Browsing by Author "Jovanović, Dragana (58721901700)"

Introduction Amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, which contains iodine compound, has a tendency to accumulate in some organs including the lungs. This is age, drug dosage and therapy duration dependent.; Case Outline We present a case of a 73-year-old man, a smoker, who was admitted as emergency case due to severe dyspnea, tachypnea with signs of cyanosis and respiratory insufficiency. Chest x-ray revealed bilateral diffuse pulmonary shadows in the middle and upper parts of the lungs, similar to those in tuberculosis. His illness history showed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arterial hypertension, and atrial fibrillation which has been treated with amiodarone for six years. Sputum smears were negative for mycobacteria, and by the diagnostic elimination method for specific, non-specific and malignant disease the diagnosis of amiodarone pulmonary toxicity was made. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and pathohistological findings of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia confirmed the diagnosis. As the first therapeutic approach, amiodarone therapy was stopped. Then, systemic therapy with methylprednisolone 21 (sodium succinate) 40 mg i.v. daily during the first two weeks was initiated and continued with daily dose of methylprednisolone 30 mg orally during the next three months. The patient showed a marked subjective improvement during the first week, which was followed by the improvement of respiratory function and withdrawal of pulmonary changes with complete radiographic and CT resolution after eight months.; Conclusion Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity should be taken into consideration, especially in elderly patients with respiratory symptoms and pulmonary changes, even if only a low dose of amiodarone is administred over a longer time period. © 2014, Srp Arh Celok Lek. All rights reserved.

Background/Aim. Peripheral nervous system affection in people with lung cancer is commonly associated with paraneoplastic neuropathy. However, clinical studies evaluating the frequency, clinical, and electrophysiological characteristics of peripheral neuropathies which are not related to onconeuronal antibodies, in this, on average, older population of patients, are very rare. The aim of this study was to define the frequency, as well as clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of idiopathic neuropathies in patients suffering from lung cancer in early stages of the diseases. Methods. Clinical and electrophysiological data of 105 elderly subjects (age 63.4 ± 7.8 years) suffering from lung carcinoma who underwent extensive neurological and electrophysiological evaluation (nerve conduction studies) between 2013–2018 were estimated. Exclusion criteria were “classical” paraneoplastic neurological syndromes with onconeuronal antibodies present, as well as patients with typical known causes of peripheral neuropathy (e.g. diabetes, alcoholism, chronic renal insufficiency, vitamin deficiencies, etc.). Results. There were 19.1% patients with clinically manifest neuropathies, with additional 37.1% patients with only electrophysiological abnormalities. The most frequent pathophysiological pattern was axonal pathology (71.2%) with predominantly distal and symmetrical distribution (86.4%). Conclusion. Patients with lung cancer in the early stages of the disease show a high incidence of clinically minor damage of the nerves, according to the pattern of chronic sensomotor distal neuropathy, with predominance of axonal damage. These findings underline the importance of a detailed clinical and electrophysiological evaluation in this category of patients who are without the typical etiological factors for peripheral neuropathies since, during cancer therapy, patients undergo a series of treatments with additional risk for the development/aggravation of neuropathy. © 2020 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Background/Aim. Thymoma is the most common mediastinal tumor. The treatment procedures are based on the results from the research of retrospective studies because they are not frequent tumors. The aim of this work was to define common clinical features, therapeutic aspects, survival and recurrence free survival. Methods. This study was performed in the Clinic for Pulmonology, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade from January 1993 to December 2013. We analyzed 62 patients with histopathologically proven thymoma. The results were obtaind from medical history, physical exam, chest X-ray and/or computed tomography and operational findings or diagnostic procedure reports. Thymomas were clasiffied according to the World Health Organization classifying system, based on histopathological findings, and staged according to the Masaoka-Koga staging system. Results. There were more female (54.8%) patients. Patients were mostly in the seventh decade of life. One third (29%) of the patients were asymptomatic. Cough was the dominant symptom. Myasthenia gravis was the most common paraneoplastic syndrome (12.9%). Solitary tumor was the most common in our patients (61.3%), as well as the tumors larger than 5 cm (52.5%), and noninvasive thymomas (52.5%). The majority of patients (40%) were in the stage I of the disease. The operative approach was conducted in most of the patients (88.7%). A statistically significant difference in survival was in women, patients with solitary tumor, non-invasive thymomas, patients in the stage I of the disease, and those who were operated. The dimension of the tumor mass approached the conventional level of significance. Conclusion. In patients with thymomas, statistically significant survival rate predictors are gender, presence of solitary tumor mass, tumor invasiveness, clinical stage and surgical treatment of the disease. © 2020 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Background and objectives: The objective of this research was to analyze the correlation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 (sPD-L1), and Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) with the response to first-line chemotherapy in a cohort of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, and to determine their potential as predictive serum biomarkers. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 SCLC patients were included. Blood samples were taken to determine CRP, sPD-L1, and SLFN11 levels. The first sampling was performed before the start of chemotherapy, the second after two cycles, and the third after four cycles of chemotherapy. Results: The patients who died earlier during the study had NLR and SLFN11 concentrations significantly higher compared to the survivor group. In the group of survivors, after two cycles of chemotherapy, the NLR ratio decreased significantly (p < 0.01), but after four cycles, the NLR ratio increased (p < 0.05). Their serum SLFN11 concentration increased significantly (p < 0.001) after two cycles of chemotherapy, but after four cycles, the level of SLFN11 fell significantly (p < 0.01). CRP, NLR, and SLFN11 were significant predictors of patient survival according to Kaplan–Meier analysis. The combination of inflammatory parameters and SLFN11 with a cutoff value above the 75th percentile of the predicted probability was associated with significantly lower overall survival in SCLC patients (average survival of 3.6 months vs. 4.8 months). Conclusion: The combination of inflammatory markers and the levels of two specific proteins (sPD-L1, SLFN11) could potentially serve as a non-invasive biomarker for predicting responses to DNA-damaging therapeutic agents in SCLC. © 2024 by the authors.

Background and objectives: The objective of this research was to analyze the correlation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 (sPD-L1), and Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) with the response to first-line chemotherapy in a cohort of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, and to determine their potential as predictive serum biomarkers. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 SCLC patients were included. Blood samples were taken to determine CRP, sPD-L1, and SLFN11 levels. The first sampling was performed before the start of chemotherapy, the second after two cycles, and the third after four cycles of chemotherapy. Results: The patients who died earlier during the study had NLR and SLFN11 concentrations significantly higher compared to the survivor group. In the group of survivors, after two cycles of chemotherapy, the NLR ratio decreased significantly (p < 0.01), but after four cycles, the NLR ratio increased (p < 0.05). Their serum SLFN11 concentration increased significantly (p < 0.001) after two cycles of chemotherapy, but after four cycles, the level of SLFN11 fell significantly (p < 0.01). CRP, NLR, and SLFN11 were significant predictors of patient survival according to Kaplan–Meier analysis. The combination of inflammatory parameters and SLFN11 with a cutoff value above the 75th percentile of the predicted probability was associated with significantly lower overall survival in SCLC patients (average survival of 3.6 months vs. 4.8 months). Conclusion: The combination of inflammatory markers and the levels of two specific proteins (sPD-L1, SLFN11) could potentially serve as a non-invasive biomarker for predicting responses to DNA-damaging therapeutic agents in SCLC. © 2024 by the authors.

Despite significant advances in lung cancer treatment, patients with this disease still present with multiple symptoms that are very hard to control. Corticosteroids are widely used in patients with lung cancer, but without clear evidence for their efficacy. Thus, corticosteroids have been used for the treatment of conditions arising due to the tumor itself, adverse effects of the applied specific therapy and symptom palliation. In this review we are going to summarize clinical indications for corticosteroid use in patients with lung cancer: malignant airway obstruction, superior vena cava syndrome, brain metastases, treatment-related adverse events, anorexia and cachexia, fatigue, dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, spinal cord compression, and pain. Copyright © 2025 Ćeriman Krstić, Gajić, Djukanović and Jovanović.

Despite significant advances in lung cancer treatment, patients with this disease still present with multiple symptoms that are very hard to control. Corticosteroids are widely used in patients with lung cancer, but without clear evidence for their efficacy. Thus, corticosteroids have been used for the treatment of conditions arising due to the tumor itself, adverse effects of the applied specific therapy and symptom palliation. In this review we are going to summarize clinical indications for corticosteroid use in patients with lung cancer: malignant airway obstruction, superior vena cava syndrome, brain metastases, treatment-related adverse events, anorexia and cachexia, fatigue, dyspnea, nausea and vomiting, spinal cord compression, and pain. Copyright © 2025 Ćeriman Krstić, Gajić, Djukanović and Jovanović.

Lung cancer represents the most common cause of cancer related death. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and liver metastases (LM) have worse prognosis with an overall survival (OS) of three to six months. The aim of this study was to investigate long-term outcomes in patients with EGFR mutated (EGFRmut) lung adenocarcinoma as well as the presence of LM. (A total of 105 patients were included in the analysis). They were divided into two groups based on the presence of LM. OS was 13 months for the whole group and also 13 months for patients with and without LM. The 9-year survival rate for patients with and without LM was 12.5% and 3.4%, respectively. Further, the 9-year survival rate for the whole group of patients was 4.8%. There are few data about survival rates beyond 5 years for patients with locally advanced and metastatic EGFRmut NSCLC, mainly because patients with lung cancer rarely live for such a long time. Regarding patients with liver metastases, the results of our study showed similar outcomes compared to patients without LM. As these patients represent a significant number of patients, we need a wider range of therapeutic options. It might be that combination therapies represent a better therapeutic option. © 2024 by the authors.

Lung cancer represents the most common cause of cancer related death. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and liver metastases (LM) have worse prognosis with an overall survival (OS) of three to six months. The aim of this study was to investigate long-term outcomes in patients with EGFR mutated (EGFRmut) lung adenocarcinoma as well as the presence of LM. (A total of 105 patients were included in the analysis). They were divided into two groups based on the presence of LM. OS was 13 months for the whole group and also 13 months for patients with and without LM. The 9-year survival rate for patients with and without LM was 12.5% and 3.4%, respectively. Further, the 9-year survival rate for the whole group of patients was 4.8%. There are few data about survival rates beyond 5 years for patients with locally advanced and metastatic EGFRmut NSCLC, mainly because patients with lung cancer rarely live for such a long time. Regarding patients with liver metastases, the results of our study showed similar outcomes compared to patients without LM. As these patients represent a significant number of patients, we need a wider range of therapeutic options. It might be that combination therapies represent a better therapeutic option. © 2024 by the authors.

Before the introduction of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) had a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of up to 10%. After the positive results of KEYNOTE-024, pembrolizumab was approved in a first-line setting for patients with metastatic NSCLC and PD-L1 ≥ 50%. A small number of patients had a durable response to immunotherapy, and so far it has not been discovered who will benefit. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of first-line pembrolizumab in patients with locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression in a real-world setting. We enrolled 35 patients with locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC who had PD-L1 ≥ 50%. Progression-free survival was 9 months, 95% CI (2.6–15.4). Overall survival was 14 months, 95% CI (0–28.5). Five-year OS rate for the whole group of patients was 20%, and the six-year OS rate was 17.2%. Immunotherapy was a revolution in the treatment of NSCLC. We still do not know which patients will benefit from immunotherapy, but patients who do respond may experience long-term outcomes. © 2025 by the authors.

Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms crucial in the development of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in the pediatric population are still not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hypertension, oxidative stress, and inflammation in pediatric patients during the acute phase of the disease. Methods: The study included 33 children, aged 2 to 9 years, with nephrotic syndrome. Blood samples were collected during the acute phase and remission. Parameters of oxidative status were determined, including total oxidative status (TOS), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), sulfhydryl groups (- SH), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), and total antioxidant status (TAS) in serum, measured spectrophotometrically. Inflammatory parameters such as pentraxin 3 (PTX3), leptin, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and E-cadherin were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Patients with nephrotic syndrome and hypertension had significantly higher levels of advanced oxidation protein products and total antioxidant status (p=0.029 and p=0.003, respectively). During the acute phase of the disease, lower activity of sulfhydryl groups and paraoxonase 1 was observed compared to remission (p<0.001, for both). Pentraxin 3 levels were higher, while leptin levels were lower during the acute phase (p<0.001, for both). Pentraxin 3 correlated with advanced oxidation protein products and total antioxidant status during the acute phase but not in remission (rs=0.42, p=0.027 and rs=0.43, p=0.025, respectively). A negative correlation between Advanced oxidation protein products and leptin was observed during the acute phase, which disappeared in remission (rs=-0.42, p=0.028). Conclusions: Results of this study show that hypertension influences oxidative stress markers, and decreased antioxidant capacity may contribute to nephrotic syndrome development. Pentraxin 3 appears as a potential disease activity marker, indicating a dynamic connection between inflammation and oxidative stress. Leptin may also play a role in oxidative stress in nephrotic syndrome. © 2024 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia. All rights reserved.

Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms crucial in the development of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in the pediatric population are still not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hypertension, oxidative stress, and inflammation in pediatric patients during the acute phase of the disease. Methods: The study included 33 children, aged 2 to 9 years, with nephrotic syndrome. Blood samples were collected during the acute phase and remission. Parameters of oxidative status were determined, including total oxidative status (TOS), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), sulfhydryl groups (- SH), paraoxonase 1 (PON1), and total antioxidant status (TAS) in serum, measured spectrophotometrically. Inflammatory parameters such as pentraxin 3 (PTX3), leptin, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and E-cadherin were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Patients with nephrotic syndrome and hypertension had significantly higher levels of advanced oxidation protein products and total antioxidant status (p=0.029 and p=0.003, respectively). During the acute phase of the disease, lower activity of sulfhydryl groups and paraoxonase 1 was observed compared to remission (p<0.001, for both). Pentraxin 3 levels were higher, while leptin levels were lower during the acute phase (p<0.001, for both). Pentraxin 3 correlated with advanced oxidation protein products and total antioxidant status during the acute phase but not in remission (rs=0.42, p=0.027 and rs=0.43, p=0.025, respectively). A negative correlation between Advanced oxidation protein products and leptin was observed during the acute phase, which disappeared in remission (rs=-0.42, p=0.028). Conclusions: Results of this study show that hypertension influences oxidative stress markers, and decreased antioxidant capacity may contribute to nephrotic syndrome development. Pentraxin 3 appears as a potential disease activity marker, indicating a dynamic connection between inflammation and oxidative stress. Leptin may also play a role in oxidative stress in nephrotic syndrome. © 2024 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia. All rights reserved.

Introduction The systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) can cause a variety of pulmonary and pleural abnormalities. The aim of this paper is to review clinical and radiological characteristics of a series of patients with a systemic autoimmune disease hospitalized at a tertiary level facility. Methods In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical and imaging findings in patients diagnosed with SAD at the Teaching Hospital of Pulmonology during a nine-year period. Results An 84-patient group (mean age of 53.8 years) consisted of 64 women and 20 men. Fifty-eight out of 84 patients suffered from collagen vascular disease (CVD) and 26/84 had systemic vasculitis. Fatigue was the dominant symptom (75.8% in CVD, and 69.2% in vasculitis). Cough, hemoptysis, and fever were more frequent in patients with vasculitis. Fibrosis was the most common radiological manifestation of CVD (26/58), followed by pleural effusion (18/58) and consolidation (10/58). Irregular opacities were dominant radiologic finding in vasculitis (10/26), followed by nodules (8/26). Histological confirmation of systemic autoimmune disease was obtained in 28.6% patients, in 58/84 patients the diagnosis was based on a positive serologic test and clinico-radiological manifestations, in two cases on clinical and radiological features according to defined criteria. Conclusion Pleuropulmonary manifestations of SAD are usually expressed in the sixth decade of life, predominantly in women. Clinical findings and positive serologic tests suggest diagnosis of SAD. Fibrosis is the most common radiologic pattern found in almost one half of the patients with CVD and irregular opacities are the most common findings in vasculitis. © 2020, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate whether soluble programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and serum amyloid A1 (SAA1) are potential diagnostic, predictive or prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. Lung cancer patients (n=115) with advanced metastatic disease, 101 with non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC (77 EGFR wild-type NSCLC patients on chemotherapy, 15 EGFR mutation positive adenocarcinoma patients, 9 patients with mPD-L1 Expression ≥50% NSCLC-responders to immunotherapy), and 14 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were examined. ELISA method was used to determine sPD-L1 and SAA1 concentrations in patients' plasma. Significantly higher blood concentrations of sPD-L1 and SAA1 were noted in lung cancer patients compared with a healthy control group. In PD-L1+ NSCLC patients, a significantly higher sPD-L1 level was noticed compared to any other lung cancer subgroup, as well as the highest average SAA1 value compared to other subgroups. It seems that sPD-1/PD-L1 might be a potential biomarker, prognostic and/or predictive, particularly in patients treated with immunotherapy. Serum amyloid A1 has potential to act as a good predictor of patients' survival, as well as a biomarker of a more advanced disease, with possibly good capability to predict the course of disease measured at different time points. © 2019 Dragana Jovanović, Marina Roksandić-Milenković, Jelena Kotur-Stevuljević, Vesna Ceriman, Ivana Vukanić, Natalija Samardzić, Spasoje Popević, Branislav Ilić, Milija Gajić, Marioara Simon, Ioan Simon, Vesna Spasojević-Kalimanovska, Milica Belić, Damjan Mirkov, Zorica Šumarac, Vladislav Milenković.

The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate whether soluble programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and serum amyloid A1 (SAA1) are potential diagnostic, predictive or prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. Lung cancer patients (n=115) with advanced metastatic disease, 101 with non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC (77 EGFR wild-type NSCLC patients on chemotherapy, 15 EGFR mutation positive adenocarcinoma patients, 9 patients with mPD-L1 Expression ≥50% NSCLC-responders to immunotherapy), and 14 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were examined. ELISA method was used to determine sPD-L1 and SAA1 concentrations in patients' plasma. Significantly higher blood concentrations of sPD-L1 and SAA1 were noted in lung cancer patients compared with a healthy control group. In PD-L1+ NSCLC patients, a significantly higher sPD-L1 level was noticed compared to any other lung cancer subgroup, as well as the highest average SAA1 value compared to other subgroups. It seems that sPD-1/PD-L1 might be a potential biomarker, prognostic and/or predictive, particularly in patients treated with immunotherapy. Serum amyloid A1 has potential to act as a good predictor of patients' survival, as well as a biomarker of a more advanced disease, with possibly good capability to predict the course of disease measured at different time points. © 2019 Dragana Jovanović, Marina Roksandić-Milenković, Jelena Kotur-Stevuljević, Vesna Ceriman, Ivana Vukanić, Natalija Samardzić, Spasoje Popević, Branislav Ilić, Milija Gajić, Marioara Simon, Ioan Simon, Vesna Spasojević-Kalimanovska, Milica Belić, Damjan Mirkov, Zorica Šumarac, Vladislav Milenković.

Introduction: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignant disease with poor survival outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and redox status parameters during chemotherapy and evaluate their prognostic potential based on the hypothesis that shorter LTL and oxidative stress burden correlate with poorer survival. Materials and methods: This longitudinal study included 60 SCLC patients and 73 healthy controls. Leukocyte telomere length was measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR) method, while redox status parameters (MDA-malondialdehyde, IMA-ischemia-modified albumin, PON1-paraoxonase 1, redox index) were determined by spectrophotometric methods before, after two and after four cycles of chemotherapy. Results: All measured parameters showed significant differences between patients and controls, except the oxy-score (P < 0.001). Significant differences in IMA, PON1 and redox index were observed between SCLC patient groups at different time points (P < 0.001). Significant differences in IMA and PON1 were observed between SCLC survival groups, with higher values found in survivors after two chemotherapy cycles (P < 0.001). Redox index was the highest in the pre-chemo group (P = 0.019). Among patients who died, PON1 activity differed significantly between those who died within 2 months and after 4 months (P = 0.028). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that LTL and PON1 were significant predictors of survival, with values below the 25th percentile associated with a higher risk of death. Conclusions: Leukocyte telomere length and PON1 are potential prognostic biomarkers for SCLC survival, suggesting their potential use in non-invasive biomarker panels for improved patient stratification. © Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Background/Objectives: A significant breakthrough in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment has occurred with the introduction of targeted therapies and immunotherapy. However, not all patients treated with these therapies would respond to treatment, and patients who respond to treatment would acquire resistance at some time point. This is why we need new biomarkers that can predict response to therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether soluble programmed cell death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) could be a predictive biomarker in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive NSCLC. Materials and Methods: Blood samples from 35 patients with EGFR-mutated (EGFRmut) adenocarcinoma who achieved disease control with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) therapy were collected for sPD-L1 analysis. We analyzed sPD-L1 concentrations in 30 healthy middle-aged subjects, as a control population, to determine the reference range. Adenocarcinoma patients were divided into two groups, i.e., a group with low sPD-L1 (≤182.5 ng/L) and a group with high sPD-L1 (>182.5 ng/L). Results: We found that progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 months, 95% CI (11.1–24.9), for patients with low sPD-L1 and 25 months, 95% CI (8.3–41.7), for patients with high sPD-L1. There was no statistically significant difference in PFS between the groups (p = 0.100). Overall survival (OS) was 34.4 months, 95% CI (26.6–42.2), for patients with low sPD-L1 and 84.1 months, 95% CI (50.6–117.6), for patients with high sPD-L1; there was also no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.114). Conclusion: In our study, we found that patients with high sPD-L1 had numerically better PFS and OS, but this has no statistical significance. Further studies with a larger number of patients are needed to evaluate the role of sPD-L1 as a predictive biomarker in patients with EGFRmut NSCLC. © 2025 by the authors.

Background/Objectives: A significant breakthrough in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment has occurred with the introduction of targeted therapies and immunotherapy. However, not all patients treated with these therapies would respond to treatment, and patients who respond to treatment would acquire resistance at some time point. This is why we need new biomarkers that can predict response to therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether soluble programmed cell death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) could be a predictive biomarker in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive NSCLC. Materials and Methods: Blood samples from 35 patients with EGFR-mutated (EGFRmut) adenocarcinoma who achieved disease control with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) therapy were collected for sPD-L1 analysis. We analyzed sPD-L1 concentrations in 30 healthy middle-aged subjects, as a control population, to determine the reference range. Adenocarcinoma patients were divided into two groups, i.e., a group with low sPD-L1 (≤182.5 ng/L) and a group with high sPD-L1 (>182.5 ng/L). Results: We found that progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 months, 95% CI (11.1–24.9), for patients with low sPD-L1 and 25 months, 95% CI (8.3–41.7), for patients with high sPD-L1. There was no statistically significant difference in PFS between the groups (p = 0.100). Overall survival (OS) was 34.4 months, 95% CI (26.6–42.2), for patients with low sPD-L1 and 84.1 months, 95% CI (50.6–117.6), for patients with high sPD-L1; there was also no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.114). Conclusion: In our study, we found that patients with high sPD-L1 had numerically better PFS and OS, but this has no statistical significance. Further studies with a larger number of patients are needed to evaluate the role of sPD-L1 as a predictive biomarker in patients with EGFRmut NSCLC. © 2025 by the authors.

Lung cancer represents the most common cause of cancer-related death. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and liver metastases have worse prognosis, with an overall survival (OS) from three to six months. The majority of them have a poor response to chemotherapy, and the data are controversial regarding the response to immunotherapy. This could be because the liver is considered to be an immune-tolerant organ, which is characterized by T-cell anergy and immunosuppressive signals. This review evaluates current treatment options for patients with NSCLC and liver metastases. Combination therapies might be a better treatment option for this subgroup of patients. The addition of radiotherapy to immunotherapy could also be an option in selected patients. The resection of single liver metastasis should also be considered. © 2024 by the authors.

Lung cancer represents the most common cause of cancer-related death. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and liver metastases have worse prognosis, with an overall survival (OS) from three to six months. The majority of them have a poor response to chemotherapy, and the data are controversial regarding the response to immunotherapy. This could be because the liver is considered to be an immune-tolerant organ, which is characterized by T-cell anergy and immunosuppressive signals. This review evaluates current treatment options for patients with NSCLC and liver metastases. Combination therapies might be a better treatment option for this subgroup of patients. The addition of radiotherapy to immunotherapy could also be an option in selected patients. The resection of single liver metastasis should also be considered. © 2024 by the authors.