[Complete Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Lung Cancer]

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Minimally Invasive Procedures

Background:

• Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is established for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
• Complete VATS involves no rib spreaders, relying solely on video monitor visualization.
• The study expands indications beyond early-stage NSCLC to include N1-2 disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of complete VATS lobectomy for advanced NSCLC.
• To assess survival outcomes for patients with N2 disease undergoing complete VATS lobectomy.
• To explore the expanding role of VATS in complex thoracic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Performance of complete VATS lobectomy using a 5-port technique.
• Inclusion of patients with N1-2 disease in the study cohort.
• Analysis of 5-year survival and recurrence-free survival rates for N2 disease patients.

Main Results:

• The 5-year overall survival rate for N2 disease was 59%.
• The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate for N2 disease was 34%.
• Median follow-up was 54 months.

Conclusions:

• Complete VATS lobectomy is feasible and effective for selected patients with N1-2 NSCLC.
• VATS indications are expanding to complex procedures, but oncological efficacy compared to thoracotomy requires further investigation.
• Further research is needed to confirm VATS superiority in invasiveness and oncological outcomes for complex thoracic surgeries.