title: Clinico-pathological profile of lung cancer at AIIMS: a changing paradigm in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer is one of the commonest and most lethal cancers throughout the world. The epidemiological and pathological profile varies among different ethnicities and geographical regions. At present adenocarcinoma is the commonest histological subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in most of the Western and Asian countries. However, in India squamous cell carcinoma has been reported as the commonest histological type in most of the series. The aim of the study was to analyze the current clinico-pathological profile and survival of lung cancer at our centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 434 pathologically confirmed lung cancer cases registered at our centre over a period of three years. They were evaluated for their clinical and pathological profiles, treatment received and outcome. The available histology slides were reviewed by an independent reviewer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 55 years with a male:female ratio of 4.6:1. Some 68% of patients were smokers. There were 85.3% NSCLC and 14.7% SCLC cases. Among NSCLCs, adenocarcinoma was the commonest histological subtype after the pathology review. Among NSCLC, 56.8% cases were of stage IV while among SCLC 71.8% cases had extensive stage disease. Some 29% of patients could not receive any anticancer treatment. The median overall and progression free survivals of the patients who received treatment were 12.8 and 7.8 months for NSCLC and 9.1 and 6.8 months for SCLC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis suggests that adenocarcinoma may now be the commonest histological subtype also in India, provided a careful pathological review is done. Most of the patients present at advanced stage and outcome remains poor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Prabhat Singh
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Mehar Chand
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Bidhu Kalyan
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Mohanti
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Svs
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deo
authors.forename: Anant
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Guresh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raina
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000209:etiology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin