The Prognostic Value of Measuring the Gross Linear Radial Growth of Pulmonary Metastases and Primary Pulmonary Cancers

The gross rates of growth of pulmonary cancers and pulmonary metastases may be reduced to clinically useful nomograms and graphs. The constructs are feasible because most neoplasms growing in the lung are observed only during a limited segment of their life history, often being observed too few times to permit the identification of the growth curve of best fit. Consequently, the parameter that can be calculated most quickly, namely linear growth rate in mm./day, may be most useful. The linear radial growth rates are plotted against observed survival. The nomograms permit easy approximation of the volume doubling time and the exponential radial growth rate in mm./mm./day. The mean of the log normal frequency distributions of doubling times for common primary and metastatic cancers found growing in the lung is plotted on one nomogram to put the information in perspective. The more widespread reporting and tabulation of such data should lead to a highly useful kinetic staging and treatment evaluation system.