[Progress of lymphadenectomy on lung cancer surgery]

Lymphatic metastasis is the main metastatic route for lung cancer, and is also one of the most important prognostic factors. Therefore, lymph node dissection has been an important procedure in standard lung cancer surgery. But so far, the mode and the extent of lymph node dissection during surgery are controversial for lung cancer in different pathological types, stages, or in different lobes. In this review, we summarize advances on the clinical significance, modes and extents of lymph node dissection during lung cancer surgery.