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Relationship of the urine cortisol level with the performance status of patients with lung cancer: a retrospective study

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Abstract

Purpose

Cortisol plays an important role in the physical status of patients with end-stage lung cancer, but the association of urine cortisol levels with TNM stage/performance status (PS) is unclear in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to examine this association.

Methods

In this single-center, retrospective, observational study, cortisol concentrations in 24-h pooled urine from 22 patients with advanced lung cancer were measured over 2 days. The mean concentration in each patient was compared with PS, TNM stage, and serum sodium and potassium ion levels.

Results

The 24-h urine cortisol levels were higher in PS2 or PS3 cases compared to PS1 (p < 0.05) and increased proportionally with PS. Urine cortisol also increased in N2 or N3 cases compared to N1 (p < 0.01) and also increased in M1 cases (p < 0.05). Urine cortisol levels were negatively correlated with serum sodium (R = −0.49, p < 0.05) and had a tendency for a positive correlation with serum potassium (R = 0.40, p = 0.06).

Conclusion

The 24-h urine cortisol level increased in patients with advanced lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Low serum levels of potassium and high levels of sodium may indicate relative adrenal insufficiency.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest regarding this publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, 2-2-78 Nishi-Nagae, Toyama City, Toyama, 930-8550, Japan

    Kensuke Suzuki, Hideaki Furuse, Takeshi Tsuda, Yasuaki Masaki & Hirokazu Taniguchi

  2. First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama City, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan

    Tomomi Ichikawa, Kotaro Tokui, Seisuke Okazawa, Kenta Kambara, Minehiko Inomata, Toru Yamada, Toshiro Miwa, Shoko Matsui, Ryuji Hayashi & Kazuyuki Tobe

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Toyama University Hospital, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama-shi, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan

    Tatsuhiko Kashii

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  1. Kensuke Suzuki
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  2. Tomomi Ichikawa
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  3. Hideaki Furuse
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  4. Takeshi Tsuda
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  13. Tatsuhiko Kashii
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  14. Hirokazu Taniguchi
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  15. Ryuji Hayashi
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  16. Kazuyuki Tobe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kensuke Suzuki.

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Suzuki, K., Ichikawa, T., Furuse, H. et al. Relationship of the urine cortisol level with the performance status of patients with lung cancer: a retrospective study. Support Care Cancer 23, 2129–2133 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2585-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2585-5

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