Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer and so it is fitting that we start the first of our disease-specific oncology series with this diagnosis. This week, we sit down with Thoracic Surgeon, Dr. Jane Yanagawa to discuss surgical considerations in treatment of NSCLC. * How do you choose what type of surgical resection to do?- Considerations: --Lung anatomy --Location of the nodule within lung--Lymph node involvement-Options: --Pneumonectomy: removal of whole lung --Lobectomy: remove a whole lobe--Segmentectomy/sublobar resection: part of a lobe* What does “adequate margins” mean? And how do you know if it’s enough?- If you’re removing the whole lobe, it does not matter as much - If you’re doing a segmentectomy, you want to have samples evaluated while in the OR because if there is signs of more disease that initially thought, you would take this one step further and do a lobectomy. - Need to consider the patient’s situation - how good is their status * Why does preoperative workup matter?- Pulmonary function tests: Surgeons are looking at the %FEV1 and %DLCO to then predict what their function would be AFTER surgery. After surgery, they want to ensure patient has %FEV1 or %DLCO >40%. - Lung anatomy: In patients with COPD and endobronchial lesions, sometimes they also get V/Q scans to evaluate ratio- Cardiac echo: Important in pneumonectomy where removal of lung tissue will also remove a significant amount of blood vessels. Want to rule out pulmonary hypertension pre-operatively. - Pulmonary hypertension can also affect someone’s survival while they’re ventilating with only one lung during the procedure (“single lung ventilation”). - Smoking status: Smoking can increase complications by ~60%. - Pre-habilitation: Encouraging patients to be fit prior to surgery with walking, nutrition, +/- pulmonary rehabilitation* What is “VATS”?- VATS stands for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery; it is not, in itself, a procedure. But a VATS allows for minimally invasive surgery through the use of a camera. - It involves three incisions (axilla, lowest part of mid-axillary line, one posterior)* In what scenario is a mediastinoscopy warranted? - Needed after EBUS if there is still high index of suspicion for cancer involvement in lymph nodes, even if lymph nodes are negative from EBUS* What is “systematic lymph node sampling”?- An organized way to sample lymph nodes, including all lymph nodes that are along the way, not just the ones that may be involved * As a surgeon, how do you determine if a patient is okay for surgery if the mass is invading another structure?- Need to take the anatomy into consideration - are there major blood vessels or nerves there, for instance, which can impact outcome and recovery.* When should we consider induction chemotherapy from a surgeon’s perspective?- Lots of changes in this sphere coming; lots of discrepancy between institutions when there is N2 disease - In Dr. Yanagawa’s opinion, anyone with N2 disease should get neoadjuvant therapy * If there is neoadjuvant chemoradiation given, how does that effect your surgery?- Radiation increases scar tissue in the lung tissue. But what is worse is that radiation neoadjuvantly may make wound healing more difficult. She does not prefer radiation pre-operatively- Chemotherapy also adds scar tissue*How does neoadjuvant IO therapy affect scar tissue formation?- The hilum and lymph nodes are more swollen, but does not translate to more complications - She has even seen patients who had gotten IO for another cancer and then get lung cancer, she can still appreciate swollen nodes!* How long after surgery is it safe to start adjuvant therapy?- If patient has a complication from surgery, would not start right away. It is important to discuss with the surgeon about when it is okay to proceed with adjuvant therapy. - If patient has good recovery/without complications, okay to start about 4 weeks after- There is no good guidance yet about when it is saf