The peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) serves as a prognostic factor in cardio-respiratory diseases and plays an important role in cancer patients. The long-term prognostic relevance of VO2 peak in lung cancer patients has not been investigated extensively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the preoperative VO2 peak on the postoperative long-term survival in patients with operated lung cancer. Retrospective analysis of 342 patients with curatively resected non-small-cell lung cancer using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. Results: Preoperative VO2 peak ranged from 10.2 to 51.8 mL/kg/min (mean: 18.3 ± 4.6), VO2 peak % of predicted ranged from 32 to 172% (mean: 65.2 ± 18.0%). Overall 10-year survival was 23%. A Log-rank test comparing predicted VO2 peak ≥ 60% with predicted VO2 peak < 60% showed overall survival of 30% and 17%, respectively (p < 0.001) and non-tumour-related survival of 71% and 51% (p = 0.001) at 10 years. In multivariable Cox analysis, overall 10-year survival correlated with a high predicted VO2 peak% (p = 0.001) and low N-stage corresponding to N0 and N1 (p < 0.001). Non-tumour-related death correlated with low VO2 peak% of predicted (p = 0.001), and age (p < 0.001). Low preoperative VO2 peak was associated with both decreased postoperative overall survival and decreased non-tumour-related survival during the 10-year follow-up.
Keywords: 10-year survival; exercise capacity; lung cancer; oxygen consumption; prediction; preoperative peak.