[Prognostic value of UICC-1987 classification in primary lung cancers]

In order to test the validity of the new 1987-UICC classification (4th ed.) for lung cancer, data from 456 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma from 1980 to 1985 were analysed retrospectively. Overall survival rate was 32.7% at 5 years. Prognostic significance of the tumour formula (pTNM) was assessed by multivariate analysis: N lymph node involvement appeared to be the most pejorative factor (p < or = 10(-5)), followed by the T factor (p < or = 0.002) and the M factor (p < or = 0.01). Respective survival curves were compared. Excluding the correlation between T1 and T2 tumours, the prognosis became significantly more unfavourable as the values for the pTNM classification criterion rose. Differences in prognosis between stages I and II, II and III A, III B and IV were not statistically significant for methodological reasons and inappropriate regroupings. Thus, our results partially confirm the prognostic value of the new international staging system. Meanwhile, this classification constitutes a prerequisite for the evaluation of end-results of therapy and the estimation of prognosis.