Abstract
Aims
The objective of the present study is to determine the prognostic value of clinical variables and biomarkers in patients with advanced stages of NSCLC and establish a prognostic classification of these patients.
Methods
For 135 patients with advanced NSCLC we determined their clinical variables and their levels of CEA, CA 125, CYFRA 21–1, albumin, LDH, erythrosedimentation and leukocytes.
Results
Multivariate analysis identified PS (ECOG) >1, metastases, no anti-neoplastic treatment, CA 125 >35 U/mL, CYFRA 21–1 >3.3 ng/mL and leukocytes >10'000/μL, as independent prognostic factors for survival.
Patients were classified into 3 groups according to the number of adverse prognostic factors (APF). One point was assigned for each APF, except for chemotherapy treatment. Patients with 0–1 APF represented our reference group: patients with 2–3 APF had HR=2.7 (95% CI: 1.5–4.6), while patients with 4–5 APF had HR=8.8 (95% CI: 4.6–16.8). This “score” maintained the differences between risk groups both in patients who received antineoplastic treatment and in those who did not.
Conclusion
The application of a score that includes clinical data and biomarkers may improve the prognostic classification of NSCLC patients.