Lung cancer in the octogenarian

Background: Older patients with lung cancer tend to have significant coexis ting diseases and less aggressive treatment is often advisable. Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of lung cancer in patients aged 80 years and over. Methods: The medical records of 966 patients with l ung cancer between 1976 and 1999 were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Th ere were 56 (5.8%) patients 80 years old or over. Thirty-nine (70%) were ma le, and 22 (39%) patients had poor performance status (2-4). Some of the pa tients had a medical history of cardiovascular disease (n = 23; 41%), cereb rovascular disease (n = 5; 9%), diabetes mellitus (n = 11; 20%), or maligna nt disease (n = 8; 14%). Twenty-one (35%) patients were diagnosed as having surgically resectable disease and 20 patients underwent radiotherapy, but 25 patients only received supportive care because of concomitant illnesses, Only 9 and 2 patients, respectively, had chemotherapy and surgery. There w as no statistical difference in the survival rate of the two groups of pati ents receiving radiotherapy or supportive care. Conclusion: Adequate pallia tive care to provide prolonged quality survival is an appropriate primary g oal of therapy for lung cancer in the octogenarian until less invasive trea tments are developed. Copyright (C) 2001 S.Karger AG, Basel.