title: Emphysema as a risk factor for the outcome of surgical resection of lung cancer.
abstract: It is unclear whether emphysema, regardless of airflow limitation, is a predictive factor associated with survival after lung cancer resection. Therefore, we investigated whether emphysema was a risk factor associated with the outcome after resection for lung cancer. This study enrolled 237 patients with non small cell lung cancer with stage I or II who had surgical removal. Patient outcome was analyzed based on emphysema. Emphysema was found in 43.4% of all patients. Patients with emphysema were predominantly men and smokers, and had a lower body mass index than the patients without emphysema. The patients without emphysema (n=133) survived longer (mean 51.2+/-3.0 vs. 40.6+/-3.1 months, P=0.042) than those with emphysema (n=104). The univariate analysis showed a younger age, higher FEV(1)/FVC, higher body mass index, cancer stage I, and a lower emphysema score were significant predictors of better survival. The multivariate analysis revealed a younger age, higher body mass index, and cancer stage I were independent parameters associated with better survival, however, emphysema was not. This study suggests that unfavorable outcomes after surgical resection of lung cancer should not be attributed to emphysema itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joo Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Joo Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung Joo
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Woo Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Keu Sung
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwang Joo
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004646:Emphysema / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D015996:Survival Rate