Artificial Neural Networks as a Way to Predict Future Kidney Cancer Incidence in the United States

IntroductionThe incidence of kidney cancer is increasing; it could be counteracted with new ways to predict and detect it. We aimed to implement an artificial neural network in order to predict new cases of renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) in the population using population rate, obesity, smoking incidence, uncontrolled hypertension, and life expectancy data in the United States.Patients and MethodsStatistics were collected on US population numbers, life expectancy, obesity, smoking, and hypertension. We used MATLAB R2018 (MathWorks) software to implement an artificial neural network. Data were repeatedly and randomly divided into training (70%) and validation (30%) subsets.ResultsThe number of new RCC cases will grow from 44,400 (2020) to 55,400 (2050), an increase of +24.7%. Our data show that preventing hypertension would have the greatest impact on reduction of the incidence, estimated at ?775 and ?575 cases per year in 2020 and in 2030, respectively. The prevention of obesity and smoking would have a more limited impact, estimated at ?64 and ?180 cases per year in 2020 and in 2030, respectively, for obesity, and ?173 and ?21 cases per year in 2020 and in 2030, respectively, for smoking.ConclusionsOur predictions underline the need for accurate studies on RCC-related risk factors to reduce the incidence.     

纳武利尤单抗联合DP方案超选择性支气管动脉栓塞灌注治疗晚期非小细胞肺癌的临床研究

目的 探讨纳武利尤单抗联合DP方案超选择性支气管动脉栓塞灌注治疗晚期非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）患者的临床疗效。方法 选取2018年12月—2020年12月在成都医学院第一附属医院呼吸与危重症医学科收治的晚期NSCLC患者187例,将患者按照治疗方法分为对照组（92例）和观察组（95例）。对照组使用超选择支气管动脉栓塞灌注化疗治疗,输注2 000 mL 0.9%氯化钠溶液或糖盐水水化,0.9%氯化钠溶液100 mL分别稀释多西他赛注射液及顺铂注射液,37.5 mg/m²,先缓慢注入稀释后多西他赛,间隔30 min再注入稀释后顺铂。灌注化疗间隔3周,共4个疗程。观察组患者在对照组的基础上静脉输注纳武利尤单抗注射液,3 mg/kg,每2周用药1次,直至患者不耐受或病情进展。观察两组患者临床疗效,比较治疗前后Karnofsky功能状态评分（KPS）、肿瘤标志物和T淋巴细胞亚群变化以及化疗期间不良反应情况。结果 治疗后,观察组的总有效率为65.26%,显著高于对照组的40.22%,两组比较差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗后,两组患者KPS评分较化疗前均增加（P<0.05）,且观察组KPS评分增加程度明显较对照组大（P<0.05）。治疗后,两组患者血清癌抗原125（CA125）、癌胚抗原（CEA）、CYFRA21-1水平较化疗前降低（P<0.05）;且观察组肿瘤标志物水平显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗后,对照组患者CD3⁺、CD4⁺和CD4⁺/CD8⁺均显著降低（P<0.05）,而观察组患者显著升高（P<0.05）;观察组免疫功能指标显著优于对照组（P<0.05）。两组患者化疗期间不良反应发生率比较差异无统计学意义。结论 纳武利尤单抗联合DP方案超选择性支气管动脉栓塞灌注治疗对晚期NSCLC患者近期疗效良好,且可以改善患者生存资料和免疫功能,降低肿瘤标志物水平,不良反应轻,患者耐受性较好。     

Peripheral Blood Biomarkers Associated with Clinical Outcome in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Nivolumab

Objective

The aim of this study was to identify baseline peripheral blood biomarkers associated with clinical outcome in patients with NSCLC treated with nivolumab.

Soluble Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 as a Novel Biomarker for Nivolumab Therapy for Non–Small-cell Lung Cancer

Background

Biomarkers for predicting the effect of anti–programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody against non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are urgently required. Although it is known that the blood levels of soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 (sPD-L1) are elevated in various malignancies, the nature of sPD-L1 has not been thoroughly elucidated. We investigated the significance of plasma sPD-L1 levels as a biomarker for anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody, nivolumab therapy.

Nivolumab treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma: Considerations for clinical practice

Background

Nivolumab is an important new therapy option for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, and has a different mechanism of action compared with vascular endothelial growth factor -targeted therapies. It is a programmed death 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody with response patterns, efficacy, and safety profiles that differ from those of conventional antiangiogenic or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition therapy.

The safety and efficacy of nivolumab for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

Introduction: Despite a variety of therapies for advanced advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, outcomes for these patients are still not optimal. Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab, a fully human immunoglobulin (Ig) G4 PD-1 inhibitor antibody, is a promising development in RCC and provides a new therapeutic option for patients with advanced disease.

Areas Covered: This article reviews safety and efficacy data from the phase I, II, and III clinical trials that have led to the approval of nivolumab for the treatment of patients with advanced RCC who have previously been treated with VEGF-directed therapy.

Expert Commentary: Given the overall survival advantage with nivolumab compared to previously approved therapy, nivolumab is a new standard of care in the second-line setting for patients with advanced RCC. Additional studies are underway to answer important questions including the identification of biomarkes and the use of nivolumab in treatment-naïve patients.     

Severe interstitial pneumonia associated with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint antibody after talc slurry pleurodesis

A 70-year-old Japanese man with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck presented with severe interstitial pneumonia associated with nivolumab, after talc slurry pleurodesis. Following the development of malignant pleural effusion, he underwent chest drainage and was administered intrathoracic talc as a pleurodesis. Two weeks later, we administered nivolumab (3 mg/kg) to be repeated every 2 weeks. However, on day 12, chest computed tomography scan demonstrated diffuse non-segmental ground-glass opacity and mild bronchiectasis. We diagnosed interstitial pneumonia associated with nivolumab. Although corticosteroid pulse therapy was initiated, the patient died of respiratory failure on day 14.