Surgical results and survival of older patients with unsuspected N₂ (stage IIIA) non-small cell lung cancer
Dell'amore, A.; Monteverde, M.; Caroli, G.; Sanna, S.; Stella, F.; Bini, A.
Il Giornale di Chirurgia 34(3): 53-58
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 0391-9005 PMID: 23578406 Document Number: 666461
The optimal treatment of N₂ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in older patients is still debate and represent an important treatment and ethical problem. Between January 2000 to December 2010, 273 older patients underwent lung resection for (NSCLC). The overall-operative mortality was 9.5%. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality were pneumonectomy and poli-vasculopathy. One, 3 and 5-year survival were 73%, 23% and 16% respectively. In potentially operable older patients with NSCLC we need to make every effort to exclude N₂ involvement because very poor long-term survival. Pneumonectomy in older patients gains prohibitive in-hospital mortality.