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Biomedical subjects

David Yankelevitz

Publications and source records attributed to David Yankelevitz.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

CT screening for lung cancer: prevalence and incidence of mediastinal masses.

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency and natural course of mediastinal masses in asymptomatic people at high risk for lung cancer who were undergoing computed tomographic (CT) screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Informed consent and institutional review board approval for this HIPAA-compliant study were obtained at each participating institution. All documented mediastinal masses among the 9263 baseline and 11 126 annual repeat screenings performed in the Early Lung Cancer Action Project (ELCAP) and its successor project, the New York ELCAP, were identified. Two radiologists confirmed all cases, identified the location and measured the diameter (average of length and width) of each mass, and reviewed all subsequent CT and clinical and surgical results. The prevalence and incidence of mediastinal masses were then determined. RESULTS: Of the 9263 individuals, 71 had a mediastinal mass seen at baseline screening (prevalence of 0.77%). Of the 71 masses, 41 were thymic, 16 were thyroidal, two were esophageal cancers, six were tracheal-esophageal diverticula, and six were other masses. Among the 11 126 annual repeat screenings, only one new mediastinal mass was identified (incidence of 0.01%). This suggests a long average duration for mediastinal masses in asymptomatic people. Among the 41 thymic masses, five were larger than 3.0 cm in diameter, and all five were resected; of these five, one was a thymic carcinoma and four were noninvasive thymomas. Of the remaining 36 thymic masses, 25 were evaluated at follow-up CT 1 year later: Five had increased in diameter, two had decreased, and 18 remained unchanged. All 16 thyroid masses were due to goiter; none of these were changed at follow-up CT 1 year later. CONCLUSION: Mediastinal masses found in the context of CT screening for lung cancer in asymptomatic people should be approached in a "conservative" manner; this includes thymic masses smaller than 3 cm in diameter, as most of these remain unchanged or even decrease in size.

Adult↗

Evolving concepts in the pathology and computed tomography imaging of lung adenocarcinoma and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To review recent advances in pathology and computed tomography (CT) of lung adenocarcinoma and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). METHODS: A pathology/CT review panel of pathologists and radiologists met during a November 2004 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Society of Clinical Oncology consensus workshop in New York. The purpose was to determine if existing data was sufficient to propose modification of criteria for adenocarcinoma and BAC as newly published in the 2004 WHO Classification of Lung Tumors, and to address the pathologic/radiologic concept of diffuse/multicentric BAC. RESULTS: Solitary small, peripheral BACs have an excellent prognosis. Most lung adenocarcinomas with a BAC pattern are not pure BAC, but rather adenocarcinoma, mixed subtype with invasive patterns. This applies to tumors presenting with a diffuse/multinodular as well as solitary nodule pattern. The percent of BAC versus invasive components in lung adenocarcinomas appears to be prognostically important. However, a consensus definition of "minimally invasive" BAC with a favorable prognosis could not be achieved. While recognition of a BAC component is possible, the diagnosis of BAC with exclusion of invasive adenocarcinoma cannot be made by small biopsy or cytology specimens. CONCLUSION: There is a need to work toward a mutual understanding and consensus between pathologists, clinicians, and researchers with the use of the term BAC versus adenocarcinoma. Future studies should make some attempt to quantitate these components and/or other features such as size of scar, size of invasive component, or pattern of invasion. Hopefully, this work will allow definition of a category of adenocarcinoma, mixed subtype with predominant BAC/minimal invasion and a favorable prognosis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Estimating the growth rates of primary lung tumours from samples with missing measurements.

A method to estimate the population variability in tumour growth rate using incomplete data was developed. We assume exponential growth and lognormal distribution for the parameter of the growth curve. Estimates of growth rate obtained based on the cases with two measurements, one of which is obtained retrospectively, are biased towards lower growth rate. For the data sets where two measurements are available for some tumours and only one measurement for others (which means that no tumour was seen in retrospect for those cases), several approaches were developed that can eliminate or substantially reduce the bias. The relative error of the best estimates, as assessed by simulation, rarely exceeds 20 per cent. We found that the results of application of our estimation procedures to chest X-ray screening data agree well with the expectations.

Cell Growth Processes↗

Stage of lung cancer in relation to its size: part 2. Evidence.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between tumor size and disease stage at the time of diagnosis in non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: From the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry, we identified all cases of primary non-small cell lung cancer diagnosed prior to autopsy. Among these, we focused on 84,152 cases diagnosed in 1988 or later and documented as to tumor size and disease stage at diagnosis. The distribution of disease stage within categories of tumor size was determined. RESULTS: The smaller the tumor was, the more likely the disease was stage I. For tumors < 15 mm in diameter, the proportion of stage I was 54%, compared with 46% for 16 to 25 mm, 34% for 26 to 35 mm, 25% for 36 to 45 mm, and 15% for cases > 45 mm, with all of these proportions being very precise. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size has substantial bearing on disease stage in non-small cell lung cancer.

Aged↗

State-of-the-art screening for lung cancer: (part 2): CT scanning.

There have been dramatic improvements in technology in the past decade. In conjunction there have also been advances in our clinical knowledge that have led to changes in the screening regimen. These changes are expected to continue in the future as CT scanners continue to improve and knowledge about screening accumulates, and computer-assisted techniques are expected to play an ever more important role. This dynamic process will lead to continued improvements in the diagnostic distribution of lung cancers detected under CT screening.

Adult↗

Lung image database consortium: developing a resource for the medical imaging research community.

To stimulate the advancement of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) research for lung nodules in thoracic computed tomography (CT), the National Cancer Institute launched a cooperative effort known as the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC). The LIDC is composed of five academic institutions from across the United States that are working together to develop an image database that will serve as an international research resource for the development, training, and evaluation of CAD methods in the detection of lung nodules on CT scans. Prior to the collection of CT images and associated patient data, the LIDC has been engaged in a consensus process to identify, address, and resolve a host of challenging technical and clinical issues to provide a solid foundation for a scientifically robust database. These issues include the establishment of (a) a governing mission statement, (b) criteria to determine whether a CT scan is eligible for inclusion in the database, (c) an appropriate definition of the term qualifying nodule, (d) an appropriate definition of "truth" requirements, (e) a process model through which the database will be populated, and (f) a statistical framework to guide the application of assessment methods by users of the database. Through a consensus process in which careful planning and proper consideration of fundamental issues have been emphasized, the LIDC database is expected to provide a powerful resource for the medical imaging research community. This article is intended to share with the community the breadth and depth of these key issues.

Biomedical Research↗

Managing the small pulmonary nodule discovered by CT.

OBJECTIVES: To review the Early Lung Cancer Action Project experience and the medical literature from 1993 to 2003 on detection of the small, noncalcified pulmonary nodule by CT in order to formulate a management algorithm for these nodules. DESIGN: Prospective noncomparative study of smokers without prior malignancy and a review of the medical literature of CT screening of lung cancer. INTERVENTIONS: Chest CT and, where appropriate, CT observation for nodule growth, antibiotics, CT-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). RESULTS: The following factors influence the probability of malignancy in a CT-detected, small, noncalcified pulmonary nodule: size, change in size, age, smoking history, density, number of nodules, gender, circumstance of the CT, spirometry, occupational history, and endemic granulomatous disease. The two diagnostic techniques most useful in evaluating the CT-detected, small, noncalcified nodule are short-term observation of nodule growth by CT and CT-guided FNA. Due to small nodule size and the frequent finding of nonsolid or part-solid nodules, positron emission tomography, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and VATS were less useful. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonologists are frequently asked to evaluate the CT-detected, small, noncalcified nodule invisible on standard chest radiography. Immediate biopsy is justified if the likelihood of cancer is high, but if that likelihood is low or intermediate, a period of observation by CT is appropriate. VATS or thoracotomy are rarely necessary for a diagnosis of lung cancer in the CT-detected small pulmonary nodule.

Adult↗

The effect of tumor size on curability of stage I non-small cell lung cancers.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between tumor size and curability of stage I non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry 2003, we identified all primary non-small cell lung cancer cases that were diagnosed prior to autopsy. Among these cases, we narrowed the focus to those diagnosed in 1988 or later, and to 7,620 patients who had undergone curative surgical resection. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were obtained for these stage I malignancies for five tumor size categories (ie, 5 to 15 mm, 16 to 25 mm, 26 to 35 mm, 36 to 45 mm, and > 45 mm). The 12-year Kaplan-Meier estimator of survival was used as a measure of lung cancer cure rate. RESULTS: Among 7,620 stage I cancers, cure rates decreased with increasing tumor size. The 12-year survival rates for patients with tumors 5 to 15 mm in diameter was 69% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64 to 74%), 63% for those with tumors 16 to 25 mm in diameter (95% CI, 60 to 67%), 58% for those with tumors 26 to 35 mm in diameter (95% CI, 54 to 61%), 53% for those with tumors 36 to 45 mm in diameter (95% CI, 48 to 57%), and 43% for those with tumors > 45 mm in diameter (95% CI, 39 to 48%). Cure rates were statistically significantly different for all tumor size categories (p < 0.05) except for the groups with tumors 26 to 35 mm and 36 to 45 mm in diameter (p = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Smaller tumor size at diagnosis is associated with improved curability within stage I non-small cell lung cancers. These results suggest that further subclassification by size within stage I may be important.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

Aspiration cytology of elastofibroma dorsi: case report with ultrastructural and immunohistochemical findings.

Elastofibroma is a well-recognized tumor-like process which typically occurs in the soft tissue of the shoulder. Although fine-needle aspiration (FNA) represents a quick and simple method for definitive diagnosis, the possibility of a false-negative diagnosis is high due to the hypocellularity of the smears. However, a high index of suspicion based on the clinical presentation of a firm mass in a typical location in an elderly person, usually female, aids in the diagnosis. We describe the FNA findings of elastofibroma dorsi in an 89-yr-old woman which, although hypocellular, contained diagnostic aggregates of petaloid globules within a collagenous matrix. The cytologic material showed a green-yellow autofluorescence of the altered elastic fibers with ultraviolet light. Transmission electron microscopy revealed an elongated beaded appearance with small electron densities and obliteration of the central elastin core. The presence of a hypocellular aspirate with autofluorescent elastic fibers should suggest the possibility of elastofibroma dorsi.

Aged↗