title: [Influence of delay of surgery on the survival of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bronchogenic carcinoma is the main cause of tumor-related deaths among men in Spain. The British Thoracic Society recommends that no longer than 4 weeks should pass from the moment a patient s name is placed on a waiting list until surgery takes place. We analyzed the influence of time until surgery on survival in patients with lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We operated on 108 patients diagnosed with bronchogenic carcinoma between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2002. The time until surgery was defined by the date of application for care in our department until the moment of surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time on the waiting list was 56.87 days. No significant differences in mean wait-list times could be found in relation to tumor stage, type of surgery, patient age, or complete resection rate. The median survival in this patient series was 35 months. No significant differences in survival were found in relation to time until surgery in either the univariate or multivariate analysis. Pathologic stage, complete resection of the tumor, and patient age were prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no evidence that delaying surgery affects survival in lung cancer patients. However, efforts should be made to reduce surgical wait-list times to bring them into line with the recommendations of scientific societies.
authors: Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, Pontevedra, España. macaniz@telefonica.net
authors: Miguel Angel
authors: MA
authors: Cañizares Carretero
authors: José Eduardo
authors: JE
authors: Rivo Vázquez
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Blanco Ramos
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Toscano Novella
authors: Eva María
authors: EM
authors: García Fontán
authors: María Jesús
authors: MJ
authors: Purriños Hermida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011379:Prognosis; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists