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Table 1 Characteristics of 7,879 patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer by receipt of chemotherapy

From: The effect on survival of continuing chemotherapy to near death

Variables

No chemotherapy

(n = 4,345)

Standard chemotherapy

(n = 3,235)

Aggressive -approach chemotherapy

(n = 299)

P-value

     

3 groups

No chemo-therapy vs. Chemo- therapy*

Standard chemotherapy vs. Aggressive -approach chemotherapy

Age at diagnosis, years

Median [IQR]

73.0 [69.0-78.0]

71.0 [68.0-74.0]

70.0 [67.0-74.0]

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.36

Gender, n (%)

Female

1,938 (44.6)

1,291 (39.9)

108 (36.1)

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.20

 

Male

2,407 (55.4)

1,944 (60.1)

191 (63.9)

   

Charlson comorbidity index, n (%)

0

3,123 (71.9)

2,401 (74.2)

226 (75.6)

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.06

 

1

773 (17.8)

576 (17.8)

60 (20.1)

   
 

2 ≤

449 (10.3)

258 (8.0)

13 (4.4)

   

Race/Ethnicity, n (%)

non-Hispanic white

3,551 (81.7)

2,711 (83.8)

254 (85.0)

0.01

0.01

0.22

 

non-Hispanic black

425 (9.8)

248 (7.7)

21 (7.0)

   
 

Hispanic or other

369 (8.5)

276 (8.5)

24 (8.0)

   

Region of tumor registries, n (%)

Northeast

672 (15.5)

555 (17.2)

51 (17.1)

< 0.01

< 0.01

0.06

 

South

228 (5.3)

194 (6.0)

28 (9.4)

   
 

Midwest

1,426 (32.8)

1,101 (34.0)

86 (28.8)

   
 

West

2019 (46.5)

1385 (42.8)

134 (44.8)

   

Urban residence, n (%)

Yes

3,928 (90.4)

2,973 (91.9)

284 (95.0)

< 0.01

< 0.01

0.06

 

No

417 (9.6)

262 (8.1)

15 (5.0)

   

Socioeconomic status, n (%)

Highest quintile

763 (17.6)

682 (21.1)

71 (23.8)

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.85

 

Fourth quintile

793 (18.3)

673 (20.8)

63 (21.1)

   
 

Third quintile

866 (19.9)

688 (21.3)

59 (19.7)

   
 

Second quintile

849 (19.5)

635 (19.6)

56 (18.7)

   
 

Lowest quintile

1,074 (24.7)

557 (17.2)

50 (16.7)

   

Median income

Median

[IQR]

38,154 [29-152]

41,205 [32-757]

43,564 [32-179]

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.28

Teaching hospital, n (%)

Yes

2,110 (48.6)

1,868 (57.7)

163 (54.5)

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.28

 

No

2,235 (51.4)

1,367 (42.3)

136 (45.5)

   

Year of death, n (%)

1991

365 (8.4)

206 (6.4)

18 (6.0)

< 0.001

< 0.001

0.02

 

1992

576 (13.3)

299 (9.2)

22 (7.4)

   
 

1993

567 (13.1)

340 (10.5)

15 (5.0)

   
 

1994

581 (13.4)

339 (10.5)

33 (11.0)

   
 

1995

518 (11.9)

372 (11.5)

33 (11.0)

   
 

1996

490 (11.3)

424 (13.1)

32 (10.7)

   
 

1997

442 (10.2)

413 (12.8)

46 (15.4)

   
 

1998

421 (9.7)

421 (13.0)

52 (17.4)

   
 

1999

385 (8.9)

421 (13.0)

48 (16.1)

   

Death in the hospital, n (%)

Yes

774 (17.8)

812 (25.1)

152 (50.8)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

 

No

3,571 (82.2)

2,423 (74.9)

147 (49.2)

   

ICU admission within 1 month of death, n (%)

Yes

187 (4.3)

213 (6.6)

37 (12.4)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

 

No

4,158 (95.7)

3,022 (93.4)

262 (87.6)

   

More than 1 ER visit within 1 month of death, n (%)

Yes

870 (20.0)

857 (26.5)

104 (34.8)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.01

 

No

3,475 (80.0)

2,378 (73.5)

195 (65.2)

   

Hospice admission, n (%)

None

2,208 (50.8)

1,668 (51.6)

241 (80.6)

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

 

Three or fewer days

156 (3.6)

198 (6.1)

25 (8.4)

   
 

Four or more days

1,981 (45.6)

1,369 (42.3)

33 (11.0)

   
  1. Abbreviation: vs., versus; IQR, interquartile range; ICU, intensive care unit; ER, emergency room.
  2. *Chemotherapy includes standard chemotherapy or aggressive-approach chemotherapy