Impact of preoperative endoscopic ultrasound on non-small cell lung cancer staging

AIM: To determine if the addition of preoperative endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to non-small cell lung cancer staging can reduce the proportion of patients in whom malignant mediastinal lymph nodes (inoperable disease) are discovered at surgery. METHODS: All patients with lung cancer who underwent mediastinoscopy or thoracotomy for cancer diagnosis, staging, or treatment from 1999 to 2005 were identified. Patients who had undergone preoperative EUS were designated as the EUS group. The control group was composed of similar patients who had not undergone preoperative EUS, and were frequency matched to those in the EUS group in a 3:1 ratio by preoperative cancer stage. The proportion of patients in whom malignant mediastinal lymph nodes were diagnosed at surgery was the primary outcome. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (average age, 67.8 years) met criteria for the EUS group, and 132 patients (average age, 67.4 years) were selected as control subjects. Overall, in the EUS group, 3 of 44 patients (6.8%) were found to have malignant mediastinal lymph nodes at surgery, compared with 41 of 132 patients (31.1%) in the control group (p = 0.003). In patients undergoing thoracotomy for cancer resection, 3% in the EUS group, compared with 20% in the control group, were found to have malignant mediastinal lymph nodes at surgery (p = 0.01). There was also a trend toward lower yield of mediastinoscopy done for cancer diagnosis or staging in the EUS group (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative EUS in lung cancer patients may reduce unnecessary surgery at which advanced inoperable disease is discovered.     

Can endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration predict response to chemoradiation in non-small cell lung cancer? A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Accurate prediction of pathologic response to chemoradiation (CHEMO-XRT) has a significant impact on the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and mediastinal lymph node (LN) metastasis (N2 disease). Objective: This pilot study evaluates the ability of EUS-FNA to predict pathologic response in LN following CHEMO-XRT in NSCLC patients with N2 disease. Patients and METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on patients with NSCLC and biopsy-proven N2 disease who underwent restaging by EUS following CHEMO-XRT. At restaging, FNA was performed on the same LN, if present, or any other visible LN in the posterior mediastinum. Response to therapy (N0 disease) was defined by either absence of mediastinal LN or residual disease on FNA. Those staged N0 by EUS underwent tumor resection with complete LN dissection. RESULTS: Fourteen patients met the criteria for evaluation. Restaging by EUS suggested disease response in 7 patients and residual disease in 6; tissue yield was unsatisfactory in 1 patient. Eleven of 14 patients in whom mediastinal LN were seen at restaging by EUS underwent FNA: the aspirate was benign in 4, residual disease was found in 6, and an inadequate sample was obtained in 1 patient. In 3 patients no mediastinal LN were evident at EUS. Final diagnosis on the 7 patients in whom EUS suggested N0 disease was established at surgery: EUS was true negative in 6 and false negative in 1. Of the 6 patients with residual disease, 5 underwent palliative CHEMO-XRT and 1 underwent extended tumor resection. The patient in whom tissue sampling was inadequate was found to have residual disease at surgery. The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA for predicting mediastinal response to preoperative CHEMO-XRT was 86%. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA appears to qualify as an accurate, safe and minimally invasive diagnostic technique for restaging of mediastinal LN after CHEMO-XRT in NSCLC patients. Given this promising preliminary data, a prospective evaluation is justified.     

Is lobe-specific lymph node dissection appropriate in lung cancer patients undergoing routine mediastinoscopy?

BACKGROUND: The extent and the necessity of lymph node dissection has yet to be defined after resectional surgery for lung cancer. We aimed to analyze the lobe-specific extent of lymph node positivity in patients who underwent preoperative mediastinoscopy as a routine strategy. METHODS: A total of 280 patients with non-small cell lung cancer with negative mediastinoscopy were operated on in our center between January 1997 and June 2003. Hilar and mediastinal lymphadenectomy was performed in every patient. RESULTS: The most commonly involved lymph nodes were found to be paratracheal station lymph nodes (n = 83; 96.5 %) for right upper lobe tumors, subcarinal station lymph nodes (n = 52; 88.1 %) for right lower lobe carcinomas, aorticopulmonary lymph nodes (n = 62; 92.5 %) for left upper lobe and subcarinal station lymph nodes (n = 49; 96.0 %) for left lower lobe tumors. In the patients with right upper lobe, right lower lobe and left lower lobe tumors, the presence of a tumor at these stations was found to be an indicator for poor prognosis ( P = 0.033, P = 0.0038 and P = 0.0016, respectively). Patients with multiple station N2 disease did not survive beyond 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who underwent routine mediastinoscopy, lobe-specific lymph node dissection could be recommended. Patients with multilevel N2 involvement did not seem to benefit from resectional surgery.     

The value of mediastinoscopy in preoperative evaluation of mediastinal involvement in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with clinical NO disease

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of mediastinal lymph node examination using cervical mediastinoscopy in operable non-small cell lung cancer patients without radiological nodal involvement on computerized tomography (CT) has been elusive. METHODS: The value of mediastinoscopy as a staging modality for assessing the mediastinal lymph node status was evaluated in 79 patients with presumed resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mediastinal nodes smaller than 1 cm (NO) form the CT scan. Sixty-one patients who did not have nodal involvement at mediastinoscopy and had complete medical records underwent complete resection. RESULTS: Negative predictive value (NPV) of the CT scan according to mediastinoscopy was 92.4 %. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen showed the NPV of mediastinoscopy to be 93.4 %. Only 4 patients (3 patients with N2, 1 patient with N3 disease) were not correctly staged using CT scanning and mediastinoscopy. According to the pathological examination, the NPV of CT was found to be lower (76.5 %) in patients with adenocarcinoma, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.128) CONCLUSION: Although the likelihood of surgical-pathological N2 is slightly higher in patients with adenocarcinoma, radiological examination of patients with cNO NSCLC disease can be as accurate as mediastinoscopy in appropriately staging mediastinal lymph node involvement.     

Expanded possibilities for surgical treatment of lung cancer. Survival in stage IIIa disease

Two anatomic subsets of patients with stage IIIa non-small cell cancer of the lung are candidates for definitive surgical treatment. The first group includes patients with T1, T2, or T3 primary tumors and regional lymph node metastases confined to the ipsilateral mediastinal and subcarinal lymph nodes (N2 disease). There is controversy over the selection of this group of patients for surgery; some physicians do not believe that resection is an option if there is any evidence of mediastinal lymph node involvement. The second group is composed of patients with limited, circumscribed extrapulmonary extension of the primary tumor and lymph node metastasis, if present, limited to the hilar and peribronchial nodes (T3 N0-1 M0 disease). Peripheral tumors invading the chest wall, tumors originating in the superior sulcus of the lung, and those with limited involvement of the pericardium or the main bronchus are included. A five-year cumulative survival rate of 28 percent was documented for 198 consecutive patients undergoing complete resection for stage IIIa non-small cell lung cancer, 21 percent for the T1-3 N2 group, and 39 percent for the T3 N0-N1 patients. Cell type was not a statistically significant variable for survival; however, a superior outcome was observed for patients with squamous cell carcinoma in every TNM category. The results support surgical treatment as a valid option for selected patients with extrapulmonary extension of the disease.     

Multimodality treatment of malignant superior vena caval syndrome.

Malignant superior vena caval (SVC) syndrome due to non-small cell lung cancer is invariably fatal, with most therapy directed toward palliating the manifestations of the disease. A cure, by means of any modality, is unusual. We report a patient with SVC syndrome secondary to documented ipsilateral peritracheal nodal involvement (stage IIIB disease) who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and resection. At surgery, his superior vena cava was not involved and his tumor had been downstaged to stage I (T1 nanoseconds). He remains alive and free of disease 60 months after surgery. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy may be used to downstage malignant SVC syndrome to resectable lesions in good functional candidates.     

Surgical adjuvant therapy, especially neoadjuvant therapy of lung cancer

The recent 5-year survival rate of patients with lung cancer who underwent resection is significantly higher than that in the previous decade. The main reason for the improved survival rate seems to be due to more accurate staging, however, we cannot detect micrometastases so that distant relapses in many patients occur after operation. In order to control micrometastases, various kinds of surgical adjuvant therapy have been studied. In an attempt to improve resectability rate and survival in patients with locally advanced disease of non-small cell lung cancer, we initiated a pilot study of neoadjuvant (preoperative) therapy. Most of the 31 patients who were entered into the study clinically showed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, with or without direct invasion of the primary tumors to mediastinal organs. The response rate of the treatment was 64.5%. Complete resection of the tumor was performed in 14 of 31 (45%) patients and exploratory thoracotomy was done in one patient. Postoperative complications occurred in 6 of those 15 patients who underwent thoracotomy. Three patients suffered from severe complications such as empyema, pulmonary edema or respiratory failure, but recovered eventually. At present, of 15 patients who underwent operation, 9 are alive and free from disease, 2 are alive with relapse and 4 died of relapses. The median survival time was 11.5 and 19 months in non-resected cases and all cases, respectively. Although we cannot draw a conclusion because of the short observation time, we consider that neoadjuvant therapy is worthy of studying.     

Unfavorable prognosis of patients with stage II non-small cell lung cancer associated with macroscopic nodal metastases.

BACKGROUND: Patients with stage II-N1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) make up an intermediate group of patients with an unsatisfactory prognosis even though complete resection is usually possible. We retrospectively analyzed postoperative prognostic factors to devise guidelines for the proper management of this patient population. STUDY DESIGN: Among 546 patients with NSCLC who underwent surgical resection from 1979 to 1995, 43 patients were pathologically defined to be at stage II-N1 (T1-2N1M0). The influence of the following variables on postoperative survival was analyzed: gender, age, cell type, pathologic T factor, number of metastatic nodes, station of metastatic nodes (hilar or pulmonary nodes), status of nodal metastasis (macroscopic, gross involvement confirmed histologically; or microscopic, metastasis first defined by histologic examination), surgical methods, and adjuvant therapy (including 18 of chemotherapy and 2 of radiotherapy). RESULTS: The 5-year survival rates (5YSRs) of patients with microscopic (n = 21) and macroscopic nodal metastasis (n = 22) were 76.0% and 27.6%, respectively (p = 0.001). The 5YSRs of 20 patients who received adjuvant therapy and 23 who did not receive adjuvant therapy were 57.6% and 46.6%, respectively (p = 0.036). Other variables did not affect survival. The Cox proportional hazards model analysis indicated that the presence of a macroscopic nodal metastasis and postoperative adjuvant therapy were independent prognostic factors. Among patients with macroscopic N1 NSCLC, 9 patients who had undergone adjuvant therapy showed a more favorable prognosis than the 13 patients who had not received adjuvant therapy (3-year survival rate, 55.6% vs 18.5%; p = 0.037; and recurrence rate, 30.0% vs 77.8%), whereas no significant influence of adjuvant therapy on survival was observed among patients with microscopic N1 NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS: Stage II-N1 NSCLC was categorized into microscopic and macroscopic N1 diseases. The latter had a poor prognosis, which might be improved by adjuvant therapy, although a suitable regimen has not been established.     

Radiation therapy for the treatment of unresected stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Radiotherapy is considered to be the standard treatment for patients with stage I or II non-small lung cancer who refuse surgery or who are not surgical candidates because of significant comorbidities. To determine whether radiotherapy benefits these patients, we compared the survival of those treated with radiation alone to those left untreated. METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry, we identified all patients in whom histologically confirmed, stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer had been diagnosed between 1988 and 2001. Among these patients, 4,357 did not undergo surgical resection. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared among patients who received and who did not receive radiation therapy. We used Cox regression analysis to evaluate the effect of radiation on survival after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: The survival of patients with lung cancer who did not undergo resection and had been treated with radiation therapy was significantly better compared to the untreated patients (stage I cancer, p = 0.0001; stage II cancer, p = 0.001). The median survival time of patients with stage I disease who underwent radiotherapy was 21 months compared to 14 months for untreated patients. Stage II patients who received and did not receive radiation therapy had median survival times of 14 and 9 months, respectively. The survival of treated and untreated patients was not significantly different approximately 5 years after diagnosis (stage I disease, 15% vs 14%, respectively; stage II disease, 11% vs 10%, respectively). In multivariate analysis, radiation therapy was significantly associated with improved lung cancer survival after controlling for age, sex, race, and tumor histology. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that radiotherapy is associated with improved survival in patients with unresected stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer. The observed improvement in median survival time was only 5 to 7 months, and radiotherapy did not offer the possibility of a cure.     

Results of surgical treatment in patients with stage IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer.

From 1973 to March 1989, surgical resection was performed in 83 stage IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer patients (81% of all admitted stage IIIB patients). There were 2 operative deaths (2.3%), and complete resection was accomplished in 33 patients. The five-year survival rate of the patients undergoing complete resection was 25%, whereas that of the incomplete resection group was nil (p less than 0.05). Among the 26 patients with invasion of mediastinal structures who underwent complete resection, 3 patients survived for over five years. Two had squamous-cell carcinoma and one had adenocarcinoma, and their tumors involved the left atrium, pulmonary arterial trunk, and superior vena cava, respectively. Among the 6 patients with T4 lesions due to carinal invasion, two patients (one with mucoepidermoid carcinoma and one with squamous-cell carcinoma) have survived for over 8 and 4 years, respectively, after complete resection. There were no long-term survivors among the patients with malignant pleural effusion. Pleuropneumonectomy did not improve survival. Extended lymph-node dissection for N3 disease was only commenced in recent years, so it is not yet clear whether it will affect the survival rate or not. However, 6 out of 19 patients who underwent extended lymph-node dissection including the contralateral lymph-node compartments are still alive, with 23 months being the longest survival. To date, there are 6 three-year survivors among our present series of stage IIIB patients who underwent operative treatment. From these results, it can be concluded that stage IIIB patients should not be uniformly excluded from consideration for surgery, but rather should be evaluated with regard to the possibility of performing complete resection.     

Surgical management of non-small cell lung cancer with synchronous brain metastases

OBJECTIVES: Published series on the synchronous combined resection of brain metastases and primary non-small cell lung cancer are small and scarce. We therefore undertook a multicenter retrospective study to determine long-term survival and identify potential prognostic factors. DESIGN: Our series includes 103 patients who were operated on between 1985 and 1998 for the following tumors: adenocarcinomas (74); squamous cell carcinomas (20); and large cell carcinomas (9). Three patients had two brain metastases, and one patient had three metastases; the remaining patients had a single metastasis. Ninety-three patients presented with neurologic signs that regressed completely after resection in 60 patients and partially, in 26 patients. Neurosurgical resection was incomplete in six patients. Seventy-five patients received postoperative brain radiotherapy. The time interval between the brain operation and the lung resection was < 4 months. Pulmonary resection was incomplete in eight patients. RESULTS: The survival calculated from the date of the first operation was 56% at 1 year, 28% at 2 years, and 11% at 5 years. Univariate analysis showed a better prognosis for adenocarcinomas (p = 0.019) and a trend toward a better prognosis for patients with small pulmonary tumors (T1 vs T3, p = 0.068), N0 stage disease (N0 vs N+, p = 0.069), and complete pulmonary resection (p = 0.057). In a multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma histology also affected the survival rate (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: It seems legitimate to proceed with lung resection after complete resection of a single brain metastasis, at least in patients with an adenocarcinoma and a small lung tumor and without abnormal mediastinal lymph nodes seen on the CT scan or during mediastinoscopy.     

Routine mediastinoscopy and esophageal ultrasound fine-needle aspiration in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who are clinically N2 negative: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Despite normal mediastinal (N2) lymph nodes shown on positron emission tomography (PET) and CT, some physicians routinely perform mediastinoscopy and/or endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A prospective trial on patients with NSCLC who were clinically staged N2 negative by both integrated PET/CT and CT scan. All underwent mediastinoscopy and EUS-FNA and if N2 negative underwent thoracotomy with thoracic lymphadenectomy. RESULTS: There were 153 patients (107 men). Of these, 136 patients were clinically staged N0 and 17 patients were clinically staged N1. Of the 136 patients who were staged as N0, 5 patients (3.7%) had positive EUS-FNA results (three in the subcarinal node), and 4 patients (2.9%) had positive mediastinoscopy results (all in the #4R node; one was N3). Six of the remaining 127 patients (4.7%) had N2 disease after resection. Seventeen patients were clinically staged as N1 by integrated PET/CT. Four patients (23.5%) had positive EUS-FNA results (two in the subcarinal node), 3 patients (17.6%) had positive mediastinoscopy results (all in #4R node; two were N2 and one was N3), and none of the remaining 10 patients had N2 disease after resection. Patients with unsuspected N2 disease were twice as likely (relative risk, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.24 to 2.51; p = 0.02) to have a maximum standardized uptake value (maxSUV) > 10 and poorly differentiated cancer (relative risk, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 2.38; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: We do not recommend routine mediastinoscopy or EUS-FNA in patients who are clinically staged as N0 after both integrated PET/CT and CT. However, these procedures should both be considered in patients clinically staged as N1 after PET/CT, and/or in those with adenocarcinoma, upper-lobe tumors, or tumors with a maxSUV > or = 10.     

Pilot study of induction therapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (CAP) and chest irradiation prior to thoracotomy in initially inoperable stage III M0 non-small cell lung cancer

In an attempt to increase the resection rate of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, two cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin chemotherapy and chest irradiation (3000 cGy in 10 fractions, split course) were administered to 42 initially inoperable (T3 or N2M0) patients. Three patients were subsequently determined to be ineligible, two because of small cell histology and one because of M1 disease. Among the 39 eligible patients, 20 (51%) had a regression following the combined-modality therapy. Seventeen of these patients plus two with stable disease had thoracotomy. Complete surgical resection was accomplished in 13 patients (33% of all eligible 39 patients; 68% of all 19 patients who had thoracotomy). There were no statistically significant survival differences between patients not having thoracotomy and those who had thoracotomy (or even those with complete tumor excision). The patients with chemotherapy, chest irradiation, and surgical resection had a low incidence of local in-chest failure (5%), but distant failure was still a major problem.     

Primary mediastinal germ cell tumors. Results of a French retrospective study.

Eighty-seven patients with primary mediastinal germ cell tumors treated between 1983 and 1990 were studied. Among the 23 patients classified as pure seminoma, eight (35 percent) underwent surgery followed by radiotherapy (n = 6), radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy (n = 2); two patients underwent radiotherapy; 13 patients (57 percent) underwent induction cisplatin-based chemotherapy (ten complete responses) followed by radiotherapy (n = 9), second line chemotherapy (n = 2) and surgical resection of residual tumor (n = 2). On completion of treatment, 22 patients (96 percent) with seminoma were free of disease. The two-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate of these patients was 86 percent. Among the 64 patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor, 19 patients (30 percent) underwent surgery as first treatment (ten complete resections) followed by chemotherapy (n = 17) and radiotherapy (n = 5). On completion of treatment, 12 of 19 patients were disease free. Forty-five patients (70 percent) underwent induction cisplatin-based chemotherapy (ten complete responses), and 22 of them underwent resection of residual tumor (19 complete resections). Twenty-three patients were treated with first line chemotherapy without postchemotherapy surgery (three complete responses). In summary, 33 patients (52 percent) with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors became free of disease, and seven patients (21 percent) relapsed after achieving a complete response. The two-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate of the nonseminomatous germ cell tumor patients was 53 percent (87 percent if a complete response), with a median survival of 28 months. Despite a worse prognosis than nonseminomaous tumors from other primary sites, this series of mediastinal germ cell tumors has confirmed the efficacy of therapy.     

Ⅲ期非小细胞肺癌纵隔淋巴结跳跃式转移的临床意义

目的探讨Ⅲ期非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)患者纵隔淋巴结跳跃式转移的临床意义。方法65例术后病理证实的NSCLC患者,分为纵隔淋巴结(pN2期)跳跃转移组(21例)及非跳跃转移组(44例),回顾分析两组患者的临床、手术及病理资料。结果两组患者的性别、年龄及肿瘤的病理类型、大小、部位和术后转移情况差异无统计学意义(P均>0·05);非跳跃转移组发生多组淋巴结转移的概率为36.4%(16/44)显著高于跳跃转移组的9.5%(2/21;χ2=8·571,P=0·036)。跳跃转移组患者术后平均生存时间为44个月,5年生存率为41%;非跳跃转移组术后平均生存时间为26个月,5年生存率为21%,两者差异有统计学意义(χ2=9·325,P<0·05)。纵隔淋巴结跳跃式转移可以作为肺癌术后一个独立的预后因素(P=0·003,RR=0·347)。结论纵隔淋巴结跳跃式转移的临床Ⅲ期NSCLC患者生存期较无跳跃式转移的患者长,纵隔淋巴结跳跃式转移可以作为一个独立的生存预后因素;跳跃式转移可能是pN期肺癌中的一个亚群。     

Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in pN2 non-small cell lung cancer: lack of prognostic value

OBJECTIVE: Although several previous studies have investigated the prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in non-small cell lung (NSCL) cancer, no previous study has concentrated on NSCL cancer with pathologically abnormal mediastinal nodes (pN2). METHODOLOGY: A total of 60 patients with pN2 NSCL cancer who had undergone a complete resection with a systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection were reviewed retrospectively. Immunohistochemical examination, using antibodies against VEGF, was conducted. The prognostic significance of VEGF expression and clinicopathological factors were analysed. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival rate was 21.7%. With respect to clinicopathological factors, single N2 involvement and skip metastasis were significantly associated with patients' survival. Expression of VEGF was found in 35/60 (58.3%) patients. VEGF expression was not related to the clinicopathological parameters examined. There was no relationship between survival rates and patients positive and negative for VEGF. Multivariate analysis showed that single N2 disease was an independent prognostic factor, while VEGF expression was not. CONCLUSIONS: Although VEGF expression might be important for tumour development and maintenance, no prognostic significance of VEGF expression in pN2 NSCL cancer was found.     

Prognosis and recurrent patterns in bronchioloalveolar carcinoma

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is an uncommon pulmonary neoplasm with various radiologic and clinical presentations. In this article, we analyze the initial radiologic findings, TNM stagings, surgical types, and radiologic features of recurrence, and correlate them with patient survival. DESIGN: A retrospective review of 93 patients who underwent resection for BAC from February 1989 to May 1999. PATIENTS: There were a total of 153 patients with BAC diagnosed during this period. Among them, 60 patients (39.2%) had diffuse disease and received medical therapy only, and the remaining 93 patients (60.8%), who had localized disease, underwent surgical resection. Patients who received surgical resection were enrolled in this study. MEASUREMENTS: Data regarding demographics, presentation symptoms, initial radiologic features, surgical type, tumor staging, recurrence status, radiologic patterns of recurrence, and survival were obtained from all patients. RESULTS: Female patients were significantly younger than male patients. Patients who were female, nonsmoking, undergoing curative surgery, lobectomy, or bilobectomy, and with early tumor staging and no nodal involvement had a better prognosis. Patients with a right lung tumor had a longer survival than those with a left lung tumor, with borderline significance. Among those who suffered from recurrent diseases, a second resection yielded a better survival. Multivariate analysis showed curative surgery, initial surgical type, recurrence status, radiologic patterns of recurrence, and duration from surgical resection to recurrence all had a significant impact on survival. CONCLUSIONS: Those patients with localized, early-stage BAC who underwent curative surgery had a better survival. Patients with localized recurrence after the initial surgery warranted a second resection. Those with a diffuse radiologic pattern of recurrence and/or early recurrence had a worse prognosis.     

完全胸腔镜在肺癌根治术中的应用

目的讨论完全电视胸腔镜（VATS）在肺癌根治术中的应用。方法分析45例术前临床诊断非小细胞肺癌的患者,应用VATS手术治疗的临床资料。结果45例患者切口长度（5．2±1．1cm）,术后胸腔引流时间（5．4±1．5d）,术后住院时间（7．4±2．4d）,手术时间（145±42min）术中出血量（121±100min）,淋巴结清扫时间（57±25min）切除淋巴结（14±3枚）。患者术后恢复顺利,无严重并发症发生及死亡病例。结论完全电视胸腔镜（VATS）有可能成为非小细胞肺癌患者中可手术患者的更好选择。     

Quality assessment of robot assisted thoracic surgical resection of non-small cell lung cancer: nodal upstaging and mediastinal recurrence

BackgroundRobot assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) is the minimally invasive surgical technique of choice for treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), at the Isala Hospital. The aim of this study is to compare clinical and pathological staging results and mediastinal recurrence after RATS for anatomical resections of lung cancer as surrogate markers for quality of mediastinal lymph node dissection (MLND).MethodsThis single institute retrospective study was conducted in patients who underwent RATS for NSCLC. Excluded were patients with a history of concurrent malignant disease, with other previous neoplasms, with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and patients in whom the robotic technique was converted to thoracotomy, prior to lymph node dissection. Data were obtained from the hospital database. The difference between clinical and pathological staging was expressed as upstaging and downstaging. Computed Tomography scanning was used for follow-up, and diagnosis of mediastinal recurrence.ResultsFrom November 2011 to May 2016, 227 patients underwent RATS at Isala Hospital Zwolle, the Netherlands. Of those, 130 (mean age, 69.5±9.3 years) met the eligibility criteria. Preoperative mediastinal lymph node staging was done by endoscopic ultrasound/endobronchial ultrasound, by positron emission tomography (PET) or mediastinoscopy. In 14 patients (10.8%) unforeseen N2 disease was found, 6 patients (4.6%) were upstaged from cN0 to pN2 and 8 patients (6.2%) were upstaged from cN1 to pN2. Mediastinal recurrence was detected in 7 patients (5.4%) during a median follow-up of 54 months (range, 1.5–102 months).ConclusionsIn patients with NSCLC, who underwent anatomical resection by means of RATS, an unforeseen N2 disease rate of 10.8% was demonstrated and a mediastinal recurrence rate of 5.4%. It is concluded that robotic surgery provides an accurate lymph node dissection.