Surgical resection for lung cancer in the octogenarian.
BACKGROUND
As the US population ages, clinicians are increasingly confronted with octogenarians with resectable non-small cell lung cancer. Earlier reports documented substantial risk for surgical resection in this age group.


METHODS
We reviewed our surgical experience in octogenarians who underwent curative resection from 1990 to 2003.


RESULTS
Sixty-one patients underwent resection: 46 lobectomies, 6 segmentectomies, 5 wedge resections, and 4 pneumonectomies. There was one perioperative death (1.6%). The overall complication rate was 38% with a major complication rate of 13%. The average postoperative length of stay was 7 days. Overall 5-year survival was 38%, and 82% for stage IA patients. Patients with more advanced disease had a significantly worse survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Appropriately selected octogenarians with early stage disease should be offered anatomic surgical resection for cure. These patients can anticipate a long-term survival, and should not be denied an operation on the basis of age alone.
Port
Jeffrey L
JL
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Suite M404, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 525 E 68th St, New York, NY 10021, USA. nkaltork@med.cornell.edu
Kent
Michael
M
Korst
Robert J
RJ
Lee
Paul C
PC
Levin
Matthew A
MA
Flieder
Douglas
D
Altorki
Nasser K
NK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome