The fate of patients with lung cancer: five-year review of 250 cases.

Two hundred fifty patients with bronchogenic carcinoma were followed for at least 5 yr after diagnosis. In 187 (75%), the tumor was diagnosed within 6 mo of the first clinical manifestation. Among 205 patients who were not operated on because of tumor spread or because of poor general condition, 139 (67.5%) died during the first year, 15 (7.5%) during the second year, and 51 (25%) were not available for follow-up and are presumed dead. Forty-five patients underwent curative resection, with one early death. Of the 44 survivors, 30 had lobectomy, 1 had sleeve lobectomy and 13 pneumonectomy. The cancer-free survival rate in this group was 32% at 5 yr and 30% at 7 yr. Except for small cell carcinoma, there was no correlation between tumor histology and prognosis. Due to the late appearance of symptoms, early diagnosis of lung cancer is impossible with present-day methods.