Second primary bronchogenic carcinoma: life-table analysis of surgical treatment

Twelve patients had curative resection of primary bronchogenic carcinoma. Eleven to 84 months later, a second primary bronchogenic carcinoma was discovered and was operated on. Six patients underwent wedge resection, while the others had a lobectomy or pneumonectomy. There was no operative mortality. Two patients survived longer than 5 years. In addition to these patients, 26 patients who also had successive surgical resections for primary lung cancers were collected from the literature. Two operative deaths were related to respiratory insufficiency. Life-table analysis of this accumulated series of 38 patients revealed the survival rate 1 year after the resection of a second tumor to be 70%, and 2 and 3 years later, 55% and 27%, respectively. Thus, in patients in whom a second primary carcinoma of the lung develops, successive resections tailored to preserve respiratory reserve are compatible with low operative mortality and, in some instances, long-term survival.