Survival Analysis of Advanced Lung Cancer: Examining Factors Impacting Mortality Risk

Abstract

Aims: We examined the survival differences among the different Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) scores, age groups, and sex. We also examined the effects of age, sex, ECOG PS, weight change, and daily caloric intake on the risk of death in patients with advanced lung cancer. Methods: The data used in this study was obtained from a previous cohort study conducted by the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. Information from 1,115 patients with advanced lung or colorectal cancers was collected through a questionnaire just before the patients began their first ever chemotherapy, after which follow-up began. Our study utilized information on 226 patients with advanced lung cancer obtained from the survival package in R. Kaplan-Meir survival estimates and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to examine the survival differences and hazard ratios. Results: 136 (60%) patients were males and the median survival time was 310 days. 163 (72%) patients died from advanced lung cancer during follow-up. 113 (50%) patients had an ECOG PS 1 and none had an ECOG PS greater than 2. The overall survival after 1 year of follow-up was 41%. After 18 months (549 days), the survival of males and females were 19% and 37%, respectively. The median survival times were 394 days, 306 days and 199 days for ECOG PS 0, ECOG PS 1 and ECOG PS 2 patients, respectively. Calories consumed per day, age and weight change did not affect the risk of death from advanced lung cancer. Conclusion: Our study showed that sex and ECOG PS are independent factors affecting the survival of advanced lung cancer patients. Age, weight change, and daily caloric intake do not affect the risk of death from advanced lung cancer.