[Current situation and confusion of sublobar resection for early stage lung cancer]

Lobectomy with lymph node dissection has long been the standard surgical procedure for non-small cell lung cancer. However, the increased identification of smaller and smaller and even more indolent tumors by advanced imaging screening rekindled the interest of sublobar resection. Still, existing evidence only supports sublobar resection for radiologically or pathologically "very-early" stage tumors or high-risk patients. Ongoing randomized controlled trials in America, Japan and Europe will address the issue of "radical" application of sublobar resection, as well as an elderly patient trial for "compromized" application initiated by us. These efforts will delineate the utility of sublobar resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.