Outcome and prognostic factors in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiation therapy with PET-CT-based radiotherapy planning

Objective: To investigate prognostic factors in Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT) with PET-CT-based radiotherapy planning. Methods: Fifty nine patients with Stage III NSCLC treated with radiation therapy of 60 Gy or more were enrolled into this study. The impact of prognostic factors on survival was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The following-up rate was 98%. Nineteen patients completed 2 years' followed-up. The overall l-year and 2-year survival rate was 66% and 37%, respectively, with a median survival time of 17 months. At a univariate analysis, cigarette smoking status, T stage, radiation dose, the standardized uptake value, the gross tumor volume and clinical stage were significant prognostic factors (χ2 =7.46, 7.52, 8.37, 4.97, 5.82, 4.37, P =0.006, 0.006, 0.004, 0.026, 0.016, 0.037, respectively). At multivariate analyses, cigarette smoking status, radiation dose, gross tumor volume and clinical stage were significant prognostic factors (χ2 =6.20, 9.69, 6.39, 10.09, P =0.013, 0.002, 0.011, 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Cigarette smoking status, radiation dose, gross tumor volume and clinical stage are significant prognostic factors on survival in patients with Stage III NSCLC treated with RT based on PET-CT radiotherapy planning. (authors)