From U S Carolina: High risk patients with early stage lung cancer

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22054886

Clin Chest Med. 2011 Dec;32(4):783-97. Epub 2011 Oct 7.
Evaluation and treatment of high-risk patients with early-stage lung cancer.
Mehta HJ, Ross C, Silvestri GA, Decker RH.
Source
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.

Abstract
Standard therapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer is lobectomy for patients who are able to tolerate such surgery. However, the risk of postoperative morbidity is not trivial, with a 30% to 40% incidence of postoperative complications and a 1% to 5% incidence of operative mortality. Some patients, though technically resectable, refuse surgery or are considered medically inoperable because of insufficient respiratory reserve, cardiovascular disease, or general frailty. This group is considered either "high risk" or "medically inoperable."