Volume and dose parameters for survival of non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background and purpose: To determine the effect of tumor volume and dose factors derived from 3-D treatment planning dose distributions on survival outcome for non-small cell lung cancer patients. Materials and methods: Seventy-six consecutive patients diagnosed with medically inoperable or locally advanced, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer planned with 3-D treatment planning between 1986 and 1992 were the subject of this retrospective study. Patient characteristics and dosimetric parameters were analyzed for influence on overall survival and local progression-free survival (LPFS) using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Nodal stage and stage were the most significant factors for overall survival and LPFS duration on both univariate and multivariate analysis. We found a wide range of primary tumor volume sizes for each stage. Patients with tumor volumes <200 cm(3) had longer survival (P = 0.047). In an analysis stratifying patients into four groups by tumor volume (<200 cm(3) versus >200 cm(3)) and nodes (negative versus positive), patients in the group with no nodal disease and <200 cm(3) tumor volumes survived longer than patients in any other group (P = 0.046). No dose factors were statistically significant for longer survival. Longer LPFS was seen for (a) isocenter dose >70 Gy (P = 0.055) for the overall group of patients, (b) within a subgroup with no nodal disease and >73 Gy (P = 0.054), and (c) within a subgroup with no nodal disease and tumor volume <200 cm(3) receiving >73 Gy (P = 0.086). Conclusions: Several findings from the volume and dosimetric analysis in this study are noteworthy. Stage was found to be a poor predictor of primary tumor volume size. Also, tumor volume size (<200 cm(3)) in conjunction with nodal status (negative nodes) had an impact on survival though there was a mix of stage (I, IIIa, IIIb) in this group of patients. Finally, dose appears to influence local control (LPFS) for the overall group of patients and when tumor volumes are <200 cm(3). Our data indicate that outcome following radiation may be better predicted by a staging system that takes into account tumor volume and nodal spread rather than a system that is largely based on anatomic location of disease. Dose prescription for lung cancer treatment might better be written based on tumor volume size. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.