[Analyses on the long-term prognosis of surgical treatment for primary lung cancer in the elderly patients of 75 or over years old: how should be treated the non-recurrent death?].
We analyzed the long-term prognosis in 68 elderly (75 years old or over) patients with primary lung cancer. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 56.5% and 10.2%, respectively. There were 33 deaths due to 16 recurrences (REC) and 17 non-recurrences (NREC). Thirty-three dead patients were divided into two groups; patients with less than 5-year follow-up period (group A) and patients with 5-year or over follow-up period (group B). In group A, the REC/NREC ratio was 15/6, and in group B, the REC/NREC ratio was 1/11. The mortality due to non-recurrence was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in group B. In conclusion, we recommend to include non-recurrent death in the survival rates, because it is impossible to clear the cause of death, strictly.
Kamiyoshihara
M
M
Department of Surgery, National Sanatorium Nishigunma Hospital, Gunma, Japan.
Hirai
T
T
Kawashima
O
O
Sakata
S
S
Morishita
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate