Protocol of an iterative qualitative study to develop a molecular testing decision aid for shared decision-making in patients with lung cancer after surgery

Comparison of early patient-reported outcomes between uniportal thoracoscopic segmentectomy and wedge resection for peripheral small-sized non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Analysis of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) offers valuable insights into distinguishing the effects of closely related medical procedures from the patient's perspective. In this study we compared symptom burden in patients undergoing uniportal thoracoscopic segmentectomy and wedge resection for peripheral small-sized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

This study included patients with peripheral NSCLC from an ongoing longitudinal prospective cohort study (CN-PRO-Lung 3) who underwent segmentectomy or wedge resection with tumor diameter ≤ 2 cm and consolidation tumor ratio (CTR) ≤ 0.5. PROs data were collected using the Perioperative Symptom Assessment for Lung Surgery questionnaire pre-operatively, daily post-surgery up to the fourth hospitalization day, and weekly post-discharge up to the fourth week. Propensity score matching and a generalized estimation equation model were employed to compare symptom severity. In addition, short-term clinical outcomes were compared.

RESULTS

In total, data of 286 patients (82.4%) undergoing segmentectomy and 61 patients (17.6%) undergoing wedge resection were extracted from the cohort. No statistically significant differences were found in the proportion of moderate-to-severe symptoms and mean scores for pain, cough, shortness of breath, disturbed sleep, fatigue, drowsiness, and distress during the 4-day postoperative hospitalization or the 4-week post-discharge period before or after matching (all p > 0.05). Compared with segmentectomy, wedge resection showed better short-term clinical outcomes, including shorter operative time (p = 0.001), less intraoperative bleeding (p = 0.046), and lower total hospital costs (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings indicate that uniportal thoracoscopic segmentectomy and wedge resection exert similar early postoperative symptom burden in patients with peripheral NSCLC (tumor diameter ≤ 2 cm and CTR ≤ 0.5).

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

Multidisciplinary management and surgical resection of a rare posterior mediastinal haemangioma

Mediastinal haemangiomas pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges owing to their rarity and complex anatomy. A 36-year-old man, with a history of smoking and drinking, presented with a posterior mediastinal mass with back pain. Initial investigations suggested a lymphangioma. However, owing to persistent symptoms and complex pathology, we performed surgical intervention involving open resection of the tumour, which was closely associated with the descending aorta and extended into the right posterior mediastinum. The surgical approach was influenced by the proximity of the tumour to vital structures, necessitating an open procedure. Postoperative complications included chylothorax, managed with a fat-free diet. The final pathological diagnosis was consistent with a benign vascular tumour with a low proliferative rate. Two months post-surgery, computed tomography revealed no complications, and the patient's pain had decreased. A multidisciplinary approach and surgical intervention played important roles in the diagnosis and treatment of this posterior mediastinal haemangioma.

Robotic-assisted right upper lobectomy with systemic pulmonary vein anomaly: a case report

BACKGROUND

While the role of low-dose computed tomography (CT) in lung cancer screening is established, its limitations in detailing pulmonary vascular variations are less emphasized. Three-dimensional reconstruction technology allows surgeons to reconstruct a patient's bronchial and pulmonary vascular structures using CT scan results. However, low-dose CT may not provide the same level of clarity as enhanced CT in displaying pulmonary vascular details. This limitation can be unfavorable for preoperative detection of potential pulmonary vascular variations, especially in cases involving planned segmentectomy.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of a 58-year-old female with lung cancer, initially planned for Da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic segmentectomy. Unexpectedly, during surgery, a pulmonary vein variation in the right upper lobe was discovered, leading to a change in the surgical method to a lobectomy. The patient had four variant right upper lobe veins draining into the superior vena cava and one into the left atrium. The surgery was complicated by significant bleeding and postoperative pulmonary congestion. Postoperative pathology confirmed adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

This case highlights the importance of meticulous intraoperative exploration, particularly in cases involving planned segmentectomy, as unexpected pulmonary vein variations can significantly affect surgical decision-making. While three-dimensional reconstruction based on preoperative CT data is a valuable tool, it may not capture the full complexity of the anatomical variations. We discuss potential preoperative imaging techniques, including contrast-enhanced CT and CT angiography, as methods to better identify these variations. The enhanced visualization provided by robot-assisted surgery plays a crucial role in identifying and adapting to these variations, underscoring the advantages of this surgical approach. Our report contributes to the existing literature by providing a detailed account of how these principles were applied in a real-world scenario, reinforcing the need for surgical adaptability and awareness of the limitations of low-dose CT in complex cases.

Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes after Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Using the Perioperative Symptom Assessment for Lung Surgery Scale

This study aimed to use a new special inventory for lung surgery patients to evaluate postoperative symptoms and functional status and to identify factors that may affect these after uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). In this single-center longitudinal cohort observational study, we used a new scale, the perioperative symptom assessment for lung surgery (PSA-Lung), to evaluate the recovery from symptoms and the functional status of patients undergoing uniportal VATS. We divided patients into two groups, according to patients' symptom scores, and compared the clinical characteristics between the two groups under each item. Then, we conducted a qualitative interview regarding coughing in postoperative week 4. Exactly 104 patients were enrolled in this study. The two highest-scoring patient-reported outcome (PRO) items were "shortness of breath" and "coughing" in the fourth week after surgery. Thirty-one patients reported that "coughing" severely influenced their lives in postoperative week 4. Using the PSA-Lung inventory, we found that "shortness of breath" was the worst symptom in postoperative week 4. Although "coughing" was not the most important symptom in the early postoperative period, it affected some patients' lives in postoperative week 4. Therefore, further research is required to determine the optimal cut-off point for coughing.