Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of a combined resection of the thoracic aorta and primary lung cancer.
Subjects and methods: In all 8 patients who underwent the procedure in our hospital chest computed tomography( CT) and magnetic resonance imaging( MRI) showed lung cancers invading the aorta. We evaluated the clinical and pathological staging according to the General Rules for Clinical and Pathological Records of Lung Cancer( 7th edition, in Japanese).
Result: The mean age was 50.9 years old. Eight patients underwent thoracic aorta resection along with a left pneumonectomy (n=5), left upper lobectomy (n=3). Five patients received total replacement of the descending aorta with an artificial vessel. Three patients received a patch graft for repair of the defect in the thoracic aorta. Three postoperative major complications occurred, including postoperative bleeding, postoperative pneumonia, tachycardia. Operative death did not occur in any patients. The median survival time of patients with postoperative pathologic was 1,485 days, 5-year survivals were 50% in all patients.
Conclusion: We conclude that clinicians must be aware of the possibility of overestimation in radiological diagnosis of thoracic aorta invasion in non-small cell lung cancer. In primary lung cancer patients with aortic invasion who was suspected by preoperative examination, the treatment policy should be carefully considered.