Duration of knowledge in general thoracic surgery.

Background: Medical knowledge changes rapidly, so current medical education approaches emphasize the development of life-long learning skills ("teaching the learner to learn") as opposed to the simple acquisition of contemporary medical knowledge. Because there are no data on the rapidity of change of general thoracic surgical knowledge, we do not know whether this trend in medical education is appropriate for thoracic surgical trainees. We undertook a study to assess the duration of knowledge in general thoracic surgery.

Bronchogenic carcinoma in patients age 30 and younger.

Background: Lung cancer is rare in patients 30 years of age or younger. There is very little published data on lung cancer in this group of patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients 30 years of age and younger with bronchogenic carcinoma treated at Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1973 and 1994 was done.

A 25-year thymoma treatment review.

Most thymomas are stage I or II at presentation, and they have a good prognosis with surgical treatment. Higher stage thymomas are less common and their treatment is more problematic. Our center tends to attract patients with higher stage thymomas for treatment.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma: a problematic review.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare tumor that has been difficult to study. Because of disappointing treatment results, malignant pleural mesothelioma has remained an area of active research and development. A clinicopathologic review is performed in light of several problematic issues involving diagnosis, staging, natural history, and treatment.

Bronchogenic carcinoma in young patients.

Background And Objectives: Some investigators have suggested that lung cancer in young patients has a more aggressive course and poorer prognosis than lung cancer in older patients.

Methods: A retrospective review is presented of patients less than 40 years of age with bronchogenic carcinoma treated at Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1984 and 1994, with comparison to a cohort of patients treated in the previous decade.

Results: There were 76 patients (41 male and 35 female).