title: Age at diagnosis predicts outcomes in gefitinib-treated female patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: We performed this retrospective study to evaluate the association between age at diagnosis and outcome in female patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, who were treated with gefitinib. We analyzed the outcomes for 162 female patients who had received gefitinib monotherapy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to select a cutoff value for age with respect to tumor response. Patients were categorized as older and younger, with a value of 55 years. Most of the study population comprised never-smokers (89%) and patients with adenocarcinoma (82%). The mean age was 58 years and the response rate was 47% (76 patients). Older female patients showed higher response rates than younger patients (57% and 27%, respectively; P<0.001), whereas there were no differences between never-smokers and smokers (P=0.824). Patients with adenocarcinoma had better response rates than those with nonadenocarinoma but this difference was not significant (50% and 34%, respectively; P=0.139). In terms of progression-free survival, older age (P=0.005) and adenocarcinoma histology (P=0.008) were favorable factors but never-smoking was not (P=0.316). Multivariate analysis confirmed that age predicted progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.60; P=0.008) and overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.60; P=0.014). Our data indicate that age at diagnosis may predict outcomes after gefitinib treatment in female patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. When molecular tests are not feasible, our results might help physician to select a beneficial subgroup in female patients.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, 215-4, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-706, Republic of Korea.
authors: Im Il
authors: II
authors: Na
authors: Du Hwan
authors: du H
authors: Choe
authors: Cheol Hyeon
authors: CH
authors: Kim
authors: Jae Soo
authors: JS
authors: Koh
authors: Baek-Yeol
authors: BY
authors: Ryoo
authors: Jae Cheol
authors: JC
authors: Lee
authors: Sung Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib