About the Authors

Masanobu Takahashi

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Keigo Komine

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Hiroo Imai

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Yoshinari Okada

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Ken Saijo

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Masahiro Takahashi

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Hidekazu Shirota

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Hisatsugu Ohori

Affiliation Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Shin Takahashi

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Natsuko Chiba

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Cancer Biology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Takahiro Mori

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Hideki Shimodaira

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Chikashi Ishioka

chikashi@tohoku.ac.jp

Affiliations Department of Medical Oncology, Tohoku University Hospital, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Competing Interests

M.T. reports receiving research funding from Ono Pharmaceutical Company. C.I. reports receiving lecture fees from Taiho, Chugai, Takeda, Byer, Pfeizer, Mochida, Asahikasei, Bristol- Myers Squibb, Daiichi-Sankyo, Merck Serono, and Novartis, and research funding from Chugai, Taiho, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi-Sankyo, Merck Serono, Yakult, Ono, and Novartis. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization: Masanobu Takahashi CI. Data curation: Masanobu Takahashi KK HI YO KS Masahiro Takahashi H. Shirota HO ST NC TM H. Shimodaira. Formal analysis: Masanobu Takahashi CI. Investigation: Masanobu Takahashi. Methodology: Masanobu Takahashi CI. Project administration: Masanobu Takahashi CI. Supervision: Masanobu Takahashi CI. Visualization: Masanobu Takahashi. Writing – review & editing: Masanobu Takahashi TM CI.