Lobectomy For Cancer Research Articles

Mini-Invasive Thoracic Surgery for Early-Stage Lung Cancer: Which Is the Surgeon’s Best Approach for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery?

Objectives: The choice of the best Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) surgical approach is still debated. Surgeons are often faced with the choice between innovation and self-confidence. The present study reports the experience of a high-volume single institute, comparing data of uni-portal, bi-portal and tri-portal VATS, to find out the safest and most effective mini-invasive approach, leading surgeon’s choice. Methods: Between 2015 and 2022, a total of 210 matched patients underwent VATS lobectomy for early-stage cancer, using uni-portal (fifth intercostal space), bi-portal (seventh space for optic and the fifth), and tri-portal (seventh and the fifth/four) access. Patients were matched for age, BPCO, smoke, comorbidities, lesions (size and staging) to obtain three homogenous groups (A: uni-portal; B: bi-portal; C: tri-portal). The surgeons had comparable expertise. Data were retrospectively collected from institutional database and analyzed. Results: No differences were detected considering time of surgery, length of hospital stay, complications, conversion rate, specific survival, and days of chest tube length of stay. Better results on chest tube removal were described in group A (mean 1.1 days) compared to B (mean 2.6 days) and C (mean 4.7 days); nevertheless, they not statistically significant (p = 0.106). Conclusions: No significant differences among the groups were described, except for the reduction in chest tube permanence in group A. This allows to hypothesize an enhanced recovery after surgery in this group but the different approaches in this series seem to guarantee comparable safety and effectiveness. Considering no superiority of one method above the others, the best suggested approach should be the one for which the surgeon feels more confident.

Percent predicted peak oxygen uptake is superior to weight-indexed peak oxygen uptake in risk stratification before lung cancer lobectomy

ObjectiveTo improve preoperative risk stratification in lung cancer lobectomy by identifying and comparing optimal thresholds for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) presented as weight-indexed and percent of predicted values, respectively. MethodsThis was a longitudinal cohort study including national registry data on patients scheduled for cancer lobectomy that used available data from preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The measured VO2peak was indexed by body mass (mL/kg/min) and also compared with 2 established reference equations (Wasserman-Hansen and Study of Health in Pomerania, respectively). By receiver operating characteristic analysis, a lower 90% specificity and an upper 90% sensitivity threshold were determined for each measure, in relation to the outcome of any major complication or death. For each measure and based on these thresholds, patients were categorized as low risk, intermediate risk, or high risk. The frequency of complications was compared between groups using χ2. ResultsThe frequency of complications differed significantly between the proposed low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups when using % predicted Study of Health in Pomerania (5%, 21%, 35%, P = .007) or % predicted Wasserman-Hansen (5%, 25%, 35%, P = .002) but not when using the weight-indexed VO2peak groups (7%, 23%, 15%, P = .08). Nonsignificant differences were found using the threshold <15 mL/kg/min (P = .34). ConclusionsThis study showed that weight-indexed VO2peak was of less use as a marker of risk at the lower range of exercise capacity, whereas % predicted VO2peak was associated with a continuously increasing risk of major complications, also at the lower end of exercise capacity. As identifying subjects at high risk of complications is important, % predicted VO2peak is therefore preferable.

Outcomes following major thoracoabdominal cancer resection in adults with congenital heart disease.

While advances in medical and surgical management have allowed >97% of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients to reach adulthood, a growing number are presenting with non-cardiovascular malignancies. Indeed, adults with CHD are reported to face a 20% increase in cancer risk, relative to others, and cancer has become the fourth leading cause of death among this population. Surgical resection remains a mainstay in management of thoracoabdominal cancers. However, outcomes following cancer resection among these patients have not been well established. Thus, we sought to characterize clinical and financial outcomes following major cancer resections among adult CHD patients. The 2012-2020 National Inpatient Sample was queried for all adults (CHD or non-CHD) undergoing lobectomy, esophagectomy, gastrectomy, pancreatectomy, hepatectomy, or colectomy for cancer. To adjust for intergroup differences in baseline characteristics, entropy balancing was applied to generate balanced patient groups. Multivariable models were constructed to assess outcomes of interest. Of 905,830 patients undergoing cancer resection, 1,480 (0.2%) had concomitant CHD. The overall prevalence of such patients increased from <0.1% in 2012 to 0.3% in 2012 (P for trend<0.001). Following risk adjustment, CHD was linked with greater in-hospital mortality (AOR 2.00, 95%CI 1.06-3.76), as well as a notable increase in odds of stroke (AOR 8.94, 95%CI 4.54-17.60), but no statistically significant difference in cardiac (AOR 1.33, 95%CI 0.69-2.59) or renal complications (AOR 1.35, 95%CI 0.92-1.97). Further, CHD was associated with a +2.39 day incremental increase in duration of hospitalization (95%CI +1.04-3.74) and a +$11,760 per-patient increase in hospitalization expenditures (95%CI +$4,160-19,360). While a growing number of patients with CHD are undergoing cancer resection, they demonstrate inferior clinical and financial outcomes, relative to others. Novel screening, risk stratification, and perioperative management guidelines are needed for these patients to provide evidence-based recommendations for this complex and unique cohort.

A national study of postoperative thyroid hormone supplementation rates after thyroid lobectomy

BackgroundThe American Thyroid Association updated guidelines in 2015 to allow lobectomy for low-risk thyroid cancers. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine thyroid hormone supplementation rates after lobectomy and (2) to evaluate the effect of the American Thyroid Association guideline change on lobectomy and hormone supplementation rates among thyroid cancer patients. MethodsThe Merative MarketScan Databases was used to identify adult (≥age 18) patients who underwent thyroidectomy for benign nodules or thyroid cancer. The association between indication for surgery and postoperative thyroid hormone supplementation was examined using χ2 analyses and multivariable logistic regression models. Among patients with thyroid cancer, lobectomy and hormone supplementation rates were compared in the periods before (2008–2015) and after the guideline change (2016–2019). ResultsOf the 81,926 patients identified, 33,756 (41.2%) underwent thyroid lobectomy, 45,104 (55.1%) underwent total thyroidectomy, and 3,066 (3.7%) underwent completion thyroidectomy. Patients who underwent lobectomy for malignancy were significantly more likely to require hormone supplementation (59.3% vs 39.4% [P < .001], adjusted odds ratio 2.34 [95% confidence interval 2.20–2.48]) compared to those with benign disease. Compared to the 2008 to 2015 period, the proportion of patients who underwent lobectomy for thyroid cancer was higher in the 2016 to 2019 period (34.3% vs 30.3%, P < .001), with fewer patients requiring completion thyroidectomy (25.6% vs 29.8%, P < .001) and thyroid hormone supplementation (56.9% vs 60.1%, P = .04). ConclusionThe postoperative thyroid hormone supplementation rate was significantly higher in patients who had thyroid cancers compared to benign diseases. After the American Thyroid Association guidelines changed, lobectomy rates increased significantly without a concomitant increase in the completion of thyroidectomy.

Risk Factors for Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Following Lung Lobectomy

IntroductionPostoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common complication following lung lobectomy and is associated with increased risk of stroke, mortality, and prolonged hospital length of stay. The purpose of this study was to define the risk factors for POAF after lobectomy, hypothesizing that operative approach would be associated with risk of chronic POAF. MethodsThe TriNetX database was used to identify adult patients with no history of arrythmia receiving elective lung lobectomy for cancer from 7/6/2003-7/6/2023. Patients were categorized by approach: video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or open. The outcome of interest was the presence of POAF occurring at 1-3 months (“early”) and 12-24 months postop (“chronic”). Propensity matching was performed to reduce bias between cohorts. ResultsWe identified 22,998 patients: 8472 (36.8%) who received open and 14,526 (63.2%) VATS lobectomy. The rate of early POAF was 3.7% of VATS and 5.3% of open patients. The rate of chronic POAF was 5.5 % of VATS patients and 6.2% of open lobectomy patients. Propensity matching decreased bias between the approach groups, creating 7942 pairs for analysis. After matching, the risk of early POAF was greater in the open approach (5.5% open vs 3.4% VATS, risk ratio 1.607 (95% confidence interval 1.385-1.865), P < 0.001). Chronic POAF was (also) higher in the open approach (6.3% open vs 5.2% VATS, Risk Ratio 1.211 (95%CI 1.067-1.374), P = 0.003). ConclusionsPostoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) occurs more commonly after open lobectomy, both acutely and chronically. Providers should counsel patients about the risk of chronic arrythmia after lung resection.

Association of dementia with clinical and financial outcomes following lobectomy for lung cancer

ObjectiveThe number of adults with dementia is rising worldwide. Although dementia has been linked with inferior outcomes following various operations, this phenomenon has not been fully elucidated among patients undergoing elective lung resection. Using a national cohort, we evaluated the association of dementia with clinical and financial outcomes following lobectomy for cancer. MethodsAdults undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer were identified within the 2010-2020 Nationwide Readmissions Database. Patients with a comorbid diagnosis of dementia were considered the Dementia cohort (others: Non-Dementia). Multivariable regressions were developed to evaluate the association between dementia and key outcomes. ResultsOf ∼314,436 patients, 2863 (0.9%) comprised the Dementia cohort. Compared with Non-Dementia, the Dementia cohort was older (75 vs 68 years, P < .001), less commonly female (49.4 vs 53.9%, P = .01), and had a greater burden of comorbid conditions. After adjustment, dementia remained associated with similar odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-1.38) but greater likelihood of pneumonia (aOR, 1.31; CI, 1.04-1.65) and infectious complications (aOR, 1.37; CI, 1.01-1.87). Further, dementia was associated with longer length of stay (β +0.96 days; CI, 0.51-1.41), but no difference in hospitalization cost (β $1528; CI, −92 to 3148). ConclusionsPatients with dementia faced similar odds of mortality, but greater complications and resource use following lobectomy for lung cancer. Novel interventions are needed to improve care coordination and develop standardized recovery pathways for this growing cohort.

Depicting and predicting changes of lung after lobectomy for cancer by using CT images.

Lobectomy is an effective and well-established therapy for localized lung cancer. This study aimed to assess the lung and lobe change after lobectomy and predict the postoperative lung volume. The study included 135 lung cancer patients from two hospitals who underwent lobectomy (32, right upper lobectomy (RUL); 31, right middle lobectomy (RML); 24, right lower lobectomy (RLL); 26, left upper lobectomy (LUL); 22, left lower lobectomy (LLL)). We initially employ a convolutional neural network model (nnU-Net) for automatically segmenting pulmonary lobes. Subsequently, we assess the volume, effective lung volume (ELV), and attenuation distribution for each lobe as well as the entire lung, before and after lobectomy. Ultimately, we formulate a machine learning model, incorporating linear regression (LR) and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) methods, to predict the postoperative lung volume. Due to the physiological compensation, the decreased TLV is about 10.73%, 8.12%, 13.46%, 11.47%, and 12.03% for the RUL, RML, RLL, LUL, and LLL, respectively. The attenuation distribution in each lobe changed little for all types of lobectomy. LR and MLP models achieved a mean absolute percentage error of 9.8% and 14.2%, respectively. Radiological findings and a predictive model of postoperative lung volume might help plan the lobectomy and improve the prognosis.

Long-term survival after multidisciplinary treatments for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver and lung metastases

BackgroundTrastuzumab-based chemotherapy is a standard treatment regimen for human epithelial growth factor 2 (HER2)-positive gastric cancer. This is a case of a patient who has survived 12 years after being diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver and lung metastases.Case presentationA woman in her 70s underwent total gastrectomy, cholecystectomy, and left hepatic lobectomy for gastric cancer with liver metastasis. One month after the surgery, multiple liver metastases appeared. After two courses of S-1 + CDDP chemotherapy, the liver metastases disappeared, and new lung metastases occurred. Because the primary tumor was HER2 positive, S-1 + CDDP + trastuzumab chemotherapy was performed. After one course of chemotherapy, the blood test showed pancytopenia, and CDDP was discontinued. S-1 + trastuzumab chemotherapy was then initiated, and as a result, the lung metastases disappeared. The patient is alive without recurrence 12 years after the surgery.ConclusionsWe encountered a case of long-term survival after multidisciplinary treatments for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver and lung metastases.

Reassessing surgical guidelines for papillary thyroid cancer impact on survival: Expanding indications for lobectomy

BackgroundComparisons of lobectomy versus total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer have not addressed significant threats to valid inference from observational data. The purpose of this study was to compare survival after lobectomy versus total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer while addressing bias from unmeasured confounding. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 84,300 patients treated with lobectomy or total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer in the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2017. The primary outcome was overall survival evaluated by flexible parametric survival models and inverse probability weighting on the propensity score. Bias from unobserved confounding was assessed using two-way deterministic sensitivity analysis and 2-stage least squares regression. ResultsThe median age of treated patients was 48 years (interquartile range, 37–59), 78% were women, and 76% were white. We found no statistically significant differences in overall survival or 5- and 10-year survival between patients treated with lobectomy or total thyroidectomy. Additionally, we found no statistically significant difference in survival by subgroups, including tumor size (<4 cm or ≥4 cm), age (<65 or ≥65), or estimated risk of mortality. Sensitivity analyses suggested that an unmeasured confounder would need to have an extremely large effect to change the primary finding. ConclusionThis is the first study to compare lobectomy and total thyroidectomy outcomes while adjusting for and quantifying the potential effects of unmeasured confounding variables on observational data. The findings suggest that total thyroidectomy is unlikely to offer a survival advantage over lobectomy regardless of tumor size, patient age, or overall risk of death.

Response to: Comment on: Textbook Outcomes following Open Live Donor Right Hepatectomy and Open Right Hepatic Lobectomy for Cancer in 686 patients: Re-defining the Benchmark.

We read the letter to the editor by Liu et al regarding our recently published study on right hepatectomy (RH) textbook outcomes (TO) with great interest.1,2 We want to thank Liu et al for acknowledging our work and for their insightful comments, which we are hoping to address below. First, the authors mention that in their experience, “real-world” RH for cancer is more commonly performed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while in our study, the most common indication was colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) in 58.4% of patients. Consequently, we observed a low rate of cirrhosis (5.4%) in our RH population, whereas Liu et al argue that the rate of cirrhosis could be higher in their patient population where RH is more often performed for HCC. We acknowledge that liver resection is often performed for HCC in Eastern centers, but in Western countries CRLM remains the most common indication for liver resection, including RH.2–5 The authors point that the presence of cirrhosis could affect the patient’s ability to achieve a TO is well taken. In fact, this could be one of the reasons why we observed a much higher rate of TO (92.2%) in live donor patients, where the prevalence of cirrhosis was zero, compared to TO in cancer patients (53.7%), where cirrhosis was present in 5.4% of patients. Second, we agree with the authors that abnormal BMI, either too low, indicating malnutrition, or too high, indicating obesity, is an important marker of patient’s baseline health. Liu et al have previously published on the association of abnormal BMI with failure of TO after liver resection for HCC.6 Although, in our study, logistic regression did not reveal BMI to be associated with TO in either the cancer or the live donor patients, this could be due to fact that we analyzed BMI as a continuous variable. However, similar to the discussion about cirrhosis above, live donor patients had lower BMI on average compared cancer patients, and this difference could partially account for the higher TO rates in the live donor cohort. We certainly aim to investigate the association of BMI with TO rates in a more granular fashion in the future, by grouping BMI similarly to the methodology described by Liu et al. Third, the authors make the interesting suggestion of using advanced statistical methods, such as propensity score matching, to balance the baseline clinicopathologic factors of the cancer and live donor patients and then compare TO rates between the 2 groups. They argue that the baseline large differences in the 2 populations may not make direct TO comparisons statistically appropriate without matching. Although we definitely considered the above when designing our study, we decided that our main goal was to report on our entire and unedited experience with 686 RH patients over a decade and we did not want to exclude patients that could not be matched. Consequently, the data reported in our article represent true “real-world” TO rates after RH performed either for cancer or live donor purposes in a high-volume Western center. We acknowledge that the live donor group consisted of younger, healthier, and thinner patients, and we discuss how these factors likely contributed to the much higher TO rates in that group. However, we believe that this unique population of patients that underwent RH while otherwise healthy, gave us the opportunity to uncover the “best-achievable” TO results following this operation. In summary, we want to thank Liu et al for their thoughtful appraisal of our work and we are content that our study is generating productive discussion amongst liver surgeons with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for our patients. Acknowledgments E.D., D.G., and A.H. contributed equally to this work.

Evaluation of an enhanced recovery after lung surgery (ERALS) program in lung cancer lobectomy: An eight-year experience

IntroductionEnhanced recovery after lung surgery (ERALS) protocols have proven useful in reducing postoperative stay (POS) and postoperative complications (POC). We studied the performance of an ERALS program for lung cancer lobectomy in our institution, aiming to identify which factors are associated with a reduction of POC and POS. MethodsAnalytic retrospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital involving patients submitted to lobectomy for lung cancer and included in an ERALS program. Univariable and multivariable analysis were employed to identify factors associated with increased risk of POC and prolonged POS. ResultsA total 624 patients were enrolled in the ERALS program. The median POS was 4 days (range 1–63), with 2.9% of ICU postoperative admission. A videothoracoscopic approach was used in 66.6% of cases, and 174 patients (27.9%) experienced at least one POC. Perioperative mortality rate was 0.8% (5 cases). Mobilization to chair in the first 24h after surgery was achieved in 82.5% of cases, with 46.5% of patients achieving ambulation in the first 24h. Absence of mobilization to chair and preoperative FEV1% less than 60% predicted, were identified as independent risk factors for POC, while thoracotomy approach and the presence of POC predicted prolonged POS. ConclusionsWe observed a reduction in ICU admissions and POS contemporaneous with the use of an ERALS program in our institution. We demonstrated that early mobilization and videothoracoscopic approach are modifiable independent predictors of reduced POC and POS, respectively.

Disparities in Access to Thoracic Surgeons among Patients Receiving Lung Lobectomy in the United States

Lung lobectomy is the standard of care for early-stage lung cancer. Studies have suggested improved outcomes associated with lobectomy performed by specialized thoracic surgery providers. We hypothesized that disparities would exist regarding access to thoracic surgeons among patients receiving lung lobectomy for cancer. The Premier Hospital Database was used to identify adult inpatients receiving lung lobectomy from 2009 to 2019. Patients were categorized as receiving their lobectomy from a thoracic surgeon, cardiovascular surgeon, or general surgeon. Sample-weighted multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with provider type. When adjusted for sampling, 121,711 patients were analyzed, including 71,709 (58.9%) who received lobectomy by a thoracic surgeon, 36,630 (30.1%) by a cardiovascular surgeon, and 13,373 (11.0%) by a general surgeon. Multivariable analysis showed that thoracic surgeon provider type was less likely with Black patients, Medicaid insurance, smaller hospital size, in the western region, and in rural areas. In addition, non-thoracic surgery specialty was less likely to perform minimally-invasive (MIS) lobectomy (cardiovascular OR 0.80, p < 0.001, general surgery OR 0.85, p = 0.003). In this nationally representative analysis, smaller, rural, non-teaching hospitals, and certain regions of the United States are less likely to receive lobectomy from a thoracic surgeon. Thoracic surgeon specialization is also independently associated with utilization of minimally invasive lobectomy. Combined, there are significant disparities in access to guideline-directed surgical care of patients receiving lung lobectomy.

Textbook Outcomes following Open Live Donor Right Hepatectomy and Open Right Hepatic Lobectomy for Cancer in 686 patients: Re-defining the Benchmark.

To compare textbook outcomes (TO) of open live donor right hepatectomy (RH) versus open right hepatic lobectomy for cancer in a single Western center, and to identify clinical factors associated with failure to achieve a TO. TO, a composite quality measure that captures multiple aspects of peri-operative care, has not been thoroughly studied in open RH. We hypothesized that TO rates after RH for live donor transplant could represent the "best-achievable" results of this operation and could serve as the benchmark for RH performed for an oncologic indication. A prospective database was reviewed to compare TO rates after RH for live donor purposes versus RH for cancer at a single center from 2010-2020. A TO was defined as achieving 7 metrics: no peri-operative transfusion, no major postoperative complications, no significant bile leak, no unplanned transfer to the ICU, no 30-day mortality, no 30-day re-admission, and no R1 margins for cancer cases. Amongst 686 RH patients (371 live donor and 315 cancer cases), a TO was achieved in 92.2% of RH donors and 53.7% of RH cancer cases. Live donor patients tended to be younger, healthier, and thinner. Amongst donors, increased intra-operative blood loss, and in cancer cases, male gender, tumor size, and increased intra-operative blood loss were associated with TO failure. A TO can be achieved in over 90% of patients undergoing living donor RH and in approximately half of RH cancer cases. These metrics represent a new benchmark for "real-world" TO after open RH.

4D flow MRIで肺葉切除術後の急性期に肺動脈本幹に渦流を認めた1例：致死的呼吸不全の予兆であった可能性

4D flow MRIで肺葉切除術後の急性期に肺動脈本幹に渦流を認めた1例：致死的呼吸不全の予兆であった可能性

Total thyroidectomy vs thyroid lobectomy for localized medullary thyroid cancer in adults: A propensity-matched survival analysis

BackgroundThis study aimed to clarify whether the extent of thyroidectomy (total thyroidectomy vs thyroid lobectomy) influences survival in adults with localized medullary thyroid cancer. MethodsPatients with localized medullary thyroid cancer were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2000–2018). An independent cohort of patients with localized medullary thyroid cancer were retrospectively reviewed from three medical centers in China from 2010 to 2020. The patients were grouped by the extent of surgery (total thyroidectomy vs thyroid lobectomy). Primary end points were overall survival and disease-specific survival. ResultsFrom 1,686 patients with medullary thyroid cancer identified in SEER, 1,122 patients met inclusion for matching, with a median follow-up of 99 months. After propensity score matching, 122 patients underwent a total thyroidectomy and 122 patients underwent a thyroid lobectomy. The 10-year overall survival was 85.2% (77.9%–90.7%) and 83.1% (75.5%–90.7%) in total thyroidectomy group and in thyroid lobectomy group, respectively. The 10-year disease-specific survival was 100% and 96.8% (93.1%–100%) in total thyroidectomy group and in thyroid lobectomy group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival or disease-specific survival in patients with localized medullary thyroid cancer undergoing total thyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy (hazard ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.44–1.57, P = .57 and hazard ratio = 0.49, 95% confidence interval 0.10–2.41, P = .39, respectively). Forty-seven patients with localized medullary thyroid cancer were identified in an independent Chinese cohort (n = 29 in total thyroidectomy group vs n = 18 in thyroid lobectomy group). After a median follow-up of 47 months, there was no mortality observed in either group. ConclusionThis study suggests that the extent of thyroidectomy does not influence survival for patients with early-stage localized medullary thyroid cancer and that thyroid lobectomy might be adequate in this patient population.

Ventilatory efficiency in combination with peak oxygen uptake improves risk stratification in patients undergoing lobectomy

ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate whether or not using the slope of the increase in minute ventilation in relation to carbon dioxide (VE/VCo2-slope), with a cutoff value of 35, could improve risk stratification for major pulmonary complications or death following lobectomy in lung cancer patients at moderate risk (Vo2peak = 10-20 mL/kg/min). MethodsSingle center, retrospective analysis of 146 patients with lung cancer who underwent lobectomy and preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing in 2008-2020. The main outcome was any major pulmonary complication or death within 30 days of surgery. Patients were categorized based on their preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing as: low-risk group, peak oxygen uptake >20 mL/kg/min; low-moderate risk, peak oxygen uptake 10 to 20 mL/kg/min and VE/VCo2-slope <35; and moderate-high risk, peak oxygen uptake 10 to 20 mL/kg/min and VE/VCo2-slope ≥35. The frequency of complications between groups was compared using χ2 test. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio with 95% CI for the main outcome based on the cardiopulmonary exercise testing group. ResultsOverall, 25 patients (17%) experienced a major pulmonary complication or died (2 deaths). The frequency of complications differed between the cardiopulmonary exercise testing groups: 29%, 13%, and 8% in the moderate-high, low-moderate, and low-risk group, respectively (P = .023). Using the low-risk group as reference, the adjusted odds ratio for the low-moderate risk group was 3.44 (95% CI, 0.66-17.90), whereas the odds ratio for the moderate-high risk group was 8.87 (95% CI, 1.86-42.39). ConclusionsUsing the VE/VCo2-slope with a cutoff value of 35 improved risk stratification for major pulmonary complications following lobectomy in lung cancer patients with moderate risk based on a peak oxygen uptake of 10 to 20 mL/kg/min. This suggests that the VE/VCo2-slope can be used for preoperative risk evaluation in lung cancer lobectomy.

Postoperative cerebral infarction risk is related to lobectomy site in lung cancer: a retrospective cohort study of nationwide data in Japan

ObjectivesTo determine the incidence of cerebral infarction after lobectomy at different sites using inpatient data from a diagnosis procedure combination database.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingData were retrieved from the Japanese diagnosis procedure...

Graves' disease diagnosed in remnant thyroid after lobectomy for thyroid cancer.

The coexistence of Graves' disease with thyroid cancer is well-known and total thyroidectomy is recommended in such cases. However, Graves' disease might be dormant at the time of surgery and diagnosed after lobectomy for thyroid cancer. We assessed the incidence and clinicopathological characteristic of newly developed Graves' disease after lobectomy for thyroid cancer between 2010 and 2019. In all, 11043 patients underwent lobectomy for thyroid cancer during the study period, and 26 (0.2%) were diagnosed with Graves' disease during follow-up. The median age was 43.8 years, 88.5% were female, and all were euthyroid before surgery. The median time from lobectomy to the diagnosis of Graves' disease was 3.3 years. Half of the patients were diagnosed based on thyroid function tests during routine follow-up, and others were diagnosed due to symptoms of thyrotoxicosis. Among patients who had checked preoperative thyroid autoantibodies, 61.1% showed positivity. Twenty-one (80.8%), and 2 (7.7%) patients received antithyroid drugs and radioactive iodine therapy, respectively, and 3 (11.5%) underwent completion thyroidectomy. Although rare, Graves' disease can occur in the remnant thyroid after lobectomy. Such patients are more likely to have autoantibodies. An appropriate workup is required when hyperthyroidism is found during the follow-up of patients after lobectomy.

Evaluation of an enhanced recovery after lung surgery (ERALS) program in lung cancer lobectomy: An eight-year experience

IntroductionEnhanced recovery after lung surgery (ERALS) protocols have proven useful in reducing postoperative stay (POS) and postoperative complications (POC). We studied the performance of an ERALS program for lung cancer lobectomy in our institution, aiming to identify which factors are associated with a reduction of POC and POS. MethodsAnalytic retrospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital involving patients submitted to lobectomy for lung cancer and included in an ERALS program. Univariable and multivariable analysis were employed to identify factors associated with increased risk of POC and prolonged POS. ResultsA total 624 patients were enrolled in the ERALS program. The median POS was 4 days (range 1–63), with 2.9% of ICU postoperative admission. A videothoracoscopic approach was used in 66.6% of cases, and 174 patients (27.9%) experienced at least one POC. Perioperative mortality rate was 0.8% (5 cases). Mobilization to chair in the first 24h after surgery was achieved in 82.5% of cases, with 46.5% of patients achieving ambulation in the first 24h. Absence of mobilization to chair and preoperative FEV1% less than 60% predicted, were identified as independent risk factors for POC, while thoracotomy approach and the presence of POC predicted prolonged POS. ConclusionsWe observed a reduction in ICU admissions and POS contemporaneous with the use of an ERALS program in our institution. We demonstrated that early mobilization and videothoracoscopic approach are modifiable independent predictors of reduced POC and POS, respectively.

Does Operative Duration of Lobectomy for Early Lung Cancer Increase Perioperative Morbidity?

BackgroundLonger bariatric, colorectal, plastic, spine, and urologic operations increase complications and lengths of stay. We aimed to determine whether this is a risk factor for lung lobectomy morbidity. MethodsThe Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was queried for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer lobectomy with surgical duration treated as a continuous variable. Univariate and multivariate analyses compared patient and clinical characteristics with perioperative outcomes and procedure durations. Robotic cases were combined with thoracoscopic cases for duration analyses into a minimally invasive group. All analyses were conducted in SAS v9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) at a significance level of .05. ResultsIn 17,852 patients mean duration of thoracotomy, thoracoscopy, and robotic lobectomies were 178 ± 84, 185 ± 73, and 214 ± 82 minutes, respectively (P < .001). The most common complications were prolonged air leak (12.3%), atrial fibrillation (12%), pneumonia (4.4%), and atelectasis requiring bronchoscopy (4.1%). Procedure duration was associated with increased odds of intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusion (P < .001) and length of stay > 5 days (P < .001) for both thoracotomy and minimally invasive lobectomy. Increased odds of pneumonia (P < .001), atelectasis (P < .001), and unexpected intensive care unit admission (P = .006) for thoracotomy lobectomy were associated with longer procedure duration. Increased lobectomy duration was not associated with readmission (P = .549) or 30-day mortality (P = .208). ConclusionsLonger early-stage lung cancer lobectomy durations are associated with postoperative morbidity and increased length of stay. Although the effects of protracted operation times on long-term survival are unknown, short-term mortality differences were not detected. Measures that decrease operative durations without sacrificing safety and oncologic outcome should be undertaken by surgeons and hospital systems.