Pang Fuwan Uses Yao Medicine to Observe the Therapeutic Effects on the Physical and Mental Symptoms of Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: Investigate the efficacy and safety of Yao Medicine in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma, and explore the best therapeutic measure for clinical benefit. Methods: From July 2020 to July 2022, 84 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma were selected and randomly divided into the Observation Group and control group, and the control group was treated with routine Western medicine, with 42 cases in each group. The activity of daily living (ADL) was assessed before and after treatment, meanwhile, the self-rating depression scale (SDS) and self-rating anxiety SAS (SAS) were used to assess the improvement of a bad mood, and quality of life SF-36 was used to assess the quality of life, to judge the efficacy and safety. Results: The effective rate of observation group was 91.67%. The effective rate of the control group was 76.19%. The effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P 0.05). There were no significant differences in the scores of SDS, SAS and quality of life between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05), and after treatment, the scores of SDS, SAS and quality of life in the two groups were compared with those in the control group (P > 0.05), the scores of VAS, SDS and SAS decreased significantly, while ESCV, angle of straight leg elevation, ADL, physiological score, emotional score, social score and health status score increased significantly, the difference was statistically significant (P 0.05). Conclusion: Yao Medicine can improve the psychosomatic symptoms of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma better, with better efficacy and higher safety.

Analysis and Review of Downregulated Actin Cytoskeletal Proteins in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Actin, a highly conserved protein, plays a dominant role in Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Late diagnosis and the aggressive nature of NSCLC pose a significant threat. Studying the clinic pathological properties of NSCLC proteins is a potential alternative for developing treatment strategies. Towards this, 35 downregulated actin cytoskeletal proteins on NSCLC prognosis and treatment were studied by examining their protein-protein interactions, gene ontology enrichment terms, and signaling pathways. Using PubMed, various proteins in NSCLC were identified. The protein-protein interactions and functional associations of these proteins were examined using the STRING database. The focal adhesion signaling pathway was selected from all available KEGG and Wiki pathways because of its role in regulating gene expression, facilitating cell movement and reproduction, and significantly impacting NSCLC. The protein-protein interaction network of the 35 downregulated actin cytoskeleton proteins revealed that ACTG1, ACTR2, ACTR3, ANXA2, ARPC4, FLNA, TLN1, CALD1, MYL6, MYH9, MYH10, TPM1, TPM3, TPM4, PFN1, IQGAP1, MSN, and ZXY exhibited the highest number of interactions. Whereas HSPB1, CTNNA1, KRT17, KRT7, FLNB, SEPT2, and TUBA1B displayed medium interactions, while UTRN, TUBA1B, and DUSP23 had relatively fewer interactions. It was discovered that focal adhesions are critical in connecting membrane receptors with the actin cytoskeleton. In addition, protein kinases, phosphatases, and adapter proteins were identified as key signaling molecules in this process, greatly influencing cell shape, motility, and gene expression. Our analysis shows that the focal adhesion pathway plays a crucial role in NSCLC and is essential for developing effective treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes.

Efficacy and Safety of Primary Radiotherapy in Combination with EGFR-TKIs for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring EGFR Mutation

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of EGFR-TKI with the radiotherapy in EGFR mutant metastatic NSCLC. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 72 patients with stage IV lung cancer with EGFR-sensitive mutation. Patients in the A group were treated with the first-generation EGFR-TKI (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor) combined with radiotherapy for primary tumors (34 cases). The B group was treated with the first-generation EGFR-TKI alone until the disease progressed (38 cases). PFS, OS, pulmonary infection and hematological toxicity during treatment were commented in both groups. Results: The objective remission rate was 47.1% (16/34) in the A group and 21.1% (8/38) in the B group. There was a significant difference between the two groups. There was no significant difference in hematological toxicity between the A group and the B group. There were 10 patients (29.4%) with degree II pulmonary infection in the A group and 3 patients (7.9%) in the B group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant, suggesting that the incidence of pneumonia in the A group was higher than that in the B group. The median PFS (Progression-Free Survival)) and OS (Overall Survival) of the A group were significantly longer than those of the B group (16.5 months vs 9 months) and the median OS (36 months vs 19 months). The PFS and OS in the A group were significantly longer than those in the B group. Conclusion: EGFR-TKI combined with primary radiotherapy can significantly prolong the drug resistance time of EGFR mutant metastatic NSCLC.

Synchronous multiple lung cancers with hilar lymph node metastasis of small cell carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Synchronous multiple lung cancers are rare and refer to the simultaneous presence of two or more primary lung tumors,which present significant challenges in terms of diagnosis and treatment.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of multiple synchronous lung cancers with hilar lymph node metastasis of small cell carcinoma of unknown origin in a 73-year-old man.Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma.Although enlargement of lymph node 12u was detected,no distant metastases were observed.The patient was preoperatively diagnosed with T1cN0M0 and underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy with nodal dissection(ND2a).Based on histopathological findings,the primary lesion was squamous cell carcinoma.A microinvasive adenocarcinoma was also observed on the cranial side of the primary lesion.Tumors were detected in two resected lymph nodes(#12u and#11s).Both tumors were pathologically diagnosed as small cell carcinomas.The primary lesion of the small cell carcinoma could not be identified even by whole-body imaging;however,chemotherapy was initiated for hilar lymph node metastasis of the small cell carcinoma of unknown origin.CONCLUSION Multiple synchronous lung cancers can be accompanied by hilar lymph node metastasis of small cell carcinomas of unknown origin.

Relevance of EGFR gene mutation with pathological features and prognosis in patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma

Objective:To study the relevance of EGFR gene mutation with pathological features and prognosis in patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma.Methods:A total of 297 patients from July 2009 to May 2013 were chosen as objects.EGFR gene mutation were detected with fluorescence quantitative PCR.Relevance of EGFR gene mutation with clinical and pathological features was analyzed,and the prognosis of EGFR- mutant-patients and that of EGFR- wide type-patients was compared.Results:In 297 patients.136(45.79%) showed EGFR gene mutation.EGFR gene mutation had no significant relevance with age.gender,smoking history,family history of cancer and clinical stage(P>0.05);there was significant relevance between EGFR gene mutation and blood type,pathologic types,differentiation and diameter of cancer(P<0.05).The difference between prognosis of EGFR- mutant-patients and that of EGFR- wide type-patients was statistical significance(P<0.05).Conclusions:EGFR gene mutation has significant relevance with pathological features,the prognosis of EGFRmutant-paticnts is better than that of EGFR- wide type-patients.

Review of the treatment of metastatic non small cell lung carcinoma:A practical approach

In recent years,as we have a better knowledge and understanding of the biology of non small cell lung carcinoma(NSCLC),which leads us to targeting biomarkers driving the NSCLC carcinogenesis and metastatic potential,we now have an increased number of options to offer our patients with NSCLC.We also realize the importance of distinguishing squamous and non squamous histology to guide our treatment decisions of NSCLC.The palliative care concomitant with therapies from the very start of the treatment also showed an impact on survival.This review examines the treatment options in all lines of therapy for metastatic NSCLC that have been approved in Canada,the United States,or Europe.

Inhibitory Effect of MiR-449b on Cancer Cell Growth and Invasion through LGR4 in Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma

Non-small-cell lung carcinoma （NSCLC） is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Previous studies have shown that microRNA-449b （miR-449b） functions as a tumor suppressor in many cancers. However, the role of miR- 449b in NSCLC is still unknown. In the present study, miR-449b was significantly down- regulated in NSCLC samples and cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 3＇-UTR region of leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 4 （LGR4） mRNA had putative complementary sequences to miR-449b, which was further confirmed by the luciferase assay. Western blotting showed that restoration of miR-449b in NSCLC cells decreased the expression of LGR4. Interestingly, over-expression of miR-449b inhibited growth and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro. Furthermore, ectopic expression of LGR4 reversed miR-449b-suppressed proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells. Therefore, the data of the present study demonstrate that miR-449b inhibits tumor cell growth and invasion by targeting LGR4 in NSCLC.

A Case Report of a Rare Sarcomatoid Poorly Differentiated Adenocarcinoma Harboring Concurrent Mutations in the ROS1, EGFR, ARID1A, and NFKBIA Genes in the Lung

ROS1 and EGFR are primary oncogenic drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pathogenesis. However, EGFR mutations and ROS1 fusions are generally mutually exclusive in NSCLC, leading to a negligible probability of their co-occurrence. Consequently, clinical data and treatment strategies for their simultaneous presence are remarkably scarce. This report details the first recorded case of a sarcomatoid, poorly differentiated lung adenocarcinoma harboring both a ROS1 fusion and an EGFR mutation, alongside ARID1A and NFKBIA gene mutations. Moreover, this case study encompasses a review of instances featuring concurrent ROS1 and EGFR mutations. The identified genetic alterations in ROS1, EGFR, ARID1A, and NFKBIA are pivotal in the etiology of NSCLC. These mutations significantly influence disease progression and are essential for the development of personalized therapeutic approaches. Recognizing the unique genetic profiles in patients permits healthcare providers to devise customized treatment regimens that target these specific mutations, thereby enhancing patient outcomes in NSCLC.

AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF OCCULT MICRO- METASTASES IN REGIONAL LYMPH NODES OF 94 PATIENTS WITH STAGE I NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CARCINOMA

In the study, 739 regional lymph nodes from 94 patients with stage I non- small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) were studied by immunohistochemical techniques. These lymph nodes contained no metastatic tumor as assessed by conventional histopatholgy were recut. A series of consecutive sections from the original blocks were immunostained with poly-and monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratins, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and human milk fat globulin membrane antigen (HMFG-2). Single tumor cells or small clusters of tumor cells, not visible on routine examination, were readily detected. The actual number of lymph nodes that contained occult tumor cells was 123 (16.6%) from 53 patients (56.4%). The majority of 102 immunostalned positive nodes were distributed in the hllar (29% ) and peribronchlal (25%) regions. Our data indicate that (1) a series of consecutive sections and immunohistochemistry may greatly Increase the diagnostic yield of occult micrometastases in lymph nodes; (2) the high incidence of occult metastases in NSCLC may be of Importance in relation to their rapid dissemination and high death rates; (3) the high frequencyof occult nodal metastases in NSCLC raises questions in regard to our presently used criteria for staging, prognosis and treatment of ostensibly stage I disease; and (4) perhaps dissections of hllar and peribronchlal nodes will have an Importantly clinical significance in prevention of wide dissemination of tumor cells.

Aquaporin 5 Expression and Its Relationship to Apoptosis in Different Grades of Differentiated Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Aquaporin 5 has been recently found as an important oncogenic marker whose expression levels seem to be determined by the level of cellular differentiation. Despite aquaporin volume decrease (AVD) being the most conserved earliest event in apoptosis, there is still a paucity of studies exploring on aquaporin expression and its relationship with apoptosis in cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of aquaporin 5 channel protein and to explore on its relationship with apoptosis in well and poorly differentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma both in-vivo and in-vitro. Findings from the study showed that the expression of AQP5 both in-vivo and in-vitro was dependent on the type and degree of tumour differentiation. In-vivo, an increase in aquaporin 5 expression was associated with an increased apoptosis in both poorly and highly differentiated adenocarcinoma (AC) while there was no association between aquaporin 5 expression and apoptosis in both poorly and highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In vitro, differentiation therapy in the form of ATRA decreased both cell proliferation and increased the expression of AQP5 in A549 cells. The cytomorphological changes, expression of differentiation markers and flow cytometry apoptotic results were dependent on the dose of ATRA treatment. In conclusion, a higher expression of aquaporin 5 was found to promote the rate of the apoptotic process in lung adenocarcinoma (AC).

The ^(18)F-FDG uptake in non small cell lung carcinoma correlates with the DNA-grading of malignancy

In order to evaluate correlation of glucose metabolism and DNA ploidity of tumors, the uptake of 18F-Deoxyglucose (FDG) by PET prior to surgery and the DNA cotent and DNA-grading of malignancy (DNA-MG) of Schiff-stained nuclei obtained from fresh tumor fragments by means of image cytometry were studied, and thereafter the correlation between standardized uptake value (SUV) and (DNA-MG) was analysed in forty-nine patients with histologically proven non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). As a result of the DNA histograms of these 49 patients, 46 (93.88%) were aneuploid and only 3(6.12%) were tetraploid. A linear correlation of the SUV versus the (DNA-MG) (r=0.336, p=0.024) was found, demonstrating that 18F-FDG PET as a non-invasive metabolic imaging technique, may also provide inforrnation correlated to malignant DNA patterns which may be valuable in malignant differentiation and prognostic prediction.

Two Molecular Markers of Early Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Based on Gene Expression in Peripheral Blood

Background: Lung cancer is among the most common cancers. Search is ongoing to find biomarkers to improve the diagnosis lung cancer techniques in early stages. In this study we evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the MUC1 and CEA gene expressions in the peripheral blood of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Material and Methods: This study was done in Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran and was case/control study that conducted on 30 NSCLC patients and 30 healthy controls. Peripheral blood was collected and total RNA was extracted then cDNA was synthesized. Sample was separately assessed by real time PCR. Results: The expression of CEA gen was positive in 24 patients indicating 80% sensitivity for this marker. The expression of CEA gen was positive in 9 controls out of 30 each. A statistically significant difference was detected between patients and healthy controls with regard to CEA mRNA expression (P 0.001). The MUC1 gen expressed in 20 out of 30 patients, while it expressed in 3 controls. The difference in MUC1 mRNA expression was statistically significant between NSCLC patients and healthy controls (P 0.001). Conclusion: MUC1 and CEA are molecular biomarkers with relatively favorable sensitivity for primary diagnosis of NSCLC.

Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Stage I Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma in Patients Aged 75 Years and Older

Purpose: We report our single-institution experience using hypofractionated radiotherapy in a patient population 75 years and older diagnosed with stage IA or IB (T1/T2 N0) Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma. Materials and methods: This is a single-institution, retrospective analysis examining disease free and overall survival and toxicity after hypofractionated radiation therapy in a patient population 75 years and older diagnosed with stage IA or IB (T1/T2 N0) NSCLC. Between 1991 and 2005, a total of 33 such patients were identified with a median age of 79 years. Patients were treated with a median total dose of 7000 cGy using median daily dose fractions of 250 cGy. Analysis of competing risks (local failure, distal failure or death as the first event) was performed and cumulative incidence functions (CIF) were estimated. Results: The median length of follow-up was 19.8 months (range: 4.3 - 103.8 months). Of the 33 patients treated, 21 (63.6% of total) had no evidence of disease recurrence on follow-up imaging over the course of the study. Of the 12 patients with disease recurrence, 6 (18.2% of total) had local failure as the first event and 6 (18.2% of total) had distant metastasis as the first event. Analysis of competing risks showed that at 5 years, the probability of local failure as the first detected event was 19.5% (95%CI: 7.6%, 35.6%);the probability of distal failure as the first detected event was 21.5% (95%CI: 7.9%,39.4%);and the probability of death without recording a failure was 44.1% (95%CI: 26.1%, 60.7%). There were no treatment related deaths reported. Conclusions: Elderly patients diagnosed with stage I non-small cell lung cancer may safely be offered hypofractionated radiotherapy as an effective option with curative intent.

Improvement of Quality of Life with Shenfu Injection (参附注射液) in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin Regimen

Objective： To observe the effect of Shenfu injection （参附注射液, SFI） in treating non small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） patients on quality of life with gemcitabine （GEM） plus cisplatin （GP） regimen. Methods： Thirty-four patients were ready to receive GP regimen chemotherapy for treating NSCLC disease, according to lot-drawing, they were divided into SFI pre-treatment group （18 cases） and SFI post-treatment group （ 16 cases）. SFI pre-treatment group： During the first treatment course, chemotherapy was begun with SFI 60 ml, intravenous dripping on the 3rd day, once daily, consecutively for 10 days; on the 1st day, GP regimen （GEM 1250 mg/m^2 , intravenous dripping, on the 1st and 8th day; cisplatin 70 mg/m^2 on the 2nd day; 21 days as one cycle） was carried out; in the second treatment course GP regimen was merely given to serve as the self-control. SFI post-treatment group： the medicament sequence order was reversed from that of pre-treatment group. Using dual international quality of life （QOL） scores, the effect of SFI on the patients＂ QOL was observed through randomized self pre- and post- crossover control. Results： The QOL in the 34 patients after being treated by SFI in combination with GP chemotherapy regimen in one group, and GP chemotherapy regimen alone in the other, was improved in different degrees, with significant difference （P〈0.01）; comparision of SFI combined with GP chemotherapy regimen with GP chemotherapy alone showed that QOL in patients was significantly different （P〈0.01）. Conclusion： SFI could improve QOL in patients with NSCLC who were treated with GP regimen.

Nedaplatin/Gemcitabine Versus Carboplatin/Gemcitabine in Treatment of Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective： To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nedaplatin/gemcitabine （NG） and carboplatin/gemcitabine （CG） in the management of untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods： Sixty-two patients with previously untreated advanced NSCLC were recruited between June 2006 and November 2007. Subjects were randomly assigned to the NG arm （n=30） and the CG arm （n=32）. Only patients （24 and 25 in the NG and CG arms, respectively） who completed 〉2 chemotherapy cycles were included in the data analysis. The primary outcome measure was the objective response rate （ORR）. The secondary outcome measures included progression-free survival （PFS）, overall survival （OS） and adverse events. Results： There were no statistically significant differences in the efficacy measures （ORR, P=0.305; median PFS, P=0.298, median OS, P=0.961） or in the major adverse events （grade 3/4 neutropenia, P=0.666; grade 3/4 anemia, P=0.263; grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia, P=0.222） between the two treatment arms. However, there was a trend towards higher ORR （37.5% vs. 24.0%）, longer PFS （6.0 vs. 5.0 months）, and less adverse events in the NG arm. Conclusion： NG regimen seems to be superior over CG regimen for advance NSCLS, but further investigation is needed to validate this superiority.

Identification of plasma microRNA-21 as a biomarker for early detection and chemosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer

Studies have shown cell-free microRNA(miRNA) circulating in the serum and plasma with specific expression in cancer,indicating the potential of using miRNAs as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and therapy.This study was to investigate whether plasma miRNA-21(miR-21) can be used as a biomarker for the early detection of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and to explore its association with clinicopathologic features and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy.We used real-time RT-PCR to investigate the expression of miR-21 in the plasma of 63 NSCLC patients and 30 healthy controls and correlated the findings with early diagnosis,pathologic parameters,and treatment.Thirty-five patients(stages IIIB and IV) were evaluable for chemotherapeutic responses:11 had partial response(PR);24 had stable and progressive disease(SD+PD).Plasma miR-21 was significantly higher in NSCLC patients than in age-and sex-matched controls(P<0.001).miR-21 was related to TNM stage(P<0.001),but not related to age,sex,smoking status,histological classification,lymph node status,and metastasis(all P>0.05).This marker yielded a receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve area of 0.775(95% CI:0.681-0.868) with 76.2% sensitivity and 70.0% specificity.Importantly,miR-21 plasma levels in PR samples were several folds lower than that in SD plus PD samples(P=0.049),and were close to that in healthy controls(P=0.130).Plasma miR-21 can serve as a circulating tumor biomarker for the early diagnosis of NSCLC and is related to the sensitivity to platinum-base chemotherapy.

Shenqi Fuzheng injection combined with GP chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer： a meta-analysis

Objective： To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Shenqi Fuzheng injection combined with gemcitabine plus cisplatin（GP） in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods： we performed a systematicsearch in the electronic databases such as Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Embase, Chinese Journal Full-text Database,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Full-text Database andWanfang Database up to 30 January 2017. Randomized controlled trials （RCT） of Shenqi Fuzheng Injectioncombined with GP chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC were searched, and all the RCTs wereconducted on methodological quality assessment. Data extraction and data analysis were according to standards ofCochrane systematic review. Results： Eight trials were included including a total of 701 patients. Meta-analysisresults： Shenqi Fuzheng injection combined with GP chemotherapy could significantly improve the functionalstatus of patients with NSCLC （OR = 3.44, 95% CI [2.26, 5.25], P 〈 0.0001） and clinical treatment efficacy （OR =（OR = 0.31, 95%CI [0.20, 0.47], P 〈 0.0001. The rate of leukopenia （OR = .31, 95%CI [0.20,0.47], P 〈 0.0001）,thrombocytopenia （OR = 0.58, 95%CI [0.37, 0.91], P = 0.020）, hemoglobin decline （（OR = 0.31, 95%CI [0.16,0.59], P = 0.0004） and incidence of gastrointestinal reactions （OR = 0.58,P 〈 0.05） could be reduced. Conclusion：Shenqi Fuzheng injection combined with GP chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC obtainedsignificantly clinical efficacy. The quality of the literature incorporated is low, the conclusion requires high-qualityresearch to further prove.

Clinical characteristics and response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors of patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring uncommon epidermal growth factor receptor mutations

Objective： To investigate the clinical features of patients with non-small cell lung cancer（NSCLC） harboring uncommon epidermal growth factor receptor（EGFR） mutations, and the treatment outcomes of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors（TKIs） in these patients.Methods： We retrospectively analyzed the data of 128 NSCLC patients pathologically diagnosed with uncommon EGFR mutation in the Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences ＆ Peking Union Medical College and Beijing Hospital from January 2010 to December 2015, including 40 advanced patients who received EGFR-TKI.Results： Among the total 128 patients, 11 patients were non-adenocarcinoma, including squamous carcinoma（3.9%）, adenosquamous carcinoma（2.3%）, large cell carcinoma（0.8%）, and composite neuroendocrine carcinoma（1.6%）. Single mutations accounted for 75.0%（96/128）, including G719X（29.7%）, S768I（18.0%）, 20 exon insertion（13.3%）, L861Q（12.5%）, De novo T790M（0.8%）, and T725（0.8%）. Thirty-two patients harbored complex mutations. Forty advanced patients received EGFR-TKI, the objective response rate（ORR） was 20.0%,the disease control rate（DCR） was 85.0%, and the progression-free survival（PFS） was 6.4 [95% confidence interval（95% CI）, 4.8–7.9] months. The exploratory analysis of tumor response and PFS in 33 patients with G719X/S768I/L861 Q subtypes showed that ORR was 21.2%（7/33）, the DCR was 93.9%（31/33）, and PFS was 7.6（95% CI, 5.8–9.4） months. Patients with exon 20 insertion mutation and De novo T790 M experienced rapid disease progression with PFS no more than 2.7 months.Conclusions： Uncommon EGFR-mutant NSCLCs are heterogeneous, EGFR-TKIs can have different efficacy in this specific subtype, and thus further individual assessment is required for each case.

A Preliminary Analysis of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Biomarkers in Serum

To identify potential serum biomarkers that could be used to discriminate lung cancers from normal. Methods Proteomic spectra of twenty-eight serum samples from patients with non-small cell lung cancer and twelve from normal individuals were generated by SELDI (Surfaced Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization) Mass Spectrometry. Anion-exchange columns were used to fractionate the sera into 6 designated pH groups. Two different types of protein chip arrays, IMAC-Cu and WCX2, were employed. Samples were examined in PBSII Protein Chip Reader (Ciphergen Biosystem Inc) and the discriminatory profiling between cancer and normal samples was analyzed with Biomarker Pattern software. Results Five distinct potential lung cancer biomarkers with higher sensitivity and specificity were found, with four common biomarkers in both IMAC-Cu and WCX2 chip; the remaining biomarker occurred only in WCX2 chip. Two biomarkers were up-regulated while three biomarkers were down-regulated in the serum samples from patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The sensitivities provided by the individual biomarkers were 75%-96.43% and specificities were 75%-100%. Conclusions The preliminary results suggest that serum is a capable resource for detecting specific non-small cell lung cancer biomarkers. SELDI mass spectrometry is a useful tool for the detection and identification of new potential biomarker of non-small cell lung cancer in serum.

Efficacy and safety evaluation of icotinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Objective： To evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib hydrochloride in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods： A total of 89 patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC received icotinib at a dose of 125 mg administered 3 times a day. Icotinib treatment was continued until disease progression or development of unacceptable toxicity. Results： A total of 89 patients were assessable. In patients treated with icotinib, the overall response rate （RR） was 36.0% （32/89）, and the disease control rate （DCR） was 69.7% （62/89）. RR and DCR were significantly improved in patients with adenocarcinoma versus non-adenocarcinoma （P〈0.05）. The symptom improvement rate was 57.3% （51/89）, and the main symptoms improved were cough, pain, chest distress, dyspnea, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. The main toxic effects were rash [30/89 （33.7%）] and diarrhea [15/89 （16.9%）]. The level of toxicity was typically low. Conclusions： The use of icofinib hydrochloride in the treatment of advanced NSCLC is efficacious and safe, and its toxic effects are tolerable.