[Survival of patients with lung cancer in Lithuania (1995-1997)]

The study is aimed to evaluate the survival of lung cancer patients diagnosed in Lithuania 1995-1997.

Based on Cancer registry material, 4337 of 4746 new lung cancer cases were included into the study group. Only cases with primary lung cancer were included into the study; cases at autopsy and death certificate only cases were excluded from the study. The closing date of follow-up was June 30, 2002. At that time 3966 (91.4%) patients of the study group died, 339 (7.8%) survived and 32 (0.7%) were lost on follow-up.

The relative five-year survival rate was estimated to be 9.0% for male and 18.3% for female. Cox proportional hazard modeling has indicated tha females had better survival than males (RH(female)=0.84, 0.76-0.92). Males living in large cities had better prognosis than other urban or rural patients (RH(towns)=1.18, 1.09-1.27, RH(rural)=1.27, 1.17-1.40). Elder patients (75 and older, both women and men) had worse survival than those at age of 64-74. Annual relative rates were improving on follow-up and exceeded 90% of population level for women at the third year (men at fifth year) and has dropped down at the sixth year of observation.

Compared to European survival rates, one-year and five-year survival of patients with lung cancer in Lithuania is lower than European average for men, and alike for women. Recent high mortality/incidence ratio does not allow predict an increase of survival rates.