1993 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 79-85
The clinical pictures of 75 cases with primary lung cancer who died at Hokkaido University from 1984 to 1989 were analyzed and studied with respect to respiratory failure. A total of 46 cases (61.4%, 53 times) suffered respiratory failure. Respiratory infection, tumor growth, pleural effusion and interstitial pneumonitis due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy were the 4 main causes of respiratory failure, and other causes such as DIC or SVC syndrome were associated with respiratory failure. However, 11 cases (20.8%) recovered from respiratory failure, and it was demonstrated by analysis of recovering cases that the recovery rate was better when the cause was respiratory infection or interstitial pneumonitis, when there was only one cause, when PaO2 at the time of respiratory failure was more than 50 Torr, and when general condition, especially the consciousness level, was good. A significantly better survival period from the first respiratory failure was observed in patients who showed recovery (162±110 days) than those who did not show recovery (29±42days). These results suggested that aggresive management should be done when indicated in cases of lung cancer with respiratory failure.
