Abstract
The authors analysed a group of 80 patients who were operated in 1985-1990 on account of non-small cell carcinoma of the lungs in stage IIIA with affection of the ipsilateral mediastinal nodes. The patients were not treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy and systematic dissection of the mediastinal nodes was not performed.
The results of five-year survival in the group of patients with affection of the mediastinal nodes (N2) were compared with those in the group of patients without affection of the mediastinal and hilar nodes (NO). Patients with affected N2 nodes who survived five years were significantly fewer than patients with negative mediastinal and hilar nodes.
The probability of five-year survival in N2 was 15.8%, in patients with NO 28.0%. From data in the literature it is known that neoadjuvant chemotherapy and subsequent complete resection of the lung with the tumour combined with dissection of the mediastinal nodes may improve long-term survival after surgery.
The authors assume that introduction of the described methods in their department will improve postoperative results.