Abstract
BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of tobacco and the aging of the population, the incidence of lung cancer in the elderly rises. However, few elderly patients (older than 70 years old) with lung squamous cell carcinoma were involved into the clinical trials, which offered insufficient clinical evidence for these patients. Lung squamous cell carcinoma patients older than 80 years old were included in our study to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognostic factors, and to explore the optimal treatment choices for these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features of 38 elderly patients with lung squamous carcinoma and summarized the treatment under the clear diagnosis and clinical staging. RESULTS: Elderly patients with squamous cell carcinoma can choose surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy based on diagnosis and clinical staging when their physical condition is permitted. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the short life expectancy of patients more than 80 years old, fewer of them could receive completed and effective treatment, comparing with patients between 70 and 80 years old.