Quality of life of hospitalized patients after lung cancer operation and analysis of influencing factors

Objective:To explore the current status and influencing factors of quality of life in patients with lung cancer after surgery in a tertiary hospital in Hainan province.Methods:To investigate the influencing factors of quality of life of lung cancer patients after surgery in a tertiary hospital in Hainan province by cross‑sectional survey method.Results:The scores of insomnia,appetite loss,constipation and pain in 186 lung cancer patients after surgery in a tertiary hospital in Hainan Province were significantly higher than the reference value.Multiple linear regression analysis showed that older patients(>60 years)had lower scores in physical function domain(β=-0.193),and female patients had more appetite loss symptoms(β=0.245).Compared with other minority ethnic groups,Han ethnic group had lower scores in role function domain(β=0.179),more severe fatigue symptoms(β=-0.162),and higher general health level(β=0.166).Patients with employee medical insurance had lower scores of emotional function(β=0.194),cognitive function(β=0.281),the lowest score in social function(β=0.188),and severe pain in other parts(β=-0.227).Smokers had less cough symptoms(β=0.175)and more arm and shoulder pain symptoms(β=-0.21)than non‑smokers.Patients with secondhand smoke exposure had lower cognitive function scores(β=-0.158)and more obvious symptoms of oral ulcer(β=0.185).Patients who drank alcohol frequently(drinking frequency>1 time/day)had more severe cough symptoms(β=0.27).Patients with small number of children(0‑1)had milder cough symptoms(β=0.178).Patients who did not understand the disease had obvious symptoms of arm and shoulder pain(β=0.151).Patients with early pathological stage(stageⅠ‑Ⅱ)had more severe shortness of breath(β=-0.159)and pain(β=-0.181).The symptoms of appetite loss were more obvious in patients living in cities(β=0.192).The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy were more obvious(β=0.174).Patients who often consumed pickulated food had severe pain symptoms(β=-0.219),and pain in other parts was obvious(β=-0.149).Male patients had obvious alopecia symptoms(β=-0.306).Conclusion:Age,ethnicity,residence,type of medical insurance,number of children,pathological stage of lung cancer,smoking,second‑hand smoke exposure,alcohol consumption,and frequent consumption of pickled food were related to the quality of life of lung cancer patients in hospital after surgery.Medical staff and family members should pay attention to the emotional communication of patients during the treatment of lung cancer patients in hospital after surgery.Patients should avoid exposure to smoking,alcohol and second‑hand smoke,and reduce consumption of pickled food.

The Process of How Elderly Patients with Lung Cancer Who Are Receiving Molecularly Targeted Therapy with Oral Agents Establish Self-Management

Purpose: In Japan, many elderly cancer patients are receiving chemotherapy using oral molecularly targeted drugs. They receive treatment in outpatient setting and have a need to self-manage at home. The purpose of this study was to clarify how elderly patients with lung cancer who are undergoing treatment with molecularly targeted drugs in outpatient setting establish self-management. Methods: The study used Kinoshita’s Modified Grounded Theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 patients (eight males and nine females). Results: This study identified six categories: Accepting life with cancer, Maintaining activities of daily living without feeling shackled by cancer, Reconsidering how to continue being themselves in daily life until life comes to an end, Using trial and error to integrate treatment and daily living, Formulating their criteria for continuing treatment, and Obtaining help from caregivers. Conclusion: The self-management process in elderly patients consisted of maintaining treatment and integrating treatment with daily living. And they are exploring the effects of treatment and side effects in order to live their own life. Implications for Nursing: In many elderly patients with lung cancer the purpose of treatment is curative extension of survival and improved quality of life. Our findings suggest that is important we help patients to identify how patients want to live, identify ways to improve their quality of life, and share the goals of treatment between the patient and the caregiver.

Elderly Lung Cancer Patients and Radiochemotherapy: A Review

More than 60% of lung cancer patients in Europe and the USA are older than 65 years at the time of diagnosis. Despite this, elderly patients are generally under-represented in clinical trials. That being so, a general consensus on how to treat elderly patients is still far from being achieved. In this review, we address some of the issues and challenges surrounding the treatment of older cancer patients and radiochemotherapy. We discuss the existing evidence related to radio-chemotherapy in the elderly, focusing primarily on the lung cancer (NSCLC and SCLC) most commonly seen in older patients, and making general treatment recommendations.

Malnutrition Increases the Risk of Mortality in Hospitalized Lung Cancer Patients

Background The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition(GLIM)recently developed a new set of diagnostic criteria for identifying patients with malnutrition.Because the GLIM criteria were only introduced a little over 3 years ago,additional validation and reliability testing are needed in a variety of populations.Methods We performed an observational,multicenter cohort study.From July 2013 to October 2018,lung cancer patients were recruited from the Daping Hospital of Army Medical University and the First Hospital of Jilin University as part of the INSCOC project.Previously-established cut-off values for the calf circumference(CC,male<30 cm,female<29.5 cm)were applied as the reduced muscal mass of phenotypic criteria to establish the GLIM diagnosis.Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to analyze the association between the GLIM criteria and survival.Results A total of 1219 patients with lung cancer were studied as subjects.Their age was 58.81±9.92 years old,and 820 were male and 399 were female.According to the GLIM diagnostic criteria using the CC as a muscle mass measurement,303 patients(24.9%)were categorized as malnourished,142 patients(23.1%)in the adult group(18≤age<60)and 161 patients(26.7%)in the older group(age≥60 years).The patients with malnutrition had a higher incidence of anemia than the nourished patients(P=0.012).The QLQ-C30 score and KPS score indicating that the malnourished patients had a consistently worse quality of life compared to the nourished group(all P<0.001).The median survival of the malnutrition group was 42(95%CI:34-50)months,which was much shorter than the 62(95%CI:57-66)months in the nourished group(P<0.001).In the adult group,the median survival decreased from 65(95%CI:55-72)months in nourished group to 34(95%CI:25-48)months in the patients with malnutrition(P<0.001).In the older group,it decreased from 61(95%CI:55-67)months to 48(95%CI:39-59)months(P=0.001).A Cox regression analysis showed that GLIM-diagnosed malnutrition was associated with an increased risk of death among adult group(HR=1.670,95%CI:1.29-2.16),older group(HR=1.332,95%CI:1.05-1.69)and overall(HR=1.453,95%CI:1.22-1.72).Conclusion All of these results demonstrate that GLIM-diagnosed malnutrition is associated with a poorer survival for all lung cancer patients,independent of age.

Implantable Venous Access Ports for Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer Patients: Comparison of the Femoral and Subclavian Vein Approaches without Guidance

Background: The goal of this study was to retrospectively compare the initial success rate and rate of intraoperative and late complications between the femoral and subclavian vein approaches used to implant venous access ports without guidance in lung cancer patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of total 163 lung cancer patients who underwent implantations of a central venous access port for chemotherapy. 95 patients received the ports by the femoral vein blind-puncture technique and 68patients had the port implanted via the subclavian vein blind-puncture technique. The initial success rate of port implantation and the frequency of occurrence of complications were calculated. Results: The primary success rate of venous port implantation was 93.7% for femoral approach and 88.2% for the subclavian approach respectively (p < 0.05). Intraoperative complications developed in two patients (2.1%) in the femoral approach group and in five patients (7.4%) in the subclavian approach group. Although a higher intraoperative complication ratio for the subclavian approach was encountered compared to that for the femoral vein approach, there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.103). Nor was there any statistically significant difference in terms of the occurrence of late complications. Conclusions: Venous access port implantation via the femoral vein approach is safe, and its success rate is very high, with the equal complication rates comparable to the subclavian approach. This approach avoids many of the intraoperative complications. Thus, the femoral vein approach for implanting a venous access port in lung cancer patients should be considered a valid, and safe technique.

Gemcitabine plus carboplatin used as induction regimen for elderly patients with locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine(GEM) and carboplatin(CBP) used as induction regimen in the treatment of elderly patients with locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods:Seventy-eight cases of elderly patients have been cytologically and pathologically confirmed with locally advanced unresectable NSCLC,the age of the patients ranged from 65 to 75 years.The patients were treated with the combined regimen of gemcitabine and cisplatin.GEM 1000 mg/m2 intravenously injected by drip on the 1st,8th day and the dosage of CBP was AUC 4 that was used on the 1st day,21 days apart to each cycle,most patients received 2 cycles.Treatment response was evaluated according to the criteria of RECIST(Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor),the side effect of the regimen was judged based on WHO criteria.Results:Seventy-eight patients were evaluated and received a total of 156 cycles chemotherapy.There were no complete regression that could be observed,but 32 cases had partial regression(PR),37 cases with no change(NC) and 9 cases with progression disease(PD).The overall response rate was 41.0%.The main side effects were hematological toxicity.Conclusion:The GC regimen could be used as induction treatment for elderly patients with locally advanced unresectable NSCLC,and the regimen could be well tolerated and is safe in terms of side effects.

Perioperative considerations in patients with non small cell lung cancer and metastases in mediastinal lymph nodes

Since the latest revision of the TNM system reclassified T3N0 tumours into the ⅡB stage, N2 lesions became the major determinant of the ⅢA stage. Concerning the minority of patients with T3N1 tumours in this stage,

The Results Observation on Adjuvant Chemotherapy with Microwave Hyperthermia and Stereotactic Radiotherapy in Retreated Elderly Patients with Advanced (III/IV Stage) Lung Cancer

Objective: To evaluate the significance of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy (Gamma-knife) in the elderly patients with retreated advance lung cancer. Methods 83 patients (age 50 to 81 years) with retreating advanced (III/IV stage) lung cancer were divided into three groups according to patients received treating by different methods. The cases were treated by synchronous chemo-radiotherapy (A group), sequentially chemo-radiotherapy (B group) and continuous systematized chemotherapy alone (C group). The systemic 3-dimensional orientation apparatus was used in radiotherapy. The chemotherapy regimen in combined radiotherapy was given by common first line regimen on lung cancer. The regimen of chemotherapy combated with whole body hyperthermia by using micro-wave on abodeman about 2 or 3 line was used in C group only. Results: The overall responses rates (RR) of A, B and C groups were 17.1%, 11.5% and 31.8%, but it was non-significance difference (P > 0.05). Overall responses rates (RR) of III and IV stage groups were 18.2% and 20.0%. The average overall survival time (OS) and median survival time (MST) of the patients treated by chemotherapy (C group) were highest about 14.2 and 9.3 months (respectively at A group 6.7 and 6.0 months. P < 0.01), in which B group was longer than A group (P < 0.05), and 95.5% CI value was not overlap. The total survival time of postoperative patients was longer in the various groups by different treated than that in non-operations. Conclusion: The rates (RR) of III and IV stage groups were non-significance difference. The higher of ORR, OS and MST in a few patients of re-treated advanced lung cancer was presented in case with treated by continuous system chemotherapy. There were survival superiority in initial postoperative patients groups by different treated. It is a profitable and effect treatment that the pure reasonable systemic chemotherapy was used for elderly case with advanced retreated lung cancer.

Clinical observation of docetaxel in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the elderly patients

Objective:The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and side effects of docetaxel as single chemotherapy for elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Forty-two elderly patients with advanced NSCLC who were chemotherapy-naive were enrolled in this study. Docetaxel at the doses of 70 mg/m2 was administrated intravenously every 21 days as a cycle, each patient received 2-4 cycles. All patients were followed up until disease progressed or patients died. Results: Among 42 patients, 40 could be evaluated, 1 complete response (CR), 9 partial response (PR), 13 stable disease (SD), 17 progress disease (PD). The overall response rate (CR+PR) was 35% and disease control rate (CR+PR+SD) was 57.5%. The median time to progress (TTP) was 4.2 months, median survival time was 6.1 months and 1-year survival rate was 35.8%. The main toxicity was myelosuppression and decreasing platelet. Conclusion: Single agent docetaxel for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC is an efficient and well-tolerated chemotherapeutic approach with a low toxicity level.

The Impact of Delays during the Pandemic Months on Survival of Lung Cancer Patients in Canada in 2020

Background and Purpose: Most cancer deaths in the world are due to lung cancer and diagnosis and treatment delays sharply reduce survival in lung cancer patients. This study examined the impact of delays during the early months of the pandemic on the survival of newly identified lung cancer patients in Canada in 2020. Method: This was a secondary data analysis from published literature and openly available data sources. Cancer Statistics from existing literature were used as a proxy for the month-wise distribution of lung cancer cases in Canada. The incidence of lung cancer, using population statistics from Statistics Canada and incidence rates from the Canadian Cancer Statistics in 2020, was estimated. The population-based Excel model employed compounded cuts on the incidence to arrive at the outcomes. Plotdigitzer.com tool was used to digitize the survival versus time curves for each stage from secondary sources. Stage-wise incidences for each sex were calculated for each age group for each month of 2020. Using delay impact on each stage the final results were calculated. Results: A total of 5004 life years would have been lost due to 448 deaths in the long term (40 months) attributed to the delays caused during March, April, May and June in Canada. The estimated incidence for all stages of lung cancer for these months was 9801 although the observed incidence was expected to be 6571 due to reduced screenings. Hence, it was within the missing 3231 cases that delays would occur. Over the short term (10 months) there are expected to be 151 early deaths and 273 deaths in the intermediate-term (20 months). Conclusions: This study using a mathematical model showed that in 2020, the COVID epidemic resulted in higher mortality and fewer lung cancer diagnoses in Canada. As a result of the delays in assessment, screening, and treatment that accompanied the pandemic lockdowns, there has been a rise in total life years lost due to lung cancer, demonstrating the pandemic’s huge impact on lung cancer patients.

Effect of Astragalus Injection Combined with Chemotherapy on Qual ity of Life in Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: To observe the effect of Astragalus injection (AI) combined with chemotherapy on quality of life (QOF) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung caner (NSCLC). Methods: Sixty NSCLC patients were randomly divided into the treated group (n=30,treated with AI combined with chemotherapy) and the control group (n=30, treated with chemotherapy alone). Chemotherapy of MVP protocol was applied to both groups. AI was supplemented to the treated group by intravenous dripping 60 ml per day. Treatment of 21-28 days consisted one treatment cycle, and 2-3 cycles were applied. WResults: The effective rate in the treated group was 40.0% and in the control group was 36.7%, the mean remission rate in them being 5.4 month s and 3.3 months, the median survival period 11 month and 7 month and the 1-year survival rate 46.75% and 30.0%, respectively, the difference of these indexes between the two groups were all significant (P<0 05). Moreover, the clinical improving rate and QOF elevation rate in the treated group was 80.4% and 43.3%, as compared with those in the control group (50.0% and 23.3% respectively), the different was also significant (P<0 01). Conclusion: AI combined with chemotherapy can significantly improve the QOF in NSCLC patients of advanced stage.

Risk factors for occult nodal metastasis in patients with stage ⅠA peripheral non-small cell lung cancer

Objective To study the risk factors of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in patients with ≤3 cm peripheral non small cell lung cancer. Methods From January 2000 to December 2010,a total of 281 patients with NSCLC [152 men and 129 women,aged (60. 31 ± 12. 13) years; ≤ 3 cm in diameter]underwent lobectomy or partial resection with systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy in hospital. Clinical data included age,gender,

Risk factors of morbidity after pulmonary resection for lung cancer in patients older than 70 years

Objective This study is to analyse the clinical feature and risk factors of morbidity after pulmonary resection for lung cancer in patients older than 70 years. Methods The clinical records of 222 patients older than 70 years who had undergone pulmonary resection for their lung cancer were reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups,group I including the patients who had

Expression of endostatin in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in patients with lung cancer

Objective To evaluate the expression of endostatin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum in patients with lung cancer,and to analysis the relationship between endostatin expression and clinical prognosis as well as pathophysiological characteristics. Methods The samples of serum and BALF were obtained from 57

Are the data on quality of life and patient reported outcomes from clinical trials of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer important?

Majority of the patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)experience two or more disease related symptoms,which may have a negative impact on their health-related quality of life(HR QOL).These patients prefer a therapy that would improve disease related symptoms,as opposed or treatment that slightly prolongs their survival without improving symptoms.The improvements of the symptoms augment the significance of improved response rates or progression free survivals.The choice of the questionnaires to evaluate patients-reported outcomes(PROs)and HRQOL benefits and methods of collecting the data and their interpretations are very important and are discussed in this manuscript.PROs and HR QOL outcomes are important in patients with advanced NSCLC only when the data are collected and analyzed correctly.Then they can be viewed as components of the total value of a treatment,providing a comprehensive picture of the benefits and risks of anticancer therapies.Enabling the patients to feel during the last months of their lives more comfortable and not be dependent on their loved ones is a very important task in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Surgery of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Evaluation Based on the Questionnaires of Anti-Aging Quality of Life and the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire

Background: Patient-reported outcomes of the quality of life (QOL) after an open thoracotomy have not been studied. To determine the physical and mental changes in surgical patients is very important for medical staffs. The surgical patient’s satisfaction and overall healthy changes were evaluated by the patient-self assessment questionnaires. Materials and Methods: From July 2007 to April 2008, 26 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent surgical resection. The outcome of the QOL was evaluated by using two kinds of questionnaire surveys from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the anti-aging QOL assessment (AA-QOL). The EORTC QLQ-C30 consisted of five domains (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social functionings) and global QOL. The AA-QOL contained 51 items;30 physical and 21 mental symptoms regarding the elderly and the aging population. The patients replied to the two questionnaires at two different times, i.e., at pre-surgery (baseline) and at post-surgery (2 weeks after the operation). The obtained data of these scores were averaged and compared between the two points of the pre-surgery and post-surgery. Results: Regarding the outcomes of the EORTC QLQ-C30, the physical and social functioning became significantly worse after the surgery. In contrast, the global QOL significantly became better after the surgery. For the symptom at post-surgery, three of which were “nausea and vomiting”, “pain”, and “appetite loss”, became significantly worse compared to those at pre-surgery. Regarding the outcomes of the AA-QOL, the physical symptoms (muscular pain/stiffness, palpitations, dyspnea, no feeling of good health, anorexia, and coughing and sputum) became significantly worse after the surgery. Regarding the mental symptoms, there were no significant differences. Conclusions: Regarding the outcomes based on the changes in the QOL after surgery, the physical symptoms became worse compared to the mental symptoms. To clarify the perioperative healthy changes of the QOL reported by patients with lung cancers is very important for multidisciplinary teamwork, which should play a role in providing the appropriate care and treatment and useful information for a preoperative patient’s decision making of receiving surgical treatment.

DETECTION OF GENE MUTATION IN SPUTUM OF LUNG CANCER PATIENT

Lungcancerisacommonmalignanttumor,whichhasahighincidenceandmortalityrate.Therefore,itisnecessarytoseekanewmethodforthediagnosis,especiallytheearlydiagnosisoflungcancer.Thedevelopmentofmolecularbiologymakesthegenediagnosisoflungcancerpossible.PCR-SSCP...

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Chemotherapy Involving Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Evaluation by Questionnaires of Quality of Life Regarding Anti-Aging and Anti-Cancer Drugs

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of quality of life (QOL) during chemotherapy involving lung cancer are very important for the medical staffs. Patients’ satisfaction and healthy changes were evaluated by the patient-self assessment. Materials and Methods: From July 2007 to April 2008, a total of 19 patients received chemotherapy. The QOL data were collected by using the QOL questionnaire for cancer patients treated with anticancer drugs (QOL-ACD) and the anti-aging QOL assessment (AA-QOL). The AA-QOL contained 51 items: 30 of physical and 21 of mental symptoms of the elderly and the aging population. The patients replied to the questions at two different times, i.e., at pre-chemotherapy (baseline) and at post-chemotherapy (2 weeks after the chemotherapy). Results: Regarding the hematological toxicities, for the grade 3/4 toxicities, there were 12 neutropenia (12/19, 63.2%) and 3 thrombocytopenia (3/19, 15.8%). For the grade 3 febrile neutropenia, there were 5 cases (5/19, 26.3%). Regarding the non-hematological toxicities, there was no grade 3 and grade 4 toxicities. Based on the outcomes of the QOL-ACD, the three items (“physical condition”, “social attitude”, and “overall QOL”) at post-chemotherapy became significantly worse compared to the baseline. Regarding the outcomes of the AA-QOL, 4 items of physical symptoms (“thirst”, “anorexia”, “early satiety”, and “diarrhea”) became significantly worse compared to the baseline. Regarding the mental symptoms, 2 items (“nothing to look forward in life” and “a sense of uselessness”) became significantly worse compared to the baseline. Conclusion: Regarding the PROs of the QOL during the chemotherapy term, both the physical and mental symptoms had become worse. To clarify the changes in the QOL during chemotherapy is very important for multidisciplinary teamwork, which should play the role of providing the appropriate cares and treatment as patient-support.

Determination of Carboplatin Dose by Area Under the Curve in Combination Chemotherapy for Senile Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

To preliminarily determine the appropriate dosage of carboplatin （CBP） at AUC of 5 mg-M1^-1·min^-1 in the combination chemotherapy for Chinese senile patients with non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Thirty-five Chinese senile patients with NSCLC in advanced stage （Ⅲ/Ⅳ） were given 96 cycles of combination chemotherapy. Chemotherapy schedules included Taxol＋CBP, Gemzar＋CBP and NVB＋CBE The dose of CBP was at 5 mg.mL^-1·min^-1 of area under the concentration-time curve （AUC）. Side effects and quality of life were observed before and after the chemotherapy. Myelosuppression was severe and commonly observed. Grade 3/4 of granulocytopenia was found in 47.9% （46/96） of the patients and grade 3/4 of thrombocytopenia was noted in 28.1% （27/96） of the subjects. However, other side effects were slight. The mean score of quality of life （QOL）, according to the criteria of QOL for Chinese cancer patients had reduced 6.8. At 5 mg.mL^-1·min^-1 by AUC, the hematological toxicity of CBP was severe and it had some negative effects on the QOL. The administration of CBP at 5 mg.mL^-1·min^-1 by AUC may be too high for Chinese senile patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Efficacy,safety and pharmacokinetics of Unecritinib(TQ-B3101)for patients with ROS1 positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer:a Phase I/II Trial

This phase I/II trial characterized the tolerability,safety,and antitumor activities of unecritinib,a novel derivative of crizotinib and a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting ROS1,ALK,and c-MET,in advanced tumors and ROS1 inhibitor-naive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)harboring ROS1 rearrangements.Eligible patients received unecritinib 100,200.