Association of height with survival among patients with resectable lung cancer

Among patients with resectabel lung cancer, higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with better survival after surgery. However, in remains controversial whether height, one of the determinants of BMI, is associated with survival independently of BMI and other confounders. Analysis of the French Epithor database (61,379 patients with resectable lung cancer over a 16-year period) investigated this association. In analysis adjusted for age, tobacco use, FEV₁, WHO performance status, ASA score, extent of resection, histological type, stage of disease and treatment center, greater height was associated with better long-term survival (per 10 cm increase HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.95-0.99). Additional adjustment for BMI resulted in identical HR. When stratifying by stage of disease, the prognostic significance of height was maintained for all stages except IIIB-IV. The authors conclude that among patients with resectable lung cancer, height was an independent prognostic factor.