Prognostic factors in patients with lung cancer

The relation of prognostic factors to survival was analyzed in 352 consecutive lung cancer patients referred to the Northern Israel Oncology Center between the years 1978 and 1981. Of these patients 328 died and only 19 (5.5%) were alive with no evidence of disease after a minimum follow-up period of 70 months. Univariate analysis with Kaplan-Meier plots was used to evaluate 63 pretreatment clinical factors. Mode of treatment, the quality of response and time to response were also evaluated for correlation with survival. The following parameters were found to have a significant association with mortality: presence of brain metastases (P less than 0.001), age greater than 60 years (P less than 0.001), Karnofsky performance status less than 80% (P less than 0.001), weight loss (P less than 0.001), and extensive disease (P less than 0.001). Treatment by surgery (lobectomy) was associated with longer survival (P less than 0.001). Other factors were found to have no significant relation to survival. The above data might be of value for patient randomization in future clinical trials.