| Abstract: | Pulmonary resection was carried out for lung cancer in 155 patients aged more than 70 yrs (1970--2002). Operative mortality was 19.3%. Out of 142 male survivors, 30 (21.1%) died later, while none did out of 13 female survivors. Post-operative mortality fell from 21.4% within the first decade to 13.8% in the third one. Particularly marked decrease was registered in the 70-72 year bracket--from 32.6% (1970--1981) to 6.9% (1992--2002). However, no progress was reported in patients aged more than 75 yrs. Among the main causes of lethality were acute cardio-vascular insufficiency and lung artery thromboemboly. |
