Prognostic factors in elderly patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The number of elderly patients with lung cancer is rapidly increasing and their management is an important issue.


METHODS
109 patients aged over 75 years with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer were assessed to define the prognostic factors. The median age was 80 years in a range of 76 to 95. The overall median survival time was 6.3 months. Fifty-one patients underwent chemotherapy and/or thoracic radiotherapy whilst the others received best supportive care.


RESULTS
Multivariate Cox regression model showed performance status (PS) (p = 0.0063) and stage of disease (p = 0.0158) to be independent prognostic factors for survival. In seventy-six patients with a good PS of 0-1, choice of treatment (p = 0.0225) and hyponatremia (p = 0.0302) were the predictors for survival.


CONCLUSIONS
PS, treatment and serum sodium level were important factors for survival, and most patients with good PS were able to undergo the treatment and have a good outcome.
Kimura
T
T
Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, Graduate School of Osaka City University, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. kimutats@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
Kudoh
S
S
Hirata
K
K
Takifuji
N
N
Negoro
S
S
Yoshikawa
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001798:Blood Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012964:Sodium; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D002802:Cholinesterases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase