Profile of patients with lung cancer assisted at the National Cancer Institute, according to their smoking status, from 2000 to 2007

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco use is directly related to the future incidence of lung cancer. In Brazil, a growing tendency in age-adjusted lung cancer mortality rates was observed in recent years. OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of patients with lung cancer diagnosed and treated at the National Cancer Institute (INCA) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2000 and 2007 according to their smoking status. METHODS: An observational study was conducted using INCA's database of cancer cases. To assess whether the observed differences among the categories of sociodemographic variables, characterization of the tumor, and assistance - pertaining to smokers and non-smokers - were statistically significant, a chi-square test was applied. A multiple correspondence analysis was carried out to identify the main characteristics of smokers and non-smokers. RESULTS: There was a prevalence of smokers (90.5% of 1131 patients included in the study). The first two dimensions of the multivariate analysis explained 72.8% of data variability. Four groups of patients were identified, namely smokers, non-smokers, small-cell tumors, and tumors in early stages. CONCLUSION: Smoking cessation must be stimulated in a disseminated manner in the population in order to avoid new cases of lung cancer. The Tumors in Initial Stages Group stood out with greater chances of cure.