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Vol.37 No.6 contents | Japanese/English |
- Original Article -
Problems of Intensive Follw-up for patients who Underwent Pulmonary Resection for Lung Cancer
Katsuo Usuda, Yasuki Saito*, Satomi Takahashi, Masashi Handa, Tsutomu Sakuma, Motoyasu Sagawa**, Masami Sato**, Chiaki Endo**, Hiroto Takahashi** and Shigehumi Fujimura**Department of Surgery, Sendai Kousei Hospital, Department of Thoracic Surgery*, Sendai National Hospital, Department of Thoracic Surgery**, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University
Intensive follow-up was conducted on 203 patients following pulmonary resection for lung cancer. The follow-up program included chest X-ray, chest CT, sputum cytology, brain CT ,abdominal ultrasonic examination, bone scintigraphy and serum tumor markers. Relapse occurred in 61 patients and metachronous second lung cancer in 5 patients Lesions were detected by follow-up in 42 patients (64%) with no symptoms, and in 23 patients (35%) with symptoms. The follow-up proved effective for patients with adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or with n0 lung cancer, but ineffective for patients with small cell carcinoma large cell carcinoma or with n1·n2 lung cancer. Chest CT, serum tumor marker, chest X-ray, sputum cytology and brain CT were useful for detecting early relapse and metachronous lung cancer. Recurrence was greater as T factor, N factor became larger, degree of cure lesser and cancer differentiation poorer. The first relapse generally occurred within 3 years following operation and the risk of relapse decreased thereafter. Follow-up should thus be conducted on lung cancer patients in consideration of the risk of relapse.
key words: Primary lung cancer, Follow up, Recurrence, Metastasis, Metachronous lung cancer
Received: September 26, 1996
Accepted: July 22, 1997
JJLC 37 (6): 855-865, 1997
