Background:Tubulin-binding agents (TBAs) are effective in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. Both βIII- and βV-tubulins are expressed by cancer cells and may lead to resistance against TBAs.Methods:Pre-treatment samples from 65 locally advanced or oligometastatic NSCLC patients, who underwent uniform induction chemotherapy with paclitaxel and platinum followed by radiochemotherapy with vinorelbine and platinum were retrospectively analysed by immunohistochemistry. Protein expression of βIII- and βV-tubulin was morphometrically quantified.Results:Median pre-treatment H-score for βIII-tubulin was 110 (range: 0–290), and 160 for βV-tubulin (range: 0–290). Low βIII-tubulin expression was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (P=0.0127, hazard ratio (HR): 0.328). An association between high βV-tubulin expression and prolonged progression-free survival (PFS, median 19.2 vs 9.4 months in high vs low expressors; P=0.0315, HR: 1.899) was found. Further, high βV-tubulin expression was associated with objective response (median H-score 172.5 for CR+PR vs 120 for SD+PD patients, P=0.0104) or disease control following induction chemotherapy (170 for CR+PR+SD vs 100 for PD patients, P=0.0081), but not radiochemotherapy.Conclusion:Expression of βV-tubulin was associated with treatment response and PFS following paclitaxel-based chemotherapy of locally advanced and oligometastatic NSCLC patients. Prolonged OS was associated with low levels of βIII-tubulin. Prospective evaluation of βIII/βV-tubulin expression in NSCLC is warranted.

If the aim of retrobulbar irradiation is primarily to reduce soft-tissue signs, lower doses are sufficient. If a patient also suffers from dysmotility, doses exceeding 12 Gy may be more effective.

This open-label, multicenter, randomized phase IV trial (NCT01498822) of noninferiority design compared the long-term effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapy with those of oxcarbazepine (OXC) monotherapy in adults with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy. Korean patients (16-80 years), with ≥2 unprovoked focal seizures in the year preceding the trial, who had not taken any antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the last 6 months, were randomized to receive LEV or OXC (1:1). Effectiveness, safety, and tolerability were assessed over a 50-week period. Treatment failure rates (per protocol set) were 15/118 (12.7%) in the LEV-treated group and 30/128 (23.4%) in the OXC-treated group, an absolute difference of -10.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] -20.2, -1.2). Because the upper 95% CI limit was less than the pre-specified noninferiority margin of 15%, LEV was considered noninferior to OXC. Twenty-four-week and 48-week seizure freedom rates were 53.8% and 34.7% for LEV vs. 58.5% and 40.9% for OXC. Both LEV and OXC were well tolerated, with 8.7% and 8.6% of patients reporting serious treatment-emergent adverse events, respectively. By comparing LEV with OXC, another newer AED, LEV can be considered a useful option as initial monotherapy for patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy.

Aim: To investigate optic nerve function using the pattern-reversed visual evoked potentials (VECP) before and after bony orbital decompression in dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) due to Grave´s disease.Methods: A total of 30 eyes of 15 patients (n=14 female) were observed over 30 ± 13 months after bony 3-wall orbital decompression. We examined visual acuity (VA), VECP P100 amplitudes and latencies as well as proptosis using Hertel´s exophthalmometry.

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