THE ROLE OF LYMPHADENECTOMY IN LUNG-CANCE R STAGING

Intraoperative lymph node staging plays an essential part in the surgi cal treatment of lung cancer. The mean number of resected lymph nodes in 237 patients was 17, with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 60. The l argest number was found in N1 regions as expected. The number of resec ted nodes in the paratracheal, tracheobronchial and subcarinal region was 4, in the paraoesophageal and ligament region 1.2. Twenty-two per cent of the whole group showed an N2 situation. In 45% of the patients with N2 invasion, we found a lymph node skipping and in 25% only one positive N2 node. Thus, it is obvious that without a systematic lymph node dissection an exact staging is not possible.