Tuberc Respir Dis.  2019 Apr;82(2):118-125. 10.4046/trd.2017.0128.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of Lung Cancer in Korea: A Pilot Study of Data from the Korean Nationwide Lung Cancer Registry

• Kim HC
• Jung CY
• Cho DG
• Jeon JH
• Lee JE
• Ahn JS
• Kim SJ
• Kim Y
• Kim YC
• Kim JE
• Lee B
• Won YJ
• Choi CM

• KMID: 2453981
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2017.0128

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Lung cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the incidence continues to rise. Although many prognostic factors have been identified, the clinical characteristics and outcomes in Korean lung cancer patients are not well defined.
METHODS
Of the 23,254 new lung cancer cases registered at the Korea Central Cancer Registry in 2013, total 489 patients from 19 hospitals were abstracted by the Korean Central Cancer Registry. The clinical data retrospectively analyzed, patients were followed up until December 2015.
RESULTS
The median age was 69 years (interquartile range, 60-74 years); 65.4% were male and 62.1% were ever-smokers. Cough was the most common initial symptom (33.5%); 13.1% of patients were asymptomatic. While squamous cell carcinoma was the most common subtype in male patients (37.2%), adenocarcinoma was the most frequent histological type in all patients (48.7%) and females (76.3%). The majority of patients received treatment (76.5%), which included surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.037), lower body mass index (HR, 0.904), ever-smoker (HR, 2.003), small cell lung cancer (HR, 1.627), and distant metastasis (HR, 3.990) were independent predictors of mortality. Patients without symptoms (HR, 0.387) and without treatment (HR, 0.364) were associated with a favorable outcome in multivariate Cox analysis.
CONCLUSION
Lung cancer in Korea occurs predominantly in elderly patients, with adenocarcinoma being the most frequent subtype. The prognosis was poorer in ever-smokers and older, malnourished, and untreated patients with advanced lung cancer.

Keyword

Lung Neoplasms; Epidemiology; Korea; Mortality; Survival

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Aged
Body Mass Index
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Cough
Drug Therapy
Epidemiology
Female
Humans
Incidence
Korea*
Lung Neoplasms*
Lung*
Male
Mortality
Neoplasm Metastasis
Pilot Projects*
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Proportion of lung cancer histological type based on Korean Nation-wide Lung Cancer Registry. (A) In total patients. (B) In male gender. (C) In female gender. NSCLC NOS: non-small cell lung cancer not otherwise specified.

• 

  Figure 2 Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the lung cancer patients with under-weight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2) and others (BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2).

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