BACKGROUNDThe prevalence of lung cancer in the elder increases gradually recently, and lung cancer has become the main cause of cancer-related death. The aim of this study is to analyse the operative indication, complication, perioperative management and surgical measures, results and specificity for lung cancer in the elderly patients.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-seven elderly patients with lung can-cer, aged from 70 to 83 years old with mean age of 74 were analysed. Of the 137 cases, 13 patients were in the stage I, 76 in stage II, 48 in stage III. Surgical procedures included pneumonectomy for 4 patients, lobectomy for 122 patients, segmentectomy and wedge resection for 7 patients, sleeve lobectomy for 19 patients, bronchoplastic procedure and pulmonary artery reconstruction for 2 patients. Video-assisted thoracic surgery was performed in 13 cases for segmentectomy and wedge excision

RESULTSThere was no operative death. The resection rate was 97.1%, and postoperative complication rate was 29.9%. The follow-up rate was 88.3% . The 1-, 2-, 3-year survival rate was 62%, 35%, 28% respectively.

CONCLUSIONSElderly patients with lung cancer can obtain good therapeutic results and prognosis undergoing surgical therapy, but the operative indications will be limited. Exquisite surgical technique and application of respirator after operation may expand the operative indications.