Clinical lung cancer
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Clinical lung cancer · Mar 2014
Association between race and survival of patients with non--small-cell lung cancer in the United States veterans affairs population.
Racial disparities in outcomes of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in the United States are well documented. A retrospective analysis of patients in the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry was conducted to determine whether similar disparities exist in a population with a single-payer, accessible health care system. ⋯ Although African-American patients had a higher stage and grade of NSCLC, they had a better overall survival than Caucasian patients. In a single-payer system with accessible health care, previously described racial differences in lung cancer outcomes were not observed.
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Clinical lung cancer · Mar 2014
High expression of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase in lung adenocarcinoma is associated with mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor: implications for the treatment of non--small-cell lung cancer using 5-fluorouracil.
It has been shown that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) sensitivity in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status. However, the relationship between dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), a 5-FU degrading enzyme, and EGFR mutation status is unknown. Here, we focus on clinicopathologic factors and in vitro correlations between DPD expression and EGFR mutation status. ⋯ High DPD expression was shown to be correlated with EGFR mutation in adenocarcinoma cells and tissues. Clinicians should take this finding into consideration when using 5-FU to treat patients with NSCLC.