Surgical viewpoints for the definitive treatment of lung cancer

Surgery remains a central pillar in the treatment of lung cancer. To optimize surgical interventions, careful preoperative assessment is necessary. Pulmonary status and cardiac status are the main risks to be considered. After operability has been established, resectability is assessed by staging the lung cancer. Surgery offers a variety of tools to accomplish complete staging before resection. Successful resection is defined as the complete removal of the cancer. To accomplish this goal, a multidisciplinary approach is evolving rapidly. For patients with nonoperable cancer, surgical techniques have been developed to manage airway obstructions and to drain effusions.