[Epidemiological study of lung cancer in Portugal (2000/2002)].
Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer death in the world. Five-year survival is about 15%, without any change to this picture envisaged. It is the 3rd most prevalent type of cancer in Portugal and the primary cause of cancer death. 85% of lung cancer cases are attributable to smoking. One study performed in Portugal for 3 years (2000/2002) by the Lung Oncology Work Committee of the Portuguese Society of Pulmonology in 22 Hospitals showed that of a total of 4396 patients with lung cancer, 81.8% were male and 18.2% were female, with a mean age of 64.49 +/- 11.28 years. About 70% of patients were smokers or former smokers, with 50.3% of patients presenting with performance status (Zubrod) 1. Histologically, 37.5% were adenocarcinoma, followed by squamous carcinoma in 30.5% of cases, and small cell lung cancer in 12.5%; neuroendocrine carcinoma presented in 1.4% of cases; non small cell lung cancer in 10.5%; mixed carcinoma in 0.7%; large cell carcinoma in 2.3%; and others/not specified in 4.6% of cases. Staging (known in 4097 patients), showed 113 patients in stage IA (2.8%)and 250 patients in stage IB (6.1%); only 0.8% in stage IIA and 4.5% in stage IIB; 9.1% in stage IIIA and 29.9% in stage IIIB; 46.9% were already in stage IV by the time of diagnosis. The first therapeutic option was known in 3855 patients. Surgery was performed in 8.2% and 21.8% of cases were treated with combined therapies (surgery and chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy); chemotherapy alone was first choice in 43.7% of patients and in 20.3% only best support therapy was chosen.
Parente
Bárbara
B
Queiroga
H
H
Teixeira
E
E
Sotto-Mayor
R
R
Barata
F
F
Sousa
A
A
Melo
M J
MJ
João
F
F
Neveda
R
R
Cunha
J
J
Fernandes
A
A
Manuel
M
M
Cardoso
T
T
Ferreira
L
L
Nogueira
F
F
Duarte
J
J
Semedo
E
E
Brito
U
U
Pimentel
F
F
Barros
S
S
Costa
F
F
Almodôvar
T
T
Araújo
A
A
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology