<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><italic><bold>Background.</bold> The aim of the study was to establish eventual progress in routine management of lung cancer patients over a ten-year period at University Clinic for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Slovenia, comparing the results of analysis of 345 patients, diagnosed in 1996 (with analysis performed in 2002), and 405 patients, diagnosed in 2006 (with analysis performed in 2008).</italic><italic><bold>Patients and methods.</bold> The patients of both analysed groups were of comparable age and number of patients in stage I and II, but there were relatively more females, patients with better performance status, more precise clinical staging and tumour histology in the 2006 group. The parameters used for assessing the progress of management were as follows: time period from admittance to diagnosis and to surgery; precision of staging; accordance of clinical and pathological staging in resected patients; percentage of exploratory thoracotomy; and use of new treatment modalities. The proportion of patients in selected/actual primary treatment modality and survival rate could also be used for assessing the progress.</italic><italic><bold>Results.</bold> Although unessential longer time from admittance to microscopic confirmed diagnosis increased from a mean 7.4 to 8.6 days in 2006 progress was established by the following: more precise clinical staging (stage I and II also A and B stage, TNM staging also in small-cell lung cancer patients); improved accordance with clinical and pathological staging in resected patients (46% against 58%); decreased percentage of exploratory thoracotomy (13% against 4%); increased use of multimodality therapy as primary treatment modality (radiotherapy/chemotherapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy); newly performed radio frequency tumour ablation. The proportion in selected/actual surgery increased from 76% to 93% and median survival rate of all patients from 6.2 to 10.6 months. One-year survival increased from 33.6% to 45.8% and two-year survival from 17.4% to 23%.</italic><italic><bold>Conclusions.</bold> Progress in routine lung cancer management was proved by better staging, lower percentage of exploratory thoracotomy, use of new treatment modalities, minor discordance between selected and actual therapy, and improved short-term survival rate.</italic></abstract>

Background. The aim of the study was to establish eventual progress in routine management of lung cancer patients over a ten-year period at University Clinic for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Slovenia, comparing the results of analysis of 345 patients, diagnosed in 1996 (with analysis performed in 2002), and 405 patients, diagnosed in 2006 (with analysis performed in 2008).Patients and methods. The patients of both analysed groups were of comparable age and number of patients in stage I and II, but there were relatively more females, patients with better performance status, more precise clinical staging and tumour histology in the 2006 group. The parameters used for assessing the progress of management were as follows: time period from admittance to diagnosis and to surgery; precision of staging; accordance of clinical and pathological staging in resected patients; percentage of exploratory thoracotomy; and use of new treatment modalities. The proportion of patients in selected/actual primary treatment modality and survival rate could also be used for assessing the progress.Results. Although unessential longer time from admittance to microscopic confirmed diagnosis increased from a mean 7.4 to 8.6 days in 2006 progress was established by the following: more precise clinical staging (stage I and II also A and B stage, TNM staging also in small-cell lung cancer patients); improved accordance with clinical and pathological staging in resected patients (46% against 58%); decreased percentage of exploratory thoracotomy (13% against 4%); increased use of multimodality therapy as primary treatment modality (radiotherapy/chemotherapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy); newly performed radio frequency tumour ablation. The proportion in selected/actual surgery increased from 76% to 93% and median survival rate of all patients from 6.2 to 10.6 months. One-year survival increased from 33.6% to 45.8% and two-year survival from 17.4% to 23%.Conclusions. Progress in routine lung cancer management was proved by better staging, lower percentage of exploratory thoracotomy, use of new treatment modalities, minor discordance between selected and actual therapy, and improved short-term survival rate.

Is there any progress in routine management of lung cancer patients? A comparative analysis of an institution in 1996 and 2006

University Clinic for Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Slovenia

Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Slovenia

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

Radiology and Oncology

Background. The aim of the study was to establish eventual progress in routine management of lung cancer patients over a ten-year period at University Clinic...

Is there any progress in routine management of lung cancer patients? A comparative analysis of an institution in 1996 and 2006

Published Online: Mar 20, 2009

Page range: 47 - 53

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10019-009-0008-x

Keywords
lung cancer, diagnostics, therapy, survival

This content is open access.

Is there any progress in routine management of lung cancer patients? A comparative analysis of an institution in 1996 and 2006

Published Online: Mar 20, 2009

Page range: 47 - 53

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10019-009-0008-x

Keywordslung cancer, diagnostics, therapy, survival

This content is open access.

Keywords
lung cancer, diagnostics, therapy, survival