Lung cancer. Treatment and early results.

Of 1053 patients with primary cancer of the lung, 549 (52%) underwent thoracotomy and 40% a presumably radical resection. Lobectomies were performed in 227 patients (41% of those operated), pneumonectomy in 160 (29%). Early mortality (death within 30 days) was 5.5% with the highest figure (11%) after pneumonectomy, 5% after explorative thoracotomy and 3% after lobectomy. Cardiorespiratory failure and myocardial infarction occurred in 19 (3.5%) of the operated cases and were responsible for 14 early deaths. Bronchopleural fistula developed in 11 patients. Of 874 morphologically classified tumours, squamous cell composed 45%, undifferentiated large cell 17%, small cell anaplastic 14%, adenocarcinoma 19%, carcinoid 2% and others 3%. Of 21 tumours typed as small cell anasplastic prior to therapy, six were differently classified at the later (postoperative/postmortal) stage.