Tuberc Respir Dis.  2014 May;76(5):218-225. 10.4046/trd.2014.76.5.218.

Progression-Free Survival: An Important Prognostic Marker for Long-Term Survival of Small Cell Lung Cancer

• Park MR
• Park YH
• Choi JW
• Park DI
• Chung CU
• Moon JY
• Park HS
• Jung SS
• Kim JO
• Kim SY
• Lee JE

• KMID: 1842967
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2014.76.5.218

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an extremely aggressive tumor with a poor clinical course. Although many efforts have been made to improve patients' survival rates, patients who survive longer than 2 years after chemotherapy are still very rare. We examined the baseline characteristics of patients with long-term survival rates in order to identify the prognostic factors for overall survivals.
METHODS
A total of 242 patients with cytologically or histologically diagnosed SCLC were enrolled into this study. The patients were categorized into long- and short-term survival groups by using a survival cut-off of 2 years after diagnosis. Cox's analyses were performed to identify the independent factors.
RESULTS
The mean patient age was 65.66 years, and 85.5% were males; among the patients, 61 of them (25.2%) survived longer than 2 years. In the multivariate analyses, CRP (hazard ratio [HR], 2.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-6.06; p=0.012), TNM staging (HR, 3.29; 95% CI, 1.59-6.80; p=0.001), and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR, 11.14; 95% CI, 2.98-41.73; p<0.001) were independent prognostic markers for poor survival rates.
CONCLUSION
In addition to other well-known prognostic factors, this study discovered relationships between the long-term survival rates and serum CRP levels, TNM staging, and PFS. In situations with unfavorable conditions, the PFS would be particularly helpful for managing SCLC patients.

Keyword

Small Cell Lung Carcinoma; Prognosis; Disease-Free Survival

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis
Disease-Free Survival*
Drug Therapy
Humans
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Neoplasm Staging
Prognosis
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*
Survival Rate

Figure

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  Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival, according to serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level.

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  Figure 2 Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival, according to TNM stage.

• 

  Figure 3 Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival, according to length of progression free survival (PFS).

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