Skip Navigation

Annals of Oncology 2007 18(6):1051-1055; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdm077
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Laurie, S.
Right arrow Articles by Seymour, L
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Laurie, S.
Right arrow Articles by Seymour, L
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2007 European Society for Medical Oncology

lung cancer

The impact of anemia on outcome of chemoradiation for limited small-cell lung cancer: a combined analysis of studies of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group

SA Laurie1,*, K Ding2, M Whitehead2, R Feld3, N Murray4, FA Shepherd3 and L Seymour2

1 The Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Centre, Ottawa
2 National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group, Kingston
3 Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto
4 British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada

* Correspondence to: Dr S. A. Laurie, The Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Centre, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L6 Canada. Tel: +1-613-737-7700 ext. 70175; Fax: +1-613-247-3511; E-mail: slaurie{at}ottawahospital.on.ca

Background: Associations between anemia and outcomes of chemoradiation have been documented in several malignancies, but few data exist for limited small-cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC). This combined analysis of 652 patients in two randomized clinical trials in LD-SCLC carried out by the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group was undertaken to explore the relationship between anemia at baseline and anemia arising during therapy, and outcomes of chemoradiation in this cancer.

Patients and methods: The relationships between overall survival and local control with hemoglobin levels at baseline and those arising during therapy (nadir hemoglobin (Hb) and maximum percentage drop from baseline values) were explored.

Results: No Hb parameter was associated with either outcome. Baseline anemia was found in one-third of patients, was more common in males, in those with a poorer performance status and those with an elevated lactate dehydrogenase; all of these latter factors were associated with shorter survival. A trend towards improved local control in patients with the greatest drop in their Hb did not remain significant in a multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: Anemia is common in patients with LD-SCLC. Anemia at diagnosis may have a different prognostic implication than that arising during therapy, and correction of anemia may have no impact on outcomes.

Key words: anemia, chemotherapy, radiation, lung cancer

Received for publication November 13, 2006. Revision received February 2, 2007. Accepted for publication February 5, 2007.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.