Cancer Science & Therapy

A Clinico-Epidemilogical Study of Cases of Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) that Received Radiotherapy at NCI Cairo in the Period from 2001-2010

Abstract

Mohamed Lotayef, Azza Taher, Hanna Attia, Azza Nasr, Hishamel Hossieny, Mohammed Mahmoud and Noha Essam

Purpose: This work was to study the clinic-epidemiological characteristics of patients with locally advanced NCSLC and to analyze their prognostic factors and also the results of different treatment modalities for local control and their effect on overall survival (OAS).

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study included 121 patients with primary locally advanced NSCLC diagnosed between 2001 and 2010 at the radiotherapy department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt.

Results: The study showed significant correlation between the tumor size ≤ 7 cm, old age >60, moderately differentiated tumors G2 and treatment outcomes; better locoregional control and better survival rates. On the opposite side poorly differentiated tumors G3, tumor size >7 cm had the worst locoregional control and survival rates. The study also showed significant statistical correlation between treatment modality, locoregional control and survival rates. Patients who were treated by either concomitant chemo-radiotherapy or sequential chemoradiotherapy had better local control compared to other patients who were treated by radical radiotherapy, and they also had the best survival rates among all the other treatment groups. The average 6 months OAS rates for all studied patients were 60.3% while 12 months survival rates were 38.8%. The median OAS was 7 months. The data was summarized by descriptive statistics [i.e., mean, standard deviation (SD), frequencies]. Mean values and standard deviation were compared using simple T-test (2 variables). Percentages were compared using Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Kaplan-Meier test was used for predictive survival rates. Conclusions: From the present study, we concluded that concomitant chemradiotherapy is the treatment of choice for locally advanced non small cell lung cancer; also we concluded that better performance status and higher hemoglobin levels have better treatment outcome in these cases.