Surgical Treatment of Carcinoma of the Lung

Half a century has passed since Evarts A. Graham performed the first successful pneumonectomy for lung cancer in 1933 M. Today surgery remains the treatment of choice for lung cancer. Progresses in anesthesiology, antibiotics, and surgical oncologic techniques have tremendously promoted the safety and results of surgical treatment for carcinoma of the lung. Current literature on surgical treatment of lung cancer reported in general an operative mortality of below 10% and a five-year survival rate of 25–30%.