Onkológia 3/2016

The characteristics of lung cancer in young adults

Purpose: We create characteristics of lung cancer in young adults using the own group of patients and published data. Patients and methods: 23 young adults (from 23 to 39 years old) were treated at our oncology department from May 2006 till february 2016. Monitored characteristics were mean age, gender, histological type of tumor, mutation status, anatomical location, the incidence of cancer in the family and abuse of cigarettes. Results: The group consists of 23 patients aged from 23 to 39 years, including 12 women and 11 men. Histologically, 21 patients had diagnosis of adenocarcinoma (91.3 %), one squamous cell cancer and one small cell lung cancer. In 4 patients was found ALK mutation, one patient had an activating EGFR mutation (deletion of exon 19), 1 patient had detected ROS – 1 mutation. The mutation status was unknown in 13 cases. 16 subjects were diagnosed at stage IV of disease. Nevertheless, the majority of them were in good performance status. 8 patients were smokers (34.8 %). Lung cancer were documented in relatives of 2 patients. Except for one subject, all patients had at least one treatment regimen (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy). Conclusion: Lung adenocarcinoma was strongly dominant histological type of cancer in our patients´ group. The superiority of adenocarcinoma histology has been confirmed by other published studies, too. 8 patients were smokers, there was slight women prevalence. The mutation status was examined in the low percentage of patients. However, we can see 4 ALK positive tumors, 1EGFR and one ROS – 1 positive tumor. 16 patients were in stage IV at the time of diagnosis. Despite of this fact, their performance status was satisfactory to start the oncology treatment.

Keywords: young adults, mutation status, performance status, adenocarcinoma, targeted therapy