Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

The standard treatment for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node sampling or dissection. This standard of care was effectively established by the landmark publication from the Lung Cancer Study Group in 1995 demonstrating decreased local recurrence rates and a trend toward improved survival after lobectomy compared with sublobar resections, including anatomic segmentectomies requiring individual pulmonary arterial and bronchial division, as well as nonanatomic pulmonary wedge resections (Ginsberg and Rubinstein. Ann Thorac Surg. 1995;60[3]: 615).

 Take advantage of this unique educational program offered by the ACCP. Each month, a distinguished editorial board of expert clinicians will provide two lessons, featuring timely, concise, diagnostic information on current pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine issues. Earn up to 24.0 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. One (1) credit will be awarded for each completed lesson.

Segmentectomy could be the procedure of choice for preserving lung function in patients with peripheral stage IA non-small cell lung cancer if indeed it can provide the same rate of disease-free survival as lobectomy.