Carcinoma of the lung: a clinical review

Records of 702 patients with carcinoma of the lung seen from 1960 through 1970 were reviewed. The efficacy of various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was assessed. Salient findings were as follows: Biopsy of nonpalpable ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes was positive for carcinoma in 63 of 286 patients (22%). Even more surprising, biopsy of nonpalpable contralateral supraclavicular lymph nodes was positive for carcinoma in 9 of 38 patients (24%). Accordingly, the importance of biopsy of nonpalpable supraclavicular nodes is to be stressed. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type, but adenocarcinoma was more common in women and nonsmokers. Among the 702 patients, 48 (6.8%) were nonsmokers. The 5-year survival for 92 patients treated by lobectomy was 21%; the 5-year survival for 77 patients treated by pneumonectomy was 19%; the 5-year survival among 18 patients have resection of the chest wall in addition to resection of the primary lesion was 22%. Of 12 patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung treated by resection, there was 1 5-year survivor. The overall 5-year survival in the 702 patients was 6.6%.