Cancer surgery on a single residual lung

A series of nine patients with single lungs operated on for lung cancer is reported. This represents 10% of all the synchronous and metachronous lung cancers operated during the same period. There were three early postoperative deaths and a further three patients died subsequently at 15, 20 and 24 months, respectively, after operation; the remaining three are alive 6, 12 and 29 months, respectively, following their surgery. The analysis of the results of this small series indicates that wedge and segmental resection, when feasible, may be undertaken in patients with a single lung with reasonable life expectancy. The fact that lobectomy is not tolerated in such patients emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis when minimal local excision can be undertaken.