Gender difference in treatment outcomes in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To identify any gender differences in the outcomes of concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and thoracic radiotherapy for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
A comparative retrospective review of the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes between female and male NSCLC patients receiving chemoradiotherapy.


RESULTS
Of a total of 204 patients, 44 (22%) were females and 160 (78%) were males. There was no difference in age, body weight loss, performance status or disease stage between the sexes, whereas never-smokers and adenocarcinoma were more common in female patients (55% vs. 3%, P < 0.001, and 73% vs. 55%, P = 0.034, respectively). Full cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at a total dose of 60 Gy were administered to approximately 70% and >80% of the patients, respectively, of both sexes. Grade 3-4 neutropenia was observed in 64% of the female patients and 63% of the male patients. Severe esophagitis was encountered in <10% of the patients, irrespective of the sex. The response rate was higher in the female than in the male patients (93% vs. 79%, P = 0.028), but the median progression-free survival did not differ between the sexes. The median survival time in the female and male patients was 22.3 and 24.3 months, respectively (P = 0.64).


CONCLUSIONS
This study failed to show any gender differences in the survival or toxicity among patients treated by concurrent chemoradiotherapy. These results contrast with the better survival in female patients undergoing surgery for localized disease or chemotherapy for metastatic disease.
Sekine
Ikuo
I
Division of Internal Medicine and Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tsukiji 5-1-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. isekine@ncc.go.jp
Sumi
Minako
M
Ito
Yoshinori
Y
Tanai
Chiharu
C
Nokihara
Hiroshi
H
Yamamoto
Noboru
N
Kunitoh
Hideo
H
Ohe
Yuichiro
Y
Tamura
Tomohide
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome