The Importance of Histological Classification and Tumor Staging for Prognosis after Resection of Bronchial Carcinoma

Summary

Between 1962 and 1974, out of 642 patients operated on for bronchial carcinoma, 89 % were resected and in 11 % of the cases the operation was concluded as an exploratory thoracotomy. If the expansion of the tumor was limited, even undifferentiated carcinoma had a favorable prognosis. After 5 years 53 % of patients with the histological diagnosis of a squamous cell carcinoma, 46 % of a small-cell carcinoma and 40 % of an undifferentiated medium and large-cell carcinoma were alive, if the tumors belonged to the T1 stage. It is emphasized that strong selective preopcrative criteria, including mediastinoscopy, are necessary.

Key words

Bronchial carcinoma - Histology - TNM - Survival time - Mediastinoscopy