title: Survival in patients with superior pulmonary sulcus tumors.
abstract: We report our experience with 21 patients with superior sulcus tumors. Demographic features and survival were analyzed according to the stage of disease. Eleven patients had stage IIIA disease, 2 had stage IIIB disease and 8 had stage IV disease. Only 4 (19%) were amenable to surgery at the time of diagnosis and only 1 underwent combined preoperative radiotherapy and surgery. The majority of our patients were nonresectable at the time of diagnosis because of extensive disease or coexisting medical conditions. Overall, the probability of survival approached zero at 1 year. This poor survival is a reflection of nonresectability in the majority of our patients, which may be unique to our patient population.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Disease Section, Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center West Los Angeles, CA 90073.
authors.forename: L Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Santiago
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010178:Pancoast Syndrome / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis