Lung cancer in the octogenarian

Older patients with lung cancer tend to have significant coexisting diseases and less aggressive treatment is often advisable.

To investigate the clinicopathological features of lung cancer in patients aged 80 years and over.

The medical records of 966 patients with lung cancer between 1976 and 1999 were reviewed retrospectively.

There were 56 (5.8%) patients 80 years old or over. Thirty-nine (70%) were male, and 22 (39%) patients had poor performance status (2-4). Some of the patients had a medical history of cardiovascular disease (n = 23; 41%), cerebrovascular disease (n = 5; 9%), diabetes mellitus (n = 11; 20%), or malignant 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 was no statistical difference in the survival rate of the two groups of patients receiving radiotherapy or supportive care.

Adequate palliative care to provide prolonged quality survival is an appropriate primary goal of therapy for lung cancer in the octogenarian until less invasive treatments are developed.