[Clinical study of stage IIIa lung cancer resectability evaluated by chest CT manifestation.].

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the relationship between resectability of the cancer and its chest CTmani-fastation in stage IIIa lung cancer. METHODS: Seventy stage IIIa lung cancer patients were divided into 3 groups respectively by CT2TNM stage as well as different surgical types. The diameter of tumor , the proximity to mediastinum and/or the hilum and the invasion of their lymph nodes on each group were measured. RESULTS: The diameter of tumor at T2N1 , T2N2 and T3N2 by CT-TNM classfication was 4. 07 +/-0. 92 , 6. 33 +/-3. 69 , 4. 94 +/-1. 83cm (x +/-s) respectively ( P < 0. 05) . The proximity to mediastinum and/or the hilum and the invasion of their lymph nodes was 4. 23 +/-2. 96 , 2. 76 +/-1. 28 , 4. 18 +/-2. 07cm ( P > 0. 05) . On the contrary , the diameter of the tumor at the radical resection group , palliative resection group and exploratory thoractomy group by surgical type classfication was 4. 55 +/-1. 96 , 4. 18 +/-1. 60 , 5. 62 +/-3. 23cm ( P > 0. 05) , and the proximity to mediastinum and/ or the hilum and the invasion of their lymph nodes was 3. 14 +/-1. 89 , 4. 35 +/-1. 41 , 5. 03 +/-3. 05( P < 0. 05) . CONCLUSIONS: The extent of the proximity to mediastinum and/or the hilum and invasion of their lymph nodes is one of the main factors which affect the resectablility in stage IIIa lung cancer.