Surgical management of non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: To provide an overview of the surgical management of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its impact on survival and quality of life.

Data Sources: Published articles, book chapters, websites, and research studies.

Conclusion: The primary treatment choice for early stage NSCLC is surgical resection. Advances have been made in all phases of care from diagnosis to rehabilitation, including better technology for staging, less invasive surgical techniques, and intra-operative and post-operative care that focuses on decreasing complications and improving survival and quality of life. New indications for the addition of adjuvant therapy to surgery can improve disease-free and long-term survival in a disease where the 5-year survival of stage I and II can be less than 50% and overall survival regardless of stage only 15%.

Implications For Nursing Practice: As health care educators and caregivers, nurses should be informed of the advancements in staging and surgical technique associated with early stage NSCLC and its impact on survival and quality of life.