Transthoracic needle biopsy versus surgical diagnosis for solid pulmonary nodules.

Background: When investigating solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN), non-surgical [such as transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB)] or surgical biopsies can be performed. There is a paucity of data comparing these two approaches. Methods: This descriptive study is a retrospective analysis of a cohort of 149 patients who underwent TTNB and/or surgery for a SPN >8 mm but ≤3 cm between January and December 2016, at Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ). Our primary objective was to evaluate the proportion of patients investigated with TTNB vs. surgical diagnosis in our center. Secondary objectives were to examine the distribution of diagnoses (malignancy vs. benign lesion), to evaluate the proportion of TTNB that would yield a benign diagnosis and permit to avoid surgery, to evaluate if delays to surgery were longer when preoperative TTNB was performed, and if operative times were longer with upfront surgery. Results: In our cohort, 87 patients (58%) underwent TTNB, while 62 (42%) had an upfront surgical procedure. One hundred and twenty-eight patients (86%) had a malignant diagnosis. Thirteen patients out of the 87 biopsied (15%) avoided surgery owing to a benign biopsy result, or a non-specific diagnosis and a physician reassured enough to decide for radiological surveillance, while 5/62 patients (8%) who underwent upfront surgery had a benign diagnosis. There was no significant difference in delays from imaging to surgery or in operative time between patients with or without prior TTNB. Conclusions: In this unicentric retrospective cohort of patients investigated for SPN, the malignancy rate was high (86%), which seemed to limit the applicability of prediction models. Adherence to guidelines for the investigation of SPN by physicians seemed suboptimal. More real-world prospective studies are needed to compare non-surgical and surgical biopsies. There is also a need for simpler nodule evaluation algorithms.

A Prediction Model to Optimize Invasive Mediastinal Staging Procedures for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer in Patients With a Radiologically Normal Mediastinum: The Quebec Prediction Model.

BACKGROUND: Current guideline-recommended criteria for invasive mediastinal staging in patients with a radiologically normal mediastinum fail to identify a significant proportion of patients with occult mediastinal disease (OMD), despite it leading to a large number of invasive staging procedures. RESEARCH QUESTION: Which variables available before surgery predict the probability of OMD in patients with a radiologically normal mediastinum? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We identified all cTxN0/N1M0 non-small cell lung cancer tumors staged by CT imaging and PET with CT imaging in our institution between 2014 and 2018 who underwent gold standard surgical lymph node dissection or were demonstrated to have OMD before surgery by invasive mediastinal staging techniques and divided them into a derivation and an independent validation cohort to create the Quebec Prediction Model (QPM), which allows calculation of the probability of OMD. RESULTS: Eight hundred three patients were identified (development set, n = 502; validation set, n = 301) with a prevalence of OMD of 9.1%. The developed prediction model included largest mediastinal lymph node size (P < .001), tumor centrality (P = .23), presence of cN1 disease (P = .29), and lesion standardized uptake value (P = .09). Using a calculated probability of more than 10% as a threshold to identify OMD, this model had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in the derivation cohort of 73.9% (95% CI, 58.9%-85.7%), 81.1% (95% CI, 77.2%-84.6%), 28.3% (95% CI, 23.4%-33.8%), and 96.8% (95% CI, 95.0%-98.1%), respectively. It performed similarly in the validation cohort (P = .77, Hosmer-Lemeshow test; P = .5163, Pearson χ2 and unweighted sum-of-squares statistics; and P = .0750, Stukel score test) and outperformed current guideline-recommended criteria in identifying patients with OMD (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] for American College of Chest Physicians guidelines criteria, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.59-0.71]; AUC for European Society of Thoracic Surgeons guidelines criteria, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.54-0.67]; and AUC for the QPM, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.80-0.90]). INTERPRETATION: The QPM allows the clinician to integrate available information from CT and PET imaging to minimize invasive staging procedures that will not modify management, while also minimizing the risk of unforeseen mediastinal disease found at surgery.

The learning curve on uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery: An analysis of proficiency.

OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive techniques for lung cancer surgery have revolutionized thoracic surgery, and single-port approaches are becoming increasingly used. We analyzed our experience with uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for lobectomy to identify the number of procedures necessary to achieve proficiency according to clinical outcomes. METHODS: We queried our institutional prospective database for all single-port lobectomies in patients with early-stage lung cancer performed by a single surgeon from 2014 to 2017; 274 patients met the inclusion criteria. Using cubic splines, we derived 3 distinct learning phases based on the length of the procedure. Blood loss, additional port insertion, and conversion to thoracotomy were also compared according to these learning phases. RESULTS: The initial phase (procedures 1-60) had the longest procedure times and the most variability in procedure length (158.8 ± 52.2 minutes) compared with the transition phase (procedures 61-140; 145.9 ± 43.8 minutes) and the proficient phase (procedures 141-274; 117.9 ± 32.6 minutes, P < .001). Blood loss (156 mL vs 130.4 mL vs 64.9 mL, P = .003), conversion rate to thoracotomy (11.7% vs 3.8% vs 0.7%, P = .001), and need for a second incision (8.3% vs 5% vs 0.7%, P = .025) were all highest during the initial phase. In a multivariable model, there was a significant interaction between procedure number and learning phase (P = .003), indicating that the effect of each additional procedure on procedure length differed in each phase. CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis, a distinct learning curve for uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy was observed. Procedure time decreased sharply at approximately the 60th procedure, but 80 additional lobectomies were required to master the approach.

Central location and risk of imaging occult mediastinal lymph node involvement in cN0T2-4 non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate pre-operative staging is a cornerstone in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Central location and size greater than 3 cm are amongst indications for pre-operative invasive mediastinal staging but the quality of the evidence behind this recommendation is low. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all cases of cT2-4N0M0 NSCLCL after CT and TEP-CT which underwent surgical resection with lymph node dissection or had a positive invasive pre-operative mediastinal staging in our institution from 2014 to 2018. RESULTS: Three hundred and ten patients met inclusion criteria, 79 (25.5%) central and 231 (74.5%) peripheral tumors. Central tumor location was associated with a higher prevalence of pN2-3 disease (17.7% vs. 6.1%, P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, central tumor location remained the only factor statistically associated with imaging occult mediastinal disease (OR 3.23, 95% CI: 1.45-7.18). NPV of PET-CT for occult mediastinal disease was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.72-0.90) in central and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.90-0.97) in peripheral tumor. Central location was also associated with a higher prevalence of occult N1 to N3 disease (43.0% vs. 15.2%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that invasive mediastinal staging is required in central cT2-4N0 NSCLC but can be questioned in peripheral one, especially in cT2N2 subgroup if the patient is a candidate for lobar resection.

Outcomes of Uniportal vs Multiportal Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy.

The optimal number of incisions for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy, the standard treatment for early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is still a matter of great debate. To compare single-incision (uniportal) VATS (U-VATS) with traditional multiportal VATS (M-VATS), we retrospectively reviewed the surgical outcomes of a large cohort of patients. Our prospectively maintained institutional database was queried retrospectively. All patients from 2014 to 2017 who underwent VATS lobectomy as the primary procedure for clinical stage I or II NSCLC were identified. A univariate comparison and a propensity-matched analysis incorporating preoperative variables were performed. The incidence of postoperative complications was compared. During the study period, 722 patients underwent VATS lobectomy for early-stage NSCLC, 62% by M-VATS, and 38% by U-VATS. In the univariate analysis, U-VATS performed by an experienced surgeon was associated with decreased intraoperative bleeding and shortened duration of surgery, duration of chest tube drainage, and length of hospital stay as compared with M-VATS (P < 0.001). Mediastinal lymph node dissection and complete resection were accomplished similarly using U-VATS and M-VATS. When the 2 approaches were compared through propensity matching, U-VATS was associated with fewer pneumonias (P = 0.012), as well as decreased intraoperative bleeding (P < 0.001), faster surgery (P < 0.001), shorter duration of chest tube drainage (P = 0.001), and shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001). At our institution, in the hands of an experienced surgeon, U-VATS lobectomy is safe, feasible, and can result in similar short-term outcomes for early-stage NSCLC as compared with M-VATS.

Enhanced recovery pathways in thoracic surgery: the Quebec experience.

BACKGROUND: Canada has a universal public health system where all resources must be allocated to optimize cost-effectiveness. Rapid diagnostic assessment programs (DAPs) and enhanced recovery protocols (ERPs) may improve timeliness of care and postoperative outcomes and thus reduce costs. The use of DAPs and ERPs in lung cancer patients who undergo lobectomy via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is still controversial. This study measured the time between preoperative workup and treatment with a DAP and evaluated the impact of an ERP postoperatively in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received a VATS lobectomy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent minimally invasive lobectomy for the primary treatment of lung cancer from January 2014 through May 2017 at our institution. Timelines of care were measured. Postoperatively, the duration of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, and incidence of complications were noted. RESULTS: During the study period, 646 patients underwent VATS lobectomy for stage I or II NSCLC; of these, 384 (59%) were assessed within the DAP. Using the DAP, the median time between the patient's first clinic visit and referral to surgery was 30.0 days [interquartile range (IQR), 21.0-40.0 days), and the median time between surgical consult and treatment was 29.0 days (IQR, 15.0-47.5 days). With the ERP, the median duration of chest drainage was 3.0 days (IQR, 2.0-6.0 days), and median hospital stay was 4.0 days (IQR, 3.0-7.0 days). CONCLUSIONS: DAPs and ERPs have promising roles in thoracic surgical practice. A rapid DAP can expedite the care trajectory of patients with lung cancer and has allowed our institution to adhere to governmental standards for the management of lung cancer. ERPs are feasible to establish and can effectively improve clinical outcomes.