Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 51, Issue 1 B50-B53, Copyright © 1996 by The Gerontological Society of America
Correlates of tumor size, gender, cell type, and metastasis of resected non-small cell lung cancer and age
N Pendleton, MF Jefferson, GR Dixon, MW Myskow and MA Horan
University Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester, United Kingdom.
The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the relationship
between tumor volume and age in resected non-small cell lung cancer
(NSCLC). Differences exist in the behavior, growth rate, and metastatic
potential of solid tumors in both aged humans and experimental animal
models. Data from 669 cases of NSCLC resected between 1980 and 1992 were
reviewed (445 males; 224 females; median age 67 years, range 16- 86).
Measurements of the resected tumor in-situ were made in three dimensions,
and these were multiplied to give an estimate of the tumor volume. Multiple
regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the tumor
volume, age, gender, histological cell type, and TNM nodal score. No direct
relationship existed between patient age and tumor volume or nodal score.
However, there was a significant relationship between patient gender and
tumor volume, i.e., smaller volume tumors in female patients (p = .02).
Considering all variables, two relational subgroups were identified:
younger male patients with large adenocarcinomas and older female patients
with small squamous cell carcinomas (p = .05). We conclude that the
relationship between tumor volume and age is complex and dependent on
patient gender and tumor cell type.
