[Prognostic factors in 408 elderly lung cancer patients more than 70 years old]

With the aging of the population, the incidence of lung cancer in elderly rises. It showed that the incidence and mortality of lung cancer in people over 70 years were increased in the past 10 years. We defined age 70 as boundary line of the elderly patients in lung cancer. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors of affecting prognosis.

A retrospective study had enrolled 408 cases of lung cancer aged over 70 and SPSS 13.0 software was used in univariate analysis and COX regression analysis to analyze factors affecting prognosis, such as gender, age, complications, symptoms, pathological type, clinical stage, effusion, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and so on.

In univariate analysis, symptoms, stage, effusion, surgery, chemotherapy and chemotherapy cycles showed affecting prognosis significantly. In COX regression analysis, it showed that clinical stage (P<0.001), surgery (P=0.013), chemotherapy cycles (P=0.001) were independent prognostic factors.

Elderly lung cancer patients could be benefit from surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy while early stage. At late stage, their survival time may be prolonged when receive chemotherapy at least 4 cycles. Single-agent chemotherapy would be a good choice for elderly lung cancer. Effusion, particularly, pericardial effusion significantly influenced the prognosis, so that it should be effectively controlled.