Role of Sublobar Resection (Segmentectomy and Wedge Resection) in the Surgical Management of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The use of sublobar resection as definitive management of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been a controversial topic throughout the history of surgery for lung cancer. Most thoracic surgeons continue to consider pulmonary resection less than lobectomy as inadequate for the management of lung cancers anatomically confined to a single lobe of the lung. The increasingly common finding of new subcentimeter malignant lesions identified through surveillance CT chest scanning efforts has led many surgeons to reassess the need for total lobectomy for the management of smaller peripheral NSCLCs. This article reviews the clinical information available today in formulating an opinion regarding the appropriate use of sublobar resection for the small peripherally located NSCLC. The technical details of the most commonly performed segmental resections are also described.