Prognostic impact of serum albumin levels on the recurrence of stage I non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: Patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer who have undergone complete surgical resection harbor a 30% risk for tumor recurrence. Thus, the identification of factors that are predictive for tumor recurrence is urgently needed. The aim of this study was to test the prognostic value of serum albumin levels on tumor recurrence in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients who underwent complete surgical resection of the primary tumor at Zhejiang Hospital were analyzed in this study. Serum albumin levels were measured before surgery and once again after surgery in 101 histologically diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer patients. Correlations between the pre- and post-operative serum albumin levels and various clinical demographics and recurrence-free survival rates were analyzed. Results: Patients with pre-operative hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dl) had a significantly worse survival rate than patients with normal pre-operative serum albumin levels (≥3.5 g/dl) (p=0.008). Patients with post-operative hypoalbuminemia had a worse survival rate when compared with patients with normal post-operative serum albumin levels (p=0.001). Cox multivariate analysis identified pre-operative hypoalbuminemia, post-operative hypoalbuminemia and tumor size over 3 cm as independent negative prognostic factors for recurrence. Conclusion: Serum albumin levels appear to be a significant independent prognostic factor for tumor recurrence in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer who have undergone complete resection. Patient pre-treatment and post-treatment serum albumin levels provide an easy and early means of discrimination between patients with a higher risk for recurrence and patients with a low risk of recurrence. .

Results of the Definitive Radiation Therapy for the Early Stage (Stage I) Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of definitive radiation therapy for Stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients who were medically inoperable or refused surgery. Material and M ethods: A retrospective study was conducted of 36 patients who received definitive radiation therapy for pathologically proven Stage I non-small cell lung cancer in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, between July 1989 and July 2003. Twenty three patients received conventional radiation therapy with a fraction size of 1.2~3.0 Gy, with a total dose of 50.0~70.2 Gy (CRT group). Thirteen patients received stereotactic radiosurgery with a fraction size of 10~12 Gy, with a total dose of 30~48 Gy using a Stereotactic Body Frame (Precision TherapyTM, SRS group). RESULTS: The two- and 5-year overall survival rates (OS) of all the patients were 79 and 44%, respectively. The two- and 5-year OS of the CRT and SRS groups were 43 and 53%, and 7 and 27%, respectively, but showed no statistically significant difference (p=0.5173). The two- and 5-year cause-specific survival rates (CSS) of the SRS group were superior to those of the CRT group (2YCSS: 100 vs. 70%, 5YCSS: 50 vs. 39%), but were not statistically significant (p=0.2086). The two- and 5-year local progressionfree survival rates (LPFS) of all the patients were 67 and 57%, respectively. The 5-year LPFS of the SRS group was superior to that of the CRT group (66 vs. 54%), but was not statistically significant (p=0.3937). The T-stage, tumor size, treatment method (CRT vs. SRS) and tumor dose did not affect the 2-year LPFS. Grade 2~3 radiation pneumonitis developed in 5 patients (14%), all in the CRT group. The omission of elective nodal irradiation (ENI) did not affect the incidence of Grade 2~3 radiation pneumonitis in the CRT group (ENI group 17%, no ENI group 25%, p=0.538). CONCLUSION: Definitive radiation therapy for Stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients that were medically inoperable or who refused surgery was considered effective and safe. Stereotactic radiosurgery was proven to be superior to that of conventional radiation therapy, although no statistically significant difference was shown. To investigate the optimal radiation dose and fractionation scheme of SRS, a prospective study, including more patients, is mandatory

The Prognosis following Radiation Therapy or Surgical Resection for Stage 1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer / 결핵

BACKGROUD: Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for localized, operable non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. Curative radiotherapy, however, is considered an alternative to surgery in patients with poor performance state, poor cardiopulmonary function, or who refuse surgery. However, the difference in prognosis after surgery and radiotherapy is not well established in the patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. METHOD: To evaluate the difference in progonsis between surgery and radiotherapy in stage I non-small cell lung cancer, a retrospective study was done with 15 patients treated with curative radiotherapy and 24 patients treated with curative surgery. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 80%, with 33% complete response, after radiotherapy. The median survival time of the patients with radiotherapy was 14.9 months, with 2-year and 5-year survival rates of 22% and 0%, respectively. The median survival time of the patients with surgery was 37.7months, with 2-year and 5-year survival rates of 65% and 41%, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that surgery is better than the radiotherpy in view of survival rate and it is necessary to recommend, more strongly, curative surgery to patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer if the patients are able to receive operation. To compare, more accurately, the difference in prognosis by the modality of therapy, large multicenter study is needed.