En bloc minimal laser resection for T3-chest wall lung cancer in patients with poor pulmonary function

To analyze the value of en bloc minimal laser resection in patients with marginal function with non-small cell lung cancer invading the chest wall.

Retrospective study from March 1987 to December 1993.

University teaching hospital.

Study group consists of 10 patients with impaired pulmonary function (FEV1 < or = 1.3 L and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% < or = 0.8 L/s) operated on for lung cancer invading the chest wall. There were 7 men and 3 women; ages ranged between 51 and 77 years (mean, 66.2 years). None of the patients had tumors greater than 3 cm or involving the first 2 ribs as well as clinical N2 or T4 disease.

All patients underwent en bloc chest wall combined with minimal resection. Parenchyma dissection was accomplished by Nd:YAG laser encompassing the lesion at distance of 2.0 cm. The median number of ribs resected was 1.6 and no patients required chest wall reconstruction. Local postoperative radiation therapy beginning within 1 month after resection was always performed.

Tumor resection was considered complete in every case. Four patients had adenocarcinoma, three had squamous cell carcinoma, and three had large cell carcinoma. Currently, 7 patients had NO, 2 had N1, and 1 had N2 disease. There was no perioperative mortality. Postoperative complications were prolonged air leak (n = 2) and atelectasis (n = 1). At the present moment, 6 patients are alive, 5 of whom are free from tumor, 2 with a follow-up longer than 5 years. Three patients died: 2 from disseminated disease, after 47 months and 32 months, respectively, and the third at 27 months from another cause. One patient was unavailable for follow-up. Only 1 patient had a local recurrence, 15 months later, and he underwent a new, successful, limited resection.

These findings suggest that en bloc minimal laser resection can offer an acceptable risk/benefit ratio in the case of patients who cannot tolerate a lobectomy.