TUMOR-CELL KINETICS AS PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN SURGICALLY-TREATED NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER

The proliferative rate of tumour cells were studied in 80 non-small ce ll lung cancers (NSCLC) treated surgically at the Centre of Oncology i n Krakow, between 1990 and 1996. There were 56 squamous cell carcinoma (SqLC) and 24 non-SqLC (18 adenocarcinoma (AcLC), three large cell ca rcinomas (LcLC), three mixed rumours). The proliferative potential of the tumour cells was studied on the basis of percentage of cells in th e S-phase (S-phase fraction, SPF), proliferative index (PI, number of cells in S + G(2)/M phases), bromodeoxyuridine labelling index (BrdUrd LI), and predictive potential doubling time (pred T-pot). Significant differences in the proliferating rate between histological groups of t umours were shown by the BrdUrdLI. The 5-year survival time for patien ts with higher proliferating tumours (BrdUrdLI > 4.1%, optimal cutoff level) was significantly higher (median survival time of > 60 months) than those with lower proliferative potential (BrdUrdLI less than or e qual to 4.1%) (median survival time of 19 months, P = 0.0091). SqLC pa tients had significantly better 5-year survival (median survival time of 47.5 months) than those with non-SqLC (median survival time of 18.5 months). Cox multivariate analysis showed that only higher proliferat ion of the tumour cells (BrdUrdLI >4.1%), and lower clinical stage (I and II) were favourable prognostic factors in respect to patients' sur vival. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.