[Extended pulmonary resection in non-small cell lung cancer]

The authors give an account of their experience with extensive pulmonary resections on account of an extensive non-small-cell carcinoma of the lungs. During a 13-year period (1976-1988) they made 140 extensive resections of the lungs. As to histological characteristics, the epidermoid type of tumour predominated. The tumour spread most frequently to mediastinal nodes and the thoracic wall. The mean age of the patients was 54.9 years, the mortality within 30 days after operation 5.7%. The five-year survival of patients after operation was evaluated in patients operated between 1976 and 1988 when 90 operations were performed. The majority of patients (32.5%) survived combined surgery. Two patients survive after 10 years. Due to the small number of patients and their difficult comparability it is not possible to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of treatment statistically. In the literature views on combined postoperative treatment differ, a randomized study would be useful. In the conclusion the authors advocate continuation of the hitherto used trend of therapy, they recommend introduction of new chemotherapeutic agents in close collaboration with oncologists and concentration of patients in specialized departments.