Results of surgical treatment for small cell carcinoma of the lung.
The records of 288 patients treated for small cell carcinomas of the lung are reviewed. Resectional surgery was performed in 150 cases (147 apparently curative and 3 palliative procedures), 73 patients were submitted to exploratory thoracotomy and 65 were deemed unsuitable for surgical treatment. Overall postoperative mortality after resection was 14,6% and 5-year survival rate 20,7%. Long term prognosis was significantly correlated to p-TNM (p less than 0,002) and host's immune response as evidenced by circulating peripheral lymphocytes/cumm (p less than 0,003), primary tumor lymphocytic infiltration (L.I.) (p less than 0.03), regional lymph-node reactivity (P.C.A., S.H. and C.A. development) (p less than 0,0001). Patients treated for Stage I disease and showing enhanced immune reactivity had a significantly better long term prognosis than Stage II, III and non reactive patients. Oat cell subtype had worse 5-year survival rates (10,7%) than intermediate cell subtype (25,4%), this difference however is devoid of statistical significance (p: not significant).
D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male