Between 1971 and 1996, 1506 patients underwent lung resection for malignancy. We reviewed the 30-day perioperative risk in a group of 385 (25.6%) patients aged 70 years and older operated on for intended cure of lung malignancy. Operations included 293 (77%) lobectomies, 24 pneumonectomies (6%), 16 bilobectomies (4%) and 52 wedge or segmental resections (13%). The pathology was bronchogenic carcinoma in 89% and metastasis or other tumours in 11% of patients