Lung cancer survival in never-smokers and exposure to residential radon: Results of the LCRINS study

• Published in: Cancer letters 2020-09, Vol.487, p.21-26
• Main Authors: Casal-Mouriño, Ana, Ruano-Ravina, Alberto, Torres-Durán, María, Parente-Lamelas, Isaura, Provencio-Pulla, Mariano, Castro-Añón, Olalla, Vidal-García, Iria, Pena-Álvarez, Carolina, Abal-Arca, José, Piñeiro-Lamas, María, Fuente-Merino, Ismael, Fernández-Villar, Alberto, Abdulkader, Ihab, Valdés-Cuadrado, Luis, Barros-Dios, Juan Miguel, Pérez-Ríos, Mónica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Adenocarcinoma - epidemiology; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Adult; Age; Aged; Cancer Survivors; Diagnosis; Environmental Exposure; Female; Health risk assessment; Housing; Humans; Indoor radon; Lung cancer; Lung neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate analysis; Mutation; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - epidemiology; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced - pathology; Never-smokers; Radon; Radon - adverse effects; Smoking - adverse effects; Studies; Survival; Tobacco smoke
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.05.022

We aimed to evaluate lung cancer survival in never-smokers, both overall and specifically by sex, exposure to residential-radon, age, histological type, and diagnostic stage. We included lung cancer cases diagnosed in a multicentre, hospital-based, case-control-study of never-smoker patients, diagnosed from January-2011 to March-2015 (Lung Cancer Research In Never Smokers study). 369 never-smokers (79% women; median age 71 years; 80% adenocarcinoma; 66% stage IV) were included. Median overall survival, and at one, 3 and 5 years of diagnosis was 18.3 months, 61%, 32% and 22%, respectively. Higher median survival rates were obtained for: younger age, adenocarcinoma, actionable mutations, and earlier-stage at diagnosis. Higher indoor radon showed a higher risk of death in multivariate analysis. Median lung cancer survival in never-smokers seems higher than that in ever-smokers. Patients with actionable mutations have a significantly higher survival. Higher indoor-radon exposure has a negative effect on survival. •Lung cancer never-smoker patients appear to have a longer median survival than do ever-smokers.•Median survival in never-smokers was higher with lower age at diagnosis, adenocarcinoma, presence of mutations and earlier stage.•No differences were found for median survival among never-smokers by residential radon concentration.