[Lung cancer in elderly patients: lung cancer and lung function]

The incidence of bronchogenic carcinoma is increasing as life expectancy rises. With increase in the aged population in Japan, the number of patients suffering from lung cancer and candidates for lung resections are increasing. In this paper, the author lists up indispensable procedures for diagnosis, namely, lung function tests, unilateral pulmonary arterial occlusion test and exercise tolerance test. The cut-offs for identifying candidates for elderly patients for lung resections can be applied the same cut-offs for younger patients. Also the author indicates the importance of postoperative management for lung lobe resections. In order to prevent postoperative problems such as congestive heart failure that might be a fetal complication, the most useful check values after the lung surgery for elderly patients are rate of transfusion and urine volume. In conclusion, when elderly patients assert their rights to undergo lung surgery, we, the thoracic surgeons, should reply their requests under the equal quality of safe surgery as that for younger patients. Besides, it is desirable that even elderly patients, over 80 years old, who undergo lung surgery should guarantee their quality of daily life after surgery.