Bronchogenic carcinoma and postoperative empyema: is survival really enhanced?

From 1959 to 1974, 542 patients underwent curative resection for bronchogenic carcinoma. Postoperative empyema occurred in 17 of these patients. The overall 5-year survival of these 17 patients was only 18%, compared with 27% in the 525 patients without empyema. We were unable to demonstrate by our study or by a review of the literature that postoperative empyema favorably influences survival in patients who have had pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma.