[Lung cancer: new staging system and prognosis]

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the rationality the revised international system for staging lung cancer and its relationship with prognosis.

Methods: Between January 1961 and December 1988, 946 patients were subjected to removal of lung cancer and the data were analyzed using life-table, Log-rank test, and Cox regression model. Twenty-nine prognostic factors influencing the survival rate were evaluated with SAS6.12 software. The survival rate was calculated according to the two different staging systems. The revised system for staging lung cancer was evaluated.

Results: The factors influencing prognosis after surgical treatment of lung cancer were as follows: P-TNM staging, metastatic lymph nodes, radical or palliative resection, tumor size, and different cell types. The 5-year survival rate of patients with stage IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB was 68.4%, 59.5%, 44.8%, 36.5%, 26.3%, and staging 24.8%, respectively (IIIA and IIIB P > 0.05; other stages P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The revised system for lung cancer is more rational and objective to estimate prognosis and direct treatment. But it should be revised further.