Chemotherapy use and outcomes in patients with stage III or IV small-cell lung cancer in relation to age: An analysis of the English Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT) dataset

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  1. Sophie Pilleron
    ,  
  2. Eva JA Morris
    ,  
  3. David Dodwell
    ,  
  4. Kevin Franks
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Abstract

Background: We described patterns of chemotherapy use and outcomes in patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) in relation to age using the Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment dataset.

Method: In total, 7,966 patients SCLC (67.6% stage IV) diagnosed between 2014–17 in England, treated with chemotherapy were followed up through 2017. Patterns of chemotherapy use, 30- and 90- mortality rates, and 6- and 12-month and median overall survival (OS) from the initiation of chemotherapy were compared between those below and above the age of 75.

Results: Older patients were 6–7 times less likely to receive curative treatment than younger patients regardless of stage. They had more frequent adjustments of treatment and dose reduction (stage III). There were no age differences in dose reduction in stage IV, treatment delayed or stopped earlier than planned. 30-day mortality rates were similar across age groups in stage III SCLC (4%). Older patients had higher 90-days mortality rates and poorer OS than younger peers. In both stages, OS decreased around the age of 70–75 and were worse in patients with performance status scores ≥2.

Conclusion: This study offers a snapshot of chemotherapy use and outcomes in advanced SCLC, notably in older patients, in the pre-immunotherapy era.

Corresponding author
Sophie Pilleron
Grant information

SP was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, Belgium under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 842817. DD is supported by Cancer Research UK (grant no C8225/A21133). Funders had no involvement in the present study.

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Copyright
© 2023 Sophie Pilleron (Corresponding Author, Co-Author); Eva JA Morris (Co-Author); David Dodwell (Co-Author); Kevin Franks (Co-Author) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Authors & roles

Sophie Pilleron

Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Roles
Corresponding Author, Co-Author, Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Eva JA Morris

Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Roles
Co-Author, Supervision, Writing – Review & Editing

David Dodwell

Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Roles
Co-Author, Data Curation, Funding Acquisition, Supervision, Writing – Review & Editing

Kevin Franks

Department of Clinical Oncology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust/University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s, School of medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

Roles
Co-Author, Conceptualization, Writing – Review & Editing

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