Randomly selected cases were paired with patients with the KRAS mutation, the EGFR mutation, and KRAS/EGFR wild type patients according to tumor, node, metastasis stage, time of first visit within 1 year, and pathology. Progression-free survival (PFS)

and overall survival were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox models.\n\nThe KRAS mutation rate for lung adenocarcinoma was 5.90 %. The overall survival was 14.47, 20.57, and 42.73 months for the KRAS group, WT group, and EGFR Z-VAD-FMK ic50 group, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that KRAS mutation status was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 2.69, 95 % confidence interval 1.91-3.80, P < 0.001). No difference was found in PFS and tumor responsiveness between patients with a KRAS mutation and those with wild type KRAS/EGFR for chemotherapy and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). PFS did not significantly differ for chemotherapy among the three groups (P = 0.270).\n\nKRAS mutation is a poor prognosis factor, but it is not an independent predictor of response to EGFR-TKI or chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer.”
“PURPOSE: To compare the clinical safety and efficacy of airway placement of barbed and nonbarbed metallic

stents in the treatment of esophagorespiratory fistula (ERF) without stricture.\n\nMATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors prospectively evaluated the clinical results of 10 patients who underwent fluoroscopically guided placement of barbed, fully covered, retrievable metallic stents in the trachea or main bronchus for treatment of ERF without stricture in the esophagus and central airway between 2007 and 2009. The authors compared these outcomes BAY 73-4506 cost with retrospectively evaluated clinical outcomes in seven

patients who underwent airway placement of nonbarbed, fully covered, metallic stents for treatment of ERF without stricture between 1998 and 2001. Study end points included stent migration and clinical success, defined as effective closure of the fistula with improved aspiration symptoms, or improvement of dyspnea, within 7 days after stent BKM120 concentration placement.\n\nRESULTS: Clinical success was observed in nine of ten (90%) of patients who received barbed steins, compared with two of seven (29%) who were treated with nonbarbed stents (P = .035). Stent migration within 5 days occurred in zero of ten and five of seven (57%) patients, respectively (P = .015).\n\nCONCLUSIONS: Placement of barbed, covered metallic stents in the central airway is safe and effective for closure of ERF without strictures. The barbed design is effective in preventing stent migration.”
“A vinyl phosphonic acid based flame retardant coating has been applied on the surface of a glass-fibre reinforced epoxy (GRE) composite substrate using a UV polymerisation technique. On exposure to heat the poly (vinyl phosphonic acid) (PVPA) coating thus obtained, intumesces and acts as a thermal insulator, providing active fire protection to the composite structure.