Published On 4/16/2026
A recent study revealed that doctors should not automatically rule out surgery for lung cancer patients over the age of 80, as some of them can undergo curative surgeries with results similar to younger patients.
The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, showed that patients who are carefully selected according to their general health condition – not just age – can tolerate surgery and achieve good long-term results.
Dr. Raja Flores of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York said that the increasing average age has led to more elderly people being diagnosed with early lung cancer, but they are often not offered surgery because of age alone.
Details and results of the study
The study included 884 patients with early-stage lung cancer, 114 of whom were between 81 and 85 years old.
The results showed that the survival rate after 5 years among the elderly was 84.2%, while it was 87.3% among the younger ones.
Although complications after surgery were higher in the elderly, quality of life improved within a year, and most patients felt gradual improvement.
The results indicate the necessity of including those over 80 years of age in early detection programs, and not taking age alone as a criterion for treatment.
Advanced surgery for a rare cancer
In another study, researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan in the United States found that lung-sparing pleurectomy could be safely performed on patients with mesothelioma, a rare cancer often linked to asbestos exposure.
Remarkable results:
- Zero deaths within 30 days after surgery
- Mortality rate within 90 days: only 4.2%
- Better results compared to previous controversial studies
The researchers emphasized that the success of the surgery depends on:
- Carefully select patients
- Tumor type
- Medical center experience
The results of these studies indicate an important shift in medical outlook, the most notable of which is that: Age is no longer the deciding factor in treatment decisions, evaluation should be based on overall health status, and that some treatments previously excluded for the elderly may be effective.
