Quality of life survey and palliative care in lung cancer patients.

Aim. In patients with advanced and/or inoperable bronchial tumors, methods of palliative care such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, brachytherapy and cryotherapy, singly and/or in combination, aiming at extending the survival time and improving the quality of life, were examined. Methods. One hundred and sixty three (163) patients, with mean age 67.9 yrs (range 22-25) and a male/female ratio at 1.34/1, treated between 2000-2004 were studied. Eighty one (81) patients receiving only cryotherapy presented a two-year survival rate at 19.3%, whilst eighty three (83) patients treated with radiotherapy or brachytherapy and/or chemotherapy showed a two-year survival rate at 25%. Sixty-five percent (65%) of patients only cryotreated had improvement in at least one or more Karnofsky and WHO indices. Results. Eighty percent (80%) of patients who received cryotherapy accompanied with supplementary palliative treatment showed amelioration of their clinical status. Conclusion. It seems that for patients with advanced or inoperable lung tumors, cryotherapy associated with additional palliative care may influence the survival time and improve their quality of life.

Serum estimation of carcinoembryonic antigen, beta(2)-microglobulin and calcitonin as tumor markers in primary lung cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic significance of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)-MG), and calcitonin (CAL) as tumor markers in patients with lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients were included and CEA, beta(2)-MG, and CAL serum levels were measured before treatment, and one and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: The results taken showed that CEA mean baseline level was 23.4 ng/ml (normal range 0-5 ng/ml and up to 8 ng/ml in smokers), elevated in 80% of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cases, in 93% of adenocarcinomas, in 84% of squamous-cell carcinomas, and in 84% of large-cell carcinomas. The mean beta(2)-MG level was 3.6 mg/l (normal range 0.7-3.4 mg/l), elevated in 70% of SCLC, in 40% of adenocarcinomas, in 66% of large-cell and in 50% of squamouscell carcinomas. The mean CAL level was 170 pg/ml (normal < 26 pg/ml), elevated in 60% of SCLC, in 33% of adenocarcinomas, in 16% of large-cell and in 16% of squamouscell carcinomas. CONCLUSION: CEA, beta(2)-MG, and CAL can be used as tumor markers with diagnostic value in primary lung cancer.