichi Toyooka

Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) 9 ( 11 ) 2022.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

(1) Background: Lung ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury increases the mortality and morbidity of patients undergoing lung transplantation. The objective of this study was to identify the key initiator of lung IR injury and to evaluate pharmacological therapeutic approaches using a functional inhibitor against the identified molecule. (2) Methods: Using a mouse hilar clamp model, the combination of RNA sequencing and histological investigations revealed that neutrophil-derived S100A8/A9 plays a central role in inflammatory reactions during lung IR injury. Mice were assigned to sham and IR groups with or without the injection of anti-S100A8/A9 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb). (3) Results: Anti-S100A8/A9 mAb treatment significantly attenuated plasma S100A8/A9 levels compared with control IgG. As evaluated by oxygenation capacity and neutrophil infiltration, the antibody treatment dramatically ameliorated the IR injury. The gene expression levels of cytokines and chemokines induced by IR injury were significantly reduced by the neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, the antibody treatment significantly reduced TUNEL-positive cells, indicating the presence of apoptotic cells. (4) Conclusions: We identified S100A8/A9 as a novel therapeutic target against lung IR injury.

DOI： 10.3390/bioengineering9110673

Drug repositioning of tranilast to sensitize a cancer therapy by targeting cancer-associated fibroblast. Reviewed International journal

Kosuke Ochi, Ken Suzawa, Yin Min Thu, Fumiaki Takatsu, Shimpei Tsudaka, Yidan Zhu, Kentaro Nakata, Tatsuaki Takeda, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Tadahiko Shien, Yoshiharu Okamoto, Shuta Tomida, Shinichi Toyooka

Cancer science 113 ( 10 ) 3428 - 3436 2022.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major component of the tumor microenvironment that mediate resistance of cancer cells to anticancer drugs. Tranilast is an antiallergic drug that suppresses the release of cytokines from various inflammatory cells. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of tranilast on the interactions between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and the CAFs in the tumor microenvironment. Three EGFR-mutant NSCLC cell lines, two KRAS-mutant cell lines and three CAFs derived from NSCLC patients were used. To mimic the tumor microenvironment, the NSCLC cells were co-cultured with the CAFs in vitro, and the molecular profiles and sensitivity to molecular targeted therapy were assessed. Crosstalk between NSCLC cells and CAFs induced multiple biological effects on the NSCLC cells both in vivo and in vitro, including activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway, promotion of xenograft tumor growth, induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and acquisition of resistance to molecular-targeted therapy, including of EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells to osimertinib and of KRAS-mutant NSCLC cells to selumetinib. Treatment with tranilast led to inhibition of IL-6 secretion from the CAFs, which, in turn, resulted in inhibition of CAF-induced phospho-STAT3 upregulation. Tranilast also inhibited CAF-induced EMT in the NSCLC cells. Finally, combined administration of tranilast with molecular-targeted therapy reversed the CAF-mediated resistance of the NSCLC cells to the molecular-targeted drugs, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that combined administration of tranilast with molecular-targeted therapy is a possible new treatment strategy to overcome drug resistance caused by cancer- CAF interaction.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.15502

Robotic Mediastinal Tumor Resections: Position and Port Placement. Reviewed International journal

Mikio Okazaki, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Journal of personalized medicine 12 ( 8 ) 2022.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

This study aimed to determine the optimal position and port placement during robotic resection for various mediastinal tumors. For anterior mediastinal tumors, total or extended thymectomy is commonly performed in the supine position using the lateral or subxiphoid approach. Although it is unclear which approach is better during robotic thymectomy, technical advantages of subxiphoid approach are beneficial for patients with myasthenia who require extended thymectomy. Partial thymectomy is performed in the supine position using a lateral approach. Superior, middle, and posterior mediastinal tumors are resected in the decubitus position using the lateral approach, whereas dumbbell tumor resection, which requires a posterior approach, can be performed in the prone position. The position and port placement should be chosen depending on the size, location, and aggressiveness of the tumor. In this study, we describe how to choose which of these different robotic approaches can be used based on our experience and previous reports.

DOI： 10.3390/jpm12081195

外科治療における肺がんゲノム医療の現状と今後

枝園和彦, 豊岡伸一

肺癌 62 ( 3 ) 173 - 179 2022.6

Language：Japanese Publisher：(NPO)日本肺癌学会

新たなドライバー遺伝子の同定と分子標的薬の開発に伴い,非小細胞肺がんに対するゲノム検査および治療法は日々アップデートされてきた.これらドライバー遺伝子異常の検出を目的としたゲノム検査の対象は,主として薬物療法を考慮する進行・再発非小細胞肺がん患者であるため,呼吸器外科医が日常臨床でゲノム医療に接する機会はこれまで多くなかった.一方で,肺がんに対するゲノム検査が単一遺伝子検査からマルチプレックスコンパニオン診断および包括的がんゲノムプロファイリング検査へと進化する中で,呼吸器外科医が主にかかわる周術期治療の領域においても,治療の最適化,予後予測および発症予防という観点から,ゲノム検査を含むがんゲノム医療への理解の重要性が増している.本稿では,肺がんの診療を行う呼吸器外科医がかかわるゲノム医療の現状と今後の展望および課題について概説する.(著者抄録)

Other Link： https://search.jamas.or.jp/default/link?pub_year=2022&ichushi_jid=J01244&link_issn=&doc_id=20220714460001&doc_link_id=%2Fec7jaluc%2F2022%2F006203%2F001%2F0173-0179%26dl%3D0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medicalonline.jp%2Fjamas.php%3FGoodsID%3D%2Fec7jaluc%2F2022%2F006203%2F001%2F0173-0179%26dl%3D0&type=MedicalOnline&icon=https%3A%2F%2Fjk04.jamas.or.jp%2Ficon%2F00004_2.gif

Clinical features of patients with second primary lung cancer following head and neck cancer. Reviewed International journal

Fumiaki Takatsu, Ken Suzawa, Mikio Okazaki, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mototsugu Watanabe, Makio Hayama, Tsuyoshi Ueno, Ryujiro Sugimoto, Yuho Maki, Toshiya Fujiwara, Riki Okita, Hidetoshi Inokawa, Hiroyuki Tao, Yuji Hirami, Eisuke Matsuda, Kazuhiko Kataoka, Motohiro Yamashita, Yoshifumi Sano, Motoki Matsuura, Hisao Mizutani, Shinichi Toyooka

The Annals of thoracic surgery 117 ( 1 ) 181 - 188 2022.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) often develop second primary lung cancer (SPLC), due to a common risk factor, that is, smoking. Our multicenter experience has been reviewed to evaluate how the history of diagnosis of HNC affects the outcomes of patients undergoing pulmonary resection for SPLC. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized between January 2012 and December 2018 has been performed. From a cohort of 4,521 patients undergoing therapeutic pulmonary resection for primary non-small cell lung cancer, 100 patients with previous history of HNC (HNC group) have been identified. They were compared with a control group consisting of 200 patients without HNC history from the same cohort pair-matched with operating facility, age, sex, and pathological stage of lung cancer. RESULTS: At the time of surgery for SPLC, the HNC group showed malnutrition with lower prognostic nutritional index (PNI) compared with the control group (p < 0.001). The HNC group were determined to have postoperative complications more frequently (p = 0.02). The 5-year overall survival rates in the HNC and control groups were 59.0% and 83.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). Statistically, HNC history, lower PNI, squamous cell lung cancer, and TNM stage were identified to be independently associated with poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SPLC following primary HNC often present with malnutrition and are predisposed to have postoperative complications and poor survival after pulmonary resection.

DOI： 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2022.04.052

One-step nucleic acid amplification for intraoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in lung cancer patients: a single-center prospective study. Reviewed International journal

Kei Namba, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Akihiro Miura, Yuta Takahashi, Shunsaku Miyauchi, Kota Araki, Kentaro Nakata, Shuta Tomida, Shin Tanaka, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Shinji Otani, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Junichi Soh, Masaomi Yamane, Shinichi Toyooka

Scientific reports 12 ( 1 ) 7297 - 7297 2022.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

One-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) is a rapid intraoperative molecular detection technique for sentinel node assessment via the quantitative measurement of target cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA to determine the presence of metastasis. It has been validated in breast cancer but its application in lung cancer has not been adequately investigated. 214 LNs from 105 patients with 100 primary lung cancers, 2 occult primary lung tumors, and 3 metastatic lung tumors, who underwent surgical lung resection with LN dissection between February 2018 and January 2020, were assessed. Resected LNs were divided into two parts: one was snap-frozen for OSNA and the other underwent rapidly frozen histological examination. Intraoperatively collected LNs were evaluated by OSNA using loop-mediated isothermal amplification and compared with intraoperative pathological diagnosis as a control. Among 214 LNs, 14 were detected as positive by OSNA, and 11 were positive by both OSNA and intraoperative pathological diagnosis. The sensitivity and specificity of OSNA was 84.6% and 98.5%, respectively. The results of 5 of 214 LNs were discordant, and the remainder all matched (11 positive and 198 negative) with a concordance rate of 97.7%. Although the analysis of public mRNA expression data from cBioPortal showed that CK19 expression varies greatly depending on the cancer type and histological subtype, the results of the five cases, except for primary lung cancer, were consistent. OSNA provides sufficient diagnostic accuracy and speed and can be applied to the intraoperative diagnosis of LN metastasis for non-small cell lung cancer.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-022-11064-4

Survival and prognostic factors in patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for lung metastases from retroperitoneal sarcoma. Reviewed International journal

Fumiaki Takatsu, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Yasuaki Tomioka, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Shinji Otani, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Masaomi Yamane, Katsuhito Takahashi, Shinichi Toyooka

World journal of surgical oncology 20 ( 1 ) 114 - 114 2022.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Soft-tissue sarcomas are rare malignancies that consist of many different histologic subtypes and arise in various locations in the body. In patients with lung metastases from retroperitoneal sarcomas, the long-term outcomes and prognostic factors are unknown. This study is a retrospective review of patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for retroperitoneal sarcoma metastases at one institution, with the purpose of determining prognostic factors and clinical outcomes. METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for lung metastases from various sarcomas at Okayama University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2018. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for the analyses, and cut-off values of continuous variables were determined by a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients underwent the first pulmonary metastasectomy for lung metastases from retroperitoneal sarcoma in our hospital. Leiomyosarcoma was the most common histologic subtype of retroperitoneal sarcoma (79.2%, n = 19). Median overall survival was 49.9 months, and the 3-year and 5-year survival rates after the first pulmonary metastasectomy were 62.5% and 26.4% respectively. In univariate analysis, age ≥56 years, disease-free interval < 15 months, and size of metastasis (≥ 27 mm) were associated with poor survival. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary metastasectomy can be considered as an effective management strategy in retroperitoneal sarcoma patients with lung metastases in appropriately selected cases, just as it is for other sarcomas.

DOI： 10.1186/s12957-022-02552-y

Pulmonary Enteric Adenocarcinoma Harboring a BRAF G469V Mutation. Reviewed

Dai Shimizu, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Shien, Kohei Taniguchi, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Kei Namba, Kumi Mesaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Junichi Soh, Masaomi Yamane, Shinichi Toyooka

Acta medica Okayama 75 ( 6 ) 759 - 762 2021.12

Language：English

Pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma (PEAC) is a rare subtype of lung cancer that should be differentiated from colorectal cancer metastasis. Little is known about its genetic background. An 84-year-old male with adenocarcinoma of the lung underwent left upper lobectomy. The histology of the surgical specimen was suggestive of PEAC. Gastrointestinal and colorectal fiberscopy revealed no evidence of colorectal cancer. Next-generation sequencing of the tumor identified a G469V substitution in serine/threonine-protein kinase B-raf (BRAF). Based on the higher prevalence of the G469 substitution in BRAF-mutant lung adenocarcinoma than in BRAFmutant colorectal cancer, the tumor likely originated from the lung. Identification of mutational genotype may be of some help in distinguishing PEAC from the lung metastasis of colorectal cancer.

DOI： 10.18926/AMO/62819

YES1 as a Therapeutic Target for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer after Trastuzumab and Trastuzumab-Emtansine (T-DM1) Resistance Development. Reviewed International journal

Miwa Fujihara, Tadahiko Shien, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Tatsuaki Takeda, Yidan Zhu, Tomoka Mamori, Yusuke Otani, Ryo Yoshioka, Maya Uno, Yoko Suzuki, Yuko Abe, Minami Hatono, Takahiro Tsukioki, Yuko Takahashi, Mariko Kochi, Takayuki Iwamoto, Naruto Taira, Hiroyoshi Doihara, Shinichi Toyooka

International journal of molecular sciences 22 ( 23 ) 2021.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) is a therapeutic agent molecularly targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and it is especially effective for MBC with resistance to trastuzumab. Although several reports have described T-DM1 resistance, few have examined the mechanism underlying T-DM1 resistance after the development of acquired resistance to trastuzumab. We previously reported that YES1, a member of the Src family, plays an important role in acquired resistance to trastuzumab in HER2-amplified breast cancer cells. We newly established a trastuzumab/T-DM1-dual-resistant cell line and analyzed the resistance mechanisms in this cell line. At first, the T-DM1 effectively inhibited the YES1-amplified trastuzumab-resistant cell line, but resistance to T-DM1 gradually developed. YES1 amplification was further enhanced after acquired resistance to T-DM1 became apparent, and the knockdown of the YES1 or the administration of the Src inhibitor dasatinib restored sensitivity to T-DM1. Our results indicate that YES1 is also strongly associated with T-DM1 resistance after the development of acquired resistance to trastuzumab, and the continuous inhibition of YES1 is important for overcoming resistance to T-DM1.

DOI： 10.3390/ijms222312809

Oncogenic potential of human pluripotent stem cell-derived lung organoids with HER2 overexpression. Reviewed International journal

Akihiro Miura, Daisuke Yamada, Masahiro Nakamura, Shuta Tomida, Dai Shimizu, Yan Jiang, Tomoka Takao, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Masaomi Yamane, Masakiyo Sakaguchi, Shinichi Toyooka, Takeshi Takarada

International journal of cancer 149 ( 8 ) 1593 - 1604 2021.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common types among lung cancers generally arising from terminal airway and understanding of multistep carcinogenesis is crucial to develop novel therapeutic strategy for LUAD. Here we used human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to establish iHER2-hiPSCs in which doxycycline induced the expression of the oncoprotein human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/ERBB2. Lung progenitors that differentiated from iHER2-hiPSCs, which expressed NKX2-1/TTF-1 known as a lung lineage maker, were cocultured with human fetal fibroblast and formed human lung organoids (HLOs) comprising alveolar type 2-like cells. HLOs that overexpressed HER2 transformed to tumor-like structures similar to atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, which is known for lung precancerous lesion and upregulated the activities of oncogenic signaling cascades such as RAS/RAF/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR. The degree of morphological irregularity and proliferation capacity were significantly higher in HLOs from iHER2-hiPSCs. Moreover, the transcriptome profile of the HLOs shifted from a normal lung tissue-like state to one characteristic of clinical LUAD with HER2 amplification. Our results suggest that hiPSC-derived HLOs may serve as a model to recapitulate the early tumorigenesis of LUAD and would provide new insights into the molecular basis of tumor initiation and progression.

DOI： 10.1002/ijc.33713

Protective effects of anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody on lung ischemia reperfusion injury in mice Reviewed International journal

Kentaro Nakata, Mikio Okazaki, Dai Shimizu, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Shinji Otani, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Masaomi Yamane, Daiki Ousaka, Toshiaki Ohara, Akihiro Matsukawa, Masahiro Nishibori, Shinichi Toyooka

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 573 164 - 170 2021.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Elsevier BV

During ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a chromatin binding protein, is released from necrotic cells and triggers inflammatory responses. We assessed the therapeutic effect of a neutralizing anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) on lung IR injury. A murine hilar clamp model of IR was used, where mice were divided into sham and IR groups with intravenous administration of anti-HMGB 1 mAb or control mAb. We analyzed the effect of anti-HMGB1 mAb against IR injury by assessing lung oxygenation, lung injury score, neutrophil infiltration, expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, and measurement of apoptotic cells. Anti-HMGB1 mAb significantly decreased the plasma level of HMGB1 elevated by IR. The severity of IR injury represented by oxygenation capacity, lung injury score, and neutrophil infiltration was significantly improved by anti-HMGB1 mAb treatment. The expression of proinflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2, and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK were both significantly reduced by anti-HMGB1 mAb treatment. Furthermore, anti-HMGB1 mAb treatment suppressed apoptosis, as determined through TUNEL assays. Overall, anti-HMGB1 mAb ameliorated lung IR injury by reducing inflammatory responses and apoptosis. Our findings indicate that anti-HMGB1 mAb has potential for use as a therapeutic to improve IR injury symptoms during lung transplantation.

DOI： 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.08.015

Lung transplantation for idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease: potential efficacy and tolerability of a humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody. Reviewed International journal

Yasuaki Tomioka, Shinji Otani, Shin Tanaka, Kazuhiko Shien, Ken Suzawa, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Masaomi Yamane, Shinichi Toyooka

Surgical case reports 7 ( 1 ) 209 - 209 2021.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare polyclonal lymphoproliferative disease caused by the overrepresentation of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to the IL-6 receptor and is approved for the treatment of iMCD. The efficacy and tolerability of TCZ in patients with iMCD undergoing lung transplantation (LTx) remain unknown. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 48-year-old iMCD patient with end-stage lung disease (ESLD) who was successfully treated with cadaveric single-LTx. Intravenous TCZ was used to stabilize the iMCD patient every 2 weeks, except for withdrawal immediately after LTx. At 32 month post-transplant, the patient remained asymptomatic without evidence of rejection, development of de novo donor-specific antibody (DSA), and recurrent iMCD in the native lung. CONCLUSIONS: Single-LTx can be a feasible treatment option for ESLD caused by iMCD. TCZ can be used safely and may be beneficial in recipients with iMCD, and TCZ in combination with usual immunosuppression can be helpful in stabilizing iMCD patients pre- and post-LTx.

DOI： 10.1186/s40792-021-01297-2

Robot-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for severe incomplete interlober fissure. Reviewed International journal

Mikio Okazaki, Ken Suzawa, Kazuhiko Shien, Kentaroh Miyoshi, Shinji Otani, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Masaomi Yamane, Shinichi Toyooka

Journal of surgical case reports 2021 ( 8 ) rjab336 2021.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

An incomplete interlobar fissure makes thoracoscopic lobectomy difficult and is predictive of morbidity after thoracoscopic lobectomy. This report demonstrates the robot-assisted thoracoscopic (RATS) lobectomy technique for patients with severe incomplete interlobar fissures. A fissureless approach was chosen for pulmonary resection. Near-infrared fluorescence imaging with intravenous indocyanine green (ICG) was used to detect the interlobar line after transection of the bronchus, pulmonary artery and vein. Interlobar fissure was identified and divided by robotic staplers. This combined technique using ICG and fissureless lobectomy made RATS lobectomy safe for patients with severe incomplete interlobar fissures.

DOI： 10.1093/jscr/rjab336

Prognostic Significance of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Locally Advanced Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Treated with Trimodality Therapy. Reviewed International journal

Tsudaka S, Yamamoto H, Sato H, Katsui K, Suzawa K, Shien K, Miyoshi K, Otani S, Okazaki M, Sugimoto S, Yamane M, Kiura K, Kanazawa S, Toyooka S

Annals of surgical oncology 28 ( 9 ) 4880 - 4890 2021.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: Current evidence suggests that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic factor in several types of cancer. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of clinicopathological factors, including postoperative NLR, in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) who underwent surgery after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with or without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: The medical records of LA-NSCLC patients treated with trimodality therapy at our institution between June 1999 and May 2019 were reviewed. The association between several clinicopathological factors and overall survival (OS) was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 168 patients were included in this study. Regarding the prognosis, the 5-year OS rate was 68.1%, and the 2-year recurrence-free survival rate was 66.1% in the entire population. In multivariate analysis, we identified that high postoperative NLR, not pretreatment or preoperative NLR, was one of the independent factors for unfavorable OS (NLR high vs NLR low; hazard ratio = 2.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.53-3.94, p < 0.001). In addition, among patients with high postoperative NLR, patients who received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy showed significantly better 5-year OS compared with those who did not (p = 0.016). On the other hand, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy had no impact on the prognosis in patients with low NLR (p = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that high postoperative NLR was not only an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with LA-NSCLC who were treated with trimodality therapy, but also a promising indicator for postoperative treatment in this population.

DOI： 10.1245/s10434-021-09690-9

Covalent N-arylation by the pollutant 1,2-naphthoquinone activates the EGF receptor Reviewed International journal

Kengo Nakahara, Kyohei Hamada, Tomoki Tsuchida, Nobumasa Takasugi, Yumi Abiko, Kazuhiko Shien, Shinichi Toyooka, Yoshito Kumagai, Takashi Uehara

Journal of Biological Chemistry 296 100524 - 100524 2021

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Elsevier {BV}

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the most intensively investigated receptor tyrosine kinase. Several EGFR mutations and modifications have been shown to lead to abnormal self-activation, which plays a critical role in carcinogenesis. Environmental air pollutants, which are associated with cancer and respiratory diseases, can also activate EGFR. Specifically, the environmental electrophile 1,2- naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ), a component of diesel exhaust particles and particulate matter more generally, has previously been shown to impact EGFR signaling. However, the detailed mechanism of 1,2-NQ function is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that 1,2-NQ is a novel chemical activator of EGFR but not other EGFR family proteins. We found that 1,2-NQ forms a covalent bond, in a reaction referred to as N-arylation, with Lys80, which is in the ligand-binding domain. This modification activates the EGFR-Akt signaling pathway, which inhibits serum deprivation-induced cell death in a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. Our study reveals a novel mode of EGFR pathway activation and suggests a link between abnormal EGFR activation and environmental pollutant- associated diseases such as cancer.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100524

The heterodimer S100A8/A9 is a potent therapeutic target for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Reviewed International journal

Araki K, Kinoshita R, Tomonobu N, Gohara Y, Tomida S, Takahashi Y, Senoo S, Taniguchi A, Itano J, Yamamoto KI, Murata H, Suzawa K, Shien K, Sakaguchi M

Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) 99 ( 1 ) 131 - 145 2020.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

In patients with interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis is an irreversible condition that can cause respiratory failure. Novel treatments for pulmonary fibrosis are necessary. Inflammation is thought to activate lung fibroblasts, resulting in pulmonary fibrosis. Of the known inflammatory molecules, we have focused on S100A8/A9 from the onset of inflammation to the subsequent progression of inflammation. Our findings confirmed the high expression of S100A8/A9 in specimens from patients with pulmonary fibrosis. An active role of S100A8/A9 was demonstrated not only in the proliferation of fibroblasts but also in the fibroblasts' differentiation to myofibroblasts (the active form of fibroblasts). S100A8/A9 also forced fibroblasts to upregulate the production of collagen. These effects were induced via the receptor of S100A8/A9, i.e., the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), on fibroblasts. The anti-S100A8/A9 neutralizing antibody inhibited the effects of S100A8/A9 on fibroblasts and suppressed the progression of fibrosis in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model. Our findings strongly suggest a crucial role of S100A8/A9 in pulmonary fibrosis and the usefulness of S100A8/A9-targeting therapy for fibrosis interstitial pneumonia. HIGHLIGHTS: S100A8/A9 level is highly upregulated in the IPF patients' lungs as well as the blood. S100A8/A9 promotes not only the growth of fibroblasts but also differentiation to myofibroblasts. The cell surface RAGE acts as a crucial receptor to the extracellular S100A8/A9 in fibroblasts. The anti-S100A8/A9 antibody effectively suppresses the progression of IPF in a mouse model. In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), S100A8/A9, a heterodimer composed of S100A8 and S100A9 proteins, plays a crucial role in the onset of inflammation and the subsequent formation of a feed-forward inflammatory loop that promotes fibrosis. (1) The local, pronounced increase in S100A8/A9 in the injured inflammatory lung region-which is provided mainly by the activated neutrophils and macrophages-exerts strong inflammatory signals accompanied by dozens of inflammatory soluble factors including cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that further act to produce and secrete S100A8/A9, eventually making a sustainable inflammatory circuit that supplies an indefinite presence of S100A8/A9 in the extracellular space with a mal-increased level. (2) The elevated S100A8/A9 compels fibroblasts to activate through receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), one of the major S100A8/A9 receptors, resulting in the activation of NFκB, leading to fibroblast mal-events (e.g., elevated cell proliferation and transdifferentiation to myofibroblasts) that actively produce not only inflammatory cytokines but also collagen matrices. (3) Finally, the S100A8/A9-derived activation of lung fibroblasts under a chronic inflammation state leads to fibrosis events and constantly worsens fibrosis in the lung. Taken together, these findings suggest that the extracellular S100A8/A9 heterodimer protein is a novel mainstay soluble factor for IPF that exerts many functions as described above (1-3). Against this background, we herein applied the developed S100A8/A9 neutralizing antibody to prevent IPF. The IPF imitating lung fibrosis in an IPF mouse model was effectively blocked by treatment with the antibody, leading to enhanced survival. The developed S100A8/A9 antibody, as an innovative novel biologic, may help shed light on the difficulties encountered with IPF therapy in clinical settings.

DOI： 10.1007/s00109-020-02001-x

A Giant Thymic Cyst Accompanied by Acute Mediastinitis. Reviewed

Miura A, Shien K, Toji T, Otani S, Yamamoto H, Okazaki M, Sugimoto S, Soh J, Yamane M, Toyooka S

Acta medica Okayama 74 ( 5 ) 431 - 433 2020.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

We encountered a rare case of thymic cyst accompanied by mediastinitis. A 39-year-old Japanese male presented with fever and chest pain. The chest CT revealed a mass composed of a lobular cystic lesion with inflammation, suggesting the onset of mediastinitis. A definitive histological diagnosis was not obtained, and we performed a thymectomy. Pathologically, the thymic cyst was accompanied by multiple cavities, mimicking thymic cysts, caused by the inflammatory abscess. The surrounding adipose tissue showed inflammatory cell infiltrations with chronic fibrosis. These findings indicate that clinicians should be aware that thymic cysts may cause severe mediastinitis.

DOI： 10.18926/amo/60804

Chronic lung injury after trimodality therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Soh J, Sugimoto S, Namba K, Miura A, Shiotani T, Yamamoto H, Suzawa K, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Okazaki M, Katsui K, Yamane M, Kiura K, Kanazawa S, Toyooka S

The Annals of thoracic surgery 112 ( 1 ) 279 - 288 2020.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Trimodality therapy is a treatment option for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Thoracic radiation has both early (radiation pneumonitis) and late (chronic lung injury [CLI]) adverse effects on the lung. While CLI is expected to result in various problems in long-term survivors, these manifestations have not been precisely investigated. METHODS: We enrolled 112 LA-NSCLC patients who had received induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery, and then undergone follow-up computed tomography (CT) every 6 months for greater than 1 year. All chest CT images were reviewed to evaluate any injury of the pulmonary parenchyma. RESULTS: CLI at 1 year after surgery and its progression were observed in 94 (84%) and 38 (34%) patients, respectively. Progressive lung fibrosis as the first manifestation of CLI progression was most frequent after right middle and lower lobectomy. Cavity formation was the subsequent manifestation after progressive lung fibrosis , and chronic infection was the final stage of CLI. The cumulative rate of chronic infection was 76.4% at 10 years in patients with cavity formation. Ten patients with chronic infection included 7 cases of pulmonary aspergillosis and 2 cases of cavity infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Among them, 4 patients required surgical interventions including completion pneumonectomy or fenestration. CONCLUSIONS: CLI is a common incidence after trimodality therapy for LA-NSCLC. CLI frequently results in cavity formation, which is a precursor of highly refractory chronic infections requiring surgical intervention. Appropriate management needs to be established for CLI developing after trimodality therapy.

DOI： 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.07.068

Effectiveness of scheduled intravenous acetaminophen in the postoperative pain management of video-assisted thoracic surgery. Reviewed

Shikatani Y, Soh J, Shien K, Kurosaki T, Ohtani S, Yamamoto H, Taniguchi A, Okazaki M, Sugimoto S, Yamane M, Oto T, Morimatsu H, Toyooka S

Surgery today 51 ( 4 ) 589 - 594 2020.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: The scheduled administration of intravenous acetaminophen (scheduled-IV-AcA) is one of the more effective multimodal analgesic approaches for postoperative pain in abdominal/orthopedic surgeries. However, there is little evidence concerning scheduled-IV-AcA after general thoracic surgery, especially when limited to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We investigated the efficacy of scheduled-IV-AcA administration in patients after undergoing VATS. METHODS: Ninety-nine patients who underwent VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy via an 8-cm access window and 1 camera port were retrospectively reviewed by categorizing them into groups either with scheduled-IV-AcA (Group AcA: n = 29) or without it (Group non-AcA: n = 70). Group AcA received 1 g of IV-AcA every 6 h from the end of the operation until the end of POD2. Postoperative pain was measured using a numeric rating scale (NRS) three times per day until discharge. RESULTS: NRS scores were significantly lower in Group AcA with motion (on POD1 to the first point of POD2) than in Group non-AcA. Group non-AcA was also more likely to use additional analgesics than Group AcA (39% vs. 17%, p = 0.058). CONCLUSIONS: Scheduled-IV-AcA administration is a safe and effective multimodal analgesic approach in patients undergoing VATS pulmonary resection via an 8-cm access window.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-020-02127-y

Prognostic nutrition index affects the prognosis of patients undergoing trimodality therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Soh J, Suzawa K, Shien K, Otani S, Yamamoto H, Okazaki M, Sugimoto S, Katsui K, Yamane M, Kiura K, Kanazawa S, Toyooka S

Surgery today 50 ( 12 ) 1610 - 1618 2020.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: Trimodality therapy, comprised of induction chemoradiotherapy (iCRT) followed by surgery, is a highly invasive treatment option for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancers (LA-NSCLCs; defined as a heterogenous disease). We conducted this study to investigate the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) of LA-NSCLC patients undergoing trimodality therapy, which has not been studied in detail before. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 127 patients who underwent trimodality therapy between 1999 and 2016. We measured the PNI at three points: before iCRT (pre-iCRT), before the operation, and after the operation. RESULTS: PNIs decreased significantly as treatment progressed. Patients with clinical T3/4 (cT3/4) disease had a significantly lower PNI than those with cT1/2 disease, but the extent of lymph-node metastasis did not affect the PNI at any point. Using the cut-off values of receiver-operating curve analyses, multivariable analyses revealed that a high PNI pre-iCRT correlated significantly with a better survival of LA-NSCLC patients, especially those with cT3/4 disease (hazard ratio 3.84; 95% confidential interval 1.34-12.5, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Measuring the PNI before trimodality therapy is important for predicting the clinical outcome of patients with LA-NSCLC, with differing predictive ability according to the disease extent. Perioperative intensive nutritional intervention must be considered for patients who undergo trimodality therapy for LA-NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-020-02067-7

Overcoming epithelial-mesenchymal transition-mediated drug resistance with monensin-based combined therapy in non-small cell lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Kosuke Ochi, Ken Suzawa, Shuta Tomida, Kazuhiko Shien, Jui Takano, Shunsaku Miyauchi, Tatsuaki Takeda, Akihiro Miura, Kota Araki, Kentaro Nakata, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Mikio Okazaki, Seiichiro Sugimoto, Tadahiko Shien, Masaomi Yamane, Kazuo Azuma, Yoshiharu Okamoto, Shinichi Toyooka

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 529 ( 3 ) 760 - 765 2020.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Elsevier {BV}

BACKGROUND: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key process in tumor progression and metastasis and is also associated with drug resistance. Thus, controlling EMT status is a research of interest to conquer the malignant tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A drug repositioning analysis of transcriptomic data from a public cell line database identified monensin, a widely used in veterinary medicine, as a candidate EMT inhibitor that suppresses the conversion of the EMT phenotype. Using TGF-β-induced EMT cell line models, the effects of monensin on the EMT status and EMT-mediated drug resistance were assessed. RESULTS: TGF-β treatment induced EMT in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and the EGFR-mutant NSCLC cell lines with TGF-β-induced EMT acquired resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The addition of monensin effectively suppressed the TGF-β-induced-EMT conversion, and restored the growth inhibition and the induction of apoptosis by the EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that combined therapy with monensin might be a useful strategy for preventing EMT-mediated acquired drug resistance.

DOI： 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.06.077

Fibrosis or Necrosis in Resected Lymph Node Indicate Metastasis Before Chemoradiotherapy in Lung Cancer Patients. Reviewed International journal

Takahashi Y, Soh J, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Yamane M, Kiura K, Kanazawa S, Yanai H, Toyooka S

Anticancer research 40 ( 8 ) 4419 - 4423 2020.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND/AIM: The histological features of lymph nodes (LNs) treated by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histological findings of LNs affected by CRT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 107 clinically N2 NSCLC patients who underwent induction CRT followed by surgery from 1999 to 2017, 24 patients who received pathological evaluation of mediastinal LN before CRT were enrolled in this study. Postoperatively, we histologically reviewed all resected LNs (n=117) of the station evaluated before CRT. RESULTS: Fibrosis and/or necrosis were observed in all investigated LN stations. Histological observation of fibrosis and/or necrosis in the resected LNs after CRT indicated the presence of LN metastasis before CRT. CONCLUSION: The metastatic LNs that responded to CRT showed specific histological features, which enabled us to know the accurate clinical stage of the patient even though cancer cells were not found in the post-treated LNs.

DOI： 10.21873/anticanres.14447

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a novel independent prognostic factor for multiple metastatic lung tumors from various sarcomas. Reviewed

Yamamoto H, Namba K, Yamamoto H, Toji T, Soh J, Shien K, Suzawa K, Kurosaki T, Otani S, Okazaki M, Sugimoto S, Yamane M, Takahashi K, Kunisada T, Oto T, Toyooka S

Surgery today 51 ( 1 ) 127 - 135 2020.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSE: Sarcomas are among the most refractory malignant tumors and often recur as pulmonary metastasis. Although the presence of a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with the prognosis of several malignancies, the relationship between the NLR and sarcoma with pulmonary metastasis is unclear. We investigated the impact of the NLR in patients who underwent surgical resection for metastatic lung tumors from various sarcomas. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 158 patients with metastatic lung tumors from various sarcomas, who underwent initial pulmonary metastasectomy between 2006 and 2015. We examined the clinicopathological variables, including the NLR and the characteristics of surgical procedures. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and prognostic factors were evaluated by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed significantly better survival of the group with an NLR < 2.26 immediately before the most recent pulmonary metastasectomy, in addition to such factors as the largest resected lesion being < 22 mm, a disease-free interval of > 2 years, and 3 or more pulmonary metastasectomies. CONCLUSION: The NLR immediately before the most recent pulmonary metastasectomy is a novel independent prognostic factor, which may be helpful when considering repeated pulmonary metastasectomy.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-020-02093-5

Antitumor Effects of Pan-RAF Inhibitor LY3009120 Against Lung Cancer Cells Harboring Oncogenic BRAF Mutation. Reviewed International journal

Miyauchi S, Shien K, Takeda T, Araki K, Nakata K, Miura A, Takahashi Y, Kurihara E, Ogoshi Y, Namba K, Suzawa K, Yamamoto H, Okazaki M, Soh J, Toyooka S

Anticancer research 40 ( 5 ) 2667 - 2673 2020.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND/AIM: The therapeutic strategy for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring the BRAF non-V600E mutation has not been established. LY3009120, a newly discovered pan-RAF inhibitor, has shown strong antitumor effects in cancers with various BRAF genotypes. This study investigated the antitumor effects of LY3009120 in NSCLC cells harboring the BRAF non-V600E mutation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the antitumor effects of LY3009120 by MTS assay and flow cytometry. We analyzed the expression status of proteins by western blot. The mouse xenograft models were used for the in vivo experiments. RESULTS: LY3009120 suppressed BRAF-related downstream pathway molecules and induced cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase in all examined NSCLC cell lines. LY3009120 also inhibited in vivo tumor growth in NSCLC cells harboring the BRAF non-V600E mutation. CONCLUSION: LY3009120 is a potent therapeutic agent for patients with BRAF non-V600E mutant NSCLC.

DOI： 10.21873/anticanres.14237

YES1 activation induces acquired resistance to neratinib in HER2 ‐amplified breast and lung cancers Reviewed International journal

Tatsuaki Takeda, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Ken Suzawa, Shuta Tomida, Shunsaku Miyauchi, Kota Araki, Kentaro Nakata, Akihiro Miura, Kei Namba, Kazuhiko Shien, Junichi Soh, Tadahiko Shien, Yoshihisa Kitamura, Toshiaki Sendo, Shinichi Toyooka

Cancer Science 111 ( 3 ) 849 - 856 2020.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Wiley

Molecular-targeted therapies directed against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are evolving for various cancers. Neratinib is an irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor and has been approved by the FDA as an effective drug for HER2-positive breast cancer. However, acquired resistance of various cancers to molecular-targeted drugs is an issue of clinical concern, and emergence of resistance to neratinib is also considered inevitable. In this study, we established various types of neratinib-resistant cell lines from HER2-amplified breast and lung cancer cell lines using several drug exposure conditions. We analyzed the mechanisms of emergence of the resistance in these cell lines and explored effective strategies to overcome the resistance. Our results revealed that amplification of YES1, which is a member of the SRC family, was amplified in two neratinib-resistant breast cancer cell lines and one lung cancer cell line. Knockdown of YES1 by siRNA and pharmacological inhibition of YES1 by dasatinib restored the sensitivity of the YES1-amplified cell lines to neratinib in vitro. Combined treatment with dasatinib and neratinib inhibited tumor growth in vivo. This combination also induced downregulation of signaling molecules such as HER2, AKT and MAPK. Our current results indicate that YES1 plays an important role in the emergence of resistance to HER2-targeted drugs, and that dasatinib enables such acquired resistance to neratinib to be overcome.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.14289

妊婦に合併した縦隔成熟奇形腫に対して手術を行った1例

宮内俊策, 枝園和彦, 宗淳一, 山本寛斉, 山根正修, 豊岡伸一

日本呼吸器外科学会雑誌 33 ( 6 ) 624 - 628 2019.9

Language：Japanese Publisher：(NPO)日本呼吸器外科学会

縦隔成熟奇形腫は無症状で検診発見されることが多いが、時に急速に増大することがある。今回我々は、妊婦に合併し急速に増大したため妊娠中に手術を施行した症例を経験した。症例は27歳、女性。検診で胸部異常陰影を指摘され当科受診となった。初診時、患者は妊娠10週の妊婦であった。胸部X線写真で右上肺野中枢側に8cm大の腫瘤影、単純MRIで前縦隔に10cm大の多房性嚢胞性病変を認め、成熟奇形腫が疑われた。右前胸部痛が出現しており、腫瘍の急速な増大が考えられ手術の方針とした。手術は妊娠15週に胸骨正中切開で縦隔腫瘍摘出術、右肺上葉・心膜合併部分切除術を施行した。腫瘍は成熟奇形腫の診断で未熟成分や悪性所見は認めなかった。術後経過は良好で、妊娠40週で正常分娩に至った。妊娠と急速増大との因果関係は不明であるが、本症例のような場合でも術前検査や手術時期・方法に注意すれば妊娠中でも安全に手術が行えると考える。(著者抄録)

Other Link： https://search.jamas.or.jp/index.php?module=Default&action=Link&pub_year=2019&ichushi_jid=J02256&link_issn=&doc_id=20190920300008&doc_link_id=10.2995%2Fjacsurg.33.624&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.2995%2Fjacsurg.33.624&type=J-STAGE&icon=https%3A%2F%2Fjk04.jamas.or.jp%2Ficon%2F00007_3.gif

Acquired resistance mechanisms to afatinib in HER 2 ‐amplified gastric cancer cells Reviewed International journal

Takahiro Yoshioka, Kazuhiko Shien, Tatsuaki Takeda, Yuta Takahashi, Eisuke Kurihara, Yusuke Ogoshi, Kei Namba, Hidejiro Torigoe, Hiroki Sato, Shuta Tomida, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Junichi Soh, Toshiyoshi Fujiwara, Shinichi Toyooka

Cancer Science 110 ( 8 ) 2549 - 2557 2019.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Wiley

Cancer treatment, especially that for breast and lung cancer, has entered a new era and continues to evolve, with the development of genome analysis technology and the advent of molecular targeted drugs including tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Nevertheless, acquired drug resistance to molecular targeted drugs is unavoidable, creating a clinically challenging problem. We recently reported the antitumor effect of a pan-HER inhibitor, afatinib, against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-amplified gastric cancer cells. The purpose of the present study was to identify the mechanisms of acquired afatinib resistance and to investigate the treatment strategies for HER2-amplified gastric cancer cells. Two afatinib-resistant gastric cancer cell lines were established from 2 HER2-amplified cell lines, N87 and SNU216. Subsequently, we investigated the molecular profiles of resistant cells. The activation of the HER2 pathway was downregulated in N87-derived resistant cells, whereas it was upregulated in SNU216-derived resistant cells. In the N87-derived cell line, both MET and AXL were activated, and combination treatment with afatinib and cabozantinib, a multikinase inhibitor that inhibits MET and AXL, suppressed the cell growth of cells with acquired resistance both in vitro and in vivo. In the SNU216-derived cell line, YES1, which is a member of the Src family, was remarkably activated, and dasatinib, a Src inhibitor, exerted a strong antitumor effect in these cells. In conclusion, we identified MET and AXL activation in addition to YES1 activation as novel mechanisms of afatinib resistance in HER2-driven gastric cancer. Our results also indicated that treatment strategies targeting individual mechanisms of resistance are key to overcoming such resistance.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.14089

Critical role of the MCAM-ETV4 axis triggered by extracellular S100A8/A9 in breast cancer aggressiveness. Reviewed International journal

Chen Y, Sumardika IW, Tomonobu N, Kinoshita R, Inoue Y, Iioka H, Mitsui Y, Saito K, Ruma IMW, Sato H, Yamauchi A, Murata H, Yamamoto KI, Tomida S, Sakaguchi M

Neoplasia (New York, N.Y.) 21 ( 7 ) 627 - 640 2019.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Metastatic breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-associated death in women. The progression of this fatal disease is associated with inflammatory responses that promote cancer cell growth and dissemination, eventually leading to a reduction of overall survival. However, the mechanism(s) of the inflammation-boosted cancer progression remains unclear. In this study, we found for the first time that an extracellular cytokine, S100A8/A9, accelerates breast cancer growth and metastasis upon binding to a cell surface receptor, melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM). Our molecular analyses revealed an important role of ETS translocation variant 4 (ETV4), which is significantly activated in the region downstream of MCAM upon S100A8/A9 stimulation, in breast cancer progression in vitro as well as in vivo. The MCAM-mediated activation of ETV4 induced a mobile phenotype called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cells, since we found that ETV4 transcriptionally upregulates ZEB1, a strong EMT inducer, at a very high level. In contrast, downregulation of either MCAM or ETV4 repressed EMT, resulting in greatly weakened tumor growth and lung metastasis. Overall, our results revealed that ETV4 is a novel transcription factor regulated by the S100A8/A9-MCAM axis, which leads to EMT through ZEB1 and thereby to metastasis in breast cancer cells. Thus, therapeutic strategies based on our findings might improve patient outcomes.

DOI： 10.1016/j.neo.2019.04.006

Droplet digital PCR as a novel system for the detection of microRNA‑34b/c methylation in circulating DNA in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Reviewed International journal

Sato H, Soh J, Aoe K, Fujimoto N, Tanaka S, Namba K, Torigoe H, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Tomida S, Tao H, Okabe K, Kishimoto T, Toyooka S

International journal of oncology 54 ( 6 ) 2139 - 2148 2019.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy arising from the pleura that is difficult to diagnose, contributing to its dismal prognosis. Previously, we reported that the degree of microRNA (miR)‑34b/c methylation in circulating DNA is associated with the development of MPM. Herein, we present a newly developed droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)‑based assay for the detection of miR‑34b/c methylation in circulating DNA in patients with MPM. We originally prepared two probes within a short amplicon of 60 bp, designing one from the positive strand and the other from the complementary strand. The two probes functioned cooperatively, and our established assay detected DNA methylation accurately in the preliminary validation. We subsequently verified this assay using clinical samples. Serum samples from 35 cases of MPM, 29 cases of pleural plaque and 10 healthy volunteers were collected from 3 different institutions and used in this study. We divided the samples into 2 groups (group A, n=33; group B, n=41). A receiver‑operating characteristic curve analysis using the samples in group A determined the optimal cut‑off value for the diagnosis of MPM, with a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 90%. On the other hand, the use of the same criterion yielded a sensitivity of 59.1% and a specificity of 100% in group B, and corresponding values of 65.7 and 94.9% for the entire cohort, indicating a moderate sensitivity and a high specificity. In addition, when the analysis was focused on stage II or more advanced MPM, the sensitivity improved to 81.8%, suggesting the possibility that the methylated allele frequency in MPM may be associated with the stage of disease progression. On the whole, the findings of this study indicate that miR‑34b/c methylation in circulating DNA is a promising biomarker for the prediction of disease progression in patients with MPM.

DOI： 10.3892/ijo.2019.4768

Ganetespib in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-resistant Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Reviewed International journal

Kurihara E, Shien K, Torigoe H, Takeda T, Takahashi Y, Ogoshi Y, Yoshioka T, Namba K, Sato H, Suzawa K, Yamamoto H, Soh J, Okazaki M, Shien T, Tomida S, Toyooka S

Anticancer research 39 ( 4 ) 1767 - 1775 2019.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: The 90-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP90) is a chaperone protein expressed at high levels in cancer cells and is involved in the folding or stabilization of several client proteins, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Ganetespib is a second-generation HSP90 inhibitor with a potent antitumor effect against various cancer types. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study examined the antitumor effect of ganetespib in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and experimentally established EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant cells harboring various resistance mechanisms, including EGFR T790M mutation, met proto-oncogene amplification, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. RESULTS: Ganetespib showed a potent antitumor effect at low concentrations, suppressing EGFR-related downstream pathway molecules and inducing cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase in all examined EGFR-TKI-resistant cell lines in vitro. Ganetespib also inhibited in vivo tumor growth in resistant cells harboring EGFR T790M. CONCLUSION: Ganetespib might be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC.

DOI： 10.21873/anticanres.13283

Pulmonary resection in a prone position for lung cancer invading the spine. Reviewed

Miyauchi S, Soh J, Shien K, Tanaka M, Yamamoto H, Ozaki T, Toyooka S

General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery 68 ( 3 ) 298 - 301 2019.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

The prone position is usually not selected for pulmonary resection. The intraoperative body position is an important issue in surgery for non-small cell lung cancer invading the spine because the standard intraoperative body position for a vertebrectomy is a prone position, while that for a pulmonary resection is a lateral decubitus position. Intraoperative changes in body position can cause several complications. Using an O-arm with a navigation system, a partial vertebrectomy was completed with the patient in a prone position thanks to the recognition of accurate surgical margins in the vertebral body; then, without changing the patient's body position, a lobectomy with systemic lymph node dissection was performed via a posterior approach. Especially for procedures requiring a wide resection of the chest wall, a prone position can be selected for a lobectomy with systemic lymph node dissection via a posterior approach without any significant difficulties.

DOI： 10.1007/s11748-019-01113-7

Melanoma cell adhesion molecule is the driving force behind the dissemination of melanoma upon S100A8/A9 binding in the original skin lesion. Reviewed International journal

Chen Y, Sumardika IW, Tomonobu N, Winarsa Ruma IM, Kinoshita R, Kondo E, Inoue Y, Sato H, Yamauchi A, Murata H, Yamamoto KI, Tomida S, Shien K, Sakaguchi M

Cancer letters 452 178 - 190 2019.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Since metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-associated deaths, studies on the mechanisms of metastasis are needed to establish innovative strategies for cancer treatment. We previously reported that melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) functions as a critical receptor for S100A8/A9, and binding of S100A8/A9 to MCAM results in the migration of melanoma cells to lung tissue. However, the critical role of MCAM in the original melanoma skin lesion is still not clear. In this study, we aimed to determine the importance of the S100A8/A9-MCAM axis in melanoma dissemination in a skin lesion as a critical early step for metastasis. Mechanistic studies revealed the downstream signaling of MCAM that signaled the induction of metastasis. S100A8/A9-MCAM binding activates mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8 (MAP3K8), also termed TPL2, leading to strong activation of the transcription factor ETV4 and subsequent induction of matrix metalloproteinase-25 (MMP25), and finally to induction of melanoma lung tropic metastasis. Collectively, our results demonstrate a crucial role of the S100A8/A9-MCAM signaling axis in metastatic onset of melanoma cells and indicate that strategies targeting the identified pathway may be useful for the establishment of innovative anti-cancer therapies.

DOI： 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.03.023

Activation of AXL as a Preclinical Acquired Resistance Mechanism Against Osimertinib Treatment in EGFR-Mutant Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Reviewed International journal

Kei Namba, Kazuhiko Shien, Yuta Takahashi, Hidejiro Torigoe, Hiroki Sato, Takahiro Yoshioka, Tatsuaki Takeda, Eisuke Kurihara, Yusuke Ogoshi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Junichi Soh, Shuta Tomida, Shinichi Toyooka

Molecular Cancer Research 17 ( 2 ) 499 - 507 2019.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：American Association for Cancer Research ({AACR})

Osimertinib (AZD9291) has an efficacy superior to that of standard EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the first-line treatment of patients with EGFR-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, patients treated with osimertinib eventually acquire drug resistance, and novel therapeutic strategies to overcome acquired resistance are needed. In clinical or preclinical models, several mechanisms of acquired resistance to osimertinib have been elucidated. However, the acquired resistance mechanisms when osimertinib is initially used for EGFR-mutant NSCLC remain unclear. In this study, we experimentally established acquired osimertinib-resistant cell lines from EGFR-mutant NSCLC cell lines and investigated the molecular profiles of resistant cells to uncover the mechanisms of acquired resistance. Various resistance mechanisms were identified, including the acquisition of MET amplification, EMT induction, and the upregulation of AXL. Using targeted next-generation sequencing with a multigene panel, no secondary mutations were detected in our resistant cell lines. Among three MET-amplified cell lines, one cell line was sensitive to a combination of osimertinib and crizotinib. Acquired resistance cell lines derived from H1975 harboring the T790M mutation showed AXL upregulation, and the cell growth of these cell lines was suppressed by a combination of osimertinib and cabozantinib, an inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases including AXL, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that AXL might be a therapeutic target for overcoming acquired resistance to osimertinib. IMPLICATIONS: Upregulation of AXL is one of the mechanisms of acquired resistance to osimertinib, and combination of osimertinib and cabozantinib might be a key treatment for overcoming osimertinib resistance.

DOI： 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-18-0628

Application of amplicon-based targeted sequencing with the molecular barcoding system to detect uncommon minor EGFR mutations in patients with treatment-naïve lung adenocarcinoma. Reviewed International journal

Namba K, Tomida S, Matsubara T, Takahashi Y, Kurihara E, Ogoshi Y, Yoshioka T, Takeda T, Torigoe H, Sato H, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Soh J, Tsukuda K, Toyooka S

BMC cancer 19 ( 1 ) 175 - 175 2019.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: In lung cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor sensitizing mutations co-existing with rare minor EGFR mutations are known as compound mutations. These minor EGFR mutations can lead to acquired resistance after EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, so determining the mutation status of patients is important. However, using amplicon-based targeted deep sequencing based on next-generation sequencing to characterize mutations is prone to sequencing error. We therefore assessed the benefit of incorporating molecular barcoding with high-throughput sequencing to investigate genomic heterogeneity in treatment-naïve patients who have undergone resection of their non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) EGFR mutations. METHODS: We performed amplicon-based targeted sequencing with the molecular barcoding system (MBS) to detect major common EGFR mutations and uncommon minor mutations at a 0.5% allele frequency in fresh-frozen lung cancer samples. RESULTS: Profiles of the common mutations of EGFR identified by MBS corresponded with the results of clinical testing in 63 (98.4%) out of 64 cases. Uncommon mutations of EGFR were detected in seven cases (10.9%). Among the three types of major EGFR mutations, patients with the G719X mutation had a significantly higher incidence of compound mutations than those with the L858R mutation or exon 19 deletion (p = 0.0052). This was validated in an independent cohort from the Cancer Genome Atlas dataset (p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using the MBS to establish an accurate NSCLC patient genotype. This work will help understand the molecular basis of EGFR compound mutations in NSCLC, and could aid the development of new treatment modalities.

DOI： 10.1186/s12885-019-5374-1

Clinical outcome of patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer after trimodality therapy. Reviewed

Suzawa K, Soh J, Takahashi Y, Sato H, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Kanazawa S, Kiura K, Miyoshi S, Toyooka S

Surgery today 49 ( 7 ) 601 - 609 2019.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to review the clinical course of patients with recurrence after induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery (trimodality therapy) for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) and to identify the factors associated with favorable clinical outcome after recurrence. METHODS: We analyzed the records of 140 patients with LA-NSCLC who were treated with trimodality therapy between 1999 and 2014. RESULTS: Recurrence developed after trimodality therapy in 48 patients. A yp-N positive status was associated with a high risk of recurrence (HR, 2.05; P = 0.048). Of the 45 of these patients able to be assessed retrospectively, 18 had oligometastatic recurrence and 20 underwent local treatment with curative intent. Local treatment was most frequently given to patients with oligometastatic recurrence (P < 0.001). The median post-recurrence survival (PRS) was 41.4 months, and the 2-year PRS rate was 62%. Patients who received local treatment showed better PRS (P = 0.009). The presence of liver metastasis (P = 0.008), bone metastasis (P = 0.041), or dissemination (P < 0.0001) were associated with worse PRS. CONCLUSION: The survival of patients who received aggressive local treatment for postoperative recurrence after trimodality therapy for LA-NSCLC was better than that of patients who did not.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-019-1774-8

Neuroplastin-β mediates S100A8/A9-induced lung cancer disseminative progression. Reviewed International journal

Sumardika IW, Chen Y, Tomonobu N, Kinoshita R, Ruma IMW, Sato H, Kondo E, Inoue Y, Yamauchi A, Murata H, Yamamoto KI, Tomida S, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Sakaguchi M

Molecular carcinogenesis 58 ( 6 ) 980 - 995 2019.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Compiling evidence indicates an unusual role of extracellular S100A8/A9 in cancer metastasis. S100A8/A9 secreted from either cancer cells or normal cells including epithelial and inflammatory cells stimulates cancer cells through S100A8/A9 sensor receptors in an autocrine or paracrine manner, leading to cancer cell metastatic progression. We previously reported a novel S100A8/A9 receptor, neuroplastin-β (NPTNβ), which plays a critical role in atopic dermatitis when it is highly activated in keratinocytes by an excess amount of extracellular S100A8/A9 in the inflammatory skin lesion. Interestingly, our expression profiling of NPTNβ showed significantly high expression levels in lung cancer cell lines in a consistent manner. We hence aimed to determine the significance of NPTNβ as an S100A8/A9 receptor in lung cancer. Our results showed that NPTNβ has strong ability to induce cancer-related cellular events, including anchorage-independent growth, motility and invasiveness, in lung cancer cells in response to extracellular S100A8/A9, eventually leading to the expression of a cancer disseminative phenotype in lung tissue in vivo. Mechanistic investigation revealed that binding of S100A8/A9 to NPTNβ mediates activation of NFIA and NFIB and following SPDEF transcription factors through orchestrated upstream signals from TRAF2 and RAS, which is linked to anchorage-independent growth, motility and invasiveness. Overall, our results indicate the importance of the S100A8/A9-NPTNβ axis in lung cancer disseminative progression and reveal a pivotal role of its newly identified downstream signaling, TRAF2/RAS-NFIA/NFIB-SPDEF, in linking to the aggressive development of lung cancers.

DOI： 10.1002/mc.22987

NEUROPLASTIN-β MEDIATES S100A8/A9-INDUCED LUNG CANCER DISSEMINATIVE PROGRESSION Reviewed

Sumardika IW, Chen Y, Tomonobu N, Kinoshita R, Ruma IMW, Sato H, Kondo E, Inoue Y, Yamauchi A, Murata H, Yamamoto KI, Tomida S, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Soh J, Futami J, Putranto EW, Hibino T, Nishibori M, Toyooka S, Sakaguchi M

Molecular Carcinogenesis 2019.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Compiling evidence indicates an unusual role of extracellular S100A8/A9 in cancer metastasis. S100A8/A9 secreted from either cancer cells or normal cells including epithelial and inflammatory cells stimulates cancer cells through S100A8/A9 sensor receptors in an autocrine or paracrine manner, leading to cancer cell metastatic progression. We previously reported a novel S100A8/A9 receptor, neuroplastin-β (NPTNβ), which plays a critical role in atopic dermatitis when it is highly activated in keratinocytes by an excess amount of extracellular S100A8/A9 in the inflammatory skin lesion. Interestingly, our expression profiling of NPTNβ showed significantly high expression levels in lung cancer cell lines in a consistent manner. We hence aimed to determine the significance of NPTNβ as an S100A8/A9 receptor in lung cancer. Our results showed that NPTNβ has strong ability to induce cancer-related cellular events, including anchorage-independent growth, motility and invasiveness, in lung cancer cells in response to extracellular S100A8/A9, eventually leading to the expression of a cancer disseminative phenotype in lung tissue in vivo. Mechanistic investigation revealed that binding of S100A8/A9 to NPTNβ mediates activation of NFIA and NFIB and following SPDEF transcription factors through orchestrated upstream signals from TRAF2 and RAS, which is linked to anchorage-independent growth, motility and invasiveness. Overall, our results indicate the importance of the S100A8/A9-NPTNβ axis in lung cancer disseminative progression and reveal a pivotal role of its newly identified downstream signaling, TRAF2/RAS-NFIA/NFIB-SPDEF, in linking to the aggressive development of lung cancers. This article is protected by copyright.

DOI： 10.1002/mc.22987

Anti-tumor effect of neratinib against lung cancer cells harboring HER2 oncogene alterations. Reviewed International journal

Ogoshi Y, Shien K, Yoshioka T, Torigoe H, Sato H, Sakaguchi M, Tomida S, Namba K, Kurihara E, Takahashi Y, Suzawa K, Yamamoto H, Soh J, Toyooka S

Oncology letters 17 ( 3 ) 2729 - 2736 2019.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a member of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Numerous studies have reported the amplification and overexpression of HER2 in several types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the benefits of HER2-targeted therapy have not been fully established. In the present study, the anti-tumor effect of neratinib, an irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), against NSCLC cells harboring HER2 alterations was investigated. The sensitivity of normal bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) ectopically overexpressing wild-type or mutant HER2 to neratinib was assessed. Furthermore, the anti-tumor activity of neratinib in several NSCLC cell lines harboring HER2 alterations was determined in vitro and in vivo, and the association between their genetic alterations and sensitivity to neratinib treatment was investigated. BEAS-2B cells ectopically overexpressing wild-type HER2 or mutants (A775insYVMA, G776VC, G776LC, P780insGSP, V659E, G660D and S310F) exhibited constitutive autophosphorylation of HER2, as determined by western blotting. While these BEAS-2B cells were sensitive to neratinib, they were insensitive to erlotinib, a first-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-TKI. Neratinib also exerted anti-proliferative effects on HER2-altered (H2170, Calu-3 and H1781) NSCLC cell lines. Neratinib was also demonstrated to exert strong tumor growth inhibitory activity in mouse xenograft models using HER2-altered lung cancer cells. The results of the present study strongly suggest that neratinib has potential as a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of HER2-altered NSCLC.

DOI： 10.3892/ol.2019.9908

exSSSRs (extracellular S100 soil sensor receptors)-Fc fusion proteins work as prominent decoys to S100A8/A9-induced lung tropic cancer metastasis. Reviewed International journal

Kinoshita R, Sato H, Yamauchi A, Takahashi Y, Inoue Y, Sumardika IW, Chen Y, Tomonobu N, Araki K, Shien K, Tomida S, Torigoe H, Namba K, Kurihara E, Sakaguchi M

International journal of cancer 144 ( 12 ) 3138 - 3145 2018.12

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Within the "seed and soil" theory of organ tropic cancer metastasis is a growing compilation of evidence that S100A8/A9 functions as a soil signal that attracts cancer cells to certain organs, which prove beneficial to their growth. S100A8/A9-sensing receptors including Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), advanced glycation end products (RAGE), and also important receptors we recently succeeded in identifying (EMMPRIN, NPTNβ, MCAM, and ALCAM) have the potential to become promising therapeutic targets. In our study, we prepared extracellular regions of these novel molecules and fused them to human IgG2-Fc to extend half-life expectancy, and we evaluated the anti-metastatic effects of the purified decoy proteins on metastatic cancer cells. The purified proteins markedly suppressed S100A8/A9-mediated lung tropic cancer metastasis. We hence expect that our novel biologics may become a prominent medicine to prevent cancer metastasis in clinical settings through cutting the linkage between "seed and soil".

DOI： 10.1002/ijc.31945

Newly developed anti-S100A8/A9 monoclonal antibody efficiently prevents lung tropic cancer metastasis. Reviewed International journal

Kinoshita R, Sato H, Yamauchi A, Takahashi Y, Inoue Y, Sumardika IW, Chen Y, Tomonobu N, Araki K, Shien K, Tomida S, Torigoe H, Namba K, Kurihara E, Sakaguchi M

International journal of cancer 145 ( 2 ) 569 - 575 2018.12

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

The metastatic dissemination of cancer cells to remote areas of the body is the most problematic aspect in cancer patients. Among cancers, melanomas are notoriously difficult to treat due to their significantly high metastatic potential even during early stages. Hence, the establishment of advanced therapeutic approaches to regulate metastasis is required to overcome the melanoma disease. An accumulating mass of evidence has indicated a critical role of extracellular S100A8/A9 in melanoma distant metastasis. Lung S100A8/A9 is induced by melanoma cells from distant organs and it attracts these cells to its enriched lung environment since melanoma cells possess several receptors that sense the S100A8/A9 ligand. We hence aimed to develop a neutralizing antibody against S100A8/A9 that would efficiently block melanoma lung metastasis. Our protocol provided us with one prominent antibody, Ab45 that efficiently suppressed not only S100A8/A9-mediated melanoma mobility but also lung tropic melanoma metastasis in a mouse model. This prompted us to make chimeric Ab45, a chimera antibody consisting of mouse Ab45-Fab and human IgG2-Fc. Chimeric Ab45 also showed significant inhibition of the lung metastasis of melanoma. From these results, we have high hopes that the newly produced antibody will become a potential biological tool to block melanoma metastasis in future clinical settings.

DOI： 10.1002/ijc.31982

Comparative mutational evaluation of multiple lung cancers by multiplex oncogene mutation analysis Reviewed International journal

Yuta Takahashi, Kazuhiko Shien, Shuta Tomida, Shinsuke Oda, Takehiro Matsubara, Hiroki Sato, Ken Suzawa, Eisuke Kurihara, Yusuke Ogoshi, Kei Namba, Takahiro Yoshioka, Hidejiro Torigoe, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Junichi Soh, Shinichi Toyooka

Cancer Science 109 ( 11 ) 3634 - 3642 2018.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Wiley

In patients presenting with synchronous or metachronous multiple lung cancer (MLC), it is important to distinguish between multiple primary lung cancer (MP) and intrapulmonary metastasis (IM). The present study was aimed at investigating the mutational profiles of synchronous/metachronous MLC and to compare the classification of paired tumors by multiplex gene mutation analysis with the histopathological evaluation. We carried out targeted sequencing of 20 lung cancer-related oncogenes using next-generation sequencing (NGS) in 82 tumors from 37 MLC patients who underwent surgical resection at our department. The patients were diagnosed as MP or IM cases based on the Martini and Melamed criteria, histopathological and gene mutational evaluations. Matching mutations between paired tumors was observed in 20 (54%) patients, who were diagnosed as IM cases by mutational evaluation. Patients who could not be clearly diagnosed by histopathological evaluation were classified as equivocal cases. Among the histopathological IM cases (n = 7), six (86%) were confirmed as IM cases also by mutational evaluation, and most of the paired tumors of these cases (n = 5) harbored multiple matching mutations. Among the histopathological MP cases (n = 17), mutational evaluation yielded a discordant diagnosis in eight (47%) cases. Of these, the paired tumors of four cases harbored multiple matching mutations, suggesting that the mutational diagnosis might be more suitable in these patients. Our findings suggest that multiplex mutational analysis could be a useful complementary tool for distinguishing between MP and IM in addition to histopathological evaluation.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.13797

Concomitant targeting of the mTOR/MAPK pathways: novel therapeutic strategy in subsets of RICTOR/KRAS-altered non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Ruder D, Papadimitrakopoulou V, Shien K, Behrens C, Kalhor N, Chen H, Shen L, Lee JJ, Hong WK, Tang X, Girard L, Minna JD, Diao L, Wang J, Mino B, Izzo JG

Oncotarget 9 ( 74 ) 33995 - 34008 2018.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Despite a therapeutic paradigm shift into targeted-driven medicinal approaches, resistance to therapy remains a hallmark of lung cancer, driven by biological and molecular diversity. Using genomic and expression data from advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients enrolled in the BATTLE-2 clinical trial, we identified RICTOR alterations in a subset of lung adenocarcinomas and found RICTOR expression to carry worse overall survival. RICTOR-altered cohort was significantly enriched in KRAS/MAPK axis mutations, suggesting a co-oncogenic driver role in these molecular settings. Using NSCLC cell lines, we showed that, distinctly in KRAS mutant backgrounds, RICTOR blockade impairs malignant properties and generates a compensatory enhanced activation of the MAPK pathway, exposing a unique therapeutic vulnerability. In vitro and in vivo concomitant pharmacologic inhibition of mTORC1/2 and MEK1/2 resulted in synergistic responses of anti-tumor effects. Our study provides evidence of a distinctive therapeutic opportunity in a subset of NSCLC carrying concomitant RICTOR/KRAS alterations.

DOI： 10.18632/oncotarget.26129

Combined inhibition of MEK and PI3K pathways overcomes acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Sato H, Yamamoto H, Sakaguchi M, Shien K, Tomida S, Shien T, Ikeda H, Hatono M, Torigoe H, Namba K, Yoshioka T, Kurihara E, Ogoshi Y, Takahashi Y, Soh J, Toyooka S

Cancer science 109 ( 10 ) 3183 - 3196 2018.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Compensatory activation of the signal transduction pathways is one of the major obstacles for the targeted therapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we present the therapeutic strategy of combined targeted therapy against the MEK and phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) pathways for acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in NSCLC. We investigated the efficacy of combined trametinib plus taselisib therapy using experimentally established EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC cell lines. The results showed that the feedback loop between MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways had developed in several resistant cell lines, which caused the resistance to single-agent treatment with either inhibitor alone. Meanwhile, the combined therapy successfully regulated the compensatory activation of the key intracellular signals and synergistically inhibited the cell growth of those cells in vitro and in vivo. The resistance mechanisms for which the dual kinase inhibitor therapy proved effective included (MET) mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor amplification, induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and EGFR T790M mutation. In further analysis, the combination therapy induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK signaling, leading to the activation of apoptosis cascade. Additionally, long-term treatment with the combination therapy induced the conversion from EMT to mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition in the resistant cell line harboring EMT features, restoring the sensitivity to EGFR-TKI. In conclusion, our results indicate that the combined therapy using MEK and PI3K inhibitors is a potent therapeutic strategy for NSCLC with the acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.13763

Myoepithelioma occurring in the posterior mediastinum harboring EWSR1 rearrangement: a case report. Reviewed International journal

Habu T, Soh J, Toji T, Shien K, Niman E, Namba K, Sato H, Yamamoto H, Sugimoto S, Yamane M, Toyooka S

Japanese journal of clinical oncology 48 ( 9 ) 851 - 854 2018.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Myoepithelioma is a rare neoplasm usually occurring in the salivary glands or the mammary glands but also, more rarely, in the thoracic cavity. The diagnosis of myoepithelioma is based on the presence of histological and immunohistochemical characteristics of myoepithelioma, but in unusual locations, the diagnosis is challenging. For such cases, cytogenetic approaches have been developed as helpful tools for the diagnosis. We report a surgical case of 51-year-old woman with myoepithelioma occurring in the posterior mediastinum that harbored the Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region1 (EWSR1) gene rearrangement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a myoepithelioma occurring in the posterior mediastinum. In this case, the patient underwent the thoracoscopic surgery for a diagnostic tumorectomy and was diagnosed as myoepithelioma based on the following immunohistological findings. Considering the unusual location, we additionally performed a cytogenetic analysis to confirm the presence of the EWSR1 gene rearrangement, which is a genetic characteristic of myoepithelioma.

DOI： 10.1093/jjco/hyy100

Therapeutic strategies for afatinib‐resistant lung cancer harboring HER 2 alterations Reviewed International journal

Hidejiro Torigoe, Kazuhiko Shien, Tatsuaki Takeda, Takahiro Yoshioka, Kei Namba, Hiroki Sato, Ken Suzawa, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Junichi Soh, Masakiyo Sakaguchi, Shuta Tomida, Kazunori Tsukuda, Shinichiro Miyoshi, Shinichi Toyooka

Cancer Science 109 ( 5 ) 1493 - 1502 2018.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Wiley

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various cancers. HER2 alterations have been suggested to be a therapeutic target in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), just as in breast and gastric cancers. We previously reported that the pan-HER inhibitor afatinib could be a useful therapeutic agent as HER2-targeted therapy for patients with NSCLC harboring HER2 alterations. However, acquired resistance to afatinib was observed in the clinical setting, similar to the case for other HER inhibitors. Thus, elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the development of acquired drug resistance and exploring means to overcome acquired drug resistance are important issues in the treatment of NSCLC. In this study, we experimentally established afatinib-resistant cell lines from NSCLC cell lines harboring HER2 alterations, and investigated the mechanisms underlying the acquisition of drug resistance. The established cell lines showed several unique afatinib-resistance mechanisms, including MET amplification, loss of HER2 amplification and gene expression, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and acquisition of cancer stem cell (CSC)-like features. The afatinib-resistant cell lines showing MET amplification were sensitive to the combination of afatinib plus crizotinib (a MET inhibitor), both in vitro and in vivo. The resistant cell lines which showed EMT or had acquired CSC-like features remained sensitive to docetaxel, like the parental cells. These findings may provide clues to countering the resistance to afatinib in NSCLC patients with HER2 alterations.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.13571

β-1,3-Galactosyl-O-Glycosyl-Glycoprotein β-1,6-N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase 3 Increases MCAM Stability, Which Enhances S100A8/A9-Mediated Cancer Motility. Reviewed International journal

I Wayan Sumardika, Chen Youyi, Eisaku Kondo, Yusuke Inoue, I Made Winarsa Ruma, Hitoshi Murata, Rie Kinoshita, Ken-Ichi Yamamoto, Shuta Tomida, Kazuhiko Shien, Hiroki Sato, Akira Yamauchi, Junichiro Futami, Endy Widya Putranto, Toshihiko Hibino, Shinichi Toyooka, Masahiro Nishibori, Masakiyo Sakaguchi

Oncology research 26 ( 3 ) 431 - 444 2018.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

We previously identified novel S100A8/A9 receptors, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM), activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM), and neuroplastin (NPTN) β, that are critically involved in S100A8/A9-mediated cancer metastasis and inflammation when expressed at high levels. However, little is known about the presence of any cancer-specific mechanism(s) that modifies these receptors, further inducing upregulation at protein levels without any transcriptional regulation. Expression levels of glycosyltransferase-encoding genes were examined by a PCR-based profiling array followed by confirmation with quantitative real-time PCR. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using a Boyden chamber. Western blotting was used to examine the protein level, and the RNA level was examined by Northern blotting. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression pattern of β-1,3-galactosyl-O-glycosyl-glycoprotein β-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 3 (GCNT3) and MCAM in melanoma tissue. We found that GCNT3 is overexpressed in highly metastatic melanomas. Silencing and functional inhibition of GCNT3 greatly suppressed migration and invasion of melanoma cells, resulting in the loss of S100A8/A9 responsiveness. Among the novel S100A8/A9 receptors, GCNT3 favorably glycosylates the MCAM receptor, extending its half-life and leading to further elevation of S100A8/A9-mediated cellular motility in melanoma cells. GCNT3 expression is positively correlated to MCAM expression in patients with high-grade melanomas. Collectively, our results showed that GCNT3 is an upstream regulator of MCAM protein and indicate the possibility of a potential molecular target in melanoma therapeutics through abrogation of the S100A8/A9-MCAM axis.

DOI： 10.3727/096504017X15031557924123

Antitumor activity of pan‐ HER inhibitors in HER 2‐positive gastric cancer Reviewed International journal

Takahiro Yoshioka, Kazuhiko Shien, Kei Namba, Hidejiro Torigoe, Hiroki Sato, Shuta Tomida, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Hiroaki Asano, Junichi Soh, Kazunori Tsukuda, Takeshi Nagasaka, Toshiyoshi Fujiwara, Shinichi Toyooka

Cancer Science 109 ( 4 ) 1166 - 1176 2018.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Wiley

Molecularly targeted therapy has enabled outstanding advances in cancer treatment. Whereas various anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) drugs have been developed, trastuzumab is still the only anti-HER2 drug presently available for gastric cancer. In this study, we propose novel treatment options for patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer. First, we determined the molecular profiles of 12 gastric cancer cell lines, and examined the antitumor effect of the pan-HER inhibitors afatinib and neratinib in those cell lines. Additionally, we analyzed HER2 alteration in 123 primary gastric cancers resected from Japanese patients to clarify possible candidates with the potential to respond to these drugs. In the drug sensitivity analysis, both afatinib and neratinib produced an antitumor effect in most of the HER2-amplified cell lines. However, some cells were not sensitive to the drugs. When the molecular profiles of the cells were compared based on the drug sensitivities, we found that cancer cells with lower mRNA expression levels of IGFBP7, a tumor suppressor gene that inhibits the activation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), were less sensitive to pan-HER inhibitors. A combination therapy consisting of pan-HER inhibitors and an IGF-1R inhibitor, picropodophyllin, showed a notable synergistic effect. Among 123 clinical samples, we found 19 cases of HER2 amplification and three cases of oncogenic mutations. In conclusion, afatinib and neratinib are promising therapeutic options for the treatment of HER2-amplified gastric cancer. In addition to HER2 amplification, IGFBP7 might be a biomarker of sensitivity to these drugs, and IGF-1R-targeting therapy can overcome drug insensitiveness in HER2-amplified gastric cancer.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.13546

【肺癌の集学的治療の現況】局所進行肺癌における集学的治療局所進行非小細胞肺癌に対する術前導入化学放射線療法後手術

三浦章博, 宗淳一, 枝園和彦, 山本寛斉, 豊岡伸一

胸部外科 71 ( 4 ) 270 - 277 2018.4

[Induction Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer]. Reviewed

Miura A, Soh J, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Toyooka S

Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery 71 ( 4 ) 270 - 277 2018.4

Tumor-suppressive effect of LRIG1, a negative regulator of ErbB, in non-small cell lung cancer harboring mutant EGFR. Reviewed International journal

Torigoe H, Yamamoto H, Sakaguchi M, Youyi C, Namba K, Sato H, Shien K, Soh J, Suzawa K, Tomida S, Tsukuda K, Miyoshi S, Toyooka S

Carcinogenesis 39 ( 5 ) 719 - 727 2018.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the ErbB (HER) family that is known to play important roles in the pathogenesis of various human cancers. Mutations of the EGFR gene are commonly found as oncogenic driver mutations and have been targeted for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin-like domain protein-1 (LRIG1) is a cell-surface protein that is known as a negative regulator of the ErbB (HER) family. In this study, we first confirmed that the expression levels of LRIG1 were much lower in NSCLC than in non-malignant cells or tissues. Next, we focused on the effect of LRIG1 in NSCLC. For this purpose, we established clones stably overexpressing LRIG1, using EGFR-mutant (HCC827, HCC4011 and NCI-H1975) and wild-type (A549) cells. Transfection of LRIG1 was associated with a decrease in the expression and phosphorylation levels of EGFR in the HCC827, HCC4011 and NCI-H1975 cells. It was also associated with strong suppression of the cell proliferative, invasive, migratory and tumorigenic potential of the HCC827 cells. On the other hand, no such effects were observed in the A549 cells. In addition, LRIG1 also downregulated the expression and phosphorylation levels of other tyrosine kinase receptors, such as HER2, HER3, MET and IGF-1R, and prevented the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition induced by TGF-β in the HCC827 cells. These findings suggest that LRIG1 exerts important tumor-suppressive effects in EGFR-mutant NSCLC and has the potential to become a novel therapeutic target for EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1093/carcin/bgy044

Development of novel biologics for cancer metastasis via prevention of extracellular S100A8/A9 function Reviewed

Kinoshita Rie, Yamauchi Akira, Shien Kazuhiko, Tomida Shuta, Toyooka Shinichi, Kondo Eisaku, Sakaguchi Masakiyo

CANCER SCIENCE 109 1017 2018.1

Therapeutic potential of targeting S100A11 in malignant pleural mesothelioma Reviewed International journal

Hiroki Sato, Masakiyo Sakaguchi, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Shuta Tomida, Keisuke Aoe, Kazuhiko Shien, Takahiro Yoshioka, Kei Namba, Hidejiro Torigoe, Junichi Soh, Kazunori Tsukuda, Hiroyuki Tao, Kazunori Okabe, Shinichiro Miyoshi, Harvey I. Pass, Shinichi Toyooka

Oncogenesis 7 ( 1 ) 11 - 11 2018.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Springer Nature

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with an unfavorable prognosis. The standard therapeutic approaches are limited to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Because the consequent clinical outcome is often unsatisfactory, a different approach in MPM treatment is required. S100A11, a Ca2+-binding small protein with two EF-hands, is frequently upregulated in various human cancers. Interestingly, it has been found that intracellular and extracellular S100A11 have different functions in cell viability. In this study, we focused on the impact of extracellular S100A11 in MPM and explored the therapeutic potential of an S100A11-targeting strategy. We examined the secretion level of S100A11 in various kinds of cell lines by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among them, six out of seven MPM cell lines actively secreted S100A11, whereas normal mesothelial cell lines did not secrete it. To investigate the role of secreted S100A11 in MPM, we inhibited its function by neutralizing S100A11 with an anti-S100A11 antibody. Interestingly, the antibody significantly inhibited the proliferation of S100A11-secreting MPM cells in vitro and in vivo. Microarray analysis revealed that several pathways including genes involved in cell proliferation were negatively enriched in the antibody-treated cell lines. In addition, we examined the secretion level of S100A11 in various types of pleural effusions. We found that the secretion of S100A11 was significantly higher in MPM pleural effusions, compared to others, suggesting the possibility for the use of S100A11 as a biomarker. In conclusion, our results indicate that extracellular S100A11 plays important roles in MPM and may be a therapeutic target in S100A11-secreting MPM.

DOI： 10.1038/s41389-017-0017-3

β-1,3-Galactosyl-

Sumardika, I. W., Youyi, C., Kondo, E., Inoue, Y., Ruma, I. M. W., Murata, H., Kinoshita, R., Yamamoto, K. I., Tomida, S., Shien, K., Sato, H., Yamauchi, A., Futami, J., Putranto, E. W., Hibino, T., Toyooka, S., Nishibori, M., Sakaguchi, M.

Oncol Res 26 ( 3 ) 2018

JAK1/STAT3 Activation through a Proinflammatory Cytokine Pathway Leads to Resistance to Molecularly Targeted Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Molecular cancer therapeutics 16 ( 10 ) 2234 - 2245 2017.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH

Molecularly targeted drugs have yielded significant therapeutic advances in oncogene-driven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but a majority of patients eventually develop acquired resistance. Recently, the relation between proinflammatory cytokine IL6 and resistance to targeted drugs has been reported. We investigated the functional contribution of IL6 and the other members of IL6 family proinflammatory cytokine pathway to resistance to targeted drugs in NSCLC cells. In addition, we examined the production of these cytokines by cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). We also analyzed the prognostic significance of these molecule expressions in clinical NSCLC samples. In NSCLC cells with acquired resistance to targeted drugs, we observed activation of the IL6-cytokine pathway and STAT3 along with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features. In particular, IL6 family cytokine oncostatin-M (OSM) induced a switch to the EMT phenotype and protected cells from targeted drug-induced apoptosis in OSM receptors (OSMRs)/JAK1/STAT3-dependent manner. The cross-talk between NSCLC cells and CAFs also preferentially activated the OSM/STAT3 pathway via a paracrine mechanism and decreased sensitivity to targeted drugs. The selective JAK1 inhibitor filgotinib effectively suppressed STAT3 activation and OSMR expression, and cotargeting inhibition of the oncogenic pathway and JAK1 reversed resistance to targeted drugs. In the analysis of clinical samples, OSMR gene expression appeared to be associated with worse prognosis in patients with surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma. Our data suggest that the OSMRs/JAK1/STAT3 axis contributes to resistance to targeted drugs in oncogene-driven NSCLC cells, implying that this pathway could be a therapeutic target. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2234-45. ©2017 AACR.

DOI： 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-17-0148

Elacridar, a third-generation ABCB1 inhibitor, overcomes resistance to docetaxel in non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Oncology letters 14 ( 4 ) 4349 - 4354 2017.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

Docetaxel is a third-generation chemotherapeutic drug that is widely used in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the majority of patients with NSCLC eventually acquire resistance to the treatment. In the present study, the mechanism of acquired resistance to docetaxel treatment in lung cancer cells was investigated. The three NSCLC cell lines, H1299 with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), EGFR-mutant HCC4006 and HCC827, and experimentally established docetaxel-resistant (DR) cells, H1299-DR, HCC827-DR, and HCC4006-DR were used with stepwise increases in concentrations of docetaxel. It was demonstrated that the established cell lines showed resistance to docetaxel and EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Molecular analysis revealed that all of the resistant cell lines highly expressed ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1), which is also known as P-glycoprotein or MDR1. Furthermore, HCC827-DR and HCC4006-DR cells exhibited a cancer stem cell-like marker and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition features, respectively. Elacridar (GF120918), a third-generation inhibitor of ABCB1, was able to overcome resistance to docetaxel. Additionally, knockdown of ABCB1 using small interfering RNA (si)-ABCB1 recovered sensitivity to docetaxel. However, elacridar and si-ABCB1 could not recover sensitivity to EGFR-TKIs in established resistant cells. The results of the present study revealed that docetaxel-resistant NSCLC cells also acquired cross-resistance to EGFR-TKI therapy through mechanisms other than ABCB1, that ABCB1 serves an important role in acquired resistance to docetaxel in lung cancer, and that combination therapy with elacridar can overcome ABCB1-mediated docetaxel resistance.

DOI： 10.3892/ol.2017.6678

Induction chemoradiotherapy using docetaxel and cisplatin with definitive-dose radiation followed by surgery for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Torigoe H, Soh J, Tomida S, Namba K, Sato H, Katsui K, Hotta K, Shien K, Yamamoto H, Yamane M, Kanazawa S, Kiura K, Miyoshi S, Toyooka S

Journal of thoracic disease 9 ( 9 ) 3076 - 3086 2017.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：AME PUBL CO

Background: Induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery is a therapeutic option for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Typically, around 40-50 Gy of radiation is applied as the induction-dose; however, a definitive-dose (DD) of radiation (60 Gy or higher) is occasionally applied to increase local control. We investigated the impact of induction CRT with DD radiation in LA-NSCLC patients treated with a single regimen of docetaxel and cisplatin. Methods: We reviewed 110 patients with LA-NSCLC who underwent induction CRT followed by surgery using a single regimen (docetaxel and cisplatin) between January 1999 and December 2014 at our hospital. The clinical outcomes of a DD group (60 Gy or higher, n=11) and a non-DD group (less than 60 Gy, n=99) were investigated using a propensity score (PS)-matched analysis. Results: An advanced clinical stage was significantly more common in the DD group than in the non-DD group (P=0.033). Before and after the PS-matching based on seven factors including clinical stage, there was no significant difference in the rates of postoperative (PO) complication, mortality, 5-year overall survival (OS), or 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) between the two groups. After the PS-matching, the pathological complete response (CR) rate was significantly higher in the DD group than in the non-DD group [50% (n=5/10) vs. 0% (n=0/10), P=0.033]. Conclusions: Induction CRT followed by surgery using docetaxel and cisplatin with DD radiation can be performed safely and is associated with a higher pathological CR rate than that attained using non-DD radiation in LA-NSCLC patients.

DOI： 10.21037/jtd.2017.08.87

ß-1,3-galactosyl-O-glycosyl-glycoprotein ß-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 3 Increases MCAM Stability, Which Enhances S100A8/A9-Mediated Cancer Motility. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Oncology research 26 ( 3 ) 431 - 444 2017.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

We previously identified novel S100A8/A9 receptors, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM), activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM), and neuroplastin (NPTN) β, that are critically involved in S100A8/A9-mediated cancer metastasis and inflammation when expressed at high levels. However, little is known about the presence of any cancer-specific mechanism(s) that modifies these receptors, further inducing upregulation at protein levels without any transcriptional regulation. Expression levels of glycosyltransferase-encoding genes were examined by a PCR-based profiling array followed by confirmation with quantitative real-time PCR. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using a Boyden chamber. Western blotting was used to examine the protein level, and the RNA level was examined by Northern blotting. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression pattern of β-1,3-galactosyl-O-glycosyl-glycoprotein β-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 3 (GCNT3) and MCAM in melanoma tissue. We found that GCNT3 is overexpressed in highly metastatic melanomas. Silencing and functional inhibition of GCNT3 greatly suppressed migration and invasion of melanoma cells, resulting in the loss of S100A8/A9 responsiveness. Among the novel S100A8/A9 receptors, GCNT3 favorably glycosylates the MCAM receptor, extending its half-life and leading to further elevation of S100A8/A9-mediated cellular motility in melanoma cells. GCNT3 expression is positively correlated to MCAM expression in patients with high-grade melanomas. Collectively, our results showed that GCNT3 is an upstream regulator of MCAM protein and indicate the possibility of a potential molecular target in melanoma therapeutics through abrogation of the S100A8/A9-MCAM axis.

DOI： 10.3727/096504017x15031557924123

Advantage of Induction Chemoradiotherapy for Lung Cancer in Securing Cancer-Free Bronchial Margin. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

The Annals of thoracic surgery 104 ( 3 ) 971 - 978 2017.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

BACKGROUND: Bronchoplasty is a useful procedure for preserving pulmonary function. For this procedure, it is critical to secure the negative surgical margin for avoiding local recurrence. In this study, we examined the status of the surgical bronchial margin as well as the clinical outcomes in bronchoplasty with or without induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The medical records of NSCLC patients who underwent bronchoplasty at our institution between January 1999 and September 2014 were reviewed. We compared the clinical outcomes of bronchoplasty with or without induction CRT. RESULTS: A total of 58 NSCLC patients were included in this study. Among these, 38 patients underwent primary surgical procedure with bronchoplasty and 20 patients underwent bronchoplasty after induction CRT. Intraoperative pathologic diagnosis for the surgical margin of the bronchus revealed that the patients in the primary surgical procedure group had a significantly higher rate of positive surgical margin than the induction CRT group (p = 0.023), requiring an additional bronchial resection to secure the negative margin. After additional resection of positive bronchial stumps, no significant difference was found in the rate of positive margin with postoperative histologic diagnosis between the two groups. In addition, no significant differences in the postoperative complication rate and overall and recurrence-free survivals were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that induction CRT before surgical procedure may help ensure the intraoperative negative surgical margin of the bronchus. Our study also indicates that bronchoplasty after induction CRT is feasible in comparison with bronchoplasty in primary surgical procedure.

DOI： 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2017.03.045

Erratum to "Frequent methylation and oncogenic role of microRNA-34b/c in small-cell lung cancer" [Lung Cancer 76 (1) (2012) 32-38]. Reviewed

Tanaka N, Toyooka S, Soh J, Kubo T, Yamamoto H, Maki Y, Muraoka T, Shien K, Furukawa M, Ueno T, Asano H, Tsukuda K, Aoe K, Miyoshi S

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 108 254 - 255 2017.6

Is tumor location an independent prognostic factor in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with trimodality therapy? Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Journal of thoracic disease 9 ( 5 ) E489-E491 - E491 2017.5

Targeting the miR-200c/LIN28B axis in acquired EGFR-TKI resistance non-small cell lung cancer cells harboring EMT features. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Scientific reports 7 40847 - 40847 2017.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

MicroRNA (miR)-200 family members (miR-200s) are frequently silenced in advanced cancer and have been implicated in the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We previously reported that miR-200s were silenced through promoter methylation in acquired EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells harboring EMT features. In this study, we examined the functional role of miR-200s in NSCLC cells and investigated a novel approach to overcoming acquired EGFR-TKI resistance. In the analysis of NSCLC cell lines, each of the miR-200s expression-silenced cell lines showed promoter methylation. Significant correlations between miR-200c silencing and several oncogenic pathway alterations, including EMT-changes and LIN28B overexpression, were observed in the database analysis. In addition, EGFR-wild type cell lines had lower miR-200s expression levels than EGFR-mutant cell lines. The introduction of miR-200c using pre-miR-200c caused LIN28B suppression in cells with acquired EGFR-TKI resistance that harbored EMT features. Interestingly, both the introduction of miR-200c and the knockdown of LIN28B produced an antitumor effect in acquired EGFR-TKI resistance cells, whereas these manipulations were not effective in parental cells. The miR-200c/LIN28B axis plays an important role in cells with acquired resistance to EGFR-TKI that harbor EMT features and might be a useful therapeutic target for overcoming resistance.

DOI： 10.1038/srep40847

Distant Bystander Effect of REIC/DKK3 Gene Therapy Through Immune System Stimulation in Thoracic Malignancies. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Anticancer research 37 ( 1 ) 301 - 307 2017.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：INT INST ANTICANCER RESEARCH

BACKGROUND: Reduced expression in immortalized cell (REIC)/Dickkoph-3 (DKK3) is a tumor-suppressor gene, and its overexpression by adenovirus vector (Ad-REIC) exhibits a remarkable therapeutic effect on various human cancer types through a mechanism triggered by endoplasmic reticulum stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the direct anti-tumor effect of Ad-REIC gene therapy on lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma cell lines in vitro, and the distant bystander effect using immunocompetent mouse allograft models with bilateral flank tumors. RESULTS: Ad-REIC treatment showed antitumor effect in many lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma cell lines in vitro. In an in vivo model, Ad-REIC treatment inhibited the growth not only of directly treated tumors but also of distant untreated tumors. By immunohistochemical analysis, infiltration of T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells and expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules were observed in bilateral tumors. CONCLUSION: Ad-REIC treatment not only had a direct antitumor effect but also an indirect bystander effect through stimulation of the immune system.

DOI： 10.21873/anticanres.11321

Yes1 signaling mediates the resistance to Trastuzumab/Lap atinib in breast cancer. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

PloS one 12 ( 2 ) e0171356 2017

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is observed in approximately 15-23% of breast cancers and these cancers are classified as HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab is the first-line targeted therapeutic drug for HER2-positive breast cancer and has improved patient overall survival. However, acquired resistance to trastuzumab is still a critical issue in breast cancer treatment. We previously established a trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer cell line (named as BT-474-R) from a trastuzumab-sensitive HER2-amplified cell line BT-474. Lapatinib is also a molecular-targeted drug for HER2-positive breast cancer, which acquired the resistance to trastuzumab. Acquired resistance to lapatinib is also an issue to be conquered. METHODS: We established trastuzumab/lapatinib-dual resistant cell line (named as BT-474-RL2) by additionally treating BT-474-R with lapatinib. We analyzed the mechanisms of resistance to trastuzumab and lapatinib. Besides, we analyzed the effect of the detected resistance mechanism in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. RESULTS: Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Yes1, which is one of the Src family members, was amplified, overexpressed and activated in BT-474-R and BT-474-RL2. Silencing of Yes1 by siRNA induced both BT-474-R and BT-474-RL2 to restore the sensitivity to trastuzumab and lapatinib. Pharmaceutical inhibition of Yes1 by the Src inhibitor dasatinib was also effective to restore the sensitivity to trastuzumab and lapatinib in the two resistant cell lines. Combination treatment with dasatinib and trastuzumab induced down-regulation of signaling molecules such as HER2 and Akt. Moreover, the combination treatments induced G1-phase cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Consistent with cell line data, high expression of Yes1 mRNA was correlated with worse prognosis in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Yes1 plays an important role in acquired resistance to trastuzumab and lapatinib in HER2-positive breast cancer. Our data suggest that pharmacological inhibition of Yes1 may be an effective strategy to overcome resistance to trastuzumab and lapatinib.

DOI： 10.1371/journal.pone.0171356

Interaction of cytokeratin 19 head domain and HER2 in the cytoplasm leads to activation of HER2-Erk pathway. Reviewed International journal

Kazuhiko Shien

Scientific reports 6 39557 - 39557 2016.12

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

HER2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase and its upregulation via activating mutations or amplification has been identified in some malignant tumors, including lung cancers. Because HER2 can be a therapeutic target in HER2-driven malignancies, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms of HER2 activation. In the current study, we identified that cytokeratin 19 (KRT19) binds to HER2 at the inside face of plasma membrane. HER2 and KRT19, which were concurrently introduced to a human embryonic kidney 293 T cells, revealed an association with each other and resulted in phosphorylation of HER2 with the subsequent activation of a downstream Erk-associated pathway. A binding assay revealed that both the NH2-terminal head domain of KRT19 and the COOH-terminal domain of HER2 were essential for their binding. To investigate the impact of the interaction between HER2 and KRT19 in lung cancer, we examined their expressions and localizations in lung cancers. We found that KRT19 was highly expressed in HER2-positive lung cancer cells, and KRT19 and HER2 were co-localized at the cell membrane. In conclusion, we found that KRT19 intracellularly binds to HER2, playing a critical role in HER2 activation.

DOI： 10.1038/srep39557

Role of surgery in N2 NSCLC: pros. Reviewed International journal

Shien K, Toyooka S

Japanese journal of clinical oncology 46 ( 12 ) 1168 - 1173 2016.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OXFORD UNIV PRESS

The optimal management of clinical N2 Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer is still controversial. For a cure of locally advanced IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer, the control of both local regions and possible distant micrometastases is crucial. Chemotherapy is generally expected to prevent distant recurrence. For local tumor control, radiotherapy or surgery has been adopted singly or in combination. If a complete resection can be safely performed, surgery remains the strongest modality for 'eradicating' local disease. Many retrospective studies have reported a possible survival benefit of induction treatment followed by surgery in selected patients with IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer; however, randomized Phase III trials have failed to demonstrate the superiority of induction treatment followed by surgery over chemoradiotherapy, mainly because of the heterogeneity of the N2 status. IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer consists of a heterogeneous group of disease ranging from microscopically single station to radiologically bulky ipsilateral multi-station mediastinal lymph node involvement. A recent definition proposed by the American College of Chest Physicians classified non-small cell lung cancer based on the N2 status, such as discrete or infiltrative type, and recommendations were made according to this N2 status, with definitive chemoradiotherapy recommended for infiltrative clinical N2 and definitive chemoradiotherapy or induction treatment followed by surgery recommended for other cases. Thus, the introduction of a multimodality treatment strategy seems to be necessary for the improved prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients with IIIA/N2 disease. In this review, we discuss the role of surgery and the optimal surgical management for patients with IIIA/N2 non-small cell lung cancer.

DOI： 10.1093/jjco/hyw125

Predictive biomarkers of response to PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed International journal

Shien K, Papadimitrakopoulou VA, Wistuba II

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 99 79 - 87 2016.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Inhibitors of the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) pathway show the potential to substantially increase the efficacy of therapy for various malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At the same time, substantial effort has been invested in finding biomarkers predicting which patients will respond best to this immune checkpoint inhibition. PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment, genetic alterations and mutational load in tumor cells, and pre-existing immunity and its enhancement during treatment through tumor-infiltrating immune cells have been associated with outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibition. Here, we review the reported predictive biomarkers of response to PD-1 pathway immune checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC, mainly focusing on results obtained with clinical trials.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2016.06.016

Study about the Efficacy of Metformin to Immune Function in Cancer Patients. Reviewed

Watanabe M, Yamamoto H, Eikawa S, Shien K, Shien T, Soh J, Hotta K, Wada J, Hinotsu S, Fujiwara T, Kiura K, Doihara H, Miyoshi S, Udono H, Toyooka S

Acta medica Okayama 70 ( 4 ) 327 - 30 2016.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OKAYAMA UNIV MED SCHOOL

A study to evaluate the effect of metformin on the immune system was commenced in July 2014. Metformin is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for type 2 diabetes, and previous studies have reported that metformin has an anti-tumor effect. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of metformin on the immune system in human cancer patients in vivo. The primary outcome parameter will be the rate change in the population of CD8＋ T cells, which produce multiple cytokines.

DOI： 10.18926/AMO/54514

The proliferative effects of asbestos-exposed peripheral blood mononuclear cells on mesothelial cells. Reviewed International journal

Maki Y, Nishimura Y, Toyooka S, Soh J, Tsukuda K, Shien K, Furukawa M, Muraoka T, Ueno T, Tanaka N, Yamamoto H, Asano H, Maeda M, Kumagai-Takei N, Lee S, Matsuzaki H, Otsuki T, Miyoshi S

Oncology letters 11 ( 5 ) 3308 - 3316 2016.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is thought to arise from the direct effect of asbestos on mesothelial cells. However, MM takes a long time to develop following exposure to asbestos, which suggests that the effects of asbestos are complex. The present study examined the effects of asbestos exposure on the cell growth of MeT-5A human mesothelial cells via cytokines produced by immune cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with antibodies against cluster of differentiation (CD)3 and CD28 upon exposure to the asbestos chrysotile A (CA) or crocidolite (CR); the growth of MeT-5A cells in media supplemented with PBMC culture supernatants was subsequently examined. MeT-5A cells exhibited an increase in proliferation when grown in supernatant from the 7-day PBMC culture exposed to CA or CR. Analysis of cytokine production demonstrated increased levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-3, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17A in supernatants. Individual administration of these cytokines, excluding G-CSF and GM-CSF, led to an increase in cell growth of MeT-5A, whereas this effect was not observed following the combined administration of these cytokines. The results indicate that cytokines secreted by immune cells upon exposure to asbestos cause an increase in the growth activity of mesothelial cells, suggesting that alterations in the production of cytokines by immune cells may contribute to tumorigenesis in individuals exposed to asbestos.

DOI： 10.3892/ol.2016.4412

Genetic alterations in lung adenocarcinoma with a micropapillary component. Reviewed International journal

Furukawa M, Toyooka S, Ichimura K, Yamamoto H, Soh J, Hashida S, Ouchida M, Shien K, Asano H, Tsukuda K, Miyoshi S

Molecular and clinical oncology 4 ( 2 ) 195 - 200 2016.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PA) with a micropapillary component (PA-MPC) is known as an aggressive subtype of PA. The molecular profiles of PA-MPC have not been well characterized. the pathological reports of patients who underwent surgical resection for lung cancer between April, 2004 and May, 2012 were reviewed. Of the 674 patients diagnosed with PA, 28 were found to have MPC. A total of 138 resected PAs without MPC were selected in the same period to serve as age-, gender- and smoking status-matched controls to the PA-MPC group. Mutational status was determined by the following two methods: SNaPshot assay based on multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), primer extension and capillary electrophoresis that was designed to assess 38 somatic mutations in 8 genes [AKT1, BRAF, endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1, neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase, catalytic subunit α (PIK3CA) and phosphatase and tensin homolog]; and a PCR-based sizing assay that assesses EGFR exon 19 (deletions), EGFR exon 20 (insertions) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 exon 20 (insertions). echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusion gene (EML4-ALK) was screened by ALK immunohistochemistry and confirmed using the reverse transcription PCR assay and the break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization assay. Regarding genetic alterations, 13 (46.4%) of the 28 PA-MPCs harbored mutually exclusive mutations: 9 (32.1%) EGFR mutations, 1 (3.6%) KRAS mutation and 3 (10.7%) EML4-ALK fusion genes. PAs without MPC harbored 42 (30.4%) EGFR mutations, 17 (12.3%) KRAS mutations, 3 (2.2%) EML4-ALK fusion genes and 1 (0.7%) PIK3CA mutation. EML4-ALK fusion genes appeared to occur significantly more frequently in PA-MPCs compared with PAs without MPC (P=0.027). Although the sample size was small, our study suggests that the molecular pathogenesis of PA-MPC may be different from that of other adenocarcinomas.

DOI： 10.3892/mco.2015.690

Establishment and molecular characterization of cell lines from Japanese patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Reviewed International journal

Suzawa K, Yamamoto H, Murakami T, Katayama H, Furukawa M, Shien K, Hashida S, Okabe K, Aoe K, Soh J, Asano H, Tsukuda K, Mimura Y, Toyooka S, Miyoshi S

Oncology letters 11 ( 1 ) 705 - 712 2016.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease that is resistant to conventional therapies. Cell lines are useful models for studying the biological characteristics of tumors; therefore, the establishment of MPM cell lines is valuable for exploring novel therapeutic strategies for MPM. In the present study, 4 MPM cell lines (YUMC8, YUMC44, YUMC63, and YUMC64) were established, which consisted of 2 epithelioid and 2 sarcomatoid mesothelioma histological subtypes, from Japanese patients with MPM. The DNA methylation status, mutations, copy number gains, protein expression of representative genes, and the sensitivity to several drugs were examined in these 4 cell lines. Methylation of P16 was demonstrated in 3/4 cell lines, in which the protein expression of p16 was lost. Methylation of RASSF1A was observed in 3/4 cell lines. Copy number gains of EGFR, HER2 or MET were not detected in the 4 cell lines. Mutations in various genes, including EGFR, KRAS, HER2, BRAF, and PIK3CA, which are frequently detected in non-small cell lung cancer, were not detected in the 4 cell lines. microRNA-34b/c is a direct transcriptional target of p53 and is often silenced in MPM by promoter methylation. In the present study, miR-34b/c was heavily methylated in 2/4 established MPM cell lines. For cell adhesion molecules, E-cadherin expression was detected in the 2 epithelioid MPM cell lines, whereas N-cadherin expression was detected in all 4 established cell lines by western blotting. Vimentin was strongly expressed in the 2 sarcomatoid MPM cell lines. None of the established MPM cell lines demonstrated significant responses to the drugs tested, including NVP-AUY922, 17-DMAG, Trichostatin A, and Vorinostat. Although novel molecular findings were not observed in the current characterization of these MPM cell lines, these lines will be useful for future extensive analyses of the biological behavior of MPM and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

DOI： 10.3892/ol.2015.3955

DNA copy number gains in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Reviewed International journal

Furukawa M, Toyooka S, Hayashi T, Yamamoto H, Fujimoto N, Soh J, Hashida S, Shien K, Asano H, Aoe K, Okabe K, Pass HI, Tsukuda K, Kishimoto T, Miyoshi S

Oncology letters 10 ( 5 ) 3274 - 3278 2015.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly aggressive tumor with an extremely poor prognosis. The incidence of MPM is increasing as a result of widespread exposure to asbestos. The molecular pathogenesis of MPM remains unclear. The present study analyzed the frequency of various genomic copy number gains (CNGs) in MPM using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A total of 83 primary MPMs and 53 primary lung adenocarcinomas were analyzed to compare the CNGs of EGFR, KRAS, MET, FGFR1 and SOX2. In MPM, the CNGs of EGFR, KRAS, MET, FGFR1 and SOX2 were detected in 12 (14.5%), 8 (9.6%), 5 (6.0%), 4 (4.8%) and 1 (1.2%) of the samples, respectively. In lung adenocarcinomas, the CNGs of EGFR, KRAS, MET, FGFR1 and SOX2 were detected in 21 (39.6%), 12 (22.6%), 5 (9.4%), 10 (18.9%) and 0 (0.0%) of the samples, respectively. The CNGs of EGFR, KRAS and FGFR1 were significantly less frequent in the MPMs compared with the lung adenocarcinomas (P=0.0018, 0.048 and 0.018, respectively). Overall, the MPMs exhibited these CNGs less frequently compared with the lung adenocarcinomas (P=0.0002). The differences in CNGs between the two tumor types suggested that they are genetically different.

DOI： 10.3892/ol.2015.3652

Acquisition of cancer stem cell-like properties in non-small cell lung cancer with acquired resistance to afatinib Reviewed International journal

Hashida, S., Yamamoto, H., Shien, K., Miyoshi, Y., Ohtsuka, T., Suzawa, K., Watanabe, M., Maki, Y., Soh, J., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Miyoshi, S., Toyooka, S.

Cancer Sci 106 ( 10 ) 1377 - 84 2015

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：WILEY-BLACKWELL

Afatinib is an irreversible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that is known to be effective against the EGFR T790M variant, which accounts for half of the mechanisms of acquired resistance to reversible EGFR-TKIs. However, acquired resistance to afatinib was also observed in clinical use. Thus, elucidating and overcoming the mechanisms of resistance are important issues in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, we established various afatinib-resistant cell lines and investigated the resistance mechanisms. EGFR T790M mutations were not detected using direct sequencing in established resistant cells. Several afatinib-resistant cell lines displayed MET amplification, and these cells were sensitive to the combination of afatinib plus crizotinib. As a further investigation, a cell line that acquired resistance to afatinib plus crizotinib, HCC827-ACR, was established from one of the MET amplified-cell lines. Several afatinib-resistant cell lines including HCC827-ACR displayed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features and epigenetic silencing of miR-200c, which is a suppresser of EMT. In addition, these cell lines also exhibited overexpression of ALDH1A1 and ABCB1, which are putative stem cell markers, and resistance to docetaxel. In conclusion, we established afatinib-resistant cells and found that MET amplification, EMT, and stem cell-like features are observed in cells with acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs. This finding may provide clues to overcoming resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.12749

Hsp90 inhibitor NVP-AUY922 enhances the radiation sensitivity of lung cancer cell lines with acquired resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors Reviewed International journal

Hashida, S., Yamamoto, H., Shien, K., Ohtsuka, T., Suzawa, K., Maki, Y., Furukawa, M., Soh, J., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Miyoshi, S., Kanazawa, S., Toyooka, S.

Oncol Rep 33 ( 3 ) 1499 - 504 2015

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

Acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is a critical issue that needs to be overcome in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR activating mutations. EGFR and AKT are client proteins of the 90-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90). Therefore, it was hypothesized that the use of Hsp90 inhibitors might allow the resistance to EGFR-TKIs to be overcome. Furthermore, Hsp90 inhibitors are known to function as radiosensitizers in various types of cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the radiosensitizing effect of the novel Hsp90 inhibitor, NVP-AUY922 (AUY), on NSCLC cell lines harboring EGFR activating mutations and showing acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs via any of several mechanisms. We used HCC827 and PC-9, which are NSCLC cell lines harboring EGFR exon 19 deletions, and gefitinib-resistant sublines derived from the same cell lines with T790M mutation, MET amplification or stem-cell like properties. AUY was more effective against the gefitinib-resistant sublines with T790M mutation and MET amplification than against the parental cell lines, although the subline with stem cell-like properties showed more than a 10-fold higher resistance to AUY than the parental cell line. AUY exerted a significant radiosensitizing effect on the parental cell line and the MET-amplified subline through inducing G2/M arrest and inhibition of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). In contrast, the radiosensitizing effect of AUY was limited on the subline with stem cell-like properties, in which it did not induce G2/M arrest or inhibition of NHEJ. In conclusion, combined inhibition of Hsp90 plus radiation was effective, and therefore a promising treatment alternative for overcoming major EGFR-TKI resistance, such as that induced by T790M mutation or MET amplification. However, other approaches are required to overcome minor resistance to EGFR-TKIs, such as that observed in cells with stem cell-like properties.

DOI： 10.3892/or.2015.3735

Lower lobe origin is a poor prognostic factor in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with induction chemoradiotherapy Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Hotta, K., Katsui, K., Oto, T., Kanazawa, S., Kiura, K., Date, H., Miyoshi, S.

Mol Clin Oncol 3 ( 3 ) 706 - 712 2015

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

The AIM of this study was to identify prognostic factors in patients receiving trimodality therapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among patients who underwent induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery between 1999 and 2011 at our institution, 76 NSCLC patients with clinical (c) N2/3 stage III were enrolled in this retrospective study. Induction CRT consisted of docetaxel and cisplatin with concurrent 40-60 Gy radiation therapy. In total, 76 patients were assessed (53 men and 23 women) with 43 adenocarcinomas and 33 non-adenocarcinomas. Of the 76 patients, 44 had cStage IIIA and 32 had cStage IIIB disease. The primary tumors were located in the right upper lobe (N=33), right middle lobe (N=5), right lower lobe (N=11), left upper lobe (N=20s) and left lower lobe (N=7). For all 76 patients, lower lobe tumors were associated with a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) compared to non-lower lobe tumors (OS, P=0.022; and DFS, P=0.0007). When the analysis was limited to pathologically proven N2/3 disease prior to induction CRT (n=36), lower lobe location, compared to other locations, tended to be a poor prognostic factor (OS, P=0.068; and DFS, P=0.0075). Our results indicated that a lower lobe tumor origin is associated with unfavorable prognosis in NSCLC patients treated with induction CRT, strongly suggesting the significance of appropriate patient selection in order to maximize the benefits of trimodality therapy.

DOI： 10.3892/mco.2015.509

Clinicopathological characteristics and lymph node metastasis pathway of non-small-cell lung cancer located in the left lingular division Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Okami, J., Higashiyama, M., Kadota, Y., Maeda, H., Hayama, M., Chida, M., Funaki, S., Okumura, M., Miyoshi, S.

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 20 ( 6 ) 791 - 6 2015

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OXFORD UNIV PRESS

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to assess the clinicopathological characteristics of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) occurring in the left lingular division (LLD) in association with a proposal of the LLD-specific regional lymph node stations. METHODS: Medical records of patients, who underwent complete tumour resection with mediastinal lymph node dissection (MLND) for LLD-NSCLC from 2000 to 2009 in multiple institutions, were retrospectively examined. We analysed patient clinicopathological characteristics and obtained the LLD-specific regional lymph node stations, and then the validity of intraoperative navigation in lymphadenectomy for LLD-NSCLC was investigated. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-four LLD-NSCLC patients (97 males and 87 females, and 128 adenocarcinomas and 56 non-adenocarcinomas) were studied. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates for all LLD-NSCLC patients were 72.9 and 58.3%, respectively. We examined the lymph node metastasis patterns in 42 node-positive tumours. The frequent metastatic lymph node stations were #12u lobar node (n = 22), #5 subaortic node (n = 15) and #11 interlobar node (n = 13) in order. These three node stations were also single metastatic sites in some patients. Metastases to sub-carinal (#7) or inferior mediastinal nodes (#8) were rare. Thus, we assigned the three stations (#5, #11, #12u) as the regional lymph node stations for LLD-NSCLC. If these regional lymph node stations had been examined pathologically during surgery for a total of 160 LLD-NSCLC patients with c-T2N1M0 or lower stage disease, 125 p-N0 and 5 p-N1 patients diagnosed with no metastasis would have been subjected to selective MLND, while 14 p-N1 and all 16 p-N2 patients diagnosed with metastasis would have had complete MLND carried out. As a result, these regional lymph node stations could accurately predict the existence of p-N2 metastasis, and appropriately lead to a selective or complete MLND. CONCLUSIONS: An intraoperative pathological examination using our proposed LLD-specific regional lymph node stations may accurately diagnose the status of node metastasis, and appropriately lead to selective or complete MLND in LLD-NSCLC patients with c-T2N1M0 or lower stage disease.

DOI： 10.1093/icvts/ivv062

Extended sleeve lobectomy after induction chemoradiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer Reviewed

Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Yamamoto, H., Yamane, M., Hattori, S., Shien, K., Miyoshi, K., Sugimoto, S., Oto, T., Miyoshi, S.

Surg Today 45 ( 9 ) 1121 - 6 2015

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPRINGER

PURPOSE: Extended sleeve lobectomy is a challenging surgery. While induction chemoradiotherapy (ChRT) followed by surgery is one of the therapeutic strategies used for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ChRT can impair the anastomotic healing potential. We herein present our experience with cases who underwent an extended sleeve lobectomy after induction ChRT. METHODS: The medical records of patients who underwent a surgery for NSCLC after ChRT were reviewed. RESULTS: Between December 2007 and January 2013, nine patients underwent an extended sleeve lobectomy; the left lingular division and lower lobe in four patients, the right upper lobe and trachea in one patient, the carina and trachea in one patient, the right middle and lower lobes in one patient, the right upper and middle lobes and carina in one patient and the right upper lobe and superior segment of the lower lobe in one patient. While no postoperative 90-day deaths occurred, one case developed a bronchopleural fistula on postoperative day (POD) 25 and one case developed a bronchovascular fistula on POD 163. No cases of local recurrence developed. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggests that an extended sleeve lobectomy after induction ChRT is feasible, but careful patient selection and perioperative management are mandatory.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-014-1025-y

Novel germline G660D mutation in HER2 gene detected by whole-exome sequencing can predispose a patient to developing familial lung adenocarcinoma Reviewed

Hiromasa Yamamoto, Koichiro Higasa, Masakiyo Sakaguchi, Kazuhiko Shien, Junichi Soh, Koichi Ichimura, Masashi Furukawa, Shinsuke Hashida, Kazunori Tsukuda, Nagio Takigawa, Keitaro Matsuo, Katsuyuki Kiura, Sinichiro Miyoshi, Fumihiko Matsuda, Shinichi Toyooka

CANCER RESEARCH 74 ( 19 ) 2014.10

Preclinical evaluation of microRNA-34b/c delivery for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Reviewed

Ueno T, Toyooka S, Fukazawa T, Kubo T, Soh J, Asano H, Muraoka T, Tanaka N, Maki Y, Shien K, Furukawa M, Sakaguchi M, Yamamoto H, Tsukuda K, Miyoshi S

Acta medica Okayama 68 ( 1 ) 23 - 6 2014.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OKAYAMA UNIV MED SCHOOL

The microRNA-34s (miR-34s) have p53 response elements in their 5'-flanking regions and demonstrate tumor-suppressive functions. In malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), we previously reported that expression of miR-34b and miR-34c (miR-34b/c) was frequently downregulated by methylation in MPM cell lines and primary tumors. The forced overexpression of miR-34b/c showed significant antitumor effects with the induction of apoptosis in MPM cells. In this study, we examined the in vivo antitumor effects of miR-34b/c using adenovirus vector on MPM. We subcutaneously transplanted NCI-H290, a human MPM cell line, into BALB/C mice and injected adenovirus vector expressing miR-34b/c, luciferase driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter (Ad-miR-34b/c or Ad-Luc), or PBS control into tumors over 5mm in diameter. A statistically significant growth inhibition of the tumor volume was observed in the Ad-miR-34b/c group from day 6 onward compared to the Ad-Luc group. The inhibition rate of Ad-miR-34b/c, compared to the tumor volume treated with Ad-Luc, was 58.6% on day 10 and 54.7% on day13. Our results indicate that adenovirus-mediated miR-34b/c gene therapy could be useful for the clinical treatment of MPM.

DOI： 10.18926/amo/52140

Drug resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer. Reviewed

Shien K, Yamamoto H, Soh J, Miyoshi S, Toyooka S

Acta medica Okayama 68 ( 4 ) 191 - 200 2014.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OKAYAMA UNIV MED SCHOOL

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring an activating mutation within the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was defined as a clinically distinct molecular group. These lesions show oncogene addiction to EGFR and dramatic responses to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Several large Phase III trials have shown that EGFR-TKIs improved the progression-free survival of patients with EGFR mutant NSCLC compared to conventional chemotherapy. However, the long-term effectiveness of EGFR-TKIs is usually limited because of acquired drug resistance. To overcome this resistance to EGFR-TKIs, it will be essential to identify the specific mechanisms underlying the resistance. Many investigators have attempted to identify the mechanisms using preclinical models and drug-resistant clinical samples. As a result, several mechanisms have been showed to be responsible for the resistance, but not all of the relevant mechanisms have been uncovered. In this review, we provide an overview of mechanisms underlying drug-resistance to EGFR-TKIs, focusing on results obtained with preclinical models, and we present some possible strategies to overcome the EGFR-TKI resistance.

DOI： 10.18926/amo/52785

Validity of using lobe-specific regional lymph node stations to assist navigation during lymph node dissection in early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients Reviewed

Miyoshi, S., Shien, K., Toyooka, S., Miyoshi, K., Yamamoto, H., Sugimoto, S., Soh, J., Hayama, M., Yamane, M., Oto, T.

Surg Today 44 ( 11 ) 2028 - 36 2014

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPRINGER

PURPOSE: The validity of our proposed lobe-specific regional lymph node stations (LSRLNS) was evaluated as a method for navigation during lymphadenectomy in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A total of 725 NSCLC patients with c-T2N1M0 or less extensive disease who had undergone a curative operation with complete mediastinal lymph node dissection (MLND) were studied. The LSRLNS were #2, #3, #4 and #10 for the right upper lobe, #11i, #11s, #7 and #8 for the right lower lobe, #4, #5 and #6 for the left superior division, #11, #5 and #7 for the left lingular division and #11, #7 and #8 for the left lower lobe. RESULTS: If the LSRLNS were used for pathological examinations during surgery, 599 p-N0 and 39 p-N1 patients diagnosed with no metastasis would have been subjected to a selective MLND, while 20 p-N1 and 65 p-N2 patients who had a diagnosis of metastasis would have been navigated to a complete MLND. Two p-N2 patients with a diagnosis of no metastasis would have inappropriately undergone a selective MLND, resulting in the false negative rate at 0.3 %. CONCLUSION: Intra-operative pathological examination using our LSRLNS may accurately reveal the status of metastasis, and appropriately lead to a selective or complete MLND in patients with c-T2N1M0 or less extensive disease.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-013-0772-5

Presence of the minor EGFR T790M mutation is associated with drug-sensitive EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma patients Reviewed International journal

Hashida, S., Soh, J., Toyooka, S., Tanaka, T., Furukawa, M., Shien, K., Yamamoto, H., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Hagiwara, K., Miyoshi, S.

Oncol Rep 32 ( 1 ) 145 - 52 2014

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

The T790M mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene is known to be associated with the acquired resistance of lung adenocarcinoma patients to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). The minor T790M mutant allele is occasionally detected in EGFR-TKI-naive tumor samples, yet findings concerning the clinical impact of the minor T790M mutation vary among previous studies. In the present study, we assessed the clinical impact of the minor T790M mutation using a novel, highly sensitive assay combining high-resolution melting (HRM), mutant-enriched PCR and co-amplification at a lower denaturation temperature (COLD)-PCR. We determined the T790M mutational status in 146 surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas without a history of EGFR-TKI treatment using mutant-enriched COLD-HRM (MEC-HRM) and standard HRM assays. The sensitivities of the MEC-HRM and standard HRM assays for the detection of T790M-mutant alleles among wild-type alleles were 0.01 and 10%, respectively. Although the T790M mutation was not detected using a standard HRM assay, we identified 19 (13%) T790M mutations using the MEC-HRM assay and defined these 19 mutations as minor T790M mutations. The proportion of T790M alleles was <0.1% in 17 (84%) of the 19 samples. Multivariate analyses revealed that a minor T790M mutation was significantly associated with the presence of EGFR exon 19 deletions or the L858R mutation (both of which are drug-sensitive EGFR mutations) (P=0.04). In conclusion, the minor EGFR T790M mutations were present in 13% of EGFR-TKI-naive surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas and were associated with drug-sensitive EGFR mutations.

DOI： 10.3892/or.2014.3197

Density of tumor-infiltrating FOXP3+ T cells as a response marker for induction chemoradiotherapy and a potential prognostic factor in patients treated with trimodality therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer Reviewed

Tao, H., Shien, K., Soh, J., Matsuda, E., Toyooka, S., Okabe, K., Miyoshi, S.

Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 20 ( 6 ) 980 - 6 2014

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：MEDICAL TRIBUNE INC

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between the density of tumor-infiltrating T cell subpopulations and the pathological response to induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with locally advanced NSCLC, and to assess the impact of T cell density on patient prognosis. METHODS: A total of 64 patients with c-stages IIA-IIIB NSCLC who underwent induction CRT followed by R0 surgery were enrolled. Tumor-infiltrating T cells expressing either FOXP3 or CD8 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Mean numbers of tumor-infiltrating FOXP3+ T cells were 39.9 for patients with minor pathological responses (n = 9), 18.4 for those with major pathological responses (n = 25), and 12.9 for those with complete pathological responses (n = 30; P <0.001). The number of CD8+ T cells was not associated with pathological responses. Patients with lower FOXP3+ T cell densities showed better survival, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the density of tumor-infiltrating FOXP3+ T cells indicated the degree of response for induction CRT and prognosis in patients treated with trimodality therapy for locally advanced NSCLC, suggesting that FOXP3+ T cells may be target for adjunct immunotherapy.

DOI： 10.5761/atcs.oa.13-00237

Anti-cancer effects of REIC/Dkk-3-encoding adenoviral vector for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Tanaka, N., Watanabe, M., Soh, J., Sakaguchi, M., Matsuo, K., Yamamoto, H., Furukawa, M., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Nasu, Y., Huh, N. H., Miyoshi, S., Kumon, H., Toyooka, S.

PLoS One 9 ( 2 ) e87900 2014

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

OBJECTIVES: REIC/Dkk-3 is down-regulated in a broad range of human cancer cells and is considered to function as a tumor suppressor. We previously reported that REIC/Dkk-3-expressing adenovirus vector (Ad-REIC) induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cancer-specific apoptosis in human prostate cancer. In this study, we examined the therapeutic impact of Ad-REIC on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the anti-tumor effect of Ad-REIC on 25 NSCLC cell lines in vitro and A549 cells in vivo. Two of these cell lines were artificially established as EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistant sublines. RESULTS: Ad-REIC-treatment inhibited the cell viability by 40% or more in 13 (52%) of the 25 cell lines at multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 20 (20 MOI). These cell lines were regarded as being highly sensitive cells. The cell viability of a non-malignant immortalized cell line, OUMS-24, was not inhibited at 200 MOI of Ad-REIC. The effects of Ad-REIC on EGFR-TKI resistant sublines were equivalent to those in the parental cell lines. Here, we demonstrated that Ad-REIC treatment activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in NSCLC cell lines, indicating the induction of ER stress with GRP78/BiP (GRP78) up-regulation and resulting in apoptosis. A single intratumoral injection of Ad-REIC significantly inhibited the tumorigenic growth of A549 cells in vivo. As predictive factors of sensitivity for Ad-REIC treatment in NSCLC, we examined the expression status of GRP78 and coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR). We found that the combination of the GRP78 and CAR expressional statuses may be used as a predictive factor for Ad-REIC sensitivity in NSCLC cells. CONCLUSION: Ad-REIC induced JNK activation and subsequent apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Our study indicated that Ad-REIC has therapeutic potential against NSCLC and that the expression statuses of GRP78 and CAR may predict a potential therapeutic benefit of Ad-REIC.

DOI： 10.1371/journal.pone.0087900

Novel germline mutation in the transmembrane domain of HER2 in familial lung adenocarcinomas Reviewed International journal

Yamamoto, H., Higasa, K., Sakaguchi, M., Shien, K., Soh, J., Ichimura, K., Furukawa, M., Hashida, S., Tsukuda, K., Takigawa, N., Matsuo, K., Kiura, K., Miyoshi, S., Matsuda, F., Toyooka, S.

J Natl Cancer Inst 106 ( 1 ) djt338 2014

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC

We encountered a family of Japanese descent in which multiple members developed lung cancer. Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified a novel germline mutation in the transmembrane domain of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene (G660D). A novel somatic mutation (V659E) was also detected in the transmembrane domain of HER2 in one of 253 sporadic lung adenocarcinomas. Because the transmembrane domain of HER2 is considered to be responsible for the dimerization and subsequent activation of the HER family and downstream signaling pathways, we performed functional analyses of these HER2 mutants. Mutant HER2 G660D and V659E proteins were more stable than wild-type protein. Both the G660D and V659E mutants activated Akt. In addition, they activated p38, which is thought to promote cell proliferation in lung adenocarcinoma. Our findings strongly suggest that mutations in the transmembrane domain of HER2 may be oncogenic, causing hereditary and sporadic lung adenocarcinomas.

DOI： 10.1093/jnci/djt338

Silenced expression of NFKBIA in lung adenocarcinoma patients with a never-smoking history. Reviewed

Furukawa M, Soh J, Yamamoto H, Ichimura K, Shien K, Maki Y, Muraoka T, Tanaka N, Ueno T, Asano H, Tsukuda K, Toyooka S, Miyoshi S

Acta medica Okayama 67 ( 1 ) 19 - 24 2013.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OKAYAMA UNIV MED SCHOOL

Nuclear factor of κ-light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells inhibitor α (NFKBIA), which is a tumor suppressor gene, was found to be silenced in lung adenocarcinomas. We examined NFKBIA expression, mutations in the EGFR and K-ras genes, and EML4-ALK fusion in 101 resected lung adenocarcinoma samples from never-smokers. NFKBIA expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. NFKBIA expression was negative in 16 of the 101 samples (15.8%). EGFR and K-ras mutations and EML4-ALK fusion were detected in 61 (60.5%), 1 (1.0%), and 2 (2.0%) of the 101 samples, respectively, in a completely mutually exclusive manner. Negative NFKBIA expression was observed significantly more frequently among the tumors with none of the three genetic alterations compared to those with such alterations (p = 0.009). In addition, negative NFKBIA expression was significantly more frequent among the EGFR-wild type samples compared to the EGFR-mutant samples (p = 0.013). In conclusion, NFKBIA expression was silenced in adenocarcinomas without EGFR/K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusion, suggesting that the silencing of NFKBIA may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinomas independent of EGFR/K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusion.

DOI： 10.18926/amo/49253

Use of a vessel sealing system versus conventional electrocautery for lung parenchymal resection: a comparison of the clinicopathological outcomes in porcine lungs Reviewed

Sugimoto, S., Toyooka, S., Iga, N., Furukawa, M., Sugimoto, R., Shien, K., Nishikawa, H., Soh, J., Yamane, M., Oto, T., Miyoshi, S.

Surg Today 44 ( 3 ) 540 - 5 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPRINGER

PURPOSE: LigaSure, a vessel sealing system, has been shown to have excellent hemostatic properties; however, its use for lung parenchymal resection has been limited. We herein examined the hemostatic properties and potential for inducing histological lung injury of the LigaSure system in non-anatomic pulmonary resection to estimate the feasibility of its clinical application. METHODS: Non-anatomic pulmonary wedge resections of the right cranial, middle, and caudal lobes were performed in four pigs using the LigaSure system (Group A) or electrocautery (Group B). In each resection, the resection time, blood loss, and weight of the resected lung were measured. The thermal effect on the lung tissue was examined by means of intraoperative thermography and histology. RESULTS: A total of 12 lung wedge resections were performed in each group. For an equivalent length of operation and weight of the resected lung parenchyma, Group A showed significantly lower blood loss and lower maximum and minimum temperatures of the lung tissue, as assessed by thermography, than Group B. The degree of thermal injury as estimated by a histological examination was lower in Group A than in Group B. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the LigaSure system may be superior to conventional electrocautery, indicating its clinical usefulness for non-anatomic pulmonary resection.

DOI： 10.1007/s00595-013-0545-1

The degree of microRNA-34b/c methylation in serum-circulating DNA is associated with malignant pleural mesothelioma Reviewed International journal

Muraoka, T., Soh, J., Toyooka, S., Aoe, K., Fujimoto, N., Hashida, S., Maki, Y., Tanaka, N., Shien, K., Furukawa, M., Yamamoto, H., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Kishimoto, T., Otsuki, T., Miyoshi, S.

Lung Cancer 82 ( 3 ) 485 - 90 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

OBJECTIVES: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. microRNA-34b/c (miR-34b/c), which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of MPM, is frequently downregulated by DNA methylation in approximately 90% of MPM cases. In this study, we estimated the degree of miR-34b/c methylation in serum-circulating DNA using a digital methylation specific PCR assay (MSP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A real-time MSP assay was performed using the SYBR Green method. The melting temperature (Tm) of each PCR product was examined using a melting curve analysis. For a digital MSP assay, 40 wells were analyzed per sample. A total of 110 serum samples from 48 MPM cases, 21 benign asbestos pleurisy (BAP) cases, and 41 healthy volunteers (HVs) were examined. RESULTS: Positive range of Tm value for miR-34b/c methylation was defined as 77.71-78.79 °C which was the mean ± 3 standard deviations of 40 wells of a positive control. The number of miR-34b/c methylated wells was counted per sample according to this criterion. The number of miR-34b/c methylated wells in MPM cases was significantly higher than that in BAP cases (P=0.03) or HVs (P<0.001). Advanced MPM cases tended to have higher number of miR-34b/c methylated wells than early MPM cases. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that three number of miR-34b/c methylated wells per sample was the best cut-off of positivity of MPM with a 67% of sensitivity and a 77% specificity for prediction. The area under the ROC curve was 0.77. CONCLUSIONS: Our digital MSP assay can quantify miR-34b/c methylation in serum-circulating DNA. The degree of miR-34b/c methylation in serum-circulating DNA is associated with MPM, suggesting that this approach might be useful for the establishment of a new detection system for MPM.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2013.09.017

Impact of GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression on early‑stage lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed according to a new international multidisciplinary classification Reviewed International journal

Maki, Y., Soh, J., Ichimura, K., Shien, K., Furukawa, M., Muraoka, T., Tanaka, N., Ueno, T., Yamamoto, H., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Toyooka, S., Miyoshi, S.

Oncol Rep 29 ( 1 ) 133 - 40 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

High expression levels of glucose transporter isoform 1 (GLUT1) and Ki-67 are reportedly associated with malignancy-related clinicopathological factors in malignant tumors. Recently, a new histological IASLC/ATS/ERS classification for lung adenocarcinoma was proposed. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological impact of GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression on early-stage lung adenocarcinoma classified according to the IASLC/ATS/ERS classification. One hundred and five patients with completely resected stage IA lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively classified into two groups, a 'non-invasive type' (n=31) or an 'invasive type' (n=74), based on the IASLC/ATS/ERS classification. GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression status was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and KRAS mutation status was determined using PCR-based assays. Positive GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression and EGFR and KRAS mutations were detected in 28 (27%), 33 (31%), 51 (49%) and 5 (8%) cases, respectively. Positive GLUT1 expression was significantly associated with a wild-type EGFR and mutant KRAS status. A multivariate analysis revealed that positive GLUT1 expression was independently associated with the 'invasive type'. In multivariate analyses for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), positive Ki-67 and GLUT1 expression was the only independent factor for a poor OS (P=0.012) and DFS (P=0.040), respectively. In addition, when stratified according to the GLUT1 and Ki-67 status, double-positive cases had the poorest DFS and OS times, compared with the other categories. Positive GLUT1 expression is associated with the invasive character of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma and with early disease relapse. Our results strongly suggest that GLUT1 and Ki-67 play important roles in acquiring biological malignant potential in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma.

DOI： 10.3892/or.2012.2087

Sacrificing the pulmonary arterial branch to the spared lobe is a risk factor of bronchopleural fistula in sleeve lobectomy after chemoradiotherapy Reviewed International journal

Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Shien, K., Sugimoto, S., Yamane, M., Oto, T., Date, H., Miyoshi, S.

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 43 ( 3 ) 568 - 72 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC

OBJECTIVES: A sleeve lobectomy is a widely accepted procedure for enabling the pulmonary parenchyma to be spared. Induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery is one treatment option for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but CRT is considered to have a negative effect on subsequent surgery, especially for anastomotic healing. In this study, we describe our experience performing sleeve lobectomies and the associated anastomotic complications after induction CRT. METHODS: The medical records of NSCLC patients who underwent surgery after receiving CRT were reviewed. The relationships between anastomotic complications and clinicopathological factors were examined. RESULTS: Between December 1998 and October 2011, a total of 104 patients received CRT followed by surgery. Among them, 14 NSCLC patients underwent a bronchial sleeve resection: nine patients underwent a right upper lobe resection, two patients underwent a left lingular division and lower lobe resection and one patient each underwent a right lower lobe, a right upper and middle lobe and a right middle and lower lobe resection. A bronchopleural fistula at the anastomosis occurred in two patients. A pulmonary arterial (PA) branch to the spared lobe had been sacrificed in both of these patients because of tumour involvement. In contrast, the PA branches to the spared lobes were preserved in 11 of the 12 patients who did not exhibit anastomotic complications (P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Our experience strongly suggests that the sacrifice of the PA branch to the spared lobe is a possible risk factor for anastomotic complications for a sleeve lobectomy after induction CRT.

DOI： 10.1093/ejcts/ezs323

Impact of aberrant methylation of microRNA-9 family members on non-small cell lung cancers Reviewed International journal

Muraoka, T., Soh, J., Toyooka, S., Maki, Y., Shien, K., Furukawa, M., Ueno, T., Tanaka, N., Yamamoto, H., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Miyoshi, S.

Mol Clin Oncol 1 ( 1 ) 185 - 189 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

MicroRNAs (miRs) contribute to cancer development and progression by acting as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. miR-9 family members (miR-9s), including miR-9-1, 9-2 and 9-3, have been shown to be oncogenically involved through the downregulation of E-cadherin expression, which promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Tumor suppressive roles of miR-9s have also been reported to silence miR-9 through methylation, which is associated with an shortened overall survival (OS) period in several types of cancer. In this study, the impact of miR-9s methylation on non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) was investigated. In total, 293 resected NSCLC samples were examined and the miR-9s methylation status was determined using a combined bisulfite restriction analysis. miR-9 expression was analyzed by in situ hybridization. Methylation of miR-9-1, 9-2 and 9-3 was present in 20 (7%), 33 (11%) and 34 (12%) of the cases, respectively. Methylation of any miR-9s (miR-9s methylation) was observed in 76 of the cases (26%), and miR-9 expression was silenced in cases with miR-9s methylation. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male gender [odds ratio (OR), 2.0; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.1-3.6; P=0.01] and pathologically negative lymph node metastasis (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.4-17.2; P=0.002) were independent relative factors for miR-9s methylation. Additionally, miR-9s methylation [hazard ratio (HR), 4.2; 95% CI, 1.2-27.0; P=0.026] and early pathological stage (HR, 8.3; 95% CI, 2.1-28.6; P=0.004) were found to be independent predictive factors for prolonged OS time by the Cox proportional hazard test. miR-9s methylation which induces expression silencing is common in NSCLC cases without lymph nodal metastasis, suggesting that miR-9s are oncogenically involved in NSCLC carcinogenesis through the promotion of tumor metastasis.

DOI： 10.3892/mco.2012.18

Acquired Resistance to EGFR Inhibitors Is Associated with a Manifestation of Stem Cell-like Properties in Cancer Cells Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Toyooka, S., Yamamoto, H., Soh, J., Jida, M., Thu, K. L., Hashida, S., Maki, Y., Ichihara, E., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Takigawa, N., Kiura, K., Gazdar, A. F., Lam, W. L., Miyoshi, S.

Cancer Res 73 ( 10 ) 3051 - 61 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH

Acquired resistance to EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is a critical problem in the treatment of lung cancer. Although several mechanisms have been shown to be responsible for acquired resistance, all mechanisms have not been uncovered. In this study, we investigated the molecular and cellular profiles of the acquired resistant cells to EGFR-TKI in EGFR-mutant lung cancers. Four EGFR-mutant cell lines were exposed to gefitinib by stepwise escalation and high-concentration exposure methods, and resistant sublines to gefitinib were established. The molecular profiles and cellular phenotypes of these resistant sublines were characterized. Although previously reported, alterations including secondary EGFR T790M mutation, MET amplification, and appearance of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) features were observed, these 2 drug-exposure methods revealed different resistance mechanisms. The resistant cells with EMT features exhibited downregulation of miRNA-200c by DNA methylation. Furthermore, the HCC827-derived subline characterized by the high-concentration exposure method exhibited not only EMT features but also stem cell-like properties, including aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform 1 (ALDH1A1) overexpression, increase of side-population, and self-renewal capability. Resistant sublines with stem cell-like properties were resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic agents but equally sensitive to histone deacetylase and proteasome inhibitors, compared with their parental cells. ALDH1A1 was upregulated in clinical samples with acquired resistance to gefitinib. In conclusion, our study indicates that the manner of EGFR-TKI exposure influences the mechanism of acquired resistance and the appearance of stem cell-like property with EGFR-TKI treatment.

DOI： 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-12-4136

Downregulation of microRNA-34 induces cell proliferation and invasion of human mesothelial cells Reviewed International journal

Tanaka, N., Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Tsukuda, K., Shien, K., Furukawa, M., Muraoka, T., Maki, Y., Ueno, T., Yamamoto, H., Asano, H., Otsuki, T., Miyoshi, S.

Oncol Rep 29 ( 6 ) 2169 - 74 2013

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor with a dismal prognosis, and the molecular alterations involved in this disease remain unknown. We previously reported that microRNA-34s (miR-34s) are methylated and downregulated in MM and may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of MM. In this study, we downregulated miR-34s in human mesothelial cells to investigate the cellular effect of miR-34 knockdown. For the cell study, we used LP-9, a human mesothelial cell line, and three human primary-cultured mesothelial cell lines. RNA-based miR-34a, -34b and -34c inhibitors were transfected into these cells, and their effects on proliferation and invasion were evaluated. A scramble RNA oligonucleotide was used as a control. The protein expression status was estimated using western blotting. After miR-34 inhibitor transfection, miR-34a, -34b and -34c were downregulated in all the examined mesothelial cell lines. miR-34 inhibitor transfection significantly increased cell proliferation in all of the mesothelial cell lines, compared with the scramble control. The invasive ability also increased in the miR-34 inhibitor transfectants, compared with the scramble control, in the LP-9 cell line. Western blotting confirmed the upregulation of c-MET, phospho-c-MET, and bcl-2 proteins in LP-9 cells after miR-34 inhibitor transfection. In conclusion, our study showed that the downregulation of miR-34s induced an oncogenic phenotype in non-malignant mesothelial cells. The present study, together with the results of our previous report, strongly suggest that miR-34s play an important role in the early carcinogenic process involved in the transformation of human mesothelial cells to MM.

DOI： 10.3892/or.2013.2351

Frequent methylation and oncogenic role of microRNA-34b/c in small-cell lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Norimitsu Tanaka, Shinichi Toyooka, Junichi Soh, Takafumi Kubo, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Yuho Maki, Takayuki Muraoka, Kazuhiko Shien, Masashi Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Ueno, Hiroaki Asano, Kazunori Tsukuda, Keisuke Aoe, Shinichiro Miyoshi

Lung Cancer 108 254 - 255 2012.6

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Elsevier Ireland Ltd

The publisher regrets errors were introduced in Fig. 3 A of the article described above. The images for both p-Scramble and p-miR-34b/c in SBC5 were incorrect. An amended version of Fig. 3 is shown below. Note that the analyses for both migration and invasion assays were appropriate and thus it is not necessary to correct the bar graphs in Fig. 3 as well as the legends for Fig. 3. The authors also consider that there is no need to correct any other parts of this article. The publisher would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2016.04.016

Ectopic cervical thymoma: a case report with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography findings. Reviewed

Shien K, Shien T, Soh J, Ikeda H, Nogami T, Taira N, Doihara H, Miyoshi S

Acta medica Okayama 66 ( 4 ) 357 - 61 2012.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OKAYAMA UNIV MED SCHOOL

Ectopic thymoma is considered to arise from ectopic thymus tissue deposited as a result of the abnormal mislocalization of thymus tissue during the embryonic stage. An 86-year-old man visited our hospital with chief complaints of hoarseness and a mass in his anterior neck. A preoperative needle biopsy of the mass did not yield a definitive diagnosis. A positron emission tomography (PET) study revealed heterogeneous accumulation of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in the tumor. The tumor, affecting the left sternocleidomastoid muscle, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, the internal carotid vein, and the brachiocephalic vein, was resected using a combination of a collar incision in the neck and a median incision in the sternum. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was diagnosed as an ectopic thymoma of the neck. To date, only a few cases of ectopic thymoma presenting with FDG accumulation have been reported. Our experience indicates that ectopic thymoma should be kept in mind during the differential diagnosis of neck tumors with FDG accumulation appearing on PET images.

DOI： 10.18926/amo/48691

Lung cancers with acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors occasionally harbor BRAF gene mutations but lack mutations in KRAS, NRAS, or MEK1 Reviewed International journal

Ohashi, K., Sequist, L. V., Arcila, M. E., Moran, T., Chmielecki, J., Lin, Y. L., Pan, Y., Wang, L., de Stanchina, E., Shien, K., Aoe, K., Toyooka, S., Kiura, K., Fernandez-Cuesta, L., Fidias, P., Yang, J. C., Miller, V. A., Riely, G. J., Kris, M. G., Engelman, J. A., Vnencak-Jones, C. L., Dias-Santagata, D., Ladanyi, M., Pao, W.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109 ( 31 ) E2127-33 - E2133 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：NATL ACAD SCIENCES

Acquired resistance to EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is inevitable in metastatic EGFR-mutant lung cancers. Here, we modeled disease progression using EGFR-mutant human tumor cell lines. Although five of six models displayed alterations already found in humans, one harbored an unexpected secondary NRAS Q61K mutation; resistant cells were sensitive to concurrent EGFR and MEK inhibition but to neither alone. Prompted by this finding and because RAS/RAF/MEK mutations are known mediators of acquired resistance in other solid tumors (colon cancers, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and melanomas) responsive to targeted therapies, we analyzed the frequency of secondary KRAS/NRAS/BRAF/MEK1 gene mutations in the largest collection to date of lung cancers with acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs. No recurrent NRAS, KRAS, or MEK1 mutations were found in 212, 195, or 146 patient samples, respectively, but 2 of 195 (1%) were found to have mutations in BRAF (G469A and V600E). Ectopic expression of mutant NRAS or BRAF in drug-sensitive EGFR-mutant cells conferred resistance to EGFR TKIs that was overcome by addition of a MEK inhibitor. Collectively, these positive and negative results provide deeper insight into mechanisms of acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs in lung cancer and inform ongoing clinical trials designed to overcome resistance. In the context of emerging knowledge about mechanisms of acquired resistance to targeted therapies in various cancers, our data highlight the notion that, even though solid tumors share common signaling cascades, mediators of acquired resistance must be elucidated for each disease separately in the context of treatment.

DOI： 10.1073/pnas.1203530109

Frequent methylation and oncogenic role of microRNA-34b/c in small-cell lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Tanaka, N., Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Kubo, T., Yamamoto, H., Maki, Y., Muraoka, T., Shien, K., Furukawa, M., Ueno, T., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Aoe, K., Miyoshi, S.

Lung Cancer 76 ( 1 ) 32 - 8 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive tumor with a dismal prognosis among primary lung cancers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can act as oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes in human malignancy. The miR-34 family is comprised of tumor-suppressive miRNAs, and its reduced expression by methylation has been reported in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we investigated the alteration and tumor-suppressive impact of miR-34s in SCLC. The methylation of miR-34a and miR-34b/c was observed in 4 (36%) and 7 (64%) of 11 SCLC cell lines, respectively. Among the 27 SCLC clinical specimens, miR-34a and miR-34b/c were methylated in 4 (15%) and 18 (67%), respectively. In contrast, 13 (28%) miR-34a methylated cases and 12 (26%) miR-34b/c methylated cases were found in 47 NSCLC primary tumors. The frequency of miR-34b/c methylation was significantly higher in SCLC than in NSCLC (p<0.001). The expressions of miR-34s were reduced in methylated cell lines and tumors and restored after 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment, indicating that methylation was responsible for the reduced expression of miR-34s. Because the frequency of methylation was higher in miR-34b/c, we focused on miR-34b/c for a functional analysis. We examined the effect of miR-34b/c introduction on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The transfection of miR-34b/c to two SCLC cell lines (H1048 and SBC5) resulted in the significant inhibition of cell growth, migration, and invasion, compared with control transfectants. Our results indicate that the aberrant methylation of miR-34b/c plays an important role in the pathogenesis of SCLC, implying that miR-34b/c may be a useful therapeutic target for SCLC.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2011.10.002

Strong anti-tumor effect of NVP-AUY922, a novel Hsp90 inhibitor, on non-small cell lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Ueno, T., Tsukuda, K., Toyooka, S., Ando, M., Takaoka, M., Soh, J., Asano, H., Maki, Y., Muraoka, T., Tanaka, N., Shien, K., Furukawa, M., Yamatsuji, T., Kiura, K., Naomoto, Y., Miyoshi, S.

Lung Cancer 76 ( 1 ) 26 - 31 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

The anti-tumor activity of a newly developed Hsp90 inhibitor, NVP-AUY922 (AUY922), against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was examined. Twenty-one NSCLC cell lines were used, the somatic alterations of which were characterized. Cell proliferation was analyzed using a modified MTS assay. Expression of the client proteins was assessed using Western blotting. The cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry. The IC50 value of AUY922 for the NSCLC cell lines ranged from 5.2 to 860 nM (median, 20.4 nM). Based on previous data, cells with an IC50 of less than 50 nM were classified as sensitive cells and 19 of the 21 NSCLC cell lines were judged to be sensitive. The IC50 of five malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cell lines revealed that the MPM cells had a significantly higher IC50 value (median, 89.2 nM; range, 22.2-24,100 nM) than the NSCLC cells (p=0.015). There was significant depletion of both the total and phosphorylated client proteins--EGFR, MET, HER2 and AKT--at low drug concentrations (50-100 nM) in drug-sensitive cell lines. Cell-cycle analysis was performed for two sensitive cell lines, H1975 and H838. Following AUY922 treatment, an increase in the sub-G0-G1 cell population, as well as appearance of cleaved PARP expression, indicated the induction of apoptosis. In conclusion, AUY922 was effective against most NSCLC cell lines, independent of the type of known molecular alteration, and appears to be a promising new drug for the treatment of NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2011.09.011

Knockdown of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene to investigate its therapeutic potential for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancers Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Ueno, T., Tsukuda, K., Soh, J., Suda, K., Kubo, T., Furukawa, M., Muraoka, T., Maki, Y., Tanaka, N., Yamamoto, H., Kiura, K., Mitsudomi, T., Toyooka, S., Miyoshi, S.

Clin Lung Cancer 13 ( 6 ) 488 - 93 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：CIG MEDIA GROUP, LP

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is often overexpressed in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Anti-EGFR agents, including EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors are considered to be effective when a drug-sensitive EGFR mutation is present. However, inherent and acquired resistances are major problems of EGFR-targeting therapies. In this study, we performed EGFR knockdown by using small interfering RNAs in NSCLC cell lines to examine the significance of targeting EGFR for NSCLC therapy. METHODS: We treated 13 NSCLC cell lines, including 8 EGFR mutant and 5 EGFR wild type by using gefitinib or small interfering RNAs against EGFR (siEGFR). Three cell lines (PC-9-GR1, RPC-9, and HCC827-ER) were experimentally established with acquired resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The antitumor effect was determined by using an 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-5-[3-carboxymethoxyphenyl]-2-[4-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) or colony formation assay. The protein expression was evaluated by using Western blotting. RESULTS: All 13 cell lines expressed EGFR protein, and siEGFR downregulated EGFR protein expression in all. The cell viability was suppressed by siEGFR in 6 of 8 EGFR-mutant cell lines (suppressed 57%-92% of control cells), including PC-9-GR1 and RPC-9. The NCI-H1650 and HCC827-ER harbored EGFR mutations but were not suppressed. Of note, PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) was deleted in NCI-H1650, and c-MET was amplified in HCC827-ER. It was not suppressed in any of the EGFR wild-type cells except in the NCI-H411, in which EGFR is phosphorylated, which indicates its activation. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the results indicated that EGFR can be a therapeutic target in NSCLCs with EGFR activation. In contrast, targeting EGFR is not appropriate for tumors in which EGFR is not activated, even if EGFR is expressed.

DOI： 10.1016/j.cllc.2012.02.003

Induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection for clinical T3 or T4 locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Toyooka, S., Kiura, K., Matsuo, K., Soh, J., Yamane, M., Oto, T., Takemoto, M., Date, H., Miyoshi, S.

Ann Surg Oncol 19 ( 8 ) 2685 - 92 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：SPRINGER

PURPOSE: To examine the usefulness of trimodality therapy in patients with clinical T3 or T4 (cT3-4) locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). METHODS: Between 1997 and 2009, a total of 76 LA-NSCLC patients with cT3-4 underwent surgery. Among them, 36 patients underwent induction chemoradiotherapy with docetaxel and cisplatin plus concurrent radiation followed by surgery (IC group). The other 40 patients initially underwent surgery (IS group). The outcomes of the IC and IS groups were then investigated. To minimize possible biases caused by confounding treatment indications, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis by applying a propensity score (PS). Patients were divided into three groups according to PS tertiles, and comparisons between the IC and IS groups were made by PS tertile-stratified Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: For the entire cohort, which had a median follow-up duration of 48 months, the 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 83.8 and 78.9%, respectively, in the IC group, versus 66.8 and 56.5%, respectively, in the IS group (P = 0.0092). After adjustments for potentially confounding variables, the IC group continued to have a significantly longer overall survival than the IS group (P = 0.0045). In addition, when the analysis was limited to 52 patients with cT3-4N0 or N1 disease, the IC group had a significantly longer overall survival than the IS group after adjustments for confounding variables (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that trimodality therapy is highly effective in patients with cT3-4 LA-NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1245/s10434-012-2302-x

Prognostic impact of cancer stem cell-related markers in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with induction chemoradiotherapy Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Toyooka, S., Ichimura, K., Soh, J., Furukawa, M., Maki, Y., Muraoka, T., Tanaka, N., Ueno, T., Asano, H., Tsukuda, K., Yamane, M., Oto, T., Kiura, K., Miyoshi, S.

Lung Cancer 77 ( 1 ) 162 - 7 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

The expression of several cancer stem cell (CSC)-related markers has been confirmed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical role of CSC-related markers in patients with NSCLC undergoing induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Fifty patients with clinically diagnosed N2 or N3 NSCLC who underwent induction CRT with docetaxel and cisplatin concurrently with thoracic radiation followed by surgery were examined in this study. The expressions of CSC related markers (CD133, ALDH1, ABCG2, and Bmi-1) were examined using immunohistochemical staining in surgically resected specimens. Among the 50 patients, 20 patients had no residual tumor cells in the resected specimen when examined pathologically; CSC-related marker expressions and their correlation to survival were evaluated in the other 30 patients. After a median follow-up period of 72 months, the 5-year overall survival rate of the patients with CD133-positive or ALDH1-positive specimens was significantly worse than that of the patients with both CD133-negative and ALDH1-negative expressions (44.9% vs. 90.0%, respectively; P = 0.042). In a multivariate analysis, CD133 and ALDH1 negativity (P = 0.047) and cN2-3 single station metastasis (P = 0.03) were significant independent prognostic factors for prolonged survival. The expressions of CSC-related markers after CRT were significantly correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. The development of therapeutic strategies including adjuvant therapy that take CSC-related marker positivity into consideration is likely to be a key factor in further improvements of the prognosis of patients undergoing trimodality therapy.

DOI： 10.1016/j.lungcan.2012.02.006

MicroRNA miR-34b/c enhances cellular radiosensitivity of malignant pleural mesothelioma cells Reviewed International journal

Maki, Y., Asano, H., Toyooka, S., Soh, J., Kubo, T., Katsui, K., Ueno, T., Shien, K., Muraoka, T., Tanaka, N., Yamamoto, H., Tsukuda, K., Kishimoto, T., Kanazawa, S., Miyoshi, S.

Anticancer Res 32 ( 11 ) 4871 - 5 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：INT INST ANTICANCER RESEARCH

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that epigenetic silencing of microRNA-34b/c (miR-34b/c) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). We examined the impact of miR-34b/c restoration on the radiosensitivity of MPM cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We established stable miR-34b/c and scramble transfectants of two MPM cell lines, H2052 and H28. We examined these transfectants by clonogenic survival assay, phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX) foci assay, cell-cycle analysis, and western blotting. RESULTS: The clonogenic survival assay revealed that miR-34b/c radiosensitized MPM cells. γH2AX foci assay showed that DNA double-strand break repair was delayed in miR-34b/c transfectants. The proportion of sub-G(1) phase cells was increased in miR-34b/c transfectants after irradiation. miR-34b/c inhibited expression of cyclin-D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6, B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) and increased cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (cPARP) and cleaved caspase-3 after irradiation. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that miR-34b/c enhances radiosensitivity by promoting radiation-induced apoptosis and suggested that miR-34b/c might be a useful therapeutic molecule to enhance radiotherapy in MPM.

Induction chemoradiotherapy is superior to induction chemotherapy for the survival of non-small-cell lung cancer patients with pathological mediastinal lymph node metastasis Reviewed International journal

Toyooka, S., Kiura, K., Shien, K., Katsui, K., Hotta, K., Kanazawa, S., Date, H., Miyoshi, S.

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 15 ( 6 ) 954 - 60 2012

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OXFORD UNIV PRESS

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of induction chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy and to identify the prognostic factors for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with mediastinal lymph node metastasis who were treated with induction therapy. METHODS: Between August 1995 and December 2010, 50 non-small-cell lung cancer patients with pathological mediastinal lymph node metastasis were scheduled to receive induction therapy followed by surgery. Irinotecan plus cisplatin was used for induction chemotherapy from June 1995 to April 1999, and docetaxel plus cisplatin with concurrent radiation at a dose of 40-46 Gy has been used for induction chemoradiotherapy since May 1999. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were treated with induction chemoradiotherapy and 15 were treated with induction chemotherapy. For the entire population, the 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 64.1 and 53.9%, respectively, and the 1-year and 2-year disease-free survival rates were 70.0 and 53.1%, respectively. Among the clinicopathological factors, the chemoradiotherapy group exhibited longer overall survival and disease-free survival than the chemotherapy group (overall survival, P = 0.0020; disease-free survival, P = 0.015). Pathological downstaging was also significantly associated with favorable overall survival (P = 0.0042) and disease-free survival (P = 0.021). A multivariate analysis showed that chemoradiotherapy (P = 0.0099) and pathological downstaging (P = 0.039) were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that induction chemoradiotherapy was superior to induction chemotherapy with regard to the outcome of non-small-cell lung cancer patients with mediastinal lymph node metastasis.

DOI： 10.1093/icvts/ivs412

Primary lung cancer surgery after curative chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer patients Reviewed International journal

Shien, K., Yamashita, M., Okazaki, M., Suehisa, H., Sawada, S., Miyoshi, S.

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 12 ( 6 ) 1002 - 6 2011

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：OXFORD UNIV PRESS

The safety and perioperative problems of primary lung cancer surgery after curative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for thoracic esophageal cancer (EC) are controversial. We retrospectively evaluated six patients who had received curative CRT for EC from 2003 to 2009, in whom the lung nodule was identified as a primary lung cancer and who subsequently underwent pulmonary resection. The treatment for EC consisted of chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil with concurrent curative thoracic radiotherapy (60 Gy). The median age at the surgery was 75 years (range 69-80 years). The median time from radiation to pulmonary resection was 26 months (range 7-70 months). All patients had a predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1))% of >40% before lung surgery. The surgical difficulty involves mediastinal lymph node dissection following tissue fibrotic changes after thoracic radiation. Postoperative complications occurred in two patients, and included arrhythmia and empyema. The patient who developed empyema had a massive pericardial effusion after CRT and underwent pericardial fenestration at the time of pulmonary resection. There was no operative mortality. Lung cancer surgery after curative CRT for EC is feasible in carefully evaluated and selected patients.

DOI： 10.1510/icvts.2010.263509

Combination treatment with fulvestrant and various cytotoxic agents (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine, and 5-fluorouracil) has a synergistic effect in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Reviewed International journal

Ikeda, H., Taira, N., Nogami, T., Shien, K., Okada, M., Shien, T., Doihara, H., Miyoshi, S.

Cancer Sci 102 ( 11 ) 2038 - 42 2011

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：WILEY-BLACKWELL

Patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers have a better prognosis than those with ER-negative breast cancers, but often have low sensitivity to chemotherapy and a limited survival benefit. We have previously shown a combination effect of taxanes and fulvestrant and suggested that this treatment may be useful for ER-positive breast cancer. In this study, we evaluated the effects of combinations of hormone drugs and chemotherapeutic agents. In vitro, the effects of combinations of five chemotherapeutic agents (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine, and 5-fluorouracil) and three hormone drugs (fulvestrant, tamoxifen, and 4-hydroxytamoxifen) were examined in ER-positive breast cancer cell lines using CalcuSyn software. Changes in chemoresistant factors such as Bcl2, multidrug resistance-associated protein 1, and microtubule-associated protein tau were also examined after exposure of the cells to hormone drugs. In vivo, tumor sizes in mice were evaluated after treatment with docetaxel or doxorubicin alone, fulvestrant alone, and combinations of these agents. Combination treatment with fulvestrant and all five chemotherapeutic agents in vitro showed synergistic effects. In contrast, tamoxifen showed an antagonistic effect with all the chemotherapeutic agents. 4-Hydroxytamoxifen showed an antagonistic effect with doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil, but a synergistic effect with taxanes and vinorelbine. Regarding chemoresistant factors, Bcl2 and microtubule-associated protein tau were downregulated by fulvestrant. In vivo, a combination of fulvestrant and docetaxel had a synergistic effect on tumor growth, but fulvestrant and doxorubicin did not show this effect. In conclusion, fulvestrant showed good compatibility with all the evaluated chemotherapeutic agents, and especially with docetaxel, in vitro and in vivo.

DOI： 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.02050.x

Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with a pulmonary arteriovenous fistula Reviewed

Shien, K., Yamashita, M., Okazaki, M., Suehisa, H., Sawada, S., Kurita, A.

Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 59 ( 5 ) 371 - 5 2011

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：5

We report an extremely rare case of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma with a pulmonary arteriovenous fistula (PAVF). A 60-year-old woman with vulvar carcinoma was admitted to our hospital for further examination of an abnormal shadow on chest computed tomography (CT). She showed hypoxemia in the arterial blood gas analysis. (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) showed consolidations in the left lower lobe and soft-tissue density lesions in the anterior mediastinum. Each lesion showed heterogeneous FDG uptake. Although needle biopsy of these lesions was performed, a pathological diagnosis was not obtained. For the evaluation of hypoxemia, chest contrast-enhanced CT was performed, and a PAVF in the consolidation of the left lower lobe was revealed. For diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, we performed left lower lobectomy under video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. In the surgical specimen the PAVF measured 3 cm, and histopathological examination revealed pulmonary MALT lymphoma adjacent to the PAVF.

DOI： 10.1007/s11748-010-0671-2

A CASE OF SCHWANNOMA OF THE MESOSIGMOID SHOWING HIGH RADIOTRACER CONCENTRATION ON FDG-PET

SHIEN Kazuhiko, KUBO Yoshiro, KOBATAKE Takaya, NOZAKI Isao, TANADA Minoru, KURITA Akira

The journal of the Japanese Practical Surgeon Society 71 ( 2 ) 541 - 545 2010.2

Language：Japanese Publisher：Japan Surgical Association

We report a case of a benign mesosigmoid schwannoma showing high radiotracer concentration on FDG-PET. A 66-year-old woman was admitted for abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed a 5-cm mass in the abdomen ; the FDG-PET examination showed a high radiotracer concentration. Malilgnant lymphoma or abdominal mesenchymal tumor was thought to be the most likely diagnosis. The tumor was resected. The inferior mesenteric artery was involved. On histopathology, the tumor was found to be composed of spindle-shaped cell bundles ; it was S-100 protein-positive, CD34-negative, CD117-negative, and α-SMA-negative. There were no findings suggestive of malignancy. A final diagnose of a benign mesosigmoid Schwannoma was made.

DOI： 10.3919/jjsa.71.541

Other Link： http://search.jamas.or.jp/link/ui/2010141883

Two case reports of esophageal schwannoma and literature review of case reports Reviewed

Kazuhiko Shien, Isao Nozaki, Takaya Kobatake, Kouzi Ohta, Yoshiro Kubo, Minoru Tanada, Akira Kurita

Japanese Journal of Gastroenterological Surgery 43 ( 11 ) 1106 - 1111 2010

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery

We report two cases of esophageal schwannoma. A 66-year-old woman (case 1) and a 56-year-old man (case 2) were admitted for abnormal shadows pointed out in barium esophagography. In case 1, an esophageal sub-mucosal tumor was resected by transthoracic esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction. In case 2, esophageal tumor was enucleated by thoracoscopic surgery. To remove the tumor from the muscular layer, a Sangstaken-Blakemore tube (S-B tube) was used intraoperatively inserted into the esophagus preoperatively. Both tumors consisted histopathologically of spindle-shaped cell bundles and S-100 protein expression was im-munohistochemically confirmed in both tumors. The definitive diagnose was benign esophageal schwannoma in both cases. Esophageal schwannoma is extremely rare, and we review 26 cases from the Japanese literature. © 2010 The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery.

DOI： 10.5833/jjgs.43.1106

呼吸器周術期の上室性不整脈に対するランジオロール塩酸塩の使用経験

沢田茂樹, 末久弘, 岡崎幹生, 枝園和彦, 小森栄作, 山下素弘

Progress in Medicine 29 ( 12 ) 3143 - 3145 2009.12

Language：Japanese Publisher：(株)ライフ・サイエンス

呼吸器術後に発生した上室性不整脈に対するランジオロール塩酸塩の使用経験を報告した。症例は56歳男で、検診の胸部X線写真で異常を指摘された。気管支カメラの生検で扁平上皮癌と診断され、手術を施行した。#10、11リンパ節が腫大し転移が疑われたので、予定どおり左肺全摘を行った。術後8時間より心房組動を発症した。ジギタリスを使用したが効果なく、ランジオロール塩酸塩を0.01mg/kg/minで開始し、漸増し、0.04mg/kg/minで洞調律に戻ったため中止した。中止約2時間後、再度心房細動あり、ランジオロール塩酸塩投与を再開し、洞調律に戻った。その他3例のランジオロール塩酸塩の使用を経験し、ランジオロール塩酸塩にて、血圧低下なく心拍数をコントロールできた。また、投与前後で酸素飽和度の変化はなく、呼吸状態に対し影響はないようであった。

局所進行非小細胞肺癌に対する集学的治療の現状と展望縦隔リンパ節転移を伴う非小細胞肺癌に対する術前放射線同時併用化学療法の治療成績

豊岡伸一, 木浦勝行, 武本充広, 山根正修, 大藤剛宏, 枝園和彦, 堀田勝幸, 頼冠名, 瀧川奈義夫, 田端雅弘, 佐野由文, 伊達洋至, 三好新一郎

肺癌 49 ( 5 ) 578 - 578 2009.10

Nissen手術を要した食道裂孔ヘルニア合併肺癌に対する肺切除例の検討

岡崎幹生, 豊岡伸一, 岡田真典, 枝園和彦, 田尾裕之, 山根正修, 大藤剛宏, 佐野由文

日本呼吸器外科学会雑誌 23 ( 3 ) 481 - 481 2009.4

【肺癌のUp-To-Date】肺癌手術の実際

山根正修, 岡崎幹生, 枝園和彦, 大藤剛宏, 佐野由文, 豊岡伸一

THE LUNG-perspectives 16 ( 4 ) 469 - 473 2008.10

Language：Japanese Publisher：(株)メディカルレビュー社

肺癌、特に早期の非小細胞肺癌に対する治療において外科的切除は重要な位置を占める。医学の進歩により胸腔鏡を用いた手術、また、非浸潤肺癌に対する積極的縮小手術、術前導入療法、術後補助療法の付加など手術を取り巻く環境も次第に変化している。本稿では岡山大学で行っている肺癌手術を中心とした肺癌への取り組みについて述べる。(著者抄録)

A case of metachronous brain metastases from gastric cancer with no recurrence Reviewed

Masatoshi Kubo, Kazuhiko Shien, Yusuke Konishi, Naohisa Waki, Makio Hayama, Katsuya Miyatani, Tetsunobu Udaka, Minoru Mizuta, Kazutoyo Shirakawa

Japanese Journal of Gastroenterological Surgery 41 ( 11 ) 1921 - 1926 2008

Language：Japanese Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery

A 75-year-old man with acute myeloid leukemia brought to complete remission by systemic chemotherapy was diagnosed by gastrointestinal endoscopy with advanced gastric cancer of the upper stomach during examination for severe anemia. He underwent total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy. One year and 5 months later, he underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain due to changes in personality and vomiting. MRI showed three cerebral metastases, but computed tomography (CT) of the chest and abdomen and ultrasound imaging of the abdomen found no other metastasis. Tumor markers were within normal limits. The brain tumor was biopsied because acute myeloid leukemia recurrence could not be ruled out, and histopathological examination showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma consistent with gastric cancer, yielding a definitive diagnosis of brain metastases from gastric cancer. He underwent cyberknife radiosurgery to lessen clinical symptoms and was discharged. Although a second cyberknife radiosurgery was required for two brain metastases 5 months after initial radiosurgery, he is doing well without evidence of metastases to the brain, chest, or abdomen, one year after the diagnosis of brain metastasis. ©2008 The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery.

DOI： 10.5833/jjgs.41.1921

　 PREV - NEXT 　

1