Lung Cancer Operation with Pulmonary Angioplasty

Abstract

Pulmonary angioplasty was performed in 18 patients with lung cancer between 1980 and 1990. Seventeen cases were male, and only 1 case was female. The age range was 37-79 (average 63) years. Histological study showed 13 squamous cell carcinomas, 3 adenocarcinomas, 1 adenosquamous carcinoma, and 1 small cell carcinoma. Thirteen of the 18 cases (72%) were stage III or IV. The 5-year survival rate of this procedure was 11%, which was lower than that of pneumonectomy and sleeve lobectomy, but there was no statistical difference between them. Post operative pulmonary function evaluated by spirometric examination showed no significant difference between the pulmonary angioplasty and simple lobectomy. Cases of curative operation or with pN0+1 were thought to have better prognosis. In conclusion, the pulmonary angioplasty is an altemative operation method for lung cancer patients who are elderly or with restricted pulmonary function, because a greate amount of functioning pulmonary parenchyma can be preserved with this procedure.