Lung cancer patients with cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases

Cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVD) and cancer are the leading caus es of death for humans. The aim of this study was to demonstrate clinicopat hological features of lung cancer patients with CCVD. Nine hundred and sixt y-six patients with tune, cancer were consecutively admitted to our divisio n over a 24-year period. Among them, 254 (26.3%) patients were diagnosed as having CCVD based on medical records. One hundred and ninety-one were men and 143 were 70 years of age or older. There was a difference in smoking ha bit (p=0.0029) and 30 pack year or more history of smoking (p <0.0001) betw een lung cancer patients with or without CCVD. Among the 254 patients, 97 p atients had stage IA-IIIA disease, however, 27 patients received chest irra diation or supportive care because of coexistence of CCVD. In 157 patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease, 58 patients had less intensive therapy. In multivariate analysis, existence of CCVD in patients with non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was proven to be a prognostic factor (p=0.04 66). Our results imply that existing CCVD do adversely affect the outcome o f NSCLC. When we decide whether or not to offer an intensive therapy which may increase treatment-related mortality, patients' medical condition inclu ding CCVD should be taken into consideration.