Oncological outcome of segmentectomy for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer with invasive characteristics: a...

Segmentectomy can provide oncologically acceptable results for small-sized non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, in cases of NSCLC with pathological invasive characteristics such as lymphatic invasion (LY), vascular invasion (V), pleural invasion (PL) and/or lymph node metastasis, the feasibility of segmentectomy is not known.

The patients included in the study (i) underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy for NSCLC with invasive characteristics such as LY, V, PL or pathological lymph node metastasis; (ii) presented with a node-negative, solid component-predominant tumour (consolidation tumour ratio >50%) on preoperative computed tomography; (iii) had a whole-tumour size of 2 cm or less; and (iv) presented between January 2010 and December 2019 to one of the 3 institutions. Cumulative incidences of recurrence (CIRs) after segmentectomy and lobectomy were compared.

A total of 321 patients were included. Segmentectomy and lobectomy were performed in 80 (24.9%) and 241 (75.1%) patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in CIR between segmentectomy (5-year CIR rate, 17.2%) and lobectomy patients (5-year CIR rate, 27.8%, P = 0.135). In the propensity score-matched cohort, there was no significant difference in CIR between segmentectomy (5-year CIR rate, 19.1%) and lobectomy patients (5-year CIR rate, 19.2%; P = 0.650). In the multivariable analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting and surgical method, segmentectomy was not a significant predictor of worse CIR (P = 0.920).

Segmentectomy is feasible for clinically early-stage NSCLC irrespective of the presence of LY, V, PL or lymph node metastasis.