Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Invading the Chest Wall

Abstract

Non-Small cell lung cancer invading the chest wall represents an advanced stage of the disease. Chest wall resection may be achieved in up to 100% of the patients, and the ensuing defect requires to be reconstructed in 40% to 64% of cases. Once a surgical challenge, chest wall resection is no longer a technical problem and en bloc chest wall and lung resections regularly provide good results. However, survival rates are jeopardized by incompleteness of the resection and mediastinal lymph node involvement. Nowadays, the challenge is represented by the use of the other nonsurgical modalities (chemotherapy and radiation therapy) to increase the chance of performing a complete resection, the need to achieve a better control of probable lymphatic or hematogenous spread, and the reduction of the recurrence rate.