Chest
Clinical InvestigationsSurgeryWhat Happens to Patients Undergoing Lung Cancer Surgery?: Outcomes and Quality of Life Before and After Surgery
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
We collected preoperative demographics, comorbidities, respiratory variables, and intraoperative and postoperative variables for patients referred for lung cancer resection. Functional assessment included Karnofsky performance status, American Society of Anesthesiology classification, and a 6-min walk. Respiratory variables included room air arterial blood gas analysis, complete spirometry, lung volumes and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco) measurement, Medical Research
Patient Population
One hundred thirty-nine patients were studied. Sixty-two patients were enrolled at the academic medical center, 16 patients were enrolled at the VA medical center, and 61 patients were enrolled at the community tertiary care medical center. The mean ± SD age was 62.05 ± 10.62 years (range, 31 to 86 years). Fifty-nine percent of the patients were male, 32.4% of the patients were actively employed at the time of surgery, 40.3% of the patients were active smokers within 8 weeks of surgery, and
Discussion
This study prospectively examined preoperative and postoperative functional health status and quality of life after pulmonary resection for lung cancer in 139 patients and analyzed these scores relative to multiple clinical characteristics and outcomes. We demonstrated impaired preoperative physical and emotional functioning, mental health, and energy in lung cancer surgery patients compared with a healthy, age-matched control population. After lung cancer resection, these patients had further
Conclusion
In summary, lung cancer surgery patients are sicker than the general population as documented by poorer functional status results. This depressed functional status persists for at least 6 months after surgery. Pain is a persistents postoperative complication of lung cancer surgery. A low preoperative Dlco is the only predictor of postoperative quality of life. A significant number of patients die following hospital discharge after lung cancer surgery. Preoperative chemoradiation, extent of
Appendix
Abbreviations: SSN = social security number; Y = yes; N = no; Ht = height; Wt = weight; Hx = history; CABG = coronary artery bypass graft surgery; MI = myocardial infarction; vasc dis = vascular disease; RA = room air; TLC = total lung capacity; MRC = Medical Research Council; preop = preoperative; pul = pulmonary; rehab = rehabilitation; resect = resection; pneumonect = pneumonectomy; LN = lymph node; EBL = estimated blood loss; Path = pathologic; req = requiring; Rx = therapy; LOS = length of
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