Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

This study compares short- and long-term oncologic and perioperative outcomes of robotic-assisted versus conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer at a high-volume center.

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

The mainstay of treatment for patients with malignant pleural disease is fluid drainage and systemic therapy. A tumor-specific oncolytic virus or T-cell–activating interleukin-2 immunotherapy may provide an opportunity for local control. We previously developed a vaccinia virus–expressing interleukin-2, an oncolytic virus that mediated tumor regression in preclinical peritoneal tumor models with expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. We evaluated the antitumor efficacy and immune modulatory effects of vaccinia virus–expressing interleukin-2 in malignant pleural disease.

The Journal of Clinical Medicine

Pleural metastasis as the first recurrence after curative-intent surgery for lung adenocarcinoma is associated with significantly worse survival, suggesting it reflects aggressive systemic disease rather than a localized process.

The Journal of Clinical Medicine

In this early experience, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy demonstrated a high diagnostic yield with no procedural morbidity, supporting its safety and effectiveness for evaluating pulmonary nodules.

Annals of Surgical Oncology

Thoracic malignancies are associated with high mortality rates. Conventional therapy for many of the patients with thoracic malignancies is obviated by a high incidence of locoregional recurrence and distant metastasis. Fortunately, developments in immunotherapy provide effective strategies for both local and systemic treatments that have rapidly advanced during the last decade. One promising approach to cancer immunotherapy is to use oncolytic viruses, which have the advantages of relatively high tumor specificity, selective replication-mediated oncolysis, enhanced antigen presentation, and potential for delivery of immunogenic payloads such as cytokines, with subsequent elicitation of effective antitumor immunity. Several oncolytic viruses including adenovirus, coxsackievirus B3, herpes virus, measles virus, reovirus, and vaccinia virus have been developed and applied to thoracic cancers in preclinical murine studies and clinical trials. This review discusses the current state of oncolytic virotherapy in lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and metastatic malignant pleural effusions and considers its potential as an emergent therapeutic for these patients.

Thoracic Surgery Clinics

The surgical approach to giant paraesophageal hernia repair has evolved considerably, from an open approach to minimally invasive approaches. Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted approaches to giant paraesophageal hernia have been considered safe and are associated with less morbidity and mortality. Limited data exist comparing the efficacy between laparoscopic and robotic-assisted giant paraesophageal hernia repairs, but the benefits of robotic surgery include superior optics and freedom of motion, thus allowing surgeons to accomplish the key points in a successful repair without compromising patient outcomes.

Oncoimmunology

Malignant pleural effusions, arising from either primary mesotheliomas or secondary malignancies, heralds advanced disease and poor prognosis. Current treatments, including therapeutic thoracentesis and tube thoracostomy, are largely palliative. The immunosuppressive environment within the pleural cavity includes myeloid derived suppressor cells, T-regulatory cells, and dysfunctional T cells. The advent of effective immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies for lung cancer and other malignancies suggests a renewed examination of local and systemic therapies for this malady. Prior strategies reporting remarkable success, including instillation of the cytokine interleukin-2, perhaps coupled with checkpoint inhibitors, should be further evaluated in the modern era.