Long-Term Function Recovery Following Upper Versus Lower Lobectomy for Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Longitudinal Cohort...

Area of Science:

• Thoracic surgery outcomes
• Patient-reported functional recovery
• Lung cancer surgery impact

Background:

• Postoperative recovery and function vary based on lung lobectomy site.
• Assessing long-term functional impact of upper vs. lower lobectomy is crucial.
• Patient-reported outcomes provide insight into daily functional recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the long-term impact of upper versus lower lobectomy on patients' postoperative daily function.
• To analyze patient-reported outcomes following different lobectomy sites.
• To evaluate functional impairments and symptom severity in the first year post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Multicenter prospective cohort study in China.
• Used MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Lung Cancer for functional impairments and symptom severity.
• Analyzed data using mixed-effects linear models and Kaplan-Meier method.

Main Results:

• Lower lobectomy group reported significantly greater interference with daily activities, mood, and work.
• Patients undergoing lower lobectomy experienced more pronounced functional impact in the first year.
• Median recovery times for daily activities, mood, and walking were longer in the lower lobectomy group.

Conclusions:

• Lower lobectomy is associated with greater impairment in daily functions within the first year post-surgery.
• Patients who undergo lower lobectomy require longer recovery periods compared to upper lobectomy.
• Findings highlight the importance of considering lobectomy site for functional recovery strategies.