Original Article


Survival score to characterize prognosis in inoperable stage III NSCLC after chemoradiotherapy

Julian Taugner, Lukas Käsmann, Chukwuka Eze, Maurice Dantes, Olarn Roengvoraphoj, Kathrin Gennen, Monika Karin, Oleg Petruknov, Amanda Tufman, Claus Belka, Farkhad Manapov

Abstract

Background: Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents a heterogeneous disease regarding principal patient- and tumor characteristics. A simple score may aid in personalizing multimodal therapy.
Methods: The data of 99 consecutive patients with performance status ECOG 0–1 treated until the end of 2016 with multimodal approach for inoperable NSCLC (UICC 7th edition stage IIIA/B) were evaluated. Patient- and tumor-related factors were examined for their impact on overall survival. Factors showing a negative association with prognosis were then included in the score. Three subgroups with low, intermediate and high-risk score were defined. The results were then validated in the prospective cohort, which includes 45 patients.
Results: Most Patients were treated with concurrent (78%) or sequential (11%) chemoradiotherapy. 53% received induction chemotherapy. Median survival for the entire cohort was 20.8 (range: 15.3–26.3) months. Age (P=0.020), gender (P=0.007), pack years (P=0.015), tumor-associated atelectasis (P=0.004) and histology (P=0.004) had a significant impact on overall survival and were scored with one point each. Twelve, 59 and 28 patients were defined to have a low (0–1 points), intermediate (2–3 points) and high-risk (4–5 points) score. Median survival, 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were not reached, 100%, 83% and 67% in the low, 22.9 months, 80%, 47% and 24% intermediate and 13.7 months, 57%, 25% and 18% high-risk patients, respectively (P<0.001). Median survival was not reached in prospective cohort; analysis has revealed a trend for the 1-year survival rates with 100% for the low, 93% intermediate and 69% high-risk patients (P=0.100).
Conclusions: The score demonstrated remarkable survival differences in inoperable stage III NSCLC patients with good performance status receiving multimodal therapy.

Download Citation