The authors have carried out an analysis on a series of 1802 patients with lung cancer. 1254 patients were considered operable (69.5%) and 828 were resected. Overall 5-year survival rate was 28.3%. Results of surgical treatment were analysed in relation to the specific features both of primary tumour and the host organism. Although patients affected with epidermoid carcinoma showed a better survival as compared to those affected with tumours of other histotypes. Conversely long-term results were significantly related to post-surgical stage. Patients treated for stage I tumour showed a significantly better long-term survival (5-year survival rate 48.2%) as compared to those undergone resection for stage II and III neoplasms (22.8% and 12%, respectively; p: less than 0.001). From the prognostic standpoint female patients undergone resection showed markedly lower long-term survival (5-year survival rate 12.5%) as compared to male patients (5-year survival rate 29.5%), but the numerical differences between the two groups of patients does not permit to detect statistically significant differences (P: less than 0.05). Type and intensity of the immune response affect significantly long-term survival.