Long-term Effects of Chemotherapy on Lung Cancer Survival
Author Information
Author(s): D.J. Girling, H. Stott, R.J. Stephens, W. Fox
Primary Institution: Medical Research Council Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases Unit, Brompton Hospital
Hypothesis
Does postoperative chemotherapy with busulphan or cyclophosphamide improve survival in patients with bronchial carcinoma compared to placebo?
Conclusion
Postoperative chemotherapy with busulphan or cyclophosphamide did not improve survival rates in patients with bronchial carcinoma compared to placebo.
Supporting Evidence
- At 15 years, 8% of busulphan, 9% of cyclophosphamide, and 10% of placebo patients were alive.
- Survival was significantly shorter in patients with histological involvement of the resected intrathoracic nodes.
- Histological type of the tumor did not influence survival in patients without node involvement.
Takeaway
Doctors wanted to see if giving medicine after surgery would help lung cancer patients live longer, but it didn't make a difference.
Methodology
A double-blind, randomized study comparing busulphan, cyclophosphamide, and placebo in 726 patients over 15 years.
Potential Biases
The study was double-blind, reducing bias, but the lack of certain data collection may introduce bias in interpreting results.
Limitations
Some important staging procedures were not routinely performed, which may affect the results.
Participant Demographics
Patients were treated for bronchial carcinoma, with a mean age of 71 years among survivors.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.00001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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