Anatomic lung resection shown to boost survival for early-stage lung cancer patients
Research presented at the 2025 Society of Thoracic Surgeons Meeting demonstrated that anatomic lung resections boost survival for early-stage lung cancer patients.
Real-world research presented at the 2025 Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meeting (24–26 January, CA, USA) has highlighted that anatomic lung resections, such as lobectomy and segmentectomy, improve long-term survival in patients with early-stage NSCLC compared to traditional approaches.
It has previously been suggested, based on findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), that there is an equivalence between lobectomy and sub-lobar resections. This new study highlights the importance of combining real-world data with RCT data when making treatment decisions.
In this study, 32,000 patients diagnosed with stage 1A NSCLC were analyzed to compare survival rates between these procedures and wedge resection. Researchers extracted data from the STS General Thoracic Surgery Database, the National Death Index and Medicare/Medicaid records to track long-term patient outcomes for up to 10 years.
Segmentectomy showed a 69.6% 5-year survival rate and a 44.2% 10-year survival rate, while lobectomy performed even better, with a 71.9% 5-year survival rate and a 44.8% 10-year survival rate. In comparison, wedge resection had lower survival rates of 66.3% (5 years) and 41.4% (10 years).
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“This study reinforces the need for nuanced decision-making, integrating both RCTs and real-world data to deliver the highest quality of care,” explained Christopher Seder (Rush University Medical Center, IL, USA). “By analyzing outcomes in a variety of healthcare settings, we can offer informed recommendations, ultimately improving patient outcomes across the board.”
The team also emphasized the importance of large-scale data in guiding surgical decisions as cancer treatments rapidly evolve. “Using real-world data to complement RCT findings offers surgeons additional context for tailoring treatment strategies,” Seder added.