By JImmy Downs

Thursday Dec 13, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- An estimated 6% of lung cancer patients die within 90 days of surgery, and age and type of surgery most significantly determine the risk, according to a study posted on the website of the journal Thorax.

H.A. Powell from Nottingham Respiratory Research Unit, University of Nottingham in Nottingham, UK and colleagues analyzed data from the Study of the UK National Lung Cancer Audit and found lung cancer patients who received pneumonectomy were 3 times as likely as those receiving lobectomy to die with 30 days of surgery.

The researchers said surgery provides the best hope of cure for most patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its five-year survival was otherwise poor.  The current study was intended to identify the risk factors for early death after lung cancer surgery.

For the study, the researchers examined data from 12,096 lung cancer patients who had received potentially curative surgery for non-small cell lung cancer in England between Jan 2004 and March 2010.   It was observed that 3% and 6% of patients died within 30 and 90 days of surgery, respectively.

Among 12 clinical and socio-demographic factors, age and type of surgery were most strongly associated with early post-operative death.

One year increase in age was associated with 6% increased risk of death from lung cancer surgery/the disease.

Additionally, surgery performance status, co-morbidity score and gender were also significantly associated with the outcomes.

The researchers concluded "The estimation of post-operative mortality risk is a crucial part of management of patients with NSCLC. Overall mortality following surgery for NSCLC in England is currently 3% at 30-days and 6% at 90-days."