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Small cell lung cancer: time to diagnosis and treatment.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22864099     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Data-Review    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most rapidly progressive form of lung cancer, and delays in treatment may increase the tumor burden. We determined the time from abnormal radiograph to diagnosis and treatment for patients with SCLC and investigated the effect of emergent presentation, stage, radiographic findings, and race on these measures and survival.
METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical data for 45 consecutive evaluable patients at a single institution diagnosed as having SCLC.
RESULTS: Median time from first abnormal radiograph to tissue diagnosis was 10 days and time from first abnormal radiograph to initiation of treatment was 35 days. Emergency department presentation led to earlier diagnosis compared with the clinic (3 vs 21 days), with a trend toward earlier treatment (15 vs 39 days; P = 0.057). No significant effect of radiographic findings, disease stage, or race was observed from time to diagnosis or treatment. Forty-three patients (96%) died, with a median survival time from initial abnormal radiograph to death of 375 days. Survival was longer for patients with limited stage disease (619 vs 230 days), but it was not significantly affected by emergent presentation, radiographic findings, or race. Consistent with the aggressive behavior of SCLC, 10 patients (22%) had a normal radiograph within 6 months prediagnosis, and 7 of these had extensive disease.
CONCLUSIONS: The median time from abnormal radiograph to initiation of treatment for SCLC in our single-center study overlapped with the expected doubling time for this malignancy and likely allowed a preventable increase in tumor burden.
Authors:
Niaz Haque; Amer Raza; Robin McGoey; Brian Boulmay; Lisa Diethelm; Stephen Kantrow
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Southern medical journal     Volume:  105     ISSN:  1541-8243     ISO Abbreviation:  South. Med. J.     Publication Date:  2012 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2012-08-06     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0404522     Medline TA:  South Med J     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  418-23     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
From the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, and the Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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