The surgical management of stage I and stage II lung cancer

There have been recent advances in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Surgical resection remains the cornerstone in the treatment of patients with stages I and II NSCLC. Anatomic lobectomy combined with hilar and mediastinal lymphadenectomy constitutes the oncologic basis of surgical resection. The surgical data favor video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy over open lobectomy and have established VATS lobectomy as a gold standard in the surgical resection of early-stage NSCLC. However, the role of sublobar pulmonary resection, either anatomic segmentectomy or nonanatomic wedge resection, in patients with subcentimeter nodules may become important.     

全胸腔镜支气管袖式肺叶切除术治疗中心型非小细胞肺癌效果及安全性

目的 探讨全胸腔镜袖式肺叶切除支气管成形术治疗中心型非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)的效果,并对该术式的安全性进行评价。方法 回顾性分析2015年5月至2018年9月在山西省肿瘤医院行全胸腔镜袖式肺叶切除支气管成形术治疗的29例患者临床资料,对手术效果及安全性进行分析。结果 29例均行全胸腔镜袖式肺叶切除支气管成形术,其中行右肺上叶袖式13例,左肺上叶袖式10例,左肺下叶袖式6例。手术时间180~400 min,中位时间240 min,其中支气管吻合时间35~60 min,中位时间48 min。术中出血量150~460 ml,中位出血量220 ml。淋巴结清扫12~39枚/例,中位清扫19.6枚/例。术后放置胸腔引流管时间4~16 d,中位时间6 d;术后住院时间6~16 d,中位时间9 d。术后并发症发生率为24.1%(7/29),其中1例并发肺面漏气(>7 d),2例肺部感染,3例心律失常,1例患者术后第7天出院,第40天出现吻合口瘘出血死亡,其余患者术后恢复顺利。中位随访时间为6个月(3~12个月),未见肿瘤复发或吻合口狭窄。结论 全胸腔镜下支气管袖式肺叶切除术是治疗中心型NSCLC安全可行的手术方式。     

62例早期肺癌胸腔镜下肺叶切除

目的:探讨完全胸腔镜下肺叶切除的可行性、安全性和可靠性。方法:对胸腔镜下肺叶切除术的62例肺癌患者临床资料进行回顾性分析,包括手术时间、术中出血量、术后胸液总量、术后胸腔引流管留置时间、清扫淋巴结数目、术后住院天数及并发症发生的情况。结果:62例早期肺癌患者经胸腔镜下肺叶切除淋巴结清扫,其中2例中转开胸。手术时间(195±57)min,术中出血量(227±153)ml,术后胸液总量（1595±1038)ml,术后胸腔引流管留置时间(7.2±3.1)d,术后住院天数(9.3±3.2)d,淋巴结清扫(4.1±1.3)组,人均(14.0±8.6)枚,全组无严重并发症。结论:胸腔镜下肺叶切除具有创伤小、恢复快、疼痛轻、住院时间短等优点,对早期肺癌患者可达到与开胸手术相似的淋巴结清扫效果,是早期周围型肺癌安全、可行的手术方式。     

全胸腔镜肺癌根治术在治疗高龄患者中的价值

目的探讨全胸腔镜肺叶切除及纵隔淋巴结清扫术在治疗高龄非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lungcancer,NSCLC)患者中的价值。方法 回顾分析225例接受该术式的NSCLC患者的临床资料,对比38例高龄(≥70岁)与随机抽取的57例非高龄(<70岁)患者的手术创伤、术后恢复、术后并发症及早期预后。结果 两组患者在手术创伤、术后恢复方面无差异;高龄组患者术后心血管并发症发生率高于非高龄组(23.7%vs 1.8%,P=0.001),其余并发症没有增多;术后生存分析两组无差异。结论 该术式治疗高龄NSCLC患者安全可行且疗效良好。     

A new concept of endoscopic lung cancer resection: Single-direction thoracoscopic lobectomy

Although video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was introduced in the early 1990s, its use in the treatment of lung cancer has been limited. We examined the effectiveness of a simplified surgical method for thoracoscopic lobectomy in patients with lung cancer from May 2006 to October 2007. This novel single-direction thoracoscopic lobectomy was characterized by incisions convenient for the placement of instruments and the lobectomy proceeded progressively in a single direction from superficial to deep structures. The procedure was completed successfully in 26 of 28 patients, with no perioperative deaths. The average operation time was 135 min (range, 100–200 min), average blood loss was 125 mL (range 10–500 mL) and average number of lymph nodes dissected was 11.8 (range, 6–23). The average postoperative hospital stay was 7.4 days (range, 5–10 days). Single-direction thoracoscopic lobectomy is a simple, safe, and effective procedure for lobe resection with clear procedural steps. It overcomes the difficulty in manipulation of incomplete lung fissures and potentially extends the indications of thoracoscopic lobectomy.     

Improved Survival of Stage I Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: A VA Central Cancer Registry Analysis

IntroductionThe combined impact of advances in diagnosis and treatment of stage I NSCLC has not been assessed comprehensively. To define the survival impact of modern staging and treatment techniques for clinical stage I NSCLC, the Veterans Administration Central Cancer Registry, a database of U.S. veterans in whom the disease was diagnosed in the Veteran’s Health Administration, was queried. From this database, patients who had stage I NSCLC diagnosed from 2001 to 2010 and were treated with either surgery or radiation were identified.MethodsOverall survival (OS) and lung cancer–specific survival were determined. Propensity score matching and Cox multivariate analysis were used to adjust for baseline patient characteristics.ResultsA total of 11,997 patients were identified. The 4-year OS rate increased from 38.9% to 53.2% from 2001 to 2010 for all patients. Positron emission tomography and endobronchial ultrasound did not improve OS. Survival of radiated patients improved from 12.7% to 28.5%. The introduction of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) significantly improved OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54–0.68) and lung cancer–specific survival (HR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.32–0.46) compared with conventionally fractionated radiation. The 4-year OS rate also improved after surgery (from 51.5% to 66.5%). This increase was associated with use of adjuvant chemotherapy, increased use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical procedures, and decreased pneumonectomy rates, with similar survival between open and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical procedures. OS after lobectomy was superior to that after sublobar resection (HR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.75–0.89). In the era of available SBRT (2008–2010), 4-year OS was not significantly different after sublobar resection or lobectomy for medically unfit patients (Charlson comorbidity index = 2) (55.4% and 58.1%, respectively; p = 0.69) but was significantly worse for fit patients (Charlson comorbidity index = 0–1) undergoing sublobar resection (55.5% and 68.0%, respectively; p < 0.001).OS (HR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.35–0.38) and lung cancer–specific survival (HR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.29–0.33) were improved after surgery as compared with after radiation, with the improvement maintained on matched comparison of lobectomy and SBRT.ConclusionsOS increased in veterans with a diagnosis of stage I NSCLC from 2001 to 2010; the increase was coincident with improved radiation and surgical techniques.     

早期非小细胞肺癌外科治疗进展

 外科手术是早期肺癌治疗的首选。肺癌的标准术式是肺叶切除加淋巴结清扫。但淋巴结清扫对肺癌的治疗作用尚存争议。近年来以胸腔镜为代表的微创胸外科技术在临床广泛开展,胸腔镜肺叶切除的安全性已得到认可,但用于肺癌的外科治疗是否能达到如同开胸手术一样的功效,尚未达成共识。医学影像技术进步使更多的早期肺癌得以被发现,对于直径小于2 cm的周围型肺癌,肺段切除或楔形切除能否取代肺叶切除成为此类型肺癌的标准手术方式,还有待新的证据出现。     

肺楔形切除术与解剖性肺叶切除术治疗早期非小细胞肺癌的效果分析

目的 分析胸腔镜肺楔形切除术与解剖性肺叶切除术治疗早期非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)的效果.方法 回顾性分析92例早期NSCLC患者的临床资料,根据不同的治疗方法分为观察组46例(胸腔镜肺楔形切除术)和对照组46例(解剖性肺叶切除术).分析两组患者的术中出血量、手术时间、术后住院时间、术后局部复发情况、生存率情况、复发及并发症的发生情况,评价胸腔镜亚肺叶切除术的治疗效果.结果 观察组患者的术中出血量、手术时间和术后住院时间均明显低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P﹤0.01).观察组患者的局部复发率和并发症发生率均低于对照组,但差异均无统计学意义(P﹥0.05).随访时间为9~36个月,观察组患者中5例死亡,累积生存率为89.1%;对照组患者中9例死亡,累积生存率为80.4%,两组患者的3年累积生存率比较,差异无统计学意义(χ2=1.322,P﹥0.05).结论 胸腔镜肺楔形切除术可以缩短患者的手术时间和住院时间,减少术中出血量,减轻机体创伤,同时未增加局部复发率,未降低远期生存率,是一种安全、有效的治疗方式.     

胸腔镜肺叶切除术与胸腔镜亚肺叶切除术治疗早期非小细胞肺癌的对比研究

目的:探究胸腔镜亚肺叶切除术在早期非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC）中的应用价值。方法:回顾性选取2014年1月至2018年7月于我院胸外科确诊并行胸腔镜手术治疗的247例早期NSCLC患者资料进行研究。根据手术方式不同将129例接受胸腔镜肺叶切除术患者设为肺叶切除组,将118例接受胸腔镜亚肺叶切除术患者设为亚肺叶切除组。采用统计软件SPSS 19.0录入分析数据,对比两组患者围手术期指标、肺功能指标、术后并发症及短期复发情况。结果:亚肺叶切除组患者年龄、术前合并症例数大于肺叶切除组（P＜0.05）。手术时间、术中出血、胸腔引流时间及术后卧床时间优于肺叶切除组（P＜0.05）,清扫淋巴结数目、术后住院时间及术后并发症方面两组差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。术后两组患者FEV1%、MVV%、FVC%较术前相比显著降低（P＜0.05）,亚肺叶切除组FEV1%、MVV%、FVC%整体情况优于肺叶切除组（P＜0.05）。两组术后1年内均无复发、死亡病例出现。结论:胸腔镜下亚肺叶切除术创伤小、出血少、恢复快,对肺功能保留有重要意义,且对于高龄、术前合并基础病的早期NSCLC患者更具优势。     

Chirurgische Therapie des nichtkleinzelligen Bronchialkarzinoms

For every patient with locoregional circumscribed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), consideration should be given to surgical management. The standard resection procedures for patients with sufficient functional reserve are lobectomy, extended lobectomy with bronchoplasty and/or angioplasty, bilobectomy, or pneumonectomy. Nonanatomic or atypical lung resections are only justified in exceptional cases for high-risk patients. Unaffected pulmonary lobes should be preserved and if necessary reanastomosed. There is no survival benefit gained by a resection that goes beyond radical removal of the macroscopically and microscopically visible tumor. Total ipsilateral lymph node dissection (interlobar, hilar, and mediastinal) completes every surgical treatment with curative intent. After the diagnosis of NSCLC has been made, the prognosis is poor. One year after the diagnosis 45% of the patients are alive, but after 5 years only 14% of the patients. If the subgroup of surgically cured patients with stage Ia disease is considered, the survival probabilities are 93% after 1 year and 70–80% after 5 years. In this respect, surgery for early stage NSCLC offers a well-founded prospect for cure. Additional adjuvant (postoperative) chemotherapy following complete resection (for patients with stage II NSCLC) can improve the survival probability by a further 4–15%. In general, the indication for or against surgery should result from careful interdisciplinary consultation that takes into account all factors of tumor extent and individual comorbidity. Inoperability should not solely be determined on the basis of expectations, but only by considering all of the individual patient factors.     

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy versus open lobectomy in patients with clinical stage Ⅰ non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis

Aims

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for early lung cancer has been shown to be technically feasible. Weather VATS lobectomy has equivalent or better clinical effect compared with open lobectomy for early lung cancer patients remains controversial. The purpose is to assess the value of VATS compared with thoracotomy for stage Ⅰ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched databases of EMBASE, PubMed, and ScienceDirect for relevant articles published between January 1990 and January 2013. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or comparative studies of VATS lobectomy and open lobectomy for clinical stage Ⅰ NSCLC. Data on operation time, intra-operative blood loss, length of chest tube drainage and hospital stay, complications incidence and 5 year survival rate were meta-analyzed using Review Manager 5.0.

Results

20 studies with 3457 clinical stage Ⅰ NSCLC patients were included. There was no difference in operation time between the two groups (P = 0.14), but distinct advantages in terms of intra-operative blood loss, chest drainage time, hospital stay and complication incidence were found in the VATS group (P < 0.01). Moreover, the 5 year survival rate of VATS group was significantly higher than thoracotomy group (OR 1.82, 95% CI, 1.43–2.31, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Compared with thoracotomy group, VATS achieved better surgical and oncological outcomes and was a more favorable treatment for stage Ⅰ NSCLC patients.     

电视胸腔镜辅助小切口肺叶切除术对早期非小细胞肺癌患者术后疼痛视觉模拟评分及康复进程的影响

目的探讨电视胸腔镜辅助小切口肺叶切除术对早期非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）患者术后疼痛视觉模拟评分及康复进程的影响。 方法回顾分析2013年11月至2017年3月，河南博爱县人民医院心胸外科收治的85例早期NSCLC患者临床资料，根据不同术式分为观察组（43例）与对照组（42例）。观察组行电视胸腔镜辅助小切口肺叶切除术，对照组行传统开胸肺叶切除术。对比两组手术及术后恢复情况、术后1～5 d视觉模拟评分。 结果两组手术时长、淋巴结清扫数目比较，差异无统计学意义（均P＞005）。观察组术中出血较对照组少，术后引流时间及住院时间较对照组短，差异有统计学意义（P＜005）。观察组术后1～5 d视觉模拟评分均低于对照组，差异有统计学意义（P＜005）。 结论电视胸腔镜辅助下小切口肺叶切除术治疗早期非小细胞肺癌疗效显著，有利于促进恢复。     

电视胸腔镜肺叶切除术治疗早期NSCLC的疗效及对肺功能和生活质量的影响

目的 观察电视胸腔镜肺叶切除术和传统开胸肺叶切除术治疗Ⅰ～Ⅱ期非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)的疗效及对患者肺功能和生活质量的影响.方法 回顾性分析80例Ⅰ～Ⅱ期NSCLC患者的临床资料,依据治疗方法的不同将患者分为对照组(n=33)和观察组(n=47),对照组患者接受传统开胸肺叶切除术,观察组患者接受电视胸腔镜肺叶切除术,比较两组患者的手术相关指标、并发症发生率、术前及术后1个月的肺功能指标和SF-36量表评分.结果 观察组患者的手术时间长于对照组,切口长度短于对照组,术中出血量、引流量少于对照组,住院时间短于对照组,并发症发生率低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P﹤0.05).术后1个月,观察组患者的肺功能指标FEV1、PEF和MVV高于对照组,SF-36量表中生理功能、躯体疼痛、总体健康及精神健康评分优于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P﹤0.05).结论 电视胸腔镜肺叶切除术治疗Ⅰ～Ⅱ期NSCLC具有创伤小、出血量少、术后并发症发生率低等优点,且可改善患者的肺功能和生活质量,值得临床推广.     

Gemcitabine-based combinations as preoperative therapy in resectable non-small-cell lung cancer

Surgical resection remains the standard of care in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In those patients undergoing complete surgical resection, the dominant recurrence pattern is systemic with only a minority of patients experiencing local recurrence. Unfortunately, adjuvant chemotherapy (with or without thoracic radiation therapy) has not been proven to enhance survival in resected NSCLC. Preoperative or induction therapy offers several advantages over postoperative therapy, including earlier attention to systemic micrometastatic disease and enhanced tolerance to treatment. The feasibility of this approach has been demonstrated in several phase II as well as phase III trials predominantly in stage III NSCLC but also in stage IB and II NSCLC. In proof-of-concept phase III trials, the impact preoperative therapy has on survival has not been consistent, but most trials are small in patient number, limiting the power they have in detecting small but clinically meaningful differences. Gemcitabine-containing regimens have been evaluated in several phase II trials in resectable stage III NSCLC. The overall response rate has ranged from 53%-70% with the majority of patients undergoing complete surgical resection. Toxicity has been acceptable, and the combination of cisplatin/gemcitabine is currently being evaluated as induction therapy in several phase III trials. Ongoing trials in stage I-II NSCLC are incorporating gemcitabine-containing regimens in the preoperative setting. Continued evaluation of gemcitabine-containing regimens as preoperative therapy is warranted given their level of activity and tolerability in advanced NSCLC.     

临床Ⅰ期高龄非小细胞肺癌的治疗进展

随着人口的老龄化,高龄肺癌患者的比例在增大。近十几年来肺叶切除加纵隔淋巴结清扫一直是I期非小细胞肺癌(non small cell lung cancer,,NSCLC)患者的标准术式。近年研究发现Ⅰ期高龄NSCLC亚肺叶切除术可以取得和肺叶切除术相当的远期疗效而且可以保留更多的正常肺组织,有关Ⅰ期NSCLC的标准术式再次引起争议。Ⅰ期高龄NSCLC患者是一个特殊的群体,常因机体功能减退或合并有基础疾病而无法耐受开胸手术,胸腔镜的问世以及立体定向放射治疗技术的发展使患者有了更多的选择。Ⅰ期高龄NSCLC的治疗在朝着个体化和多样化方向发展     

Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes After Robotic Lobectomy for Early-stage Non–Small-cell Lung Cancer Versus Video-assisted Thoracoscopic and Open Thoracotomy Approach

BackgroundAlthough robotic-assisted lobectomy has been increasingly used for resection of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the long-term oncologic outcomes compared with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and the open thoracotomy approach have remained ill-defined.Patients and MethodsSociety of Thoracic Surgeons outcomes data and surveillance records of patients with stage I-IIIa NSCLC who had undergone lobectomy by robotic-assisted, VATS, or the open approach at a single center from 2012 to 2017 were reviewed. Propensity score adjustment by inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance the baseline characteristics. Recurrence and survival were analyzed and compared by the operative approach.ResultsThe inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted cohort included 514 patients with NSCLC who had undergone robotic-assisted (n = 245), VATS (n = 118), and open (n = 151) lobectomy, with similar patient and disease characteristics. The minimally invasive procedures were associated with a shorter median hospital length of stay (robotic, 5.2 days; VATS, 4.9 days; open, 7.3 days; P < .001) and 0-adjusted 30-day mortality rate. With a median follow-up period of 45 months, the incidence for locoregional recurrence (robotic, 7%; VATS, 6%; open, 8%; P = .9) and distant failure (robotic, 14%; VATS, 18%; open, 17%; P = .9) was similar. The 5-year overall survival for robotic-assisted, VATS, and open lobectomy was 63%, 55%, and 65%, respectively (P = .56). No difference was found in stage-specific survival for stage I, II, and IIIa. On multivariate analysis, the robotic approach was associated with no differences in overall survival and recurrence-free survival compared with VATS and open lobectomy.ConclusionRobotic lobectomy was associated with durable freedom of recurrence and long-term survival equivalent to those achieved with VATS and the traditional open thoracotomy approach.     

Surgery: therapeutic indications.

Although never proven to be superior in a large, prospective randomized trial, surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In stages IA, IB, IIA, IIB and resectable IIIA surgical treatment offers the best long-term prognosis when a complete resection can be performed. Standard operations include lobectomy, bilobectomy and pneumonectomy. Whenever possible, lobectomy is the procedure of choice. Lesser resections like segmentectomy or wedge excision are rarely indicated in primary NSCLC. Specific lung parenchyma saving operations include tracheo- and bronchoplastic procedures which are indicated in selected cases of centrally located NSCLC. Extended resections include removal of lung together with another organ or structure as thoracic wall, pericardium, diaphragm or superior sulcus. En bloc excision of the involved structure is advised. Accurate peroperative evaluation will determine the extent of resection and if possible, a pneumonectomy should be avoided because of its high mortality and morbidity rate. Surgical resection after induction therapy for early stage or locally advanced NSCLC is feasible, but is often more complex and carries a higher risk, especially when a right pneumonectomy has to be performed after induction chemoradiotherapy.     

I期肺腺癌VATS肺叶切除与亚肺叶切除预后比较

背景与目的美国国立综合癌症网络（National Comprehensive Cancer Network, NCCN）指南推荐,大部分可手术切除的肺癌首选电视辅助胸腔镜手术（video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, VATS）解剖性肺叶切除。而研究证实肺段切除I期肺癌对肺功能的保护优于肺叶切除。目前,临床上对I期肺腺癌VATS亚肺叶切除能否获得与肺叶切除同等疗效仍未确定,现分析两种手术方式治疗I期肺腺癌预后的比较。方法回顾性研究2009年1月-2011年12月广州医科大学附属第一医院收治的I期肺腺癌患者,其中VATS肺叶切除222例,亚肺叶切除36例;对两组患者使用倾向评分匹配（propensity score matching, PSM）,比较两组患者的临床病理特征及生存预后。结果两组匹配患者35例,匹配后VATS肺叶切除组与亚肺叶切除组的术后无病生存期（disease free survival, DFS）分别为49.3个月、42.7个月,差异无统计学意义（P=0.137）;两组术后总生存期（overall survival, OS）分别为50.3个月、49.0个月,差异无统计学意义（P=0.122）。分期分层结果示,Ia期肺叶切除和亚肺叶切除两组术后DFS差异无统计学意义;而Ib期肺叶切除和亚肺叶切除两组术后DFS差异有统计学意义。结论 Ia期肺腺癌VATS亚肺叶切除的生存预后不亚于肺叶切除,Ib期肺腺癌建议选择VATS肺叶切除治疗。     

Ⅰ、Ⅱ期非小细胞肺癌患者采用完全胸腔镜单向式肺叶切除术的围术期疗效分析

目的:探讨Ⅰ,Ⅱ期非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)患者采用完全胸腔镜单向式肺叶切除术的优点。方法:回顾性分析2016年05月至2018年06月于本院就诊收治的132例Ⅰ,Ⅱ期NSCLC患者的病例资料,根据手术方法的不同进行分组,81例患者采用完全胸腔镜单向式肺叶切除术治疗分为实验组,51例患者采用开放肺叶切除术分为对照组。比较两组患者围术期一般情况、VAS评分、并发症发生情况以及生存率。结果:实验组手术时间、手术切口长度、拔管时间及住院时间均短于对照组,术中出血量、术后引流量少于对照组(P<0.05);实验组术后VAS评分低于对照组(P<0.05);实验组术后肺持续漏气、感染、房颤以及低氧血症并发症发生率低于对照组(P<0.05);术后失访3例,随访率为97.73%,随访时间2～42个月,中位随访时间为38个月。随访期间实验组、对照组死亡率分别为11.39%(9/79)、12.00%(6/50),经Log-rank检验发现两组患者生存率比较,差异无统计学意义(χ²=0.684,P=0.485)。结论:Ⅰ,Ⅱ期非小细胞肺癌患者采用完全胸腔镜单向式肺叶切除...     

Multidisciplinary approach in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: standard of care and open questions

Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer death worldwide and its global incidence has been steadily increasing during recent decades. A third of patients with newly diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with locally advanced disease. There is not a single widely accepted standard of care for these patients because of the wide spectrum of presentation of the disease. Although feasible and safe in experienced hands, evidence that surgical resection after induction treatment improves overall survival (OS) is lacking. For resectable or potentially resectable stage III, the findings of two phase III trials suggest that surgical resection should not be considered a standard of care but rather reserved for selected patients after critical multidisciplinary assessment, in whom surgery improves survival after downstaging if pneumonectomy can be avoided or in some T4N0-1 resectable tumours. For unresectable stage III NSCLC the standard of care is a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In those patients with good performance status and minimal weight loss, the concurrent approach has resulted in a statistically significant improvement in OS rates compared with a sequential approach in randomised clinical trials, although several questions remain unresolved.