Long-term outcomes of video-assisted lobectomy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy combined with lymphadenectomy is widely utilized worldwide for treating non-small cell lung cancer. We evaluated the long-term survival outcomes of this approach and determined the prognostic factors of overall survival.

Methods: This prospective observational study was performed in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who were subjected to video-assisted lobectomy and lymphadenectomy from 2012 to 2016. Independent prognostic factors were determined via uni- and multivariable Cox models.

Results: There were 109 patients with the mean age of 59.2 years and males accounted for 54.1%. Postoperative staging determined 22.9% of stage IA, 31.2% of stage IB, 16.5% of stage IIA and 29.4% of stage IIIA. Median follow-up time was 27 months. The overall survival rate after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years was 100%, 85.9%, 65.3%, 55.9% and 55.9%, respectively. In univariable analysis, smoking (hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 2.50 [1.18-5.31]), Tumor--nodes--metastases (TNM) stage (IIA: 7.60 [1.57-36.9]; IIIA: 14.3 [3.28-62.7] compared to IA), histological differentiation (moderately differentiated: 4.91 [1.04-23.2]; poorly differentiated: 8.25 [1.91-35.6] compared to well differentiated), lymph node size ≥1 cm (8.22 [3.11-21.7]), tumour size ≥3 cm (4.24 [1.01-17.9]), radical lymphadenectomy (6.67 [3.14-14.2]) were identified as prognostic factors of the long-term survival. In multivariable analysis, only radical lymphadenectomy was an independent prognostic factor (HR [95% CI]: 3.94 [1.41-11.0]).

Conclusion: Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy combined with lymphadenectomy is feasible, safe and effective for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The long-term outcomes of this method are favourable, especially at the early stage of cancer.