Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer in Patients over the Age of 70 Years

The number of elderly patients receiving surgical treatmentfor lung cancer is rapidly increasing. There were 199 patients over the age of 70 yr among 1,210 patientswho underwent lung resection for lung cancer. Among the 199,156 were between the ages of 70 and 74, 36 between 75 and 79and seven over the age of 80. One hundred and sixty-nine received lobectomy, 25 pneumonectomyand five a smaller lung resection. Mediastinal lymph node dissectionwas carried out in 145 cases. The crude 5-yr survival rate of84 patients who were operated upon during the period from 1962to 1976 was 30% and was similar to that of patients less than70 yr old. Because of the higher postoperative mortality rateof patients with pneumonectomy and with combined resection oflung and neighboring organ(s), 16% and 15% respectively, itwas considered reasonable that the use of these two operativemodalities for elderly patients should be limited. From these results patients over the age of 70 yr can be saidto be a proper target of lung surgery for lung cancer when alobectomy shows that such surgery is indicated.