[A case of diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) syndrome]. / Un cas clinique de syndrome d'hyperplasie neuroendocrine pulmonaire diffuse idiopathique (DIPNECH).

INTRODUCTION: DIPNECH is a strictly histological entity according to the WHO 2015 classification and is considered to be at pre-neoplastic risk. It has been proposed that DIPNECH syndrome should be used to describe patients have clinical symptoms, an obstructive ventilatory disorder and compatible radiological abnormalities. The diagnosis is histological and usually based on a surgical lung biopsy. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with a chronic cough for over 20years who had an obstructive airway pattern on spirometry. Diagnoses of asthma and COPD had been discussed. After 7years of follow-up, the DIPNECH hypothesis was evoked on the scanning aspect of mosaic attenuation, expiratory trapping and micronodules, which was subsequently confirmed by surgical pulmonary biopsy. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to consider the possibility of this rare disease in order to avoid inappropriate treatments and in the hope that future therapeutic advances (somatostatin analogs, mTOR inhibitors) improve patients' experience and the progression of respiratory function.

[Assessment of muscular toxicity due to chemotherapy by cardio-pulmonary exercise testing]. / Évaluation de la toxicité musculaire de la chimiothérapie lors d'une épreuve fonctionnelle à l'exercice.

INTRODUCTION: Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is frequently used to assess aerobic capacity, to evaluate respiratory tolerance and to provide prognostic information. Therefore, CPET is often incorporated in the preoperative assessment of cancer patients. This clinical case report presents the preoperative assessment of a patient before thoracic surgery, in whom an important decrease of aerobic capacity was noted, possibly because of muscular toxicity linked to chemotherapy. CASE REPORT: This clinical case concerns a fit, 66-year-old man with a large cell carcinoma of the bronchus. He had received 2 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Subsequently, a left pneumonectomy had been proposed and preoperative assessment performed. CPET showed no further increase in oxygen uptake after the first ventilatory threshold, in spite of increases in carbon dioxide output, minute ventilation and heart rate. Moreover, maximal oxygen uptake was low and there was a decrease of oxygen pulse at maximal effort. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the limitation of effort was due to a limitation of muscular oxygen extraction, which could be explained by possible muscular toxicity due to chemotherapy.

[Postoperative risk after induction treatment on surgery in non-small cell lung cancer]. / Retentissement opératoire des traitements néoadjuvants sur la chirurgie dans les cancers bronchiques non à petites cellules.

Induction treatments in non-small cell lung cancer are usually discussed. Long-term survival after surgery and resecability are enhanced in locally advanced cancers. Morbidity and mortality observed after surgery limit the use of these treatments, despite they depend on many other factors: comorbidities in patient, smoking status, cancer staging, and type of surgery. Right pneumectomy enhances this risk more than left pneumectomy or other limited resections allowed by neoadjuvant treatments, especially in case of downstaging.

[Lung cancer in women: surgical aspects related to gender]. / Cancer du poumon chez la femme: aspects chirurgicaux liés au sexe.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is becoming more and more common in women where it presents significant differences at both clinical and therapeutic levels. Our purpose was to study those associated with surgical treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 2972 patients were operated on between 1984 and 2002: 2480 men and 492 women. These two populations were compared (age, past history, investigations, interventions, TNM stage, long term survival and causes of death). RESULTS: The number of women increased with time; they were younger than the men, smoked less, had the same past history of cancer but less past medical history, and comorbidity. They underwent less pneumonectomies and had a lower postoperative mortality. Tumour size was smaller (39.5 vs 43.5cm, p=0.0001); N0 and stage I tumours were more frequent (52.6% vs 46% p=0.0074). Long term survival was better (48.6% vs 43.1%, p=0.016), particularly in stage I and with a past history of cancer. It was identical in stage III despite a higher incidence of multisite N2 disease. Smoking and adenocarcinoma were more frequent before the menopause and N2 prognosis deteriorated with age. CONCLUSION: These results confirm characteristics peculiar to lung cancer in women and warrant further investigation aimed at their better understanding. However, in multivariate analysis gender does not appear to be an independent prognostic factor.

[Lung cancer measuring 1cm or less: A miniature subset requiring surgery]. / Cancers du poumon de 1 à 10millimètres : des cancers miniatures à opérer.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer measuring 1cm or less has an apparently very good outcome. However, the characteristics permitting their oncological management are unappreciated. PATIENT AND METHOD: We reviewed 187 patients with such a cancer (145 men and 42 women, mean age 60.2years) and studied the type of surgery performed, the pTNM, and the histological features. RESULTS: Surgery (19 wedge-resections, 12 segmentectomies, 136 lobectomies, 20 pneumonectomies) was complete (R0) in 97.3%. The tumors, each precisely defined among 98 adenocarcinomas (52.4%), 83 squamous cell carcinomas (44.4%), and 6 others, measured 1mm to 10mm:<5mm (n=41), 6 to 9mm (n=43), and 10mm (n=103). There were 161 pT1 (86.1%), 22 pT2 (11.8%) and 4 pT3; 148 pN0 (79.6%), 18 pN1 (9.7%) and 20 pN2 (10.7%). pN1 and pN2 were present in tumors<5mm (12/41, 29.3%) as well as in the others (26/146, 17.8% P=0.11). Histological examination frequently discovered visceral pleura involvement (tumors:<5mm 12.2% (5/41), 6 to 9mm 7% (3/43), 10mm 13.6% (14/103), P=0.53) and lympho-vascular invasion (12.9%). Five-year survival rate (66.4%) was adversely influenced by age, type of resection, pN and histological features. The survival rate was not better in tumor<5mm. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection allows the local control of lung cancers<1cm and their complete histological study, a key issue in the therapy of the future, which renders surgery an absolute must even in very small tumors.

[Evolution of species: Lung cancer evolution over one third of a century]. / De l'évolution des espèces : évolution du cancer du poumon en un tiers de siècle.

INTRODUCTION: Management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is getting better and results on long-term survival have improved. We reviewed the modifications observed in surgery over a 32-year time period. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Data of 6105 patients who underwent surgery from 1979 to 2010 were analyzed over three equal time-periods: gender, age, type of surgery, histology, pTNM, tobacco addiction, comorbidity and time periods. RESULTS: Age, number of females and high-risk patients with comorbidity (including the history of a previous cancer) increased with time periods. Number of exploratory thoracotomy (7.7 % to 1.6 %) and pneumonectomy (48 % to 18 %) decreased. Number of wedge resection (0.5 % to 6 %) and lobectomy (42 % to 64 %) increased. Rates of the other types of resection were unchanged. Neoadjuvant treatments accounted for more than 20 % of patients in the last time period. Postoperative mortality (4 %) did not vary but non-lethal complication rates increased (16.9 % to 27.7 %). Global 5-year survival rates dramatically increased with time going from 37.4 % to 49.8 % (P<10(-6)). Survival improvement was observed in the different components of the pTNM and whatever the type of treatment. However, survival was affected by increasing age and multiplication of comorbidities but without impairing the general better outcome trend. CONCLUSION: NSCLC itself, its diagnostic and therapeutic management, and patient's characteristics evolved with time. Survival improved in most studied prognosis factors. Time period factor was of paramount importance and might be included in research dealing with NSCLC.

Survival of patients with resected N2 non-small-cell lung cancer: evidence for a subclassification and implications.

PURPOSE: Patients who suffer from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with ipsilateral mediastinal lymph node involvement (N2) belong to a heterogeneous subgroup of patients. We analyzed the prognosis of patients with resected N2 NSCLC to propose homogeneous patient subgroups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study comprised 702 consecutive patients from six French centers who underwent surgical resection of N2 NSCLC. Initially, two groups of patients were defined: patients with clinical N2 (cN2) and those with minimal N2 (mN2) disease were patients in whom N2 disease was and was not detected preoperatively at computed tomographic scan, respectively. RESULTS: The median duration of follow-up was 52 months (range, 18 to 120 months). A multivariate analysis using Cox regression identified four negative prognostic factors, namely, cN2 status (P <. 0001), involvement of multiple lymph node levels (L2+; P <.0001), pT3 to T4 stage (P <.0001), and no preoperative chemotherapy (P <. 01). For patients treated with primary surgery, 5-year survival rates were as follows: mN2, one level involved (mN2L1, n = 244): 34%; mN2, multiple level involvement (mN2L2+, n = 78): 11%; cN2L1 (n = 118): 8%; and cN2L2+ (n = 122): 3%. When only patients with mN2L1 disease were considered, the site of lymph node involvement according to the American Thoracic Society numbering system had no prognostic significance (P =.14). Preoperative chemotherapy was associated with a better prognosis for those with cN2 (P <.0001). Five-year survival rates were 18% and 5% for cN2 patients treated with and without preoperative chemotherapy, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study has identified homogeneous N2 NSCLC prognostic subgroups and suggests different therapeutic approaches according to the subgroup profile.

[Lung cancer surgery and cirrhosis]. / Chirurgie du cancer du poumon chez le cirrhotique.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is the leading cause of death by cancer and cirrhosis is the fourteenth, all causes included. Surgery increases postoperative risks in cirrhotic patients. Our purpose was to analyze this point in lung cancer surgery. METHODS: We collected, among 7162 patients, the data concerning those operated for lung cancer (n=6105) and compared patients with hepatic disease (n=448) to those presenting other medical disorder (n=2587). We analyzed cirrhotic patients' characteristics (n=49). RESULTS: Five-year survival of patients with hepatic disease was lower (n=5657/6105): 35.3% versus 43.8% for patients with no hepatic disease, P=0.0021. Survival of cirrhotic patients was not statistically different from the one of patients with other hepatic disorder, but none survived beyond 10 years (0% versus 26.4%). Surgery in cirrhotic patients consisted in one explorative thoracotomy, three wedges resections, two segmentectomies, 33 lobectomies and 10 pneumonectomies. Postoperative mortality (8.2%; 4/49) was not different for patients without hepatic disease (4.2%; 239/5657) (P=0.32), as well as the rate of complications (40.8%; 20/49 and 24.8%; 1404/5657, P=0.11). Only one postoperative death was associated to a hepatic failure. Multivariate analysis pointed age, histological subtype of the tumour and stage of disease as independent prognosis factors. CONCLUSION: When cirrhosis is well compensated, surgical resection of lung cancer can be performed with acceptable postoperative morbidity and satisfactory rates of survival. Progressive potential of this disease is worse after five years.

[Mucoepidermoid tracheo-bronchial tumors in adulthood. A series of 22 cases]. / Tumeurs muco-épidermoïdes trachéo-bronchiques chez l'adulte. À propos d'une série de 22 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Mucoepidermoid tumours (TME) are rare tumours arising from the submucosal glands of the tracheobronchial tree. The majority of these tumours develop in a benign fashion but some of them are malignant. The latter can be easily mistaken for adenosquamous carcinomas. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We have reviewed 22 patients suffering from TME observed over a period of 25 years. Two arose from the trachea and 20 from the cartilaginous bronchi; 12 of these tumours had macroscopic and histological criteria of low-grade malignancy, 4 had macroscopic and 6 macroscopic and microscopic criteria of high grade malignancy. RESULTS: Prognosis of the latter was very poor and no survival observed after 6 years follow-up, a behavior similar to that observed in non-small cell lung carcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas. CONCLUSION: The best treatment of these orphan tumours remains surgery.

[Place of limited resections and prognostic factors in non-small lung cancer]. / Place des résections limitées et leurs facteurs pronostiques dans le cancer bronchique non à petites cellules.

INTRODUCTION: Results of surgery for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are poorer after limited resection, wedge and segmentectomy, than after lobectomy. Guidelines recommend avoiding wedge-resection, which new techniques (radiofrequency ablation and cyberknife) tend to replace. This work aimed to study the wedge-resection carcinological value. PATIENTS AND METHODS: NSCLC without previous other cancer history and neoadjuvant therapy measuring less than 31 millimetres and operated from 1980 to 2009 were reviewed. Analyzed variables were: location, gender, age, FEVS, type of resection, histology, pT and pN. RESULTS: There were 66 wedge-resections (10.9%), 32 segmentectomies (5.3%), 507 lobectomies (83.8%), nine postoperative deaths (1.5%), 136 complications (22.5%), 557 complete resections (R0=92%); 72.2% of NSCLC upper lobe location (437/605). Age was more advanced in wedge-resection and segmentectomy, FEVS lower and NSCLC most often a squamous cell pN0 and pStage I carcinoma than in lobectomy. Lymphadenectomy was not performed in half the wedge-resections. Five-year survival rates were poorer after wedge-resection: 50% versus segmentectomy 59.8% (P=0.09), and lobectomy 66% (P=0.0035), but the number of recurrences was similar. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age, FEVS, type of surgery and lymphadenectomy, pN in pTNM were the only prognosis factors. CONCLUSION: Wedge-resection is less carcinological than segmentectomy when the patient-status and NSCLC location allow performing the latter, but more than the new techniques, because of its pathological yield, when the patient-status and nodule peripheral location allow wedging.

Prognostic factors after surgical resection of N1 non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with N1 involvement is associated with 5-year survival rates ranging from 7% to 55%. Numerous factors have been independently reported to explain this heterogeneous prognosis, but their relative weight on long-term survival is unknown. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgical resection for NSCLC in two French centers from 1993 to 2010 were prospectively recorded and retrospectively reviewed. The overall survival (OS) of patients undergoing first-line surgery for pN1 disease was analyzed according to the type of extension, number of metastatic LN, number and anatomic location of metastatic stations. RESULTS: The study group included 450 patients (male 80.2%, mean age 63.3 ± 9.9 years, 5-year overall survival 46%). The number of metastatic station was 1 in 340 (75.6%, single-station disease) and ≥2 in 110 patients (24.4%, multi-station disease). The number of metastatic stations was correlated with the number of metastatic LN (p < .001), and associated with adverse OS (p = .0014). The presence of intralobar metastatic LN (station 12-13-14) was associated with a mechanism of direct extension (p < .001), but did not impact OS (p = .71). The location of metastatic stations was of prognostic significance only in case of multi-station disease, with hilar (station 10) involvement being associated with adverse OS (p = .005). The 110 patients with multi-station pN1 disease and the 134 patients operated on for single-station pN0N2 (skip-N2) disease during the study period yield comparable outcome (p = .52). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with resected pN1 NSCLC, the number of metastatic stations and their location in case of multi-station disease have a prognostic value.

[Lung cancer surgery in a single-lung]. / Chirurgie du cancer bronchique sur poumon unique.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of a second lung cancer in a patient with a previous medical history of lung cancer is no longer a rarity. Also, it is possible to observe a new location in a patient who underwent pneumonectomy in the past. Surgery remains the best treatment. Our objective was to overview this subject. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 5611 patients operated in our institution, 186 (3.3%) had metachronous cancer and 17 had previous pneumonectomy (0.7% of pneumonectomies and 0.2% of NSCLC treated in our department). The procedure was diagnostic and therapeutic in 88% of cases (n=15). RESULTS: There were 16 males and 1 female, mean age was 62.5-years. All were smokers (11 were former smokers) and 6 had other medical history. Mean FEV was 52% (range 35-95%). Types of resection were 2 lobectomies, 4 segmentectomies, and 11 wedge resections. There were no postoperative deaths, but two complications. Histological subtype of the first and second cancer was the same in 11 patients. All patients were pN0 after second surgery. The long-term survival (median 33 months) was 35.3% at 5-years and 14.1% at 10-years. Two patients treated with pneumonectomy for their first cancer were pN2. Patients who underwent upper right lobectomy for treatment of their second cancer survived longer than 5-years. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection for lung cancer on single-lung is associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality. Prolonged survival can be achieved in selected patients.

[Clinical and paraclinical prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer surgery]. / Facteurs pronostiques cliniques et paracliniques dans la chirurgie du cancer du poumon non à petites cellules.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer prognosis is mainly based on the TNM, histology and molecular biology. Our aim was to analyze the prognostic value of certain clinical and paraclinical variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied among 6105 patients operated on, divided during 3 time-periods (1979 to 2010), the following prognostic factors: type of surgery, pTNM, histology, age, sex, smoking history, clinical presentation, and paraclinical variables. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality was 4% (243/6105), rate of complications was 23.3% (1424/6105). The 5-year overall survival was 43.2% and 10-year was 27%. Best survival was observed after complete resection (R0) (P<10(-6)), lobectomy (P<10(-6)), lymph node dissection (P=0.0006), early pTNM stages (P<10(-6)), absence of a solid component in adenocarcinoma. Other pejorative factors were: male gender (P=10(-5)), age (P=0.0000002), comorbidity (P=0.016), history of cancer (P<10(-5)), postoperative complications (P=0.0018), FEV lower than 80% (P=0.0000025), time-periods (P<10(-6)). All these factors were confirmed by multivariate analysis, except gender. Smoking was not poor prognostic factor in univariate analysis (P=0.09) but became significant in the multivariate one (P=0.013). CONCLUSION: Medical and human factors, and the general physiological state, play an important role in prognosis after surgery. We do not know their exact meaning and, like studies on chemotherapy, they justify special research.

Pulmonary resection for Mycobacterium xenopi pulmonary infection.

BACKGROUND: Results of medical therapy for Mycobacterium xenopi pulmonary infection remain unreliable. Pulmonary resection may be beneficial to patients whose disease is localized and who can tolerate a resectional operation. METHODS: Eighteen patients underwent pulmonary resection between 1991 and 2000: 14 men and 4 women, with a mean age of 50 +/- 12 years (range 27 to 68 years). Indications for operation were either therapeutic (n = 9) or diagnostic (n = 9). Four patients received antimycobacterial chemotherapy before their operation and 2 patients were HIV positive. RESULTS: Therapeutic procedures included completion pneumonectomy (n = 1), lobectomy (n = 6), segmentectomy (n = 1), and bilateral wedge resection (n = 1). Diagnostic procedures included lobectomy (n = 1) and wedge resection (n = 8). Complete resection could be achieved in 15 patients (83%). There was no in-hospital mortality. Postoperative complications included prolonged air leak (5 of 18 patients, 27.7%) and pleural effusion requiring insertion of a new chest tube (3 of 18 patients, 16.6%). Mean hospital stay was 14 +/- 8 days. Follow-up was 100% complete. Eleven patients received antimycobacterial chemotherapy for 4 to 24 months, postoperatively. Late mortality was 11% and was unrelated to progression of mycobacterial disease. After the operation, the sputum remained positive in only 2 patients (11%) with incomplete resections. Fourteen patients were asymptomatic with no relapse at a mean follow-up of 38 +/- 22 months (range 85 to 13 months). CONCLUSIONS: Resection represents an important adjunct to chemotherapy for the treatment of M. xenopi pulmonary disease. In the setting of localized nodular or cavitary disease, failure to respond to medical therapy, relapse after treatment discontinuation, coexistent aspergilloma or polymicrobial contamination, or patient intolerance of medical therapy, pulmonary resection can be undertaken with acceptable morbidity and mortality.

Visceral pleura invasion by non-small cell lung cancer: an underrated bad prognostic factor.

BACKGROUND: Visceral pleura invasion (VPI) by non-small cell lung cancer is a factor of poor prognosis. A tumor of any size that invades the visceral pleura is classified as T2. Few studies have been conducted concerning the prognostic significance of VPI relative to other staging factors. METHODS: Between April 1984 and December 1996, 1,281 patients with T1 (n = 430) and T2 (n = 851) non-small cell lung cancer underwent curative surgical resection. Adjuvant radiation therapy was performed in 455 patients. There were 176 women and 1,105 men aged 30 to 86 years (mean, 60.9 years). Five hundred nineteen pneumonectomies, 742 lobectomies, and 20 segmentectomies were performed. In all patients, a complete mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed. International staging was stage IA and B (n = 697); stage II A and B (n = 247), and stage III A (n = 337). The patients were divided into two groups according to the existence of VPI (group I without, group II with). Both groups were compared with regard to the size of the tumors, histology, associated lymph node involvement, survival rates, and cause of death. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: VPI (group II) was identified in 19.1% of the resected specimens: group I, n = 1036; group II, n = 245. The VPI was present in only 10% of non-small cell lung cancer 3 cm or less in size, reaching 33% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer larger than 5 cm (p = 0.0001). Squamous non-small cell lung cancer were significantly less accompanied by VPI (13.5%) than the other histologic categories. The VPI was associated with a higher frequency of N2 involvement (group I = 24.6%, group II = 33.4%, p = 0.01) and N2 involvement was more extensive (two or more N2 involved stations: group I = 8.2%, group II = 15.6%, p = 0.003). Actuarial survival rates were 51.8% at 5 years and 33.8% at 10 years in group I (median, 66 months), and 34.6% at 5 years and 27.9% at 10 years in group II (median, 30 months) (p = 0.000002). Long-term survival rates significantly decreased for larger tumors. Even in patients with N2 stage tumors, the difference of survival curves between the two groups was statistically significant. Cancer-related deaths were more frequent in group II and were mainly caused by distant metastases. By multivariate analysis, visceral pleura invasion proved to be a significant independent factor of poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The VPI is a factor of poor prognosis. Its frequent association with extensive N2 involvement supports the hypothesis that exfoliated tumor cells are drained through the pleural lymphatics by the mediastinal lymphatic pathways and then into the bloodstream. The VPI is an important prognostic factor and, as such should stimulate more studies to better select the patients who could benefit from adjuvant therapy.

Videothoracoscopic excision of thoracic neurogenic tumors.

BACKGROUND: Videothoracoscopic surgery is a new procedure for treating neurogenic tumors of the thorax. Feasibility and utility of this technique are not yet well defined. METHODS: Over a 26-month period, 26 neurogenic tumors of the thorax were treated in five general thoracic surgery centers performing videothoracoscopic surgery. Indications and contraindications for this new procedure and initial results were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: Contraindications to videothoracoscopy included intraspinal extension of the tumor (n = 3), spinal artery involvement (n = 2), tumors more than 6 cm in diameter borderline located within the thorax (n = 2), and middle mediastinal location (n = 1). Videothoracoscopy was performed in 18 patients. Conversion to thoracotomy was required in 3. In 1 patients, subsequent chest wall resection was performed because of malignancy. Postoperative hospital stay was uneventful. It was shorter after videothoracoscopy. Postsurgical pain was more acute in patients who had thoracotomy or conversion to thoracotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Videothorascopy is a good alternative for managing neurogenic tumors of the thorax when deemed feasible. There is a tendency toward a shorter hospital stay with less pain in patients treated by this new procedure.

Complications of video-assisted thoracic surgery: a five-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Although thoracoscopy was originally described in 1910, recent developments in video-assisted surgical techniques and endoscopic equipment has expanded the application of video-assisted surgical procedures in the field of thoracic surgery. METHODS: In an effort to define both high-risk patients for video-assisted thoracic procedures and high-risk video-assisted thoracic surgical procedures, we reviewed the experience of four surgical institutions from June 1991 through May 1995. We looked specifically at complications resulting from the 937 video-assisted thoracic procedures performed during this period. RESULTS: Perioperative incidents or complications occurred in 35 patients (3.7%), and 116 procedures (12.4%) were converted to a thoracotomy. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.5%, and death occurred principally in patients operated on for malignant pleural effusion. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 10.9%, and the most prevalent complications were prolonged air leak (6.7%) and pleural effusion (0.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of complications was acceptable and, except for that of prolonged air leak, did not differ significantly from that resulting from analogous open procedures. Video-assisted thoracic surgery appears safe and particularly useful for some indications. However, the possibility of dramatic life-threatening perioperative complications requiring emergency conversion to thoracotomy justifies the fact that only trained thoracic surgeons should perform video-assisted thoracic surgical procedures.

Prognostic significance of surgical-pathologic N1 disease in non-small cell carcinoma of the lung.

BACKGROUND: N1 disease represents a heterogeneous group of non-small cell lung carcinoma with varying 5-year survival rates. Specific types of N1 lymph node involvement need to be further investigated and their prognostic significance clarified. METHODS: From 1984 to 1993, 1,174 patients with non-small cell lung cancer had complete mediastinal lymph node dissection: N0, 50.25% (n = 590); N1, 21.8% (n = 256); and N2, 27.95% (n = 328). The N1 subgroup cases were reviewed. Four levels of N1 nodes were identified using the New Regional Lymph Node Classification for Lung Cancer Staging. Their prognostic significances were tested and 5-year survival rates were compared with those of N0 and N2 patients of the whole group. RESULTS: The overall 5-year survival rate of N1 patients was 47.5%. Survival was not related to site of the primary lung cancer, pathologic T factor, histologic type, type of resection, number of N1 station involved, nor type of N1 involvement (direct extension or metastases). Five-year survival was significantly better when N1 involvement was intralobar (levels 12 and 13, n = 102), as compared with extralobar (hilar) involvement (levels 10 and 11, n = 154): 53.6% versus 38.5% (p = 0.02). Intralobar N1 5-year survival was similar to that of N0 (53.6% vs 56.5%, p = 0.01), and extralobar 5-year survival with that of N2 (38.5 vs 28.3%, p = 0.01) when N2 was present in only one station in the ipsilateral mediastinum. CONCLUSIONS: N1 disease is a compound of two subgroups: one located inside the lobes is related to N0, and the other (extralobar or hilar) behaves like an early stage of N2 disease. This offers further information for clinical, therapeutic, and research purposes.

Thoracoscopic excision of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts: results in 20 cases.

BACKGROUND: We present our experience with thoracoscopic resection of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts in adults. METHODS: From November 1990 to September 1993, 20 patients with mediastinal bronchogenic cysts were operated on by thoracoscopy. The average cyst size was 4.9 cm, and the largest diameter was 10 cm. Ten cysts were located in the middle mediastinum and 10 in the posterior mediastinum. Two cysts were complicated. RESULTS: Thirteen bronchogenic cysts were resected completely by thoracoscopy. We had to convert thoracoscopy into thoracotomy because of bleeding in two cases and because of major adhesions to vital structures in five cases. There were no operative deaths and no postoperative complications. Mean hospital stay was significantly less in the completely thoracoscopically treated group. Long-term follow-up (range, 4.5 to 7.5 years) showed no late complications and no recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative complications, intraoperative injuries, and major adhesions to vital structures seem to be the only unfavorable conditions to thoracoscopic treatment of bronchogenic cysts. This study found encouraging results for thoracoscopic excision of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts in selected patients.

Prognostic value of T and N in non small cell lung cancer three centimeters or less in diameter.

OBJECTIVE: Peripheral tumors 3 cm or less in diameter are classified T1, T2 when rupturing the visceral pleura, T3 when invading parietal pleura, chest wall, mediastinal pleura or pericardium and T4 when invading vertebra or mediastinal structures. Our objective was to assess the prognostic significance of T and N status according to the size of such tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients (918) were operated upon between April 1984 and December 1991. Surgery included complete resection and mediastinal lymphadenectomy. Tumors 3 cm or less were studied concerning T, N status, histology and survival. RESULTS: There were 314 such tumors (T1 = 215, T2 = 64, T3 = 35, T4 = 6); N status was N0 60.2%, N1 21%, N2 18.8%. Global 5-year survival was 52.59%. In case of N0, survival was 64.63%: T1 = 63.76%, T2 = 71.48%, T3 = 45.71%, T4 = 66.6%; which was not significant. There were 48 tumors 1.0 cm or less in diameter (G1), 111 tumors 1.1-2.0 cm in diameter (G2) and 155 tumors 2.1-3 cm in diameter (G3). The incidence of N0, N1 and N2 disease was 77.1, 10.4 and 12.5%, respectively in G1, 64, 18 and 18% in G2, and 52.3, 26.5 and 21.3% in G3. The 5-year survival rate was 62.46% for G1, 52.91% for G2 and 49.36% for G3 (NS). In cases of N1 and N2, survival was 48.41% and 20.2% which was significant (P < 0.05) but differences between each T and each G were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Small peripheral cancers spread into mediastinal nodes in 12.5-21.3% of cases, according to the size. This is a warning to perform nodes resections in cases where surgeons intend a videothoracoscopic approach. N2 status is not only an indicator but also a governor of prognosis. Neither T status nor size are determinants of prognosis as far as tumors 3 cm in diameter or less are concerned.