[Survival and prognosis after pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the elderly].
BACKGROUND
To study the probability and prognosis after pneumonectomy for NSCLC in the elderly.


METHODS
From 1985 to 1995 , pneumonectomy was performed in 122 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Of the 122 patients , 23 cases were 65 years old or older ( study group) and the other 99 cases were less than 65 years old. Five-year survival , operative complications and mortality , and change of lung functions before and after operation were compared between the two groups. Kaplan-meier method was used to analyzed the survival.


RESULTS
The 5-year survival for the study group was similar to that for the control group (27. 56 % vs 30. 51 % , P > 0. 05) , but the mortality in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group (13. 04 % vs 2. 02 % , P < 0. 05) . There was no significant difference between the pre-operative and post-operative lung function for both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Pneumonectomy in elderly patients with NSCLC appears to be applicable. However , it shoud be performed only in carefully selected patients because of the increased operative risk and death.
Lung Cancer Research Center , Sun Yet-sen University of Medical Sciences , Guangzhou , Guangdong 510060 , P. R. China.
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Wang
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Wu
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Ou
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Yang
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Yu