[A role of limited operation for non-small cell lung cancer at present].

Our indication of limited operation is passive. Twenty-three patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer underwent a limited resection from 1983 to 1995. They were divided into two groups: group A (n = 12) included the elderly patients with the smaller nodule (< or = 2 cm), group B (n = 11) included the patients with decreased pulmonary function or important heart disease. Overall four-year survival was 67%, while the survival in group A was better than that in group B. The rate of local recurrence was 30.4% in both groups and second primary lung cancer occurred in two cases. We conclude that the limited operation played an important role in surgical treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, especially with the smaller nodule (< or = 2 cm).