Analyses on the long-term prognosis of surgical treatment for primary lung cancer in the elderly patients of 75 or over years old: how should be treated the non-recurrent death?
Kamiyoshihara, M.; Hirai, T.; Kawashima, O.; Sakata, S.; Morishita, Y.
Kyobu Geka. Japanese Journal of Thoracic Surgery 51(2): 112-115
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-5252 PMID: 9492459 Document Number: 486099
We analyzed the long-term prognosis in 68 elderly (75 years old or over) patients with primary lung cancer. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 56.5% and 10.2%, respectively. There were 33 deaths due to 16 recurrences (REC) and 17 non-recurrences (NREC). Thirty-three dead patients were divided into two groups; patients with less than 5-year follow-up period (group A) and patients with 5-year or over follow-up period (group B). In group A, the REC/NREC ratio was 15/6, and in group B, the REC/NREC ratio was 1/11. The mortality due to non-recurrence was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in group B. In conclusion, we recommend to include non-recurrent death in the survival rates, because it is impossible to clear the cause of death, strictly.