[Retrospective study of 41 cases of pulmonary carcinoma diagnosed from 1983 to 1986]

In their retrospective study of 41 cases of lung carcinoma diagnosed in their department in the years 1983-86, the authors aimed at assessing the dynamics of their clinical, instrumental and therapeutic approach to this widespread and socially relevant pathology. Among the aspects considered are: the patients' mean age and sex, relationship to smoking, clinical and cytologic diagnosis, instrumental exploration, presenting symptoms, therapeutic approach, mean survival time. On the basis of their findings, the authors come to the conclusion that their experience coincides with that reported in national and international studies with the same dramatic picture (usually late onset of symptoms, short survival, highly invasive growth). They therefore hope that in the near future the scientific community will engage in a more decisive manner and with better support from the health authorities and more adequate financial resources in ways aimed at reducing the incidence of this pathology, at acquiring better knowledge of the relationship with the environment, and at an improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.