Prognostic factors in lung cancer in a defined geographical area over two decades with a special emphasis on gender.

• Introduction: Many studies over recent decades report an increasing incidence of lung cancer in female patients. Female gender is often reported as a good prognostic factor. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate prognostic factors with a special emphasis on gender. Methods: During 1989-2008, 1497 patients in eastern Scania, a part of southern Sweden with 202 000 inhabitants, were referred to one Central Hospital and prospectively registered. All patients were grouped into four 5-year periods and analysed for occurrence of lung cancer, patient performance status, types and stages of lung cancer and the relation to gender. Results: The incidence of lung cancer more than doubled in women. The proportion of adenocarcinomas increased in females and males to 57 % (p=0.028) and 42 % (p=0.001), respectively, while the frequency of small cell lung carcinomas (SCLCs) decreased in both genders to approximately 14 %. Females had significantly more frequent stage 1 (16.6 %) and higher surgery rate (23.1 %) than males (12 % and 18.2 %, respectively). Females showed a higher 5-year survival rate than males (20.1 % and 11.5 %, respectively; p<0.001). Patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) had a higher 5-year survival rate than those with SCLC (16.5 % and 7.5 %, respectively; p<0.01); however there was no significant survival difference in females between NSCLC and SCLC. Conclusion: Female patients exhibited longer survival than males for both NSCLC and SCLC, and this was not explained by a higher frequency of stage 1 or surgery in NSCLC. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Lungmedicin och allergi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Respiratory Medicine and Allergy (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)