Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Smoking habits in elderly lung cancer patients: still no changes in epidemiology? A single-center experience

  • Research Articles
  • Published:
Clinical and Translational Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Our goal was to describe the clinical, histological, and epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer diagnoses in people ≥70 years of age.

Materials and methods

Information on patients diagnosed with lung cancer from January 2006 to February 2008 was prospectively collected from the outpatient oncology department at a regional hospital. A total of 83 patients (97.6% men; mean age 77 years) were studied. There was a higher ratio of men to women than that reported in younger populations. Mean age was higher than that reported for randomized studies: 65.1% were ≥75 years old. Patients >80 years constituted 28.9% of the study population. Most patients (96.4%) had a history of smoking; they were predominantly former smokers (72.5% vs. 27.5%).

Results

The most common histological types were squamous cell (61.3%) and small cell (14.5%) carcinoma. Metastasis was present in 36.1% of patients. Stage was significantly associated with survival (logrank p < 0.001). There was no association between age and survival. Squamous cell lung cancer was associated with a better survival (p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Elderly lung cancer patients who attended clinical practice were older than those included in prospective studies. The predominance of men and squamous cell carcinoma is associated with a smoking history. The epidemiological and histological patterns of younger patients have changed, possibly in relation to changes in smoking habits. The translation of these changes to elderly patients will be evidenced in the future. Only prospective epidemiologic studies will determine whether smoking habits are changing epidemiology in elderly lung cancer patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hurria A, Kris MG (2003) Management of lung cancer in older adults. CA Cancer J Clin 53:325–341

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Santos-Martínez MJ, Curull V, Blanco ML, et al (2005) Lung cancer at a university hospital: epidemiological and histological characteristics of a recent and historical series. Arch Bronconeumol 41(6):307–312

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Irminger-Finger I (2007) Science of cancer and aging. J Clin Oncol 25:1844–1851

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Gridelli C, Langer C, Maione P et al (2007) EE Lung cancer in the elderly. J Clin Oncol 25:1898–1907

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Weiss J, Langer C (2009) NSCLC in the elderly—the legacy of a therapeutic neglect. Curr Treat Options Oncol 10(3–4):180–194

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bach PB, Kattan MW, Thornquist MD et al (2003) Variations in lung cancer risk among smokers. J Natl Cancer Inst 95:470–478

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Janssen-Heijnen MLG, Coebergh JWW (2003) The changing epidemiology of lung cancer in Europe. Lung Cancer 41:245–258

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Alberg AJ, Brock MV, Samet JM (2005) Epidemiology of lung cancer: looking to the future. J Clin Oncol 23:3175–3185

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hutchins LF, Unger JM et al (1999) Under-representation of patients > 65 years in cancer treatment trials. N Engl J Med 341:2061–2067

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Extermann M, Aapro M, Bernabei R et al (2005) Use of comprehensive geriatric assessment in older cancer patients: recommendations from the task force on CGA of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG). Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 55(3):241–252

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Radzikowska E, Glaz P, Roszkowski K (2002) Lung cancer in women: age, smoking, histology, performance status, stage, initial treatment and survival. Population-based study of 20561 cases. Ann Oncol 13:1087–1093

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gridelli C (2001) The ELVIS trial: a phase III study of single-agent vinorelbine as first-line treatment in elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Oncologist 6(suppl 1):4–7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Gridelli C, Perrone F, Gallo C et al (2003) Chemotherapy for elderly patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer: The Multi-Center Italian Lung Cancer in the Elderly Study (MILES) phase III randomised trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 95:362–372

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Jatoi A, Hillman S, Stella PG et al (2005) Should elderly non-small-cell lung cancer patients be offered elderly-specific trials?. Results of a pooled analysis from the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. J Clin Oncol 23:9113–9119

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. de Cos JS, Miravet L, Abal J et al (2008) Lung cancer survival in Spain and prognostic factors: a prospective, multiregional study. Lung Cancer 59(2):246–254

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Vardy J, Dadasovich R, Beale P et al (2009) Eligibility of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer for phase III chemotherapy trials. BMC Cancer 9:130

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Montero C, Rosales M, Otero I et al (2003) Lung cancer in the health care area of A Coruña (Spain): incidence, clinical approach and survival [Article in Spanish]. Arch Bronconeumol 39:209–216

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Miravet L, Pelàez S, Paradís A et al (2001) Epidemiological study of lung cancer in the northern part of the province of Castellón [Article in Spanish]. Arch Bronconeumol 37:298–3

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hu J, Galeone C, Lui R et al (2005) Negri E. Smoking and lung cancer in Harbin, northeast China. Ann Oncol 16:1605–1608

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Toh CK, Gao F, Lim WT et al (2006) Never-smokers with lung cancer: epidemiologic evidence of a distinct disease entity. J Clin Oncol 24(15):2245–2251

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Hoffman PC, Mauer AM, Vokes E (2000) Lung cancer. Lancet 355:479–485

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Chih-Wie Kuo, Yuh-Min Chen, Jing-Yi Chao et al (2000) Non-small cell lung cancer in very young and very old patients. Chest 117:354–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. McKenna RJ Sr (1994) Clinical aspects of cancer in the elderly. Cancer 74:2107–2117

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Langer CJ, Manola J, Bernardo P et al (2002) Cisplatin-based therapy for elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: implications of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 5592, a randomised trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 94:173–181

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Lebitasy MP, Monnet I, Depierre A et al (2004) Management of elderly lung cancer patients in France: A nacional prospective survey by French Intergroup of thoracic Oncology (IFCT). ASCO abstract 8163

  26. Anisimov VN (2007) Biology of aging and cancer. Cancer Control 14(1):23–31

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Pentheroudakis G, Neanidis K, Kostadima L et al (2006) Elderly patients with squamous lung carcinoma: faring better or worse?. Short communication. Suport Care Cancer 14(8):867–870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Provencio M, Camps C, Alberola A et al (2009) Lung cancer and treatment in elderly patients: The Achilles Study. Lung Cancer 66:103–106

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Scagliotti GV, Parikh P, von Pawel J et al (2008) Phase III study comparing cisplatin plus gemcitabine with cisplatin plus pemetrexed in chemotherapy-naive patients with advancedstage non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 26(21):3543–3551

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Cedres S, Prat A, Martinez P et al (2009) Clinical surrogate markers of survival in advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with second-third line erlotinib. Lung Cancer 66(2):257–261

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Clark GM (2008) Prognostic factors vs. predictive factors: examples from a a clinical trial of erlotinib. Mol Oncol 406–412

  32. Sandler A, Gray R, Perry MC et al (2006) Paclitaxel-carboplatin alone or with bevacizumab for non-small-cell N Engl J Med 355(24):2542–2550

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Luciani A, Ascione G, Marussi D et al (2009) Clinical analysis of multiple primary malignancies in the elderly. Med Oncol 26(1):27–31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Oncology Unit, Hospital Lluís Alcanyís, Crta. Xàtiva a Silla, km 2, ES-46800, Xàtiva, Valencia, Spain

    Regina Gironés Sarrió, María Dolores Torregrosa & Pedro López

  2. Medical Oncology Service, University Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain

    José Gómez-Codina

  3. Oncology Research Catalan Institute of Oncology Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Rafael Rosell

Authors
  1. Regina Gironés Sarrió
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. María Dolores Torregrosa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pedro López
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. José Gómez-Codina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Rafael Rosell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Regina Gironés Sarrió.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sarrió, R.G., Torregrosa, M.D., López, P. et al. Smoking habits in elderly lung cancer patients: still no changes in epidemiology? A single-center experience. Clin Transl Oncol 12, 686–691 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-010-0578-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-010-0578-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation