SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF LUNG-CANCER IN THE OCTOGENARIAN

The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of surgical tre atment for lung cancer in the octogenarian. Thirty-three patients 80 y ears of age or older (mean age, 82.4; range, 80 to 92 years; 25 men, 8 women) underwent surgical resection in our units between 1974 and 199 1. The operative mortality rate was 3%, and the 5-year survival rate w as 32%. The relative 5-year survival rate (survival rate of our subjec ts/that of matched population) was 61%. The mortality and long-term su rvival rates were similar to those in younger patients. In this study, long-term survival had no significant dependence on stage of disease, histologic tumor type, or complete versus incomplete resection. It wa s dependent mainly on postoperative complications, in particular, card iorespiratory complications (cardiac complications, p = 0.0005; respir atory complications, p < 0.05). These data suggest that the octogenari an who suffers from lung cancer deserves the opportunity for a cure an d the long-term benefits of surgical treatment, on the condition that no postoperative major cardiorespiratory complications set in.