[Long-term results after resection of IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer and complementary mediastinal irradiation].

The authors present a retrospective evaluation of long-term results of treatment of patients with IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), operated and subjected to complementary irradiation of mediastinum in the years 1987-1990. 60 patients were observed: 10 women and 50 men, aged 37-74 years (mean age 56). In all patients a radical resection of lung parenchyma with the primary tumour and mediastinal lymphadenectomy were performed. The one-year survival was 63% (38 patients), three-year survival--15% (9 patients) and five-year survival 13% (8 patients). It was found that the five year-survival in patients with IIIA-N2 NSCLC, in whom a combined therapy was applied (surgery and irradiation), was low, and the most common cause of death in the first three years of follow-up were distant metastases. Moreover it was observed that the number of mediastinal lymph node groups had a great influence on the time of survival.