Video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection of T1 lung cancer in high-risk patients

This study assessed the reliability and safety of VATR for treatment of peripheral T1 lung cancer in high-risk patients.

Surgical resection is the best therapy for stage I lung cancer. Patients with poor cardiopulmonary status or those who are elderly (> 75 years of age) are considered to be at high risk from thoracotomy and are frequently referred for radiation therapy or expectant palliative management. Data from previous studies suggest that survival with wedge resection is similar to that with lobectomy. The authors propose VATR, which is minimally invasive, as a therapeutic option in patients considered to be at high risk for resection by thoracotomy.

Between November 1990 and November 1992, more than 400 thoracoscopic lung resections were performed. Thirty patients with poor pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume FEV1] < 1 L or < 35% predicted; arterial oxygen tension [PaO2] < 60 mmHg on room air; diffusion capacity [DCO] < 40%) underwent 31 VATRs (1 patient had a staged procedure for bilateral synchronous lung cancers). All patients had T1 peripheral lesions with no bronchoscopically visible lesions. Computed tomography of the chest revealed no evidence of mediastinal disease in all patients.

Patients had a mean FEV1 value of 0.9 L (38% predicted) and a mean age of 71 years. Tumors were located in left upper lobe (LUL) in 13 patients, in right lower lobe (RLL) in 7 patients, in right upper lobe (RUL) in 6 patients, in left lower lobe (LLL) in 4 patients, and in right middle lobe (RML) in 1 patient. Computed tomography-guided wire localization, methylene blue surface injection, and intraoperative ultrasonography were used to assist in defining difficult lesions. All lesions were successfully resected without converting to thoracotomy. One patient died on the 34th postoperative day of myocardial infarction (operative mortality rate of 3%). Five patients had prolonged air leaks (< 5 days), with a median chest tube time of 3 days. Two patients experienced pneumonia.

The authors concluded that VATR is a safe and reliable procedure for treatment of peripheral T1 lung cancer in high-risk patients. Long-term follow-up will be required to determine the efficacy of this procedure regarding survival and locoregional recurrence.