Radical sublobar resection for small-diameter lung cancers

Sublobar resection is a compromise for patients with insufficient lung function. Recently small lung cancers are usually detected at the early stage, but sublobar resection in patients who can tolerate lobectomy is not yet standard treatment. Although a few old studies showed higher rates of local recurrence and a poorer prognosis after sublobar resection compared with lobectomy, most have indicated promising outcomes after sublobar resection. Large-scale, randomized, controlled multicenter trials are ongoing in the United States and Japan, the results of which could create revolutionary changes in general thoracic surgery. This article reviews the literature on surgical outcomes of radical sublobar resection.