The evolution of the surgical treatment of lung cancer

The evolution of surgery for lung cancer is a story of discovery and innovation. From the fortuitous lung resections of the fifteenth century to the sophisticated operations of the twentieth century, surgeons have pursued the goal of bringing technology and science to bear on the effort to cure lung malignancy. Intrathoracic operations could not have developed without the advent of modern anesthesia, described in detail in another section of this issue. Great courage and insight were the hallmarks of those who first realized that surgical removal of primary lung cancer could become a reality and who pursued this goal in the face of discouraging results. The surgeons involved have worn many hats as experimentalists, physiologists, anesthetists, and biologists to bring all their knowledge and experience to bear on the surgical treatment of this disease. It is not possible in a brief review to identify the many physicians and scientists who contributed to the evolution of this treatment, but some of their stories have been included to illustrate the ideas involving major events over the past seven decades.