Patients who undergo resection for lung cancer at hospitals that perform large numbers of such procedures are likely to survive longer than patients who have such surgery at hospitals with a low volume of lung-resection procedures.

Although suggestions for appropriate management can be made on the basis of available evidence, the supporting literature is scarce and further high-quality research is necessary. Such research will require an improved, generally acceptable, and transportable definition of acute exacerbation of COPD, as well as improved methods for observing and measuring outcomes.

Because pelvic recurrences are a substantial cause of morbidity, further efforts are needed to ensure that elderly patients have the opportunity to make informed decisions regarding adjuvant treatment.