title: The value of prognostic factors in Chinese patients with small cell lung cancer: A retrospective study of 999 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the prognostic factors for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in Chinese patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study was to improve our understanding of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) prognostic factors in Chinese patients with SCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 999 SCLC cases was performed. Patient characteristics, treatments, and laboratory data, including platelet counts and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and serum sodium levels, were collected. Potential prognostic factors for OS and PFS were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median OS and PFS were 10.6 and 7.0 months, respectively. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify stage, serum LDH, and several therapy-relevant factors, including the initial chemotherapy regimen, number of initial chemotherapy cycles, and combination therapy, as independent prognostic factors for OS. Furthermore, female sex, normal LDH levels, a response to therapy, receiving six cycles of initial chemotherapy, and receiving chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and/or surgery were favorable prognostic factors for PFS. In addition, patients with hyponatremia had a worse OS; therefore, hyponatremia could not influence survival when a good response to therapy was achieved, and it failed to predict PFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that several factors, including patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics and serum LDH levels are independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS in Chinese patients with SCLC. The identification of such factors will help physicians compare different populations and to interpret the contribution of treatment to differences in survival among groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhaoyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yina
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fengrui
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gongyan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
keywords: overall survival; prognostic factors; progression-free survival; small-cell lung cancer