Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer - Pretreatment prognostic factors: Disease stage, tumor histopathological characteristics, the patient-related factors

Abstract

Background: The existing tumor-node-metastasis staging system ignores numerous clinical, therapeutic, and biological characteristics of lung cancer and psychomotor condition of a patient because it is based on the anatomic extent of disease. Therefore, there is a possibility of inadequate choice of therapy for any individual patient. Based on the disease stage, histopathological characteristics of the tumor and the patient-related factors (sex, age, Karnofsky status, accompanying diseases) the outcome of the disease can be predicted in patients with inoperable and unresectable non-small lung cancer. Methods: This report is a prospective clinical study that included patients with histopathological verified non-small cell lung cancer, followed up for a six-month period, from the beginning of the treatment. The following data were recorded: sex, age, histological cancer type, stage, Karnofsky status, and comorbid diseases. Results: The study showed planocellular carcinoma was more dominant among men than among women and that and at the diagnosis, most patients were in IIIb or IV stage. There was a decrease in psychomotor status of patients. The length of survival depended on Karnofsky index (p = 0.000), comorbidities - chronic myocardiopathy (p = 0.001), diabetes mellitus type 2 (p = 0.007), myocardial infraction (p = 0.005), and the stage of the disease (p = 0.001) Conclusion: Psychomotor status of a patient, comborid diseases, and the stage of disease are the factors that determine patient's tolerance to oncology treatment. © 2007, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina.