Onkológia 2/2023

Surgery for non-small cell lung cancer – current trends

Surgical treatment of non-small cell lung cancer remains the primary and potentially curative treatment modality in patients with stage I. and II. and in selected patients with stage III. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or minimally invasive surgical approaches, including robotic surgery, are strongly recommended in the recent guidelines. Application of the concept of enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery (ERATS) and prehabilitation into practice, significantly amplifies the benefits of minimally invasive procedures. Anatomic lung resection is the standard of surgical care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, based on recent studies and thanks to ongoing screening programs that detect early stages, there is a shift towards sublobar resections. Currently, surgical management is constantly evolving so that we can offer patients the best oncological resection tailored to each stage of NSCLC. A multidisciplinary approach including innovative systemic treatment in combination with minimally invasive surgical treatment performed according to the ERATS concept offers the patient the best prospects for survival.

Keywords: non-small cell-lung cancer, surgery treatment