Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
-
Disparities in treatment exist for nonwhite and Hispanic patients with non-small cell lung cancer, but little is known about disparities in the use of staging tests or their underlying causes. ⋯ Hispanics and nonwhites with non-small cell lung cancer are less likely to receive PET imaging. This finding is consistent across subgroups and not explained by differences in income, education, or insurance coverage.
-
Combined modality therapy (CMT; radiation and chemotherapy) is indicated for fit, elderly patients with inoperable, locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. We used population level data to examine effects of CMT on survival. ⋯ Survival benefits associated with CMT in clinical trials can extend to the elderly in routine care settings. CMT-ONLY is associated with the greatest mortality risk, suggesting that more gradual strategies (CMT-IND) may be more appropriate for the elderly population.
-
Despite increasing use of tunneled pleural catheters (TPCs), their efficacy as a definitive procedure for achieving palliation or spontaneous pleurodesis (SP) in the management of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) remains unclear. In the largest TPC series to date, we evaluate the efficacy for palliation and review the rate and predictors of SP. ⋯ TPC placement is safe and provides durable palliation, most often obviating the need for subsequent procedures in MPE patients. TPC, however, remains suboptimal at achieving pleurodesis.