title: The management of PS2 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world. Patients with impaired performance status (PS2 or greater) have both worse prognosis and toxicity from treatment in general. The median survival of PS2 patients with advanced NSCLC is 4-5 months in comparison with the 8-9 months expected for those with good performance status (PS0-1). PS2 represents 30%-40% of all patients with advanced NSCLC, and their management remains controversial. In general, they have been excluded from most clinical trials. The emphasis on treatment should be on maintenance and improvement of quality of life with treatment strategies that provide rapid clinical improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Guys Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK. kac@adelaidecancercentre.com.au
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chrystal
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents