Ten-year survey of lung cancer treatment and survival in hospitals in the United States - A National Cancer Data Base report

BACKGROUND. Primary lung cancer accounts for approximately 14% of all new c ancers and 28% of cancer deaths in the U.S. Previous reviews have shown lim ited progress in the management or outcome of this devastating disease. METHODS. Reports described in the current study were 713,043 primary lung m alignancies diagnosed beni een 1985 and 1995 and submitted to the National Cancer Data Base. Demographic, tumor, and treatment patterns for 1995 were compared with those for 1985-1987, 1988-1991, and 1992-1994. Ten-year relat ive survival rates were presented for selected demographic and histologic g roups and 5-year relative survival rates were presented by stage and domina nt treatment modalities for major carcinoma histologies. RESULTS. Previously observed demographic trends were evident, with increasi ng proportions of patients being older, female, and African American, and m ore cases reported to be adenocarcinomas. There was a substantial shift tow ard more complete staging but no change in the distribution of staged cases . Compared with earlier patients, fewer 1995 patients received cancer-direc ted treatment. More surgical patients underwent lymph node dissection, and radiation treatment was supplemented more often with chemotherapy. The over all 10-year relative survival rate was 7%%. The 5-year survival for America n Joint Committee on Cancer Stage I surgical patients was > 50% for all non small cell histologic groups. CONCLUSIONS. Recent shifts in treatment, although minimal, are consistent w ith current literature concerning the effectiveness of lung carcinoma treat ment. The authors believe that the overall poor survival of lung carcinoma patients points to a continuing need for improved prevention and treatment measures. The comparatively superior survival of Stage I nonsmall cell lung carcinoma surgical patients indicates that a substantial number of patient s have the potential to be treated successfully. (C) 1999 American Cancer S ociety.