[Surgery of pain in the lung apex cancers]

Abstract

When invasion of the brachial plexus occurs, tumours of the lung apex result in intolerable pain. On the basis of 13 cases, the authors show that surgical excision, whilst only palliative, is associated with immediate total or quasi-total disappearance of pain in all patients. This effect lasted for two to eighteen months. Operation gives marked relief in a painful situation not helped by medical treatment.