Predictors of overall survival in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with metastatic spinal cord compression treated with short-course radiotherapy

Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) is a condition that impacts directly on the patient's prognosis. Objective The study purpose was to identify predictors of overall survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with MSCC. Methods A cohort study involving NSCLC patients enrolled between 2008 and 2017 was performed. Sixty-four patients treated with short-course radiotherapy were included. Clinical and socio-demographic data were extracted from medical records. Data were analysed using survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results The median survival time was 2.5 months (95% CI: 1.6-3.5). Patients >60 years had shorter survival than younger patients (HR 1.85; 95% CI 1.06-3.24; p = 0.02), and patients with performance status (PS) >2 had shorter survival than those with PS <= 2 (HR 1.93; 95% CI 1.12-3.33; p = 0.01). Conclusion This study found worse PS and higher age are independent predictors of overall survival in NSCLC patients with MSCC treated with short-course radiotherapy after adjusting the potential confounding factors (PS, age and target therapy).