Elevated levels of plasma lactate dehydrogenase is an unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer, receiving treatment with gefitinib or erlotinib.
Treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has been shown to prolong survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study performed a retrospective analysis to investigate the association between the plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC receiving treatment with EGFR-TKIs. The medical charts of patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC who were receiving treatment with EGFR-TKIs at Toyama University Hospital between 2007 and 2014 were assessed. The data from 65 patients were included in the analysis. Patients with higher plasma LDH levels exhibited shorter progression-free survival (6.2 vs. 13.2 months; P<0.01) and overall survival (10.5 vs. 36.1 months; P<0.01) periods compared with patients with lower plasma LDH levels. A Cox proportional hazards model identified that the plasma LDH level was associated with the progression-free survival (P=0.05) and overall survival (P<0.01). An association was demonstrated between the pretreatment plasma LDH level and the survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC receiving treatment with EGFR-TKIs. Close observation is required in EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients exhibiting high plasma LDH levels following the initiation of treatment with EGFR-TKIs.
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Minehiko
M
Inomata
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Ryuji
R
Hayashi
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Hiroaki
H
Tanaka
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Kazuki
K
Shimokawa
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Kotaro
K
Tokui
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Chihiro
C
Taka
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Seisuke
S
Okazawa
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Kenta
K
Kambara
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Tomomi
T
Ichikawa
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Toru
T
Yamada
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Toshiro
T
Miwa
Department of Medical Oncology, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Tatsuhiko
T
Kashii
Health Administration Center, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Shoko
S
Matsui
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Kazuyuki
K
Tobe
epidermal growth factor receptor; lactate dehydrogenase; lung cancer; prognosis; tyrosine kinase inhibitor