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Title: Effect of Smoking During Radiotherapy, Respiratory Insufficiency, and Hemoglobin Levels on Outcome in Patients Irradiated for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Journal Article · · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Luebeck (Germany)
  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, AZ (United States)

Purpose: To investigate the effect of smoking during radiotherapy (RT), respiratory insufficiency before RT, hemoglobin levels during RT, and additional factors on overall survival, locoregional control (LRC), and metastasis-free survival in non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Methods and Materials: The following factors were investigated in 181 patients who underwent RT for non-small-cell lung cancer: age, gender, Karnofsky performance score, histologic type, grade, T/N stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, surgery, chemotherapy, respiratory insufficiency before RT, pack-years, smoking during RT, and hemoglobin levels during RT. Additionally, in the 129 patients who did not undergo surgery, the effect of the equivalent dose in 2-Gy fractions (EQD2) (<60 Gy vs. 60 Gy vs. >60 Gy) on outcome was investigated. Results: On multivariate analysis, improved overall survival was associated with a lower T stage (p = 0.004), lower N stage (p 0.040), surgery (p = 0.010), and no respiratory insufficiency (p = 0.023). A Karnofsky performance score >70 achieved borderline significance (p = 0.056). Improved LRC was associated with a lower T stage (p = 0.007) and no smoking during RT (p = 0.029). Improved metastasis-free survival was associated with lower T stage (p < 0.001) and lower N stage (p < 0.001). In those patients who did not undergo surgery, an EQD2 of {>=}60 Gy was associated with a better outcome than an EQD2 of <60 Gy. Furthermore, an EQD2 >60 Gy resulted in better LRC than did an EQD2 of {<=}60 Gy. Conclusions: Smoking during RT had a significant effect on LRC, but we did not find that hemoglobin levels or respiratory insufficiency significantly affected LRC or metastasis-free survival in our patient population. Furthermore, our data suggest a dose-effect relationship in those patients who did not undergo surgery.

OSTI ID:
21124360
Journal Information:
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 71, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.11.006; PII: S0360-3016(07)04481-1; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English