Morbidity and mortality in octogenarians with lung cancer undergoing pneumonectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the restrictiveness of selection criteria for lung resection in lung cancer patients over 80 years of age compared to those applied in younger patients. Compare and analyze 30-day mortality and postoperative complications in both groups of patients.

METHODS: Case-controlled retrospective analysis.

STUDY POPULATION: Consecutive patients undergoing elective anatomical lung resection. Population was divided into octogenarians (cases) and younger patients (controls). Variables determining surgical risk (BMI, FEV1%, postoperative FEV1%, FEV1/FVC, DLCO and pneumonectomy rate) were compared using either Wilcoxon or Chi-squared tests. Thirty-day mortality and morbidity odds ratio were calculated. A logistic regression model with bootstrap resampling was constructed, including postoperative complications as dependent variable and age and post-operative FEV1% as independent variables. Data were retrieved from a prospective database.

RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found in BMI (P=.40), FEV1% (P=.41), postoperative FEV1% (P=.23), FEV1/FVC (P=.23), DLCO (P=.76) and pneumonectomy rate (P=.90). Case mortality was 1.85% and control mortality was 1.26% (OR: 1.48). Cardiorespiratory complications occurred in 12.80% of younger subjects and in 13.21% of patients aged 80 years or older. (OR: 1.03). In the logistic regression, only FEV1% was related to postoperative complications (P<.005).

CONCLUSION: Selection criteria for octogenarians are similar to those applied in the rest of the population. Advanced age is not a factor for increased 30-day mortality or postoperative morbidity.