[Is surgical therapy of bronchial carcinoma in advanced age justified?].

It was the aim of this study to evaluate the results of surgical therapy in patients with bronchial carcinoma aged younger and older than 70 years. From 1985 to 1995, 130 patients older than 70 years (group 1) and 572 patients younger than 70 years (group 2) underwent thoracotomy for bronchial carcinoma. The 5-year survival rate was significantly worse in the older group (25%) as compared to group 2 (39%). Postoperative complications such as atelectases, pulmonary insufficiency and cardiac problems were more frequent in group 1. Thirty-day mortality was almost double (9.2%) in the older group.