Dynamic nomogram for long-term survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after pneumonectomy

BackgroundThe study aims to identify prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) in patients who had pneumonectomy, in order to develop a practical dynamic nomogram model.MethodsA total of 2,255 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent pneumonectomy were identified from 2010–2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The cohort was divided into a training (2011–2015) and a validation [2010] cohort. A nomogram and a risk classification system were constructed from the independent survival factors in multivariable analysis. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was measured through internal and external validation.ResultsIndependent prognostic factors associated with OS were gender, age, pathology, tumor size, N stage, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The C-index of the nomogram for OS was 0.675 (95% CI: 0.655–0.694). Similarly, the AUC of the model was 0.733, 0.709, and 0.701 for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, respectively. The calibration curves for survival demonstrated good agreement. Significant statistical differences were found in the OS of patients within different risk groups. An online calculation tool was established for clinical use.ConclusionsThis novel nomogram was able to provide a reliable prognosis for survival in patients with NSCLC undergoing pneumonectomy.     

两种手术方法切除非小细胞肺癌疗效临床分析

目的探讨肺癌袖状切除术与全肺切除术治疗老年患者非小细胞肺癌的疗效临床。方法 210例老年非小细胞肺癌患者分成观察组(肺癌袖状切除术)和对照组(传统全肺切除术)。结果观察组与对照组术后并发症发生率为12.2%、33.9%(P<0.05),但术后死亡率无显著差异(χ2=0.67)。两组术后1、3、5年生存率分别为81.6%、56.1%、46.9%及63.4%、39.3%、31.3%(P<0.05)。结论肺癌袖状切除术治疗老年非小细胞肺癌疗效好,并发症发生率低,术后生存率高。     

Interstitial lung disease and wedge resection are poor prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundAlthough several prognostic factors in patients undergoing pulmonary resection with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been reported, the risk factors are varied and have not been consistent among reports.MethodsClinical data of 540 patients with pathological stage IA NSCLC were analyzed. Patient factors, such as the sex, age, comorbidities, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, and smoking history, and surgical factors, such as the operative approach and procedure, were collected and analyzed.ResultsThere were significant prognostic differences in the relapse-free survival (RFS) depending on the presence of interstitial lung disease (P<0.0001), CEA level (P=0.007), and wedge resection (P=0.002). There were significant prognostic differences in the overall survival (OS) depending on the presence of interstitial lung disease (P=0.0015), CEA level (P<0.0001), and smoking history (P=0.0003). Interstitial lung disease [hazard ratio (HR): 7.725, P=0.003], the CEA level (HR: 1.923, P=0.045), and operative procedure (HR: 2.086, P=0.025) were risk factors for the RFS in a multivariate analysis. The smoking history (HR: 2.539, P=0.002) and CEA level (HR: 2.464, P=0.002) were risk factors for the OS in a multivariate analysis.ConclusionsInterstitial lung disease, the CEA level, and operative procedure were risk factors for the RFS, while the smoking history and CEA level were risk factors for the OS.     

非小细胞肺癌患者生活质量评分变化对其生存期的预测作用研究

目的研究非小细胞肺癌患者生活质量评分变化对其生存期的预测作用。方法采用EORTC QLQ-C30法评估280例非小细胞肺癌患者生活质量。并采用Cox回归模型分析患者在治疗前及3个月时两时间点的生活质量参数改变对其生存期的预测意义。结果多变量模型分析发现非小细胞肺癌患者体能、恶心呕吐、失眠症状评分改变与患者生存期之间存在相关(P值均<0.05)。病理分级为Ⅳ期患者,在治疗3个月后体能评分每增加10分,患者死亡率则下降8%(OR=0.92,P<0.05)。结论非小细胞肺癌患者的生活质量参数与其生存期存在相关,对其相关因素的干预能够改善患者的生存期。     

A propensity-matched analysis of stereotactic body radiotherapy and sublobar resection for stage I non-small cell lung cancer in patients at high risk for lobectomy: the results in a Chinese population

BackgroundTo investigate the comparative effectiveness of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and sublobar resection (SLR) in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) considered to be high-risk lobectomy patients.MethodsFrom January 2012 to December 2015, patients who underwent SBRT or SLR for clinical stage I NSCLC were examined retrospectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to reduce selection bias in SBRT and SLR patients.ResultsData from 86 SBRT and 79 SLR patients was collected. Median follow-up periods of the SBRT and SLR groups were 32 and 37 months, respectively. Patients treated with SBRT exhibited significantly higher age, higher likelihood of being male, larger tumor diameter, lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and poorer performance status compared with SLR patients. There were no significant differences between SBRT and SLR patients for 3-year overall survival (OS) (80.3% and 82.3%, P=0.405), cause-specific survival (CSS) (81.3% and 83.4%, P=0.383), and local control (LC) (89.7% and 86.0%, P=0.501). Forty-nine patients were identified from each group after performing PSM. After patients were matched for age, gender, performance status, tumor characteristics and pulmonary function, no significant differences were observed in 3-year OS (85.4% and 73.3%, P=0.649), CSS (87.2% and 74.9%, P=0.637) and LC (95.6% and 82.1%, P=0.055). Prevalence of significant adverse events (grade 3 or worse) was 0% and 10.2% in the matched SBRT and SLR groups (P=0.056), respectively.ConclusionsDisease control and survival in the SBRT patients was equivalent to that seen in SLR patients with stage I NSCLC considered high-risk lobectomy candidates. SBRT could therefore be an alternative option to SLR in treating patients with a high operative risk.     

Evaluation of different treatment strategies between right-sided and left-sided pneumonectomy for stage I–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer patients

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the different survival outcomes of stage I–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received right-sided and left-sided pneumonectomy, and to further develop the most appropriate treatment strategies.MethodsWe accessed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from the United States for the present study. An innovative propensity score matching analysis was used to minimize the variance between groups.ResultsFor 2,683 patients who received pneumonectomy, cancer-specific survival [hazard ratio (HR) =0.863, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.771 to 0.965, P=0.010] and overall survival (OS; HR =0.875, 95% CI: 0.793 to 0.967, P=0.008) were significantly superior in left-sided pneumonectomy patients compared with right-sided pneumonectomy patients. Cancer-specific survival (HR =0.847, 95% CI: 0.745 to 0.963, P=0.011) and OS (HR =0.858, 95% CI: 0.768 to 0.959, P=0.007) were also significantly longer with left-sided compared to right-sided pneumonectomy after matching analysis of 2,050 patients. Adjuvant therapy could significantly prolong cancer-specific survival (67 versus 51 months, HR =1.314, 95% CI: 1.093 to 1.579, P=0.004) and OS (46 versus 30 months, HR =1.458, 95% CI: 1.239 to 1.715, P<0.001) among left-sided pneumonectomy patients after the matching procedure, while adjuvant therapy did not increase cancer-specific survival for right-sided pneumonectomy patients (46 versus 42 months, HR =1.112, 95% CI: 0.933 to 1.325, P=0.236). Subgroup analysis showed that adjuvant chemotherapy could significantly improve cancer-specific survival and OS for all pneumonectomy patients. However, radiotherapy was associated with worse survival for patients with right-sided pneumonectomy.ConclusionsPneumonectomy side can be deemed as an important factor when physicians determine the most optimal treatment strategies.     

Surgical modality for stage IA non-small cell lung cancer among the elderly: analysis of the Surveillance,Epidemiology, and End Results database

BackgroundThe appropriate surgical modality for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) among the elderly remains controversial; identifying appropriate modalities will be helpful in clinical practice.MethodsIt’s a cohort study and we explored the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for identifying patients aged ≥70 years with pathologic stage IA NSCLC. Three types of surgeries were compared (lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection) via survival and stratification analyses.ResultsOverall, 6,197 patients were enrolled. Among patients aged ≥76 years with tumor diameters ≤1 cm, significant differences in survival were noted for segmentectomy vs. lobectomy [hazard ratio (HR) =0.294, P=0.007] and wedge resection vs. lobectomy (HR =0.548, P=0.017) but not in those with tumors diameters >1 cm. Among patients aged 70–75 years with tumor diameters >1–2 cm, significant differences in survival were observed for segmentectomy vs. lobectomy (HR =0.671, P=0.037) and segmentectomy vs. wedge resection (HR =0.556, P=0.003) and for wedge resection vs. lobectomy (HR =1.283, P=0.003) among those with tumor diameters >2–3 cm but not in those with tumor diameters ≤1 cm.ConclusionsBoth age and tumor size should be considered when selecting the surgical modality. Lobectomy is not recommended for lesions ≤1 cm among patients aged ≥76 years. Segmentectomy was associated with superior prognosis for tumor diameters >1–2 cm and survival favored lobectomy rather than wedge resection for NSCLCs >2–3 cm among patients aged 70–75 years. Surgeons could rely on personal experience to determine the appropriate surgical modality for NSCLCs >1 cm among patients aged ≥76 years and NSCLCs ≤1 cm among patients aged 70–75 years.     

Efficacy and safety of pemetrexed maintenance chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a real-world setting

BackgroundPemetrexed maintenance therapy offers a survival benefit in patients with nonprogressive advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with good tolerability. This study was designed to analyze the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed maintenance chemotherapy in advanced nonsquamous NSCLC patients in a real-world setting.MethodsThe response rate (RR) and adverse events in 71 nonsquamous NSCLC patients treated with pemetrexed-based chemotherapy were observed until disease progression or unacceptable toxicities. Measures of survival were analyzed during follow-up.ResultsOf 69 efficacy-evaluable patients, the objective response rate (ORR) was 46.4% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 98.6%. ORR showed no significant difference between patients who received pemetrexed as first-line therapy and those who received pemetrexed as second-line or higher treatment. The median treatment cycle for all patients was 8. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.5 months (m) and median overall survival (OS) was 30.5 m. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the number of chemotherapy cycles was an independent factor for PFS. The most common adverse reactions were grade 1 to 2 hematologic toxicities, gastrointestinal reactions, and liver enzyme abnormalities. Only 1 patient experienced a grade 3 gastrointestinal event.ConclusionsPemetrexed maintenance chemotherapy can improve PFS in patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC with good tolerability.     

低剂量吉西他滨联合卡铂对晚期非小细胞肺癌患者生活质量的影响

目的观察低剂量吉西他滨联合卡铂治疗晚期非小细胞肺癌患者的临床疗效及对生活质量的影响。方法96例晚期非小细胞肺癌患者随机分为两组。对照组采用吉西他滨1000mg/m2,静脉滴注30min,第1、8天,卡铂300mg/m2,第1天;治疗组采用吉西他滨250mg/m2,6h静脉持续滴注,第1、8天,卡铂同上。每3周为1个疗程。治疗2个疗程后进行疗效评价。采用EORTCQLQ-C30和QLQ-LC13问卷对治疗前、后症状和生活质量的改变进行评价。结果总有效率、中位生存期、临床缓解时间、1年生存率两组对比无显著性差异(P均0.05);治疗组Ⅲ-Ⅳ度白细胞下降及恶心呕吐的发生率明显低于对照组(P0.05);两组生存质量各领域包括功能子领域及症状子领域评分治疗后明显改善,治疗组改善更明显。结论低剂量吉西他滨联合卡铂治疗晚期非小细胞肺癌疗效确切、不良反应轻,能显著改善晚期非小细胞肺癌患者的生活质量。     

全肺切除术及支气管成形肺叶切除术在非小细胞肺癌治疗中的研究

目的 探讨全肺切除术及支气管成形肺叶切除术治疗非小细胞肺癌的效果.方法 将我院114例非小细胞肺癌患者分为研究组59例,行支气管成形肺叶切除术;对照组55例,行全肺切除术.结果 研究组术后1、3、5年内生存率明显高于对照组（P〈0.05）.同时,研究组的并发症发生率为10.17%明显低于对照组的32.73%（P〈0.05）.结论 全肺切除术与支气管成形肺叶切除术各具特点,临床选择术式时要根据患者自身情况和病变的具体情况而定.     

Combination of albumin concentration and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for predicting overall survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundLung cancer contributes significantly to the total of cancer-linked deaths globally, accounting for 1.3 million deaths each year. Preoperative albumin (Alb) concentration and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may reflect chronic inflammation and be used to predict lung cancer outcomes.MethodsThe clinical records of 293 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital & Fujian Cancer Hospital were reviewed retrospectively in this current study. Clinicopathologic pretreatment, including NLR, Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), and post-treatment value, such as tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) were documented. The cut-off finder application was employed to calculate the optimal threshold values. The significance of Alb concentration combined with NLR (COA-NLR) on the prediction of overall survival (OS) was explored using Kaplan-Meier analysis along with Cox proportional hazards.ResultsThe results revealed that COA-NLR could independently assess the OS of patients with NSCLC [hazard ratio (HR) =1.952, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.367 to 2.647, P<0.001]. Moreover, the 3-year OS rates were 87.2%, 68.5%, and 52.8% for the COA-NLR =0, COA-NLR =1, and COA-NLR =2, respectively (P<0.001).ConclusionsPreoperative COA-NLR value can effectively stratifies prognosis in NSCLC patients by classified patients into three independent groups. It can be adopted as an effective biomarker for prognosis in NSCLC patients treated with resection.     

Bone metastases in non-small cell lung cancer: a narrative review

Background and ObjectiveBone metastases are common in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and remain a significant source of morbidity, mortality, and diminished quality of life, despite the considerable progress made in the overall management of patients with metastatic NSCLC over the last decade. Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of bone metastases is critical to improving survival, preserving function, and managing symptoms in this patient population. The objective of our review is to provide a comprehensive review of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, management, and factors predicting the development and prognosis of patients with NSCLC with bone metastases.MethodsAn online electronic search was performed on PubMed and Google Scholar of all English-language literature using combinations of the following keywords: bone metastases, non-small cell lung cancer, pathophysiology, skeletal related events, response to therapy, predictive factors, and immunotherapy. Bibliographies of identified papers were reviewed for additional articles of interest. Observational cohort, retrospective studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, and review articles were examined for this review.Key Content and FindingsBone metastases in lung cancer patients remain a common occurrence, impacting morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Patients with skeletal related events (SREs) have worse prognosis. There is data supporting use of bisphosphonates and/or denosumab, and these should be considered in all patients with bone metastases. Novel studies comparing the genomic alterations of skeletal metastases and primary tumors are needed. As therapy for patients with advanced disease evolves, more studies are needed to evaluate the interplay between immunotherapy and bone metastases, and in determining the response to treatment in bone.ConclusionsPredicting development and progression of bone metastases could allow earlier and targeted therapy in patients with bone metastases. Predicting and evaluating response to conventional chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC patients with bone metastases remains an unmet need and merits further study.     

Sequential or concomitant chemotherapy with hypofractionated radiotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized trials

BackgroundFor patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the standard treatment is concurrent or sequential chemotherapy with radiotherapy. Most treatment schedules use radiotherapy with conventional fractionation; however, the application of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HYPO-RT) regimens is rising. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy combined with HYPO-RT and indirectly compare with the outcomes from previous studies employing concomitant conventional radiotherapy (CONV-RT).MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified on the electronic database sources through June 2020. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a meta-analysis was performed to assess if there were significant differences in the overall mortality (OM), local failure (LF), and disease progression (DP), comparing HYPO-RT-C vs. sequential chemotherapy followed HYPO-RT (HYPO-RT-S). To establish an indirect comparison with the current standard treatment, we calculate the risk ratio (RR) of the OM from RCTs using conventional chemoradiation, concurrent (CONV-RT-C), and sequential (CONV-RT-S), and compared with HYPO-RT. A P value <0.05 was considered significant.ResultsTwo RCTs with a total of 288 patients were included. The RR for the OM, DP and LF at 3 year comparing HYPO-RT-C vs. HYPO-RT-S were 1.09 (95% CI: 0.96–1.28, P=0.17), 1.06 (95% CI: 0.82–1.23, P=0.610), and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.86–1.29, P=0.490), respectively. The late grade 3 pneumonitis and esophagitis had no significant difference between HYPO-RT groups. In the indirect comparison of RCTs using CONV-RT, the RR for the OM at 3 years was 1.03 (95% CI: 0.96–1.10, P=0.36) with no significant difference for the HYPO-RT arms 1.09 (95% CI: 0.96–1.28, P=0.17).DiscussionHYPO-RT given with chemotherapy provides satisfactory OM, LF, and DP in locally advanced NSCLC with similar rates to the CONV-RT. These findings support HYPO-RT inclusion in future clinical trials as an experimental arm in addition to the incorporation of new strategies, such as immunotherapy.     

112例非小细胞肺癌淋巴结转移规律分析

目的分析112例非小细胞肺癌淋巴结的转移规律。方法对112例肺癌患者施行手术切除并行广泛肺门、叶间及纵隔淋巴结清扫术。术后病理资料进行统计分析。结果在共清除898组淋巴结中,单纯N1淋巴结转移率为24.1%,N2(包括N1+N2)淋巴结转移率30.4%。原发肺癌(T)分期T1、T2、T3间淋巴结转移率差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。跳跃式转移占N2转移的35.3%。结论非小细胞肺癌的淋巴结转移与T分期有关,具有较多的跳跃性纵隔淋巴结转移发生,肿瘤部位及肺癌的病理学类型与淋巴结的转移无明显关系。外科治疗中应注意广泛清扫肺内、同侧纵隔淋巴结才有可能达到根治目的。     

Risk factors of chest wall invasion in non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundThe risk factors for the development of chest wall invasion (CWI) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are unclear. If the risk factors for the development of CWI can be clarified, surgical treatment might be able to be performed before CWI development, thus improving the prognosis.MethodsIn the present study, we enrolled patients who received surgery for NSCLC between January 2008 and December 2019 with available data on the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max) on positron emission tomography (PET) with lesions adjacent to the visceral pleura. Furthermore, the preoperative white blood cell (WBC) count, the preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet (Plt) count, levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed as predictive factors of CWI.ResultsThe relationships between CWI and clinicopathological variables were analyzed, and there were significant differences between patients with and without CWI in the age (P=0.02), maximum tumor diameter on computed tomography (CT) (P<0.01), diameter of tumors adjacent to the visceral pleura (P_max) (P<0.01), SUV_max (P<0.01), maximum tumor diameter on a pathological examination (P<0.01), WBC count (P=0.03), Plt count (P=0.04), and levels of LDH (P<0.01) and CRP (P=0.01). Logistic regression analyses of the risk factors related to CWI showed that the age (P=0.02), P_max (P=0.02), SUV_max (P=0.01), and LDH (P<0.01) were significant risk factors.ConclusionsThe age, P_max, SUV_max, and LDH levels might be associated with CWI.     

Pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α represents a reliable prognostic predictor for patients with non-small cell lung cancer resected via curative operation

BackgroundLung cancer is associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate worldwide; however, no reliable and independent prognostic predictor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after curative surgery is available. Glucose metabolism is correlated with cancer cell proliferation. Pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α (PDH-E1α) catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and promotes aerobic glucose metabolism. In this study, we examined the relationship between PDH-E1α expression and clinicopathological factors associated with NSCLC to identify a reliable prognostic predictor of NSCLC after curative surgery.MethodsA total of 445 patients with NSCLC who underwent curative resection were enrolled in this study. PDH-E1α expression was evaluated via immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the correlation between PDH-E1α expression and clinicopathological features of the patients.ResultsIn total, 248 (56%) of the 445 patients with NSCLC were PDH-E1α-positive, and 197 patients were PDH-E1α-negative. PDH-E1α positivity was significantly correlated with the presence of adenocarcinoma (P<0.001) compared to the PDH-E1α-negative group. Patients with NSCLC showing PDH-E1α-negative expression had a significantly poorer overall survival rate (P=0.007) than those showing PDH-E1α-positive expression, especially at stage II. Patients with PDH-E1α negative expression also showed a poorer disease-free survival rate (P=0.02). Multivariate analysis revealed that PDH-E1α negativity (P=0.037) and male sex (P<0.001) were significantly correlated with a poor overall survival.ConclusionsPDH-E1α may represent a reliable prognostic predictor for NSCLC in patients that have recently undergone curative resection, especially at stage II.     

Prognostic value of lactate dehydrogenase in non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundAt present, although there are some known molecular markers for the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) brain metastases, but there are still shortcomings in sensitivity and specificity. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is one of the key enzymes involved in malignancy vital glycolytic pathway. Elevated serum LDH levels are reported significantly associated with a poor prognosis in various malignancies. However, there is currently no consensus regarding the prognostic value of LDH in NSCLC patients with brain metastases.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 224 patients diagnosed with lung cancer brain metastases between January 2006 and June 2020 after excluding patients meeting combined with other malignancies and inaccurate clinical information. The LDH cutoff values were obtained using a restricted cubic spline (RCS) model, and the patients were divided into two groups according to the optimal cut-off value (180 U/L). 107 patients with LDH ≤180 (47.77%) and 117 patients with LDH >180 (52.23%) were identified. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors. The overall survival (OS) time was defined as the time from the first diagnosis of brain metastases to the last follow-up or death. Of the included patients, 147 survived and 77 died. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to illustrate the OS difference between the two groups. Finally, sensitivity analysis was employed to evaluate the robustness of the results.ResultsThe OS rate was significantly lower in the high LDH group versus the low LDH group (P=0.009). The median survival times of the high and low LDH groups were approximately 16 and 33 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that high LDH was associated with a significantly worse OS [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.567; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.058 to 2.32, P=0.025] with adjustment for covariables that P<0.05 in univariate analysis. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the results of this study are robust, despite potential unmeasured confounders.ConclusionsHigh level of serum LDH indicates poor prognosis for patients with NSCLC brain metastases. This finding may provide useful prognostic information for patients and clinicians to choose more aggressive treatment strategies.     

Positive nodal status is still a risk factor for long-term survivors of non-small cell lung cancer 5 years after complete resection

BackgroundLung cancer has a poor prognosis; the number of long-term survivors (LTSs) is small compared with that of other cancers. Few studies have focused on late recurrence in LTSs with lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors for survival and late recurrence in LTSs after disease-free period of 5 years.MethodsA retrospective analysis of patients with a disease-free survival of at least 5 years after surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between January 1998 and December 2012 was conducted. Patients who underwent neo-adjuvant therapy, had an incomplete resection, or had advanced stage (stages IIIb and IV) cancer were excluded.ResultsA total of 1,254 (53.2%) of 2,357 patients were enrolled. Of these, 759 (60.5%) were men, and the mean patient age was 61.9±10.1 (range, 10–87 years) years. Pathologic N0 (997 patients, 79.5%) and stage I (860 patients, 68.6%) were the dominant stages. Late recurrence occurred in 22 patients (1.8%) 5 years postoperatively. On multivariate analysis, male sex, older age, node-positive status, and late recurrence were found to be independent risk factors for overall survival (OS), while a node-positive status was the only independent risk factor for disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) =3.824; P=0.002; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.658–8.821].ConclusionsThe nodal stage at the time of surgical resection was found to be an independent risk factor for both OS and disease-free survival 5 years after initial treatment in patients with completely resected NSCLC.     

Impact of metformin use on survival in locally-advanced,inoperable non-small cell lung cancer treated with definitive chemoradiation

Background

We investigated survival outcomes in diabetic patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with concurrent metformin and definitive chemoradiation.

Methods

This single-institution, retrospective cohort study included 166 patients with NSCLC who were treated definitively with chemoradiation between 1999 and 2013. Of 40 patients who had type II diabetes, 20 (50%) were on metformin, and 20 (50%) were not on metformin. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). Kaplan Meier method and log-rank test were performed in survival analysis. Cox regression was utilized in univariate analysis of potential confounders.

Results

Median follow-up was 17.0 months. Compared with non-diabetic patients, diabetic patients on metformin demonstrated similar OS (16.3 vs. 14.3 mo, P=0.23), PFS (11.6 vs. 9.7 mo, P=0.26), LRRFS (14.1 vs. 11.9 mo, P=0.78), and DMFS (13.4 vs. 10.0 mo, P=0.69). Compared with diabetic patients not on metformin, diabetic patients on metformin also exhibited similar OS (14.3 vs. 19.2 mo, P=0.18), PFS (19.7 vs. 10.1 mo, P=0.38), LRRFS (11.9 vs. 15.5 mo, P=0.69), and DMFS (10.0 vs. 17.4 mo, P=0.12). Identified negative prognostic factors on included squamous cell histology, lower performance status, higher T stage, and non-caucasian ethnicity.

Conclusions

No statistically significant differences in survival or patterns of failure were found among the three cohorts in this small set of patients. No statistically significant differences in survival or patterns of failure were found between the three cohorts in this small set of patients. Though it is possible that metformin use may in fact have no effect on survival in NSCLC patients treated with definitive RT, larger-scale retrospective and prospective studies are implicated for clarification.