Assessment of anti-PD-(L)1 for patients with coexisting malignant tumor and tuberculosis classified by active, latent, and obsolete stage

Background It is not a rare clinical scenario to have patients presenting with coexisting malignant tumor and tuberculosis. Whether it is feasible to conduct programmed death-(ligand) 1 [PD-(L)1] inhibitors to these patients, especially those with active tuberculosis treated with concurrent anti-tuberculosis, is still unknown. Methods This study enrolled patients with coexisting malignancy and tuberculosis and treated with anti-PD-(L)1 from Jan 2018 to July 2021 in 2 institutions. The progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety of anti-PD-(L)1 therapy, as well as response to anti-tuberculosis treatment, were evaluated. Results A total of 98 patients were screened from this cohort study, with 45 (45.9%), 21 (21.4%), and 32 (32.7%) patients diagnosed with active, latent, and obsolete tuberculosis, respectively. The overall ORR was 36.0% for anti-PD-(L)1 therapy, with 34.2%, 35.5%, and 41.2% for each subgroup. Median PFS was 8.0 vs 6.0 vs 6.0 months (P=0.685) for each subgroup at the time of this analysis. For patients with active tuberculosis treated with concurrent anti-tuberculosis, median duration of anti-tuberculosis therapy was 10.0 (95% CI, 8.01–11.99) months. There were 83.3% (20/24) and 93.3% (42/45) patients showing sputum conversion and radiographic response, respectively, after anti-tuberculosis therapy, and two patients experienced tuberculosis relapse. Notably, none of the patients in latent and only one patient in obsolete subgroups showed tuberculosis induction or relapse after anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 33 patients (73.3%) when treated with concurrent anti-PD-(L)1 and anti-tuberculosis. Grade 3 or higher TRAEs were hematotoxicity (n = 5, 11.1%), and one patient suffered grade 3 pneumonitis leading to the discontinuation of immunotherapy. Conclusions This study demonstrated that patients with coexisting malignant tumor and tuberculosis benefited equally from anti-PD-(L)1 therapy, and anti-tuberculosis response was unimpaired for those with active tuberculosis. Notably, the combination of anti-PD-(L)1 and anti-tuberculosis therapy was well-tolerated without significant unexpected toxic effects.

Pneumonectomy in the treatment of tuberculosis relapse in a previously resected lung

THE OBJECTIVE of our study was to increase the efficiency of treatment of tuberculosis postoperative reactivations in a previously operated lung, by clarifying the medical indications, improving surgical techniques and tactics when removing a previously resected lung.METHODS AND MATERIALS. We analyzed the results of treatment of 220 patients who, in the 2004–2017 timeframe in our institution, had pneumonectomies (76 cases) and pleuropneumonectomies (144 cases) for tuberculosis relapse in a previously operated lung. For more objective planning of surgical treatment and evaluation of its results, we identified three degrees of treatment radicalism: radical, conditionally radical, and palliative.RESULTS. 32 patients, who had carried a radical surgery, were diagnosed as having a complete clinical effect at the time of discharge (absence of destruction cavities in a single lung, bacterial excretion and illiquid complications) in 100 % of cases; in the group of patients operated conditionally radical, there were diagnosed 161 out of 168 (95.8 %) and in the group of patients operated palliative, there were distinguished only 3 cases out of 20 (15.0 %).CONCLUSION. The implementation of the completion pneumonectomy and pleurapneumonectomy is accompanied by high technical complexity and more frequent development of intraoperative and postoperative complications. At the same time, the high efficiency of treatment of tuberculosis relapses in a previously operated lung can be achieved using the recommended tactics and techniques of surgical treatment when performing radical and conditionally radical interventions.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis Relapse

The patient is a 27-year-old married male, who does not work. Since contracting the tuberculosis (TB) illness, the patient complained of feeling tired and weak so he decided to stop working. The patient usually feels that rest helps the healing process of the pain and by not working, they feel more focused on the treatment of the disease because it requires them to go to the Puskesmas every day to get treatment. The patient’s wife works as a rice trade worker. The patient has a 3.5-year-old daughter. The patient originally came from the Karangasem Regency, Tulamben, which is included in the red zone of the eruption of Mount Agung. So actually, this patient is a refugee. But he did not complete the documents as a refugee, so the patient did not get the recognized rights as a refugee like getting free medical treatment. The patient who does not have the Indonesia Health Card/Kartu Indonesia Sehat (KIS) is considered to not have any health insurance and is included in the lowest economic status.

EFFICACY OF EXTRAPLEURAL PLOMBAGE WITH SILICONE PLUG IN DESTRUCTIVE PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS AND ITS IMPACT ON PULMONARY FUNCTIONS AND BLOOD GASES

The objective of the study: to analyze the efficacy of extrapleural plombage with silicone plug (EPSP) in those suffering from destructive pulmonary tuberculosis with multiple/extensive drug resistance (M/XDR) and to assess EPSP impact on pulmonary functions and blood gases. Subjects and methods. 34 patients with chronic persistent destructive pulmonary tuberculosis who underwent EPSP were enrolled in the study. 23 were men and 11 were women at the age from 18 to 54 years old (the median age made 36.29± 10.2 years). MDR was diagnosed in 31/34 (91.2%) patients, and of them, 22/31 (70.0%) had XDR. A high profile life long breast implants with texturized coating causing no rejection by the host were used for extrapleural plombage. Results. 18 patients who underwent EPSP as a single surgery had their cavities healed in the operated lung in 100% of cases (95% CI 96.3-100%). There were no lethal outcomes. 1/18 (5.6%) patient suffered from a late complication (empyema) related to EPSP. Postponed outcomes of tuberculosis treatment (effective course of treatment after EPSP) were favorable in 13/16 (81.3%; 95% CI 57.0-93.4%) patients. In 11 patients with disseminated destructive tuberculosis who had EPSP combined with resection or collapse surgery, 12/12 (100%; 95% CI 75.8-100%) had their cavities healed in the operated lung; 2/12 patients needed additional bronchial valve block. Surgeries for EPSP resulted in no lethal outcomes or complications. In 5 patients with destructive tuberculosis relapse in the only lung, EPSP was used to stop the progress of the disease due to poor efficacy of chemotherapy. The impact on cavities healing in the operated lung was achieved in 4/5 (80.0%; 95% CI (37.6-96.3%) patients. The complication after EPSP was observed in у 1/5 (20.0%) patient and resulted in the lethal outcome. 3/5 patients had favorable postponed outcomes. After EPSP, ventilation and gas exchange functions deteriorated in 32% of patients, while in 28% of patients, they improved. The intensity of change was moderate or significant. The most dynamic and informative indicators were the vital capacity of the lungs and the partial tension of oxygen in oxygenated blood (PaO2).