General characteristics and prognostic factors of lung cancer in women

Lung cancer has emerged as a major health problem among women, with smoking being the leading risk factor in both genders. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and demographic characteristics of lung cancer in women and their impact on survival. A total of 110 female patients diagnosed and treated at the chest diseases clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical features and their associations with survival were assessed. Among the cases, 72.7% (n=80) were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 27.3% (n=30) with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The mean age was 63.45±11.10 years for NSCLC and 60.57±9.42 years for SCLC patients. Smoking history was present in 40% of the cohort, and 98% were symptomatic at diagnosis. Performance status was determined according to the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), with most patients initially categorized as ECOG 0. Distant metastases were observed in 78% of patients, and adenocarcinoma was the most frequent histopathological subtype (61.4%) among NSCLC cases. According to the TNM 7th staging system, 65% of NSCLC patients presented at stage IV. Multivariate analysis revealed that advanced age, smoking, advanced stage, leukocytosis, metastasis, and poor ECOG performance were independently associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC. Furthermore, thrombocytosis was also linked to unfavorable survival outcomes. In conclusion, in female patients with lung cancer, smoking, advanced age, late-stage presentation, poor performance status, and the presence of metastasis, leukocytosis, or thrombocytosis negatively affect survival.