EVALUATION OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF LUNG CANCER PATIENTS TREATED AT A HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF ESPÍRITO SANTO

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, accounting for 14.1 million new cancer cases and 8.2 million deaths per year. Smoking is the main risk factor for the development of lung cancer (LC). However, the risk of developing the disease varies according to some factors, such as age, number of pack-days, duration of habit, environmental exposures, and genetic factors. Although there have been advances in diagnostic and therapeutic methods, most LC is discovered at an advanced stage and the fact that only 15% of cases are discovered in early stages may be responsible for the gloomy prognosis of the disease, with low survival at 5 years. Cancer therapy should be individualized, and knowing the epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with the disease is relevant to outline medical conducts.  Thus, this study aimed to describe the profile of patients diagnosed with LC referred to the Oncology and Oncology Surgery service in the last 7 years in a reference hospital in the interior of Espírito Santo. A total of 67 patients with lung cancer were analyzed, which 25 of them were smokers, 27 were former smokers and 6 were not smokers.  The prevalence among nonsmokers was higher among females and the triggering factors were diverse. Most of the cases analyzed were in an advanced stage of the disease. In summary, the results highlight the complexity of lung cancer, reinforcing the importance of prevention and investment in screening and early detection and development of more effective therapies.

Keywords: oncology, stage, prognosis, smoking.