[Long-term survival in surgical cases of non-small cell lung cancer with mediastinal nodal involvement].

We studied long-result of the patients with mediastinal lymph node metastasis (N2) in lung cancer. From 1981 to 1991 in National Sanatorium Nishi-Gunma Hospital, we have performed a lobectomy or pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection for 306 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Six operative deaths were excluded (operative death rate: 2.0%). Of these, 53 patients (17%) were diagnosed as adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma with N2 disease pathologically. The patient consisted of 31 men and 22 woman whose ages ranged from 18 to 73 years, with a mean age of 58.1 years. The results were: Mean survival period was 39 month. Five-and 10-year survival rates were 18.9% and 12.6%, respectively. By motive of detection, the group of following other disease had a better prognosis than the group of having symptom. By pT-factor, T1 had a better prognosis than T3. By the number of nodal involvement level, 1 level had a better prognosis to compared to 3 or more than 4 levels. There were 10 patients of 5-year or over survivors after surgery, none of whom had primary site in left upper lobe. Analysis with a Cox's proportional hazard model demonstrated that the number of nodal involvement level was a useful factor in prognosis.