title: The importance of pre-treatment haemoglobin level in inoperable non-small cell lung carcinoma treated with radical radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the pre-treatment haemoglobin level among patients with inoperable non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) treated with definitive radiotherapy with regard to loco-regional tumour control (LC) and overall survival (OS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n=526) with previously untreated NSCLC, stages I-IIIb, WHO-performance status of 0-2 were eligible. All patients were treated with definitive external irradiation (60 Gy in 6 weeks).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the multivariate analysis, the pre-treatment haemoglobin level was an independent prognostic factor for both loco-regional control and the overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pre-treatment haemoglobin levels are strongly associated with loco-regional tumour control and the overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, VU University Medical Centre, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Langendijk
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Rinus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wanders
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lambin
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Slotman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins