Survival after surgical resection for non‐small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women worldwide. Surgical resection is recommended treatment for limited disease of non-small cell lung cancer. Biological factors such as age, body mass index, comorbidities, and histological type of tumor, may influence survival after surgical resection. Smoking habits and treatment depending factors caused by tumor stage, type of surgical technique and extent of operative resections, may be factors affecting outcome. Since patients with lung cancer often carry comorbidities and other risk factors for dismal outcome, it may be suspected that causes other than lung cancer are competing causes of death. We have analyzed prospectively collected data from our registry containing relevant clinical, radiological, and pathological data, as well as survival following surgical resection. The studies confirmed that patients with early-stage lung cancer and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had reduced long-term overall survival. The previously recognized gap in survival differences between the genders seems to be diminishing. Lung cancer is the prevailing long-term cause of death also more than 5 years after resection.