Operative outcomes of thoracoscopic lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer

We examined the advantages of thoracoscopy over thoracotomy in terms of perioperative outcomes and toleration of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Between April 2010 and March 2013, 657 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent lobectomy were classified into thoracoscopy (308 patients) and thoracotomy (349 patients) groups and compared.

The thoracoscopy group had less blood loss compared to the thoracotomy group (p < 0.001). When limiting the analysis to pathological stage I patients, the results were similar (p < 0.001). In addition, the difference in blood loss between the 2 groups was greater in patients with severe pleural adhesions. The postoperative morbidity of the thoracoscopy group was significantly less than that of the thoracotomy group (13.3% vs. 21.2%, p < 0.001), and this result was similar when analyzing the pathological stage I patients (12.6% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.001). A higher percentage of the thoracoscopy group received both the full planned course and dose of adjuvant chemotherapy compared to the thoracotomy group (84.2% vs. 65.8%, p = 0.032).

These results indicate that totally thoracoscopic lobectomy is the more beneficial surgical approach with regard to the incidence of postoperative complications and toleration of adjuvant chemotherapy.