Lung cancer outcomes at a UK cancer unit between 1998-2001

There are few data published on lung cancer survival in the UK. Survival rates for lung cancer at a UK Hospital between 1998-2001 are described.

Analysis of data collected from multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, lung cancer registrations and hospital coding.

835 new lung cancers were diagnosed comprising 597 non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) (71%), 133 small cell (SCLC) (16%), and 105 clinical diagnoses (13%). Stage at diagnosis; stage I (25%), II (9%), IIIA (8%), IIIB (23%), IV (35%). Surgery was undertaken in 12%, radical radiotherapy (RT) in 4%, palliative RT in 32%, chemotherapy in 8% and best supportive care (BSC) in 36%. The 3-year cumulative survival for NSCLC was: stage I 39%, stage II 30%, stage III 6%, stage IV 0.5%. Only 46% of patients with stage I-IIIA disease received radical treatment. Reasons included poor lung function (32%), unresectable (24%), co-morbidities (17%), performance status (8%), patient choice (8%), unclear (6%), advanced age (5%).

Survival figures are similar to other UK studies but do not compare favourably with US and European data. This may be because a large proportion of patients with early stage disease receive palliative care only.