Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Operable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and patients with operable early-stage NSCLC are typically managed surgically. While effective, surgical resection can significantly impact pulmonary function and quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a comprehensive, multimodal approach that is an established cornerstone in the treatment of COPD. It has similarly demonstrated multiple benefits in patients with lung cancer who have undergone lobectomy or resection by improving pulmonary function, increasing exercise tolerance, improving nutritional status, providing psychological support, and enhancing quality of life. Despite this, PR for early-stage operable NSCLC is oftentimes not standardized, and challenges to adherence remain. In this review, we examine the components of PR, the role of PR in pre- and postoperative settings in patients with early-stage NSCLC, implementation strategies for PR, and future directions and challenges of PR in operable NSCLC.