title: Does chemotherapy increase morbidity and mortality after pneumonectomy?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The impact of chemotherapy on postoperative complications after pneumonectomy remains unclear, and the procedure is often considered as potentially dangerous.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective review of prospectively collected data included 269 patients operated from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2007. Group 1 included patients those who received preoperative chemotherapy (PCT) and pneumonectomy (54 patients, 20%), and group 2 included patients who underwent pneumonectomy alone (215 patients, 80%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 5.9% and 8.9%, respectively. Postoperative mortality at 30 days was 5.6% in group 1 and 6% in group 2 (P = 0.16), and 11.1% for group 1 and 8.3% in group 2 at 90 days (P = 0.8). Incidence of postoperative respiratory failure was 3.7% in group 1 and 3.2% in group 2 (P = 0.62); incidence of empyema was 5.5% in group 1 and 2.8% in group 2 (P = 0.1). Incidence of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) was 3.7% in group 1 and 2.8% in group 2 (P = 0.55); risk of BPF was higher following right pneumonectomy (6.1%) versus left pneumonectomy (0%, P = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCT does not significantly increase postoperative morbidity and early mortality after pneumonectomy in our experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Motol, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. stolz@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Stolz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alan
authors.forename: Simonek
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Harustiak
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomas
authors.forename: Lischke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: Schutzner
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Pafko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents