The use of a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in anatomical segmentectomy is safe and associated with improved outcomes in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLS), according to a study presented here on January 27 at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).<\/p>\n
In comparison to the conventional open approach to anatomical segmentectomy, the use of video-assistance can involve adjustments and pose some technical challenges.<\/p>\n
In an effort to compare the two approaches, Galal Ghaly, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital\/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York, and colleagues compared outcomes among 193 anatomical segmentectomies performed for NSCLC between 2000 and 2014, including 91 that involved VATS (47%) and 102 involving the conventional open approach (53%).<\/p>\n
Patients treated with the VATS approach were older (72 vs 68 years; P = .016) but otherwise had had similar characteristics in comorbidity index and tumour classification compared with the thoracotomy patients.<\/p>\n
In addition, both groups were similar in terms of the median number of lymph nodes and mediastinal lymph node stations sampled.<\/p>\n
Results showed that, compared with thoracotomy, the VATS approach was significantly associated with a decreased length of hospital stay (4 vs 5 days; P = .001) and a reduction in pulmonary complications (8% vs 20%; P = .033).<\/p>\n
There were no significant differences in the final pathologic stages between the group, although larger median tumour sizes were observed in the thoracotomy group (1.7 cm vs 1.5 cm; P = .034).<\/p>\n
The 3-year overall survival for patients with stage IA NSCLC was similar between groups; however, the trend favoured the VATS group (90% vs 75%; P = .212).<\/p>\n
VATS showed improved 3-year overall survival for the entire cohort, compared with thoracotomy (90% vs 71%; P = .018).<\/p>\n
Overall, there were 9 (10%) complications in the VATS group, compared with 23 (23%) in the thoracotomy group (P = .03).<\/p>\n
According to the authors, VATS anatomic segmentectomy is a feasible and oncologically safe technique, particularly for the treatment of stage IA NSCLC patients.<\/p>\n
\u201cVATS patients have shorter hospital stays and fewer pulmonary complications compared with those undergoing thoracotomy, [while receiving] equivalent lymphadenectomy to thoracotomy patients,\u201d the authors wrote. \u201cVATS patients had improved overall survival, although this may have been due to differences in patient selection.\u201d<\/p>\n
<h3>References<\/h3><\/p>\n
http:\/\/dgnews.docguide.com\/video-assisted-thoracoscopic-surgery-safe-effective-lung-cancer?overlay=2&nl_ref=newsletter&pk_campaign=newsletter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"