Nutritional status affects long term survival after lobectomy for lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Nutritional status has been reported as a predictor of complications following surgery for lung cancer. However, the impact of impaired nutrition in the long term has not been extensively studied. We have analysed our own experience after lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Six hundred and forty-two consecutive patients undergoing lobectomy for primary lung cancer in a single centre between October 1991 and April 2004 were included in the study.


METHODS
Impaired nutritional status was defined as any of low pre-operative albumin level (less than 30g/L), recent history of weight loss or low body mass index (BMI)--less than 18.5kg/m(2). There were 400 males and 242 females, median age 66 (range 32-89 years). Outcomes studied were hospital mortality and complications, and long term survival.


RESULTS
A high proportion of patients (185 of 642, 28%) were classed as having poor nutritional status. There were 12 hospital deaths (1.9%). Nutritional depletion had no significant impact on hospital mortality (1.3% versus 2.7%), cardiac (14.4% versus 16.8%), or respiratory (17.5% versus 18.9%) complications. The overall median survival was 48+/-6 months (standard error). On Cox multivariate analysis, impaired nutritional status, tumour stage and need for en bloc chest wall excision were all independent predictors of survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Nutritional status does not appear to significantly influence immediate outcomes following lobectomy for lung cancer. However, it is a predictor of survival in the long term independently of tumour extension and staging.
Tewari
Nilanjana
N
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nottingham City Hospital, Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1PB, United Kingdom. nilanjana_t@yahoo.co.uk
Martin-Ucar
Antonio E
AE
Black
Edward
E
Beggs
Lynda
L
Beggs
F David
FD
Duffy
John P
JP
Morgan
W Ellis
WE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology