Multimodal Assessment of Biological Age Following Radiation Therapy Among Patients With Early-Stage NSCLC

Are photography-based (face age) and spirometry-based (lung age) age estimates relevant to outcomes beyond chronological age in older patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)?In this cohort study of 670 patients aged 60 years or older, face age was significantly associated with overall survival and 2-year mortality, whereas chronological age was not independently associated. Lung age showed minimal correlation with face age, suggesting that these biomarkers capture distinct physiological domains.The findings of this study suggest that easily obtained biological age measures from routine photographs and spirometry may help personalize SBRT decision-making for older patients with early-stage NSCLC.

Corresponding Authors: Raymond H. Mak, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mass General Brigham/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (rmak@mgb.org), and Hugo J. W. L. Aerts, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Program, Mass General Brigham (haerts@bwh.harvard.edu), Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, ASB1 L2, Boston, MA 02115.

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