Comparison of Clinical Features in Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer over Two 10-Year Periods in Shinshu University Hospital

Abstract

Lung cancer is one of the most common fatal cancers. We retrospectively evaluated 949 resected cases of lung cancer from January 1985 to December 2004 by comparative analysis of the first (1985-1994) and second 10-year period (1995-2004) with reference to patient age, gender, chief complaint, histological type, tumor differentiation, tumor size, operative method, pathological stage, and survival rate.
Surgical treatment for patients older than 75 years of age doubled in the second 10-year period. CT health screenings indicating lung cancer increased. The percentage of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma increased in both males and females. Cases of tumors less than 20mm, especially those less than 10mm, increased in the second 10-year period. The ratio of pneumonectomy decreased, and limited resection including partial resection and segmentectomy increased. The number of cases in pathological stage IA increased. The 5-year survival rates in stages IA, III A, IV, and overall in the second period were statistically higher than in the first period. An age of 70 years of more, being male, first medical contact other than CT health screening, CEA elevation, histological type other than well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and pneumonectomy were all considered factors impacting survival in resected cases of lung cancer.