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[Good surgery results in older patients with stage 1 lung carcinoma]
R A Damhuis1, P R Schütte, G S Kho
1Integraal Kankercentrum Rotterdam.
Objective:
To determine the influence of age on survival of patients undergoing resection for lung cancer.
Design:
Retrospective.
Setting:
South-western part of the Netherlands.
Methods:
Follow-up information was gathered on patients who had undergone resection for stage I non-small cell lung cancer from 1984 through 1990 and had been registered by the Rotterdam Cancer Registry. Operative mortality, 2-year and 5-year survival in the age groups 20-59, 60-69 and 70 years and older were compared.
Results:
Of the 630 patients (median age of 66 years) one-third was 70 years or older. Operative mortality was mainly determined by the type of operation: 6% after pneumonectomy versus 1% after lesser resections. Five-year survival declined with age from 65% to 48% and 43% (p < 0.01). After adjustment for non-related causes of death this difference decreased: 68%, 55%, 61% (p = 0.15). The main prognostic factor was tumour size.
Conclusion:
Chronological age has a limited influence on the survival of patients with lung cancer and does not preclude surgical treatment.