Principal component analysis identifies patterns of cytokine expression in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing definitive radiation therapy

Radiation treatment (RT) stimulates the release of many immunohumoral factors, complicating the identification of clinically significant cytokine expression patterns. This study used principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze cytokines in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing RT and explore differences in changes after hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and conventionally fractionated RT (CFRT) without or with chemotherapy

Graphical depiction of the PCA results at baseline and during RT.

<p>Group 1: SBRT; Group 2: CFRT; Group 3: ChRT. RT = Radiation therapy, SBRT = Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), CFRT = conventially fractionated radiation therapy, ChRT = Concurrent chemoradiation.</p

Median cytokine values at baseline and during treatment for cytokines identified as key players by PCA.

<p>Median cytokine values at baseline and during treatment for cytokines identified as key players by PCA.</p

Basic clinical and demographic data.

<p>Basic clinical and demographic data.</p