PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Mäkitaro, R. AU - Pääkko, P. AU - Huhti, E. AU - Bloigu, R. AU - Kinnula, V.L. TI - Prospective population-based study on the survival of patients with lung cancer AID - 10.1183/09031936.02.00048302 DP - 2002 Jun 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - 1087--1092 VI - 19 IP - 6 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/19/6/1087.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/19/6/1087.full SO - Eur Respir J2002 Jun 01; 19 AB - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change, over 20 yrs, in the survival of lung cancer patients in a population-based study. Information on all patients with lung cancer in a defined geographical area during 1990–1992 (n=602) was prospectively gathered. The survival of these patients was assessed and also compared with the results of a similar study in the same area during the years 1968–1971 (n=446). The 5-yr survival had improved during 20 yrs from 4% to 12%. The 5-yr survival of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma had increased from 6% to 16%, and adenocarcinoma from 4% to 19%, whereas the survival of small cell carcinoma had remained the same (2% and 3%, respectively). Even though the recent patients were older than those of the earlier series the proportion of surgically treated patients had remained the same (16% and 20%), but the 5-yr survival of patients who had been operated on had increased significantly from 23% to 48%. The differences in survival in the second cohort (1990–1992) between histological types (Chi-squared logrank=59.2), tumour, node, metastasis stages (Chi-squared logrank=199.6), symptomatic stages (Chi-squared logrank=120, p<0.001) and treatment (Chi-squared logrank=277) were significant. Based on this study the independent prognostic factors for better survival of lung cancer patients are tumour, node, metastasis stages I and II, surgical treatment and Feinstein's symptomatic stages I and II. This research was supported by the Finnish Anti-Tuberculosis Association Foundation and the Cancer Society of North Finland.