Survival and prognostic factors for primary lung extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma: a retrospective study of data from China and the SEER database

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Background and aimExtranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a rare and aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that most commonly affects the nasal cavity and nasopharynx. The lung is a rare site for ENKTL involvement, and its clinical behavior and prognostic factors are not well understood. This study aimed to analyze survival outcomes and identify prognostic factors in patients with primary lung ENKTL.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 20 cases of primary lung ENKTL, including four patients who were treated at Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing and 16 patients were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database. Clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival data were collected and analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression models to identify potential prognostic factors.ResultsThe study cohort included 13 male (65%) and 7 female (35%) patients with a median age of 57 years. Sex was a significant predictor of survival (P = 0.030), with female patients having lower survival rates. Other factors, including age, race, and disease stage, were not significantly associated with survival. Most patients received chemotherapy (45%) or a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (5%), but treatment data were incomplete for 40% of the cohort. The median overall survival was poor, reflecting the aggressive nature of primary lung ENKTL.ConclusionsPrimary lung ENKTL is a rare, aggressive malignancy with limited available data. In this cohort, sex was a significant prognostic factor, while other demographic and clinical variables did not show significant associations with survival. Future research should focus on understanding the molecular and immunological drivers of this disease, with an emphasis on discovering novel therapeutic approaches. Large-scale multicenter studies are needed to improve diagnostic and treatment strategies for primary lung ENKTL.