A retrospective study in the April 2025 Annals of Thoracic Surgery highlights extended sleeve lobectomy (ESL) after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy as a safe and effective option for centrally located NSCLC.
ESL offers a lung-preserving alternative to pneumonectomy, with high rates of complete tumor resection (R0) and comparable morbidity to standard sleeve lobectomy (SSL).
Postoperative complications were contained at 18.1%, showing ESL's safety post-immunochemotherapy and challenging assumptions about increased risks.
Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed no significant difference in event-free survival between ESL and SSL, with ESL even showing improved outcomes over pneumonectomy.
ESL post-neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy preserves lung function, reduces morbidity, and may enhance oncological results, marking a critical advancement in thoracic surgery.
The study emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, personalized treatments, and the transformative impact of immunotherapy on surgical options for NSCLC.
ESL requires expert surgical skills, thorough preoperative planning, and vigilant perioperative management to optimize outcomes for centrally located NSCLC patients.
The research advocates for broader adoption of ESL, potentially influencing guidelines and training in thoracic surgery, ultimately improving patient survival and quality of life.
This evidence underscores the synergy between neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and ESL, reshaping standards of care and enhancing lung cancer treatment paradigms.
The study establishes ESL as a crucial surgical alternative, offering hope for improved outcomes and patient-centered care in the management of centrally located NSCLC.