[An experience of right pneumonectomy in the elderly (aged 82) lung cancer]

Lung cancer in the elderly (over 80 years or over the average life) isn't generally performed surgical treatment, but we performed right pneumonectomy to aged 82 who had taken a right upper lobe's primary squamous cell lung carcinoma. He recovered well. Especially in general pneumonectomy should be avoided to over aged 80 because of the high death rate compare with other operative way (Lobectomy, Segmentectomy, Wedge resection etc.). But we think the operative indication should be determined synthetically (good performance status, not so progressive clinical staging, no existing another disease, etc.). We perform pneumonectomy in the elderly if patient's performance status is 0 or 1, and clinical staging is I or II, and the other laboratory data is good. But most important, we should explain exact information of the disease and perform surgical treatment in case it's received. We should take into consideration reduction surgery for prevention of complication without persisting in standard way of operation.