2024 Asia Conference on Lung Cancer (ACLC) - Poster & ePosters-PP01.43

PP01.43 - Pragadeesh Thamaraiselvan

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The study "Epidemiological and Clinical Profile of Lung Cancer in Females in South India" conducted by Pragadeesh Thamaraiselvan and colleagues focuses on the rising incidence of lung cancer among females in low-middle-income countries, particularly in South India. The retrospective analysis, covering 2017-2021, included 292 female patients over 18 years old diagnosed with lung cancer at the Cancer Institute (WIA) in Chennai. <br /><br />Key findings highlighted that lung cancer presents significant challenges in this demographic, with 81% of patients diagnosed at Stage IV, indicating advanced disease at presentation. The median age was 53 years, and only 12.5% had smoking exposure, with some patients having passive smoke exposure (11%) and tobacco chewing habits (8%).<br /><br />Adenocarcinoma was the most common type of lung cancer (85%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (7%) and small cell carcinoma (0.7%). Molecular testing revealed EGFR mutations in 62% of non-small cell lung cancer cases, with exon 19 deletions being the most common subtype.<br /><br />Treatment regimens varied but were often limited due to advanced disease stages. Only 5% underwent surgical resection with or without chemotherapy, while 51% received Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) as frontline therapy. The median overall survival was poor, at 12.3 months, with survival rates sharply declining over three years.<br /><br />The study concludes that despite advances in targeted therapies, outcomes remain poor due to late-stage presentation, therapy defaults, and restricted access to advanced treatments. Recommendations include improved screening, better referral systems, enhanced social support, and increased access to clinical trials and precision therapies to enhance outcomes. <br /><br />Overall, the study emphasizes the urgent need for more effective early detection and treatment strategies to combat lung cancer in females in resource-constrained settings.

Keywords

lung cancer

females

South India

epidemiology

adenocarcinoma

EGFR mutations

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

late-stage diagnosis

treatment outcomes

early detection