Lung cancer survival better in womenNovember 02, 2005Untreated, women with lung cancer live longer than men Women with lung cancer are living longer than men, even when the disease is untreated. A new study presented at CHEST 2005, the 71st annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), found that in patients receiving treatment for lung cancer, women had significantly better survival rates than men. However, in untreated patients, women also had a 21 percent decreased risk of death as compared with men, leading researchers to believe lung cancer in women has a different biologic behavior and natural history than in men. "In patients with lung cancer receiving treatment, women have shown a better response to therapy, resulting in better survival rates," said Juan Wisnivesky, MD, MPH, FCCP, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. "Yet, new data suggest that even in untreated patients, women with lung cancer still live longer than men, despite the presence of other medical conditions or gender differences in life expectancy. This suggests that the progression of lung cancer has a biological basis, with the disease being more aggressive in men than women." Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine reviewed 18,967 cases of stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer diagnosed between 1991 and 1999 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry linked to Medicare records. Patients were grouped into three categories according to treatment received: surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, and untreated cases. After adjusting for comorbidities and general life expectancy, researchers found that women in the three groups had significantly better cancer specific, overall, and relative survival than men. In treated patients, lung cancer specific 5-year survival for women was 54 percent compared with 40 percent for men and women had a 30 percent decreased risk of death compared with men. Among untreated patients, women had a 21 percent decreased risk of lung cancer deaths after adjusting for differences in age, race, socioeconomic status, access to care, and cancer histology. Researchers also found that women lived longer than men after controlling for age, race, disease stage at diagnosis, histology, median income, geographic area, access to care, and type of treatment. "It is clear that gender plays a role in the survival rate of men and women," said W. Michael Alberts, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "Physicians caring for patients with lung cancer should consider the inherent progression of lung cancer among men and women when deciding on a patient's course of treatment." American College of Chest Physicians |
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| Related Lung Cancer Current Events and Lung Cancer News Articles Researchers Identify Role of Gene in Tumor Development, Growth and Progression Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis. Common pain relief medication may encourage cancer growth Although morphine has been the gold-standard treatment for postoperative and chronic cancer pain for two centuries, a growing body of evidence is showing that opiate-based painkillers can stimulate the growth and spread of cancer cells. Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that these outdoor smoking areas might be creating a new health hazard. Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe The current health care debate in the United States is complicated. Trade-offs between heath care expenditures, lifestyle choices and life expectancy have been suggested but seldom clearly demonstrated. PET imaging response a prognostic factor after thoracic radiation therapy for lung cancer A rapid decline in metabolic activity on a PET scan after radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer is correlated with good local tumor control, according to a study presented by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at the 51st ASTRO Annual Meeting. Study of concurrent radiotherapy, chemotherapy shows promise in small cell lung cancer Treating limited stage small cell lung cancer(LSCL) with a combination of accelerated high-dose radiotherapy and chemotherapy has shown encouraging results. Stereotactic radiotherapy offers noninvasive, effective treatment for frail patients with early-stage lung cancer Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) should be considered a new standard of care for early-stage lung cancer treatment in patients with co-existing medical problems, according to results from a national clinical trial led by UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians. Preventative brain radiation for lung cancer patients: Benefits and risks A new study is taking a closer look at the benefits versus risks for lung cancer patients to undergo preventative brain radiation therapy as a means to stop cancer from spreading to the brain. Study spotlights efficacy of questionnaire to identify patients at high risk for lung cancer A study featured in the November issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology confirms the success of a simple questionnaire designed to identify patients at high risk of lung cancer. Intervals between lung cancer diagnosis and treatment displays a health care disparity Research published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology has found that intervals between lung cancer suspicion, diagnosis and treatment may be attributed to health care system discrepancies. More Lung Cancer Current Events and Lung Cancer News Articles |
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