A retrospective review of the histopathology and clinical information of primary lung cancer was performed to investigate the trends in the histologic type related to sex, age, and smoking history. During january 1988 and July 1995, 541 patients
were
diagnosed as primary lung cancer at the Korea Univeristy Anam Hospital. Male(423) to female(118) ratio was 3. 6:1. The most frequent histologic type of lung cancer in male patients was squamous cell carcinoma(223 patients, 52.7%) followed by
adenocarcinoma(86, 20.3%) and small cell carcinoma(85, 20.1%). In female patients, adenocarcinoma(64, 54.2%) was most common, which was followed by squamous cell carcinoma(22, 18.6%) and small cell carcinoma(22, 18.6%). The incidence of
adenocarnimoma
had an increased tendency recently(14.3% in 1988, 33.3% in 1995) (P=0.019). The predominant type in smokers was squamous cell carcinoma, whereas adenocarcinoma was the most frequent type in non-smokers. The proportion of patients aged less than
40
years(younger group) was 4.0%(n=22). Of them, adenocarcinoma(7) and small cell carcinoma(7) were most common. In patients older than 40 years(older group, n=519), 243(46.8%) patients had squamous cell carcinoma, and 143(27.6%) adenocarcinoma. As
age
increased, the prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma was increased(P=0.0005), adenocarcinoma decreased(P=NS), and small cell carcinoma remained unchanged. We suggest above data as a clinical guidance for management of primary lung cancer.
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