[Assessment of the clinical symptoms and treatment tolerance in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing first-line chemotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation]. / Ocena stanu klinicznego I tolerancji leczenia u chorych na niedrobnokomórkowego raka pluca poddanych chemioterapii pierwszorzutowe i rehabilitacji oddechowej.

UNLABELLED: In Poland lung cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer type, both in men and women. Among the most important concerns related to this disease are clinical symptoms caused by deteriorating physical condition and intolerance to chemotherapy. The aim of this work was the assessment of the clinical symptoms and treatment tolerance in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing first-line chemotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 90 patients with inoperable NSCLC have undergone the examination. This included 69 men and 21 women aged between 46-75 years (average age 61.5 +/- 8.2 years). These were divided into 3 groups: group 1--30 patients undergoing standard chemotherapy; group II--30 patients undergoing standard chemotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation; group Ill--30 patients undergoing standard chemotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation with additional vitamin C supplementation. Clinical symptoms intensification was assessed using the ESAS scale (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System), by comparing the initial score with that after 6 weeks of chemotherapy in each individual. RESULTS: In groups II and III, where pulmonary rehabilitation was carried out, the intensification of the clinical symptoms and lowering of the tolerance for the treatment after 6 weeks of first-line chemotherapy were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in group I. CONCLUSIONS. Pulmonary rehabilitation significantly limits the side effects of chemotherapy and the deterioration of the state of patients with NSCLC. Simultaneous supplementation with ascorbic acid increases the positive effects of pulmonary rehabilitation in those patients.