Segmentectomy in patients with primary pulmonary malignancies

Abstract

To analyze immediate and long-term results of anatomical resections for lung cancer with subsequent comparison of the results of segmentectomy and lobectomy in patients with peripheral NSCLC stage IA1-2. There were 52 sublobular anatomical resections of the lung for peripheral non-small cell carcinoma and carcinoid T1a-bN0M0, IA1-2 stage. 3D-CT reconstruction with separation of bronchial and vascular structures was used to schedule complex segmentectomy. We retrospectively analyzed 200 patients with cT1a-bN0M0 peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and tumor dimension ≤2 cm who underwent lobectomy (n=148) and segmentectomy (n=52). Mortality, morbidity and overall 5-year survival were compared in two propensity score matched groups (46 pairs, segmentectomy vs. lobectomy). There was no mortality in both groups. Morbidity was similar after segmentectomy and lobectomy (8.69 and 6.52%; p=0.32). 3D-CT with separation of bronchial and vascular structures enabled surgeons to perform atypical segmentectomies and VATS procedures more often (from 13.5 to 31.3%; p>0.05 and from 11.5 to 50.0%; p<0.05). Five-year survival was 82 and 86% (p=0.652) after segmentectomy and lobectomy, respectively. Postoperative results and long-term outcome after segmentectomy and lobectomy are comparable in patients with NSCLC cT1a-bN0M0, stage IA1-2. Segmentectomy is advisable surgery in patients with low pulmonary capacity and severe comorbidities.