Surgical results and survival of older patients with unsuspected N2 (stage IIIA) non-small cell lung cancer

PURPOSES: The optimal treatment of N₂ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in older patients is still debate and represent an important treatment and ethical problem. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 to December 2010, 273 older patients underwent lung resection for (NSCLC). RESULTS: The overall-operative mortality was 9.5%. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality were pneumonectomy and poli-vasculopathy. One, 3 and 5-year survival were 73%, 23% and 16% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In potentially operable older patients with NSCLC we need to make every effort to exclude N₂ involvement because very poor long-term survival. Pneumonectomy in older patients gains prohibitive in-hospital mortality