This is a design characteristic which allows the status (operable, inoperable, or degrade) of a system or any of its sub-systems to be confidently determined in a timely fashion.
In inoperable patients, weight loss, performance status, gender, presence of metastases, high LDH concentrations, elevated white blood cell count and anaemia have been identified as prognostic factors in numerous studies (level of evidence: B2).
Ambulant patients with stage IV inoperable pancreatic cancer and reduced nutritional status were evaluated between January 2002 and January 2004 (Table 1).
The aim of the present study was, therefore, to examine, in a longitudinal study, the prognostic value of GPS and performance status in patients with inoperable NSCLC.
The F1 regimen, as it requires only a single attendance for treatment, is recommended as a palliative regimen for patients with inoperable NSCLC and a poor performance status.
In our hospital, which is the biggest chest disease hospital in Athens, patients with a newly diagnosed inoperable NSCLC stage IIIB and performance status 1 are offered the combined treatment proposed by the current guidelines.
Specifically, we have shown that a combination of C-reactive protein and albumin, the Glasgow Prognostic score (GPS), has prognostic value, independent of performance status, in patients with inoperable NSCLC (Forrest et al, 2003; Forrest et al, 2004).
If cytological specimens such as bronchial wash specimens could replace lung biopsy specimens when analyzing EGFR mutation status in patients with inoperable lung cancer, it would be a powerful option, as repeated lung biopsy could be avoided in patients with poor clinical condition.
Recently, we have shown that, using established cutoffs, a combination of an elevated C-reactive protein and hypoalbuminaemia, the Glasgow Prognostic score (GPS) has prognostic value, independent of stage and performance status, in patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (Forrest et al, 2003, 2004, 2005).
Definitive CRT was applied following presentation of the case to the weekly Head and Neck Cancer multidisciplinary tumour board in the following cases: (1) ⩾T3-stage; (2) patients with poor general health status who were considered inoperable; and (3) patients who have electively opted for CRT.
