Determinants of improved outcome in small-cell lung cancer: an analysis of the 2,580-patient Southwest Oncology Group data base.

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Abstract
We analyzed the 2,580-patient Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) small-cell lung cancer data base from 1976 to 1988 in order to (1) determine the prognostic value of favorable demographic and tumor-related factors and therapy programs using Cox multivariate analyses in limited- and extensive-stage disease (LD, ED), and (2) define patient subgroups with significantly different survivals using recursive partitioning and amalgamation (RPA) analysis to refine the current two-stage system. Cox multivariate models were applied to 1,363 patients in six LD trials: good performance status, female sex, age less than 70 years, white race, and normal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significant favorable independent predictors. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was also a strong independent predictor of survival. For 1,217 patients in four ED trials, a normal LDH, treatment with an intensive multidrug regimen, and a single metastatic lesion were favorable independent variables in the Cox model. RPA analysis of 1,137 patients...