CHARACTERISTICS OF LUNG-CANCER IN THE ELDERLY

In order to define the characteristics of lung cancer in the elderly, 260 patients with lung cancer were retrospectively analyzed according to their age group; group A = less than or equal to 49 years (n = 19), group B = 50-69 years (n = 152), and group C = greater than or equal to 70 years (n = 89). The ratio of male to female increased with age f rom 1.4 (group A), 3.9 (group B) to 7.1 (group C). In males, the perce ntage of squamous cell carcinoma increased from 18% in group A, 30% in group B to 54% in group C. Conversely, in females adenocarcinoma was constantly high for all groups (100%, 71%, 91%). There was no signific ant difference in the distribution of the clinical stage of the diseas e among the three groups. The percentage of patients undergoing surger y was lowest for group C with 15% compared to the two other groups wit h 32% and 28%, respectively. Conversely, the percentage of patients re ceiving only the best supportive care was highest for group C with 24% (0% in group A, 10% in group B). The prognosis for the patients in gr oup C was significantly poorer than for the other groups; median survi val time was 12.5, 10.0 and 7.0 months, with a 3-year survival rate (% ) of 7.8, 19.4 and 6.3% in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Male and squamous cell type were characteristic of lung cancer in the elderly, apparently supporting the idea that cigarette smoking plays a role in lung carcinogenesis, and the necessity of early establishment of an op timal therapeutic strategy for lung cancer in the elderly was indicate d.