[Video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS) for lung cancer]

Though the recent prevalence of video-thoracoscopic techniques in thoracic surgery for benign diseases, its application for lung cancer surgery has been still controversial. Diagnostic thoracoscopy for indeterminate pulmonary nodule and exploratory thoracoscopy for the purpose of staging of lung cancer are accepted as useful methods. As for the treatment of lung cancer, complete mediastinal lymph node dissection is difficult by VATS and the advantage of VATS lobectomy has been still unproven. However, pursuit of less invasive approach for lung cancer surgery utilizing new technologies is essential. VATS wedge resection for peripherally tiny cancer may be indicated in near future.