[Palliative operations for lung cancer]

The goal of the palliative resection can be threefold: relief of symptoms without expected survival benefit, obviation of an urgent situation and maintenance or restoration of a good quality survival. Clear distinction should be made between this type of operation and incomplete resection: in spite of a curative intent, the latter type of operation is characterized either by residual disease or positive most distal lymph node station. Classification of palliative operations for lung cancer based on the underlying pathology seems to be most suitable for clinical use: 1) tumours without extrapulmonary extension; 2) tumours with direct involvement of adjacent organs; 3) metastatic involvement of intrathoracic or distant organs; 4) lung tumours associated with nonmalignant pathology (lung suppuration, pleural empyema). Although palliative operations for lung cancer can be considered in carefully selected patients, they should always be avoided if other, less aggressive non-surgical procedures offer the same quality of palliation.