The Clinical Analysis of Primary Lung Cancer: A Hospital-based Study

Kim, Yeon Soo; Kim, Kwang Taik; Kim, Han Gyeom; Kim, Hark Jei

Abstract

A retrospective review of the histopathology and clinical information of primary lung cancer was performed to investigate the trends in the histologic type related to sex, age, and smoking history. During January 1988 and July 1995, 541 pateints were diagnosed as primary lung cancer at the Korea Univeristy Anam Hospital. Male (423) to female (118) ratio was 3.6:1. The most frequent histologic type of lung cancer in male patients was squamous cell carcinoma (223 patients, 52.7%) followed by adenocarcinoma (86, 20.3%) and small cell carcinoma (85, 20.1%). In female patients, adenocarcinoma (64, 54.2%) was most common, which was followed by squamous cell carcinoma (22, 18.6%) and small cell carcinoma (22, 18.6%). The incidence of adenocarnimoma had an increased tendency recently (14.3% in 1988, 33.3% in 1995)(P=0.019). The predominant type in smokers was squamous cell carcinoma, whereas adenocarcinoma was the most frequent type in non-smokers. The proportion of patients aged less than 40 years (YOUNGER GROUP) was 4.0% (n=22). Of them, adenocarcinoma (7) and small cell carcinoma (7) were most common. In patients older than 40 years (OLDER GROUP, n=519), 243 (46.8%) patients had squamous cell carcinoma, and 143 (27.6%) adenocarcinoma. As age increased, the prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma was increased (P=0.0005), adenocarcinoma decreased (P=NS), and small cell carcinoma remained unchanged. We suggest above data as a clinical guidance for management of primary lung cancer.