Tuberc Respir Dis.  2010 Mar;68(3):180-184. 10.4046/trd.2010.68.3.180.

Clinical Characteristics of Slowly Growing Lung Cancer: 6 Case-Series Evaluation

• Nam HS
• Yang DH
• Kim JS
• Kim HJ
• Yi HG
• Lee KH
• Cho JH
• Yoon YH
• Kwak SM
• Lee HL
• Kim KH
• Ryu JS

• KMID: 1728964
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2010.68.3.180

Abstract

Slowly growing lung cancers are quite rare and the leading cause of length time bias and over-diagnosis bias in lung cancer screening. We report 6 cases of slowly growing lung cancer in a tertiary hospital between January 1999 and December 2008. The clinical characteristics of these 6 cases with slowly growing lung cancer were examined. The median age at diagnosis was 68 years (range, 49~72), and 5 patients (83%) were female. The most common histology type was adenocarcinoma (83%). After excluding two patients who showed no change in the tumor size, the median tumor doubling time was 189 months (range, 86~387). The proportion of patients with slowly growing lung cancer appears to be particularly large in women, especially among patients with adenocarcinoma. Our experience shows that slowly growly lung cancers are more heterogeneous and diverse.

Keyword

Lung Neoplasm; Adenocarcinoma; Slow Growth

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Bias (Epidemiology)
Female
Humans
Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Mass Screening
Tertiary Care Centers

Figure

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  Figure 1 Transverse CT scans obtained 40 months apart in patient 1 show no growth in nodule of right upper lobe (RLU). However, area of sold attenuation is increased. This nodule was confirmed to adenocarcinoma by RUL obectomy.

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  Figure 2 Transverse CT scans obtained 53 months apart in patient 4 (tumor doubling time, 142 months) show increase in size (2.6 → 3.8 cm) of mass in right lower lobe. Area of sold attenuation is also increased. This mass was confirmed to adenocarcinoma by sputum cytology.

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  Figure 3 Transverse CT scans obtained 48 months apart in patient 6 (tumor doubling time, 387 months) show increase in size (3.0 → 3.4 cm) of mass in right lower lobe. This mass was confirmed to adenosquamous carcinoma by percutaneous needle biopsy.

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