Predicting Prognosis In Primary Pulmonary Sarcoma Using A Clinical Nomogram Based On SEER Database

Background: Primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) accounts for less than 1.1% of all pulmonary tumors. Few data outcomes are reported. This study aims to clarify the predictive value of clinicopathologic features on the overall survival (OS) of PPS patients.Methods: Patients with primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (from 2000 to 2015) and divided randomly into training and validation cohorts at a ratio of 1:1. Univariate Cox analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were implemented to identify prognostic factors related to overall survival of primary pulmonary sarcoma patients. Then, we performed multivariate Cox regression to establish a prognostic factors signature. The Kaplan- Meier (K-M) survival curves and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to estimate the prognostic power of the signature. In addition, multivariate Cox regression screened out independent prognostic factors and constructed a nomogram. Results: PPS patients with training group were divided into low- and high-risk group based on risk score, and high-risk group had a shorter survival time. The validation group got the same result. (P<0.001). On multivariate analysis of the training cohort, independent factors for survival were marriage, age, sex, grade, operation, metastasis and tumor size, which were all selected into the nomogram. The calibration curve and ROC plots for probability of 3-year and 5-year survival were in accord with prediction by nomogram and actual observation. And the C-index of the nomogram for predicting survival was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.80, P<0.05), which was statistically significant. Conclusion: We constructed a risk prognosis model based on PPS patients from SEER database. In addition, the construction of nomogram provides one more idea for clinical treatment.

A case of multiple pulmonary nodules diagnosed as pulmonary melanoma without extra-pulmonary site

A 67-year-old patient visited the hospital for the evaluation of pulmonary nodular lesions detected in his chest radiograph duringan annual screening. He was asymptomatic and transbronchial tumor biopsy of the nodule in the right upper lobe revealed features of pulmonary sarcoma, which did not resemble any of the histolopathological categories of primary lung cancer. A positive immunological staining for both HMB-45 and Melan-A resulted in the final diagnosis of melanoma. It is important for a respiratory clinician to remind the possibility of a melanoma, when tumors cannot be histopathologically classified under any of the categories of primary lung cancer.

Surgical Outcomes and Risk Analysis of Primary Pulmonary Sarcoma

Background Primary pulmonary sarcoma (PPS) is a rare malignant lung neoplasm, and there is very little medical evidence about treatment of PPS. The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcome of patients who underwent surgical resection for PPS. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent surgical resection for PPS in our institution between 1995 and 2014. Cases who only underwent biopsy were excluded. Results A total of 24 patients (18 males, 6 females), with a median age of 60 (interquartile range: 44–67) years, were analyzed. The surgical procedures performed in these patients were pneumonectomy (n = 10), lobectomy (n = 11), and wedge resection (n = 3). Complete resection was achieved in 16 patients. The pathological stages (tumor, node, metastases lung cancer classification, 8th edition) of the patients were I (n = 4), II (n = 12), III (n = 2), and IV (n = 5), and there were four cases of lymph node metastasis. The 5-year overall survival rate of the patients was 50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 29–72). Adverse prognostic factors for overall survival were incomplete resection (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.4, 95% CI: 2.1–42), advanced pathological stage (HR 14, 95% CI: 2.8–66), higher pathological grade (HR 4.5, 95% CI: 1.2–17), and tumor size ≥ 7 cm (HR 4.7, 95% CI: 1.1–21). Conclusions Our series of PPS revealed that incomplete resection, advanced pathological stage, higher pathological grade, and tumor size were unfavorable factors for long-term survival.