Surgery for lung cancer in elderly

The growth of malignant tumors of lungs among elderly patients together with overall increase of people older then 70, aroused new problems in surgery and anesthesiology. Nowadays, modern medicine succeeded minimal postoperative mortality and lethality among such patients, 19,7 and 6,4%, respectively. 3 and 5-year survival among operated patients was 68 and 42%. Actually, overall lethality rate was determined mainly by relative and conquering diseases. Lobectomy should be considered a method of choice, although sublobar resection is appropriate by lung tumors of stages 1 and 2.     

肺癌累及上腔静脉的外科治疗

目的分析探讨肺癌累及上腔静脉行手术切除的可行性及价值。方法回顾性分析1988年3月—2005年4月的31例肺癌累及上腔静脉手术治疗患者的临床资料,其中鳞癌17例、腺癌8例、小细胞未分化癌6例;N0．1期12例,N2期19例;T4期22例,T2．3期9例。采用上腔静脉切除人工血管置换（18例）,侧壁切除自体心包片修补（8例）、直接缝合（5例）的方法处理切除后的上腔静脉,统计围手术期并发症及长期生存率,分析生存及预后情况。结果18例上腔静脉置换者中,上腔静脉阻断者17例,阻断时间8～35min;13例上腔静脉部分切除修补者,9例阻断上腔静脉,阻断时间3～15min。无手术死亡,术后并发症发生率为48％（15／31）。术后随访28例,时间3～130个月,总的中位生存期为31个月,1,3和5年生存率分别为61％,33％和21％,其中N1．1期、N2期患者的中位生存期分别为42和13个月（x^2=14．3,P=0．000）;病理类型及手术方式对预后无影响;术前及术中化学治疗（化疗）的患者预后好于术前及术中未化疗者,中位生存期分别为39和14个月（x^2=5．0,P=0．025）。结论肺癌累及上腔静脉进行手术治疗可行,无纵隔淋巴结转移者预后较好,应尽可能手术治疗;术前或术中化疗值得推荐。     

Surgery for lung cancer in the elderly.

In order to assess the appropriateness of lung cancer surgery in the elderly and determine optimal subjects and resection procedure, 75 patients operated on in 1976-1996 at age > or =75 years (including 13 > or =80) were followed up. The operations included limited resection (8), lobectomy (47), bilobectomy (10) and pneumonectomy (10) and were judged to be radical in 59 cases (79%). Perioperative mortality was 9% and morbidity 29%, including 21% major complications. Cumulative 5-year survival was 32%, in stages IA-IIB 27-41%, and cancer-related survival 61-79%. Mortality did not differ significantly between resection types, but morbidity did. Nor did mortality, morbidity or survival differ between the age groups 75-79 and > or =80 years. In stage I cancer there was no significant difference in survival or cancer-related survival after lobectomy vs limited resection. We conclude that age, even >80 years, is not incompatible with curative resection. Lobectomy is the treatment of choice, but a less radical resection may be advisable if there is comorbidity. If more extensive resection is performed, the individual surgical risk must be weighed against the potential long-term benefit.     

Resection of the left atrium in lung cancer

An analysis of results of surgical treatment of 28 patients with lung cancer who underwent resection of the left atrium has shown that squamous cell cancer was diagnosed in 18 patients (64%), adenocarcinoma--in 5 (18%), dimorphous cancer--in 2 (7%), mucoepidermoid cancer in 2 (7%), atypical carcinoid--in 1 patient (4%). The degree of regional lymphogenic spread of the tumor NO took place in 11 patients (39%), N1--in 6 patients (22%), N2--in 11(39%). True invasion of the tumor to the left atrium myocardium took place in 20 patients (71%), involvement of the pulmonary vein orifices in the tumor process--in 8 (29%). Resection of the atrium was made using mechanical suturing apparatuses. The right side resections were fulfilled in 16 patients (57%), left side resections in 12 patients (43%). Pneumonectomy was fulfilled in 26 patients (93%), lobectomy--in 2 patients (7%). The operative interventions in five cases (18%) were estimated as microscopically non-radical (R1). The average time in the intensive care unit after operation was 3 days (from 1 till 12), in the surgical thoracal department--18 days (from 13 till 37). In the early postoperative period one patient died (4%), complications were noted in 5 patients (18%). The total one year survival was 69%, three year survival--39%, 5 year survival--17%. The survival median was 23 months. Resection of the left atrium in the selected lung cancer patients was not followed by growing operative lethality and the acceptable long term results were obtained.     

Prostate cancer in the elderly patient

Although malignant tumours occur at all ages, cancer disproportionately strikes individuals in the age group 65 years and older. The increasing statistical life expectancy of men together with the introduction of prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a screening tool have both contributed to a rising number of elderly men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Age is generally considered to be a key prognostic factor in terms of therapeutic decision making, perhaps as important as PSA level and Gleason score. Even in men over 70 years, treatment without curative intent may deprive frail patients of years of life. When considering local treatment, strong consideration should be given to radical surgery. Modern radical prostatectomy is associated with low perioperative morbidity, excellent clinical outcomes as well as long term disease control. Besides, overdiagnosis has led to the concept of expectant management for screening-detected small-volume, low grade disease, with intention of providing therapy for those men experiencing disease progression.     

Resection for bronchogenic carcinoma in the elderly

BACKGROUND: The aim of this report was to assess postoperative complications, mortality and long term survival of surgical therapy for non small cell lung cancer in patients aged 70 years or more. Results and the significance of various prognostic factors were analysed. METHODS: At Thoracic Surgery Department of Torino, from January 1980 to December 1997, 258 patients aged 70 years or more were operated on for lung cancer. For the first 11 years of the series, more restrictive selection criteria were adopted (clinical stage I or II lung cancer, absence of major concomitant disease or previous malignancy in the last 5 years); 60 patients were operated in this period. After 1990, such criteria were no longer considered mandatory; since then 198 patients have been operated. Clinical data are reviewed in the search for predictors of mortality and morbidity and survival data are analysed. RESULTS: Overall postoperative mortality was 3.1% and morbidity was 39.1%. Pneumonectomy resulted in higher rate of mortality (9.1%, p 0.03). Complications proved to be more frequent in patients with concomitant disease (55.5%). Multivariate analysis on survival showed the importance of stage (5 years survival was 73.6% in stage I, 23% in stage II, 8.9% in stage IIIa) and type of selection (57% for the highly selected, 40% for the others). CONCLUSIONS: Selection criteria have the same impact on survival as stage in surgical treatment of lung cancer in the elderly. This factor should be analysed in series covering a long period of time. Low mortality and acceptable long term survival from this study confirmed that surgery is worthwhile in elderly patients.     

Resection for bronchial carcinoma in the elderly

The results of surgery for carcinoma of the bronchus among an elderly population are reviewed in relation to the total number of cases seen. Although there is a 20% operative hospital mortality, nevertheless a survival rate of 39% for four years makes surgery in the elderly worthwhile. The span of life in untreated cases is even less than in the younger age groups.     

Resection arthroplasty of the infected shoulder: a salvage procedure for the elderly patient

Infection of the shoulder joint is a challenging problem for the orthopaedic surgeon. Several treatment options have been proposed. Here, we evaluate the results achieved following resection arthroplasty of the shoulder in seven patients. We performed resection arthroplasty in seven cases to treat a chronic uncontrollable infection of the shoulder. Three patients had an infected shoulder arthroplasty, one had an infected non-united arthrodesis, one was treated for an infected osteosynthesis, one had an infected rotator cuff repair and one patient had a septic arthritis of the shoulder joint. All patients were reviewed after a mean of 252 days. The functional outcome was evaluated using the Constant and DASH score. C-Reactive Protein levels were determined to evaluate the presence of residual infection. Except for one doubtful result, all our patients remained free of infection and there was excellent pain relief after the resection. Nevertheless, the functional outcome was poor: the mean Constant score was 25.7 and the mean DASH score was 69.3. Resection arthroplasty of the shoulder is a valuable treatment option for infection of the shoulder, especially in older patients with a poor mental and physical condition who suffer intolerable pain.     

Quality of life in the elderly after major lung resection for lung cancer

The objective of this study was to assess the residual quality of life (QoL) in elderly patients submitted to major lung resection for lung cancer. From July 2004 through August 2007 a total of 218 patients, 85 of whom were elderly (70 years), had complete preoperative and postoperative (3 months) quality of life measures assessed by the Short Form 36v2 health survey. QoL scales were compared between elderly and younger patients. Furthermore, limited to the elderly group, we compared the preoperative with the postoperative SF36v2 measures and the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores between high-risk patients and low-risk counterparts. The postoperative SF36 PCS (50.3 vs. 50, P=0.7) and MCS (50.6 vs. 49, P=0.2) and all SF36 domains did not differ between elderly and younger patients. Within the elderly, the QoL returns to the preoperative values three months after the operation. Moreover, we did not find any significant differences between elderly higher-risk patients and their lower-risk counterparts postoperatively. The information that residual QoL in elderly patients will be similar to the one experienced by younger and fitter individuals may help them in their decision to proceed with surgery.     

Resection and aorta replacement in extended and combined operations for lung cancer

In spite of the progress in thoracic surgery and oncology, great lethality in lung cancer patient still persists, and so the questions of not only the early diagnostics but also the development of new techniques of surgical treatment remain actual which allow radical ablation of extended tumors. In the Russian Scientific Center of Surgery named after academician B.V. Petrovsky of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences three patients were subjected to extended combined operations of pneumonectomy with a simultaneous resection and replacement of the thoracic part of the aorta for local dissemination of lung cancer. Extracorporeal circulation was used in one patient and in two patients resection and replacement of the aorta were fulfilled on the cross-clapmed aorta under conditions of ischemia of organs and tissues below the left subclavian artery. There were no ischemic injuries of organs after operation. All the patients were directed to chemio-radiation therapy.     

Resection and reconstruction of the great vessels for lung cancer and mediastinal tumor

Between January 1994 and December 1997, 17 patients with lung cancer and 5 patients with mediastinal tumor underwent extensive resection and reconstruction of the great vessels. In patients with lung cancer, the aorta was resected under cardiopulmonary bypass in 4 patients, the superior vena cava in 12, and the left main pulmonary artery with combined resection of the left atrium in 1 and the aorta in 1. In five patients who underwent resection of the superior vena cava, subcarinal resection and reconstruction were also performed. Three patients died within 30 days after surgery. Six patients died of cancer between 3 months and 2 years after surgery. Two patients who underwent aortic resection for node negative lung cancer have survived more than 3 years after surgery. Six patients have survived between 6 months and 2 years after surgery. The histologic type of mediastinal tumor was thymic cancer in 3 patients, invasive thymoma in 1 and malignant lymphoma in 1. In patients who underwent resection of the superior vena cava for mediastinal tumor, bilateral brachiocephalic vein reconstruction was performed in 4 patients and the left brachiocephalic vein reconstruction in 1. One patient underwent resection of the right atrium. The patient with invasive thymoma has survived for more than 3 years. Two of 3 patients with thymic cancer died within 2 years. When complete resection is achieved with combined resection of the great vessels, survival may be anticipated in patients with N0 lung cancer or in those with invasive thymoma.     

Video-assisted lobectomy in elderly lung cancer patients

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the pre-, intra- and postoperative outcome of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy in elderly lung cancer patients to determine what factors may be disadvantageous. METHODS: From June 1982 to May 2000, 707 patients underwent pulmonary resection for primary lung cancer. Of these, 87 patients with t1-2 peripheral lung cancer underwent lobectomy and postoperative pulmonary function tests and postoperative conditions at an average of 2.3 months postoperatively. Of these, 52 underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy since 1994 and 35 lobectomy by standard thoracotomy. RESULTS: Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy offered advantages in blood loss, chest wall damage, and minimal performance deterioration status. The percent vital capacity, percent forced expiratory in 1 second, and percent maximum ventilatory volume were well preserved in patients who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified operation duration as an independent risk factor in morbidity and operative procedure as an independent risk factor in performance deterioration. In stage IA and IB patients, 3-year-survival was 92.9% and 5-year survival 53.8% in those undergoing lobectomy by standard thoracotomy and 84.2% at 3 years and 60.1% at 5-years in those undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy. CONCLUSION: We thus consider video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy in this age group to be an effective procedure, but the long surgical duration is a risk factor in a poor clinical outcome.     

Long-term results of operation for non-small cell lung cancer in the elderly

We surgically treated 185 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who were 70 years old or older. The operative mortality rate was 3%, and the 5-year survival rate was 48%. The mortality and prognosis were similar to those in younger patients. The number of elderly patients who smoked heavily or who had ventilatory defects was high, but the incidence of pneumonectomy was low. There were no differences based on age in regard to histological type, TNM classification, and curability. Pulmonary complications occurred in 21% of the elderly patients and were correlated with preoperative pulmonary function and smoking habits. When the elderly are to undergo elective pulmonary resection for lung cancer, the preoperative evaluation of pulmonary function should be thorough, and both preoperative and postoperative physical therapy should be given. If postoperative pulmonary function is predicted to be less than 0.8 L/m2 of vital capacity and 0.6 L/m2 of forced expiratory volume in 1 second, a limited resection or nonsurgical therapy should be considered.