Alternatives to Lobectomy for High-Risk Patients With Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The standard of care for the surgical management of non-small cell lung cancer remains a lobectomy. For patients with limited pulmonary reserve, lesser resections or nonoperative therapies may be indicated. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the outcomes from more limited resections as well as the evidence for the efficacy of photon-based and proton-based stereotactic body radiotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and microwave thermal ablation. In doing so, the goal of this review is to provide surgeons with an evidence-based treatment menu for treating patients who are not candidates for lobectomy.