title: Surgical strategy for non-small cell lung cancer in octogenarians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to determine the optimal surgical strategy for octogenarians with non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study of 73 patients aged 80 years and over who underwent surgery for non-small cell lung cancer. Postoperative survival, mortality and morbidity were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age of the patients ranged from 80 to 89 with a mean of 83. Cancer types included adenocarcinoma (n = 46), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 22) and large cell carcinoma (n = 5). Lobectomy was performed in 47 patients and limited surgery in 26. The 5-year survival rate was 57.4% in pathological stage I, 88.9% in stage II and 18.2% in stage III, respectively. The 5-year survival rate of patients with stage I disease treated by limited resection (58.8%) was similar to that of patients treated by lobectomy (54.9%). Limited resection for stage IA showed slightly better survival than lobectomy (69.4% vs 48.2%, P = 0.10), however, lobectomy was superior to limited resection for stage IB (63.2% vs 16.7%, P = 0.07). Postoperative complications occurred in 27 patients (37%) and nine patients (12%) had multiple complications. There were three postoperative deaths (4.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early detection of the disease, hopefully in stage IA enables surgical treatment by limited resection of patients aged 80 years and over. A favourable prognosis as well as low morbidity can be anticipated in such cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology and Surgery, International University of Health and Welfare, Mita Hospital, Japan. ikeda@wd5.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Aeru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Harubumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D016019:Survival Analysis