Prognostic Factors in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Their Relation to Clinical Outcomes

Background: Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It is important to identify the prognostic factors of this disease which leads to low survival times despite the advancing treatment modalities. Aim: To investigate the role of clincopathological parameters and treatment modality as a prognostic factors affecting survival of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients with inoperable stage III/IV NSCLC, who were treated at the department of Clinical Oncology, Assiut University Hospital between 2009 and 2014. The association between the demographic and clinical characteristics and survival of these patients was analyzed. Results: A total of 69 patients (32 stage III& 39 stage IV) were identified and included in this study. Sex (males vs. females, p=0.04), Eastern cooperative Oncology group performance status (0 vs. 1 vs. 2, p=0.001), smoking habit (never vs. current vs. former, p=0.001), stage (IIIA vs. IIIB vs. IV, p=0.008) and the initial treatment (no vs. chemotherapy vs. concurrent chemoradiotherapy, p=0.001) were found to be factors affecting survival in univariate analyses. Sex and histological subtype did not affect survival. Performance status, stage and initial treatment were determined as the independent prognostic factors affecting survival in multivariate analyses. Conclusion: Performance status, stage and initial treatment with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in eligible patients were prognostic factors affecting overall survival of patients with advanced NSCLC.