CARCINOMA OF THE LUNG WITH INVASION OF THE LEFT ATRIUM - CASE-REPORTS

Three patients who had a nonsmall cell carcinoma of the lung with inva sion of the left atrium without distal metastases (T4 N0-2 M0), underw ent a radical pneumonectomy with a partial resection of the involved l eft atrium. Two of them had postoperative adjuvant therapy. The first patient died nine months after the operation from a ruptured thoracoab dominal aneurysm; the second patient died three months later from comp lications of adjuvant therapy; and the third patient is alive and free of metastases more than two years after the operation. Whenever techn ically feasible, nonsmall cell lung carcinoma that has invaded the lef t atrium without distal metastases should be resected in block with th e left atrium.