Internal medicine
-
Chimeric antigen receptor-T-cell (CAR-T) therapy for hematologic malignancies has made significant advancements over the years, and it is now incorporated as a treatment algorithm. Early phase clinical trials are underway for various solid tumors, and the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy has been demonstrated for specific types of glioma and several solid tumors. However, its efficacy does not match that observed in hematological malignancies. ⋯ Furthermore, CAR-T cell therapy is expected to be effective against various viruses and Aspergillus spp. Finally, attempts have been made to introduce CAR constructs into regulatory T cells to target their immunosuppressive effects. This article introduces the current progress in CAR-T cell therapy beyond the treatment of only hematologic malignancies and discusses future directions, considering the current medical situation in Japan.
-
Objective Patients with advanced interstitial lung disease (ILD) struggle to undergo spirometry to evaluate the respiratory function. The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) on chest radiography can potentially reflect the lung volume; however, this has not yet been fully established. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between the CTR and the respiratory function in patients with interstitial lung diseases. ⋯ The CTR was significantly negatively correlated with the vital capacity (r = -0.490, p <0.001). Conclusions An increased CTR might reflect a decreased vital capacity, but not a decreased cardiac function, in patients with interstitial lung diseases. Measuring the CTR can thus be beneficial for predicting progression in patients with ILD.