Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly malignances worldwide. Cigarette smoking has been identified to be the major risk factor of lung cancer, and nicotine is one of the most harmful components in tobacco smoke. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are universally expressed in mammalian cells, including tumor cells, and perform various critical biological functions. α7nAChR, an important member of nAChRs family, possesses a high affinity for nicotine and plays a core role in the nicotine-mediated lung cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. Nowadays, lots of α7nAChR antagonists have been found to inhibit lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, and therefore prevented disease progression. These studies indicated that α7nAChR might be a potential target in treating lung cancer. In this review, we summarized the current researches on α7nAChR in the progress of lung cancer.
Objective To investigate the efficacy, early and late outcomes of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for cN0-pN2 lung cancer patients compared to open lobectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 262 out of 1 754 patients’ clinical records with cN0-pN2 lung cancer who underwent VATS or open lobectomy in our center between January 2009 and December 2014. There were 107 patients in a VATS group with 50 males and 57 females at the age of 61.5±10.7 years, and 155 patients in an open lobectomy group consisting of 104 males and 51 females at the age of 59.0±8.7 years. Results There was no statistical difference in patients’ age, pulmonary function, and underlying diseases between two groups. Operation time was shorter in the open lobectomy group than that in the VATS group (P=0.044). Postoperative in-hospital time was shorter in the VATS surgery group than that in the open lobectomy group (P=0.008). There was an obvious difference in tumor’s maximum diameter (P<0.05). As for mediatinal lymph node, there was no statistical difference in station dissected and positive rate. One year overall survival rate was 91.6% in the VATS group and 81.9% in the open group. Three-year overall survival rate was 58.3% in the VATS group and 47.3% in the open lobectomy group (P<0.05). Conclusion VATS can achieve both the thoroughness and feasibility as the same as open surgery and with better early outcomes. The overall survival rate may have more to do with tumor’s maximum diameter, not the operation method. Still, it needs prospective studies to demonstrate this relationship.
Objective To investigate the perioperative outcome of robot-assisted pulmonary lobectomy in treating pathological stage Ⅰ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 333 consecutive p-T1 NSCLC patients who underwent robotic-assisted pulmonary lobectomy in our hospital between May 2013 and April 2016. There were 231 females (69.4%) and 102 males (30.6%) aged from 20–76 (55.01±10.46) years. Cancer was located in the left upper lobectomy in 37 (11.1%) patients, left lower lobectomy in 71 (21.3%) patients, right upper lobectomy in 105 (31.5%) patients, right middle lobectomy in 32 (9.6%) patients, right lower lobectomy in 88 (26.4%) patients. Adenocarcinoma was confirmed in 330 (99.1%) patients and squamous cell cancer was confirmed in 3 (0.9%) patients. Results Total operative time was 46–300 (91.51±30.80) min. Estimated intraoperative blood loss was 0–100 ml in 319 patients (95.8%), 101–400 ml in 12 patients (3.6%), >400 ml in 2 patients (0.6%). Four patients were converted to thoracotomy, including 2 patients due to pulmonary artery branch bleeding and 2 due to pleural adhesion.No patient died within 30 days after surgery. And no perioperative blood transfusion occurred. Postoperative day 1 drain was 0–960 (231.39±141.87) ml. Chest drain time was 2–12 (3.96±1.52) d.And no patient was discharged with chest tube. Length of hospital stay after surgery was 2–12 (4.96±1.51) d. Persistent air leak was in 12 patients over 7 days. No readmission happened within 30 days. All patients underwent lymph node sampling or dissection with 2–9 (5.69±1.46) groups and 3–21 (9.80±3.43) lymph nodes harvested. Total intraoperative cost was 60 389.66–134 401.65 (93 809.23±13 371.26) yuan. Conclusion Robot-assisted pulmonary lobectomy is safe and effective in treating p-Stage Ⅰ NSCLC, and could be an important supplement to conventional VATS. Regarding to cost, it is relatively more expensive compared with conventional VATS. RATS will be widely used and make a great change in pulmonary surgery with the progressive development of surgical robot.
As a standard of care, lymph node dissection is an indispensible step in lung cancer surgery. The quality of dissection determines completeness of surgery and the accuracy of N staging. Hereby, we suggest labeling all surgically resected nodes according to the new lymph node map in the 8th TNM classification for lung cancer. As systematic lymph node dissection remains the gold standard of lymphadenectomy, at least three mediastinal stations and ten nodes should be removed in an en-bloc fashion, if possible. For patients with stage Ⅰ lung cancer, lymph node dissection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or open thoracotomy may has similar oncological outcome. Besides, limited lymph node sampling in selected patients with early staged lung cancer to minimize unnecessary surgical damage still need further investigation.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness and safety of robotic lobectomy in clinical N0 lung malignant tumor≥3 cm. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 182 patients with lung malignant tumor≥3 cm receiving robotic or thoracoscopic lobectomy at Shanghai Chest Hospital in 2019. The patients were divided into a robotic surgery group (RATS group) and a thoracoscopic surgery group (VATS group). There were 39 males and 38 females with an average age of 60.55±8.59 years in the RATS group, and 51 males and 54 females with an average age of 61.58±9.30 years in the VATS group. A propensity score matching analysis was applied to compare the operative data between the two groups. ResultsA total of 57 patients were included in each group after the propensity score matching analysis. Patients in the RATS group had more groups of N1 lymph node dissected (2.53±0.83 groups vs. 2.07±0.88 groups, P=0.005) in comparison with the VATS group. No statistical difference was found in operation time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, number of N1 and N2 lymph nodes dissected, groups of N2 lymph node dissected, lymph node upstage rate or postoperative complications. The hospitalization cost of RATS was higher than that of VATS (P＜0.001). ConclusionIn contrast with thoracoscopic lobectomy, robotic lobectomy has similar operative safety, and a thorough N1 lymphadenectomy in patients with clinical N0 lung malignant tumor≥3 cm.
ObjectiveTo compare the perioperative outcomes between robot-assisted complex segmentectomy and simple segmentectomy for stage ⅠA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsThe clinical data of 285 patients with NSCLC undergoing robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) in our hospital from January 2015 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 105 males and 180 females aged 23-83 years. The patients were divided into a complex segmentectomy group (n=170) and a simple segmentectomy group (n=115) according to tumor location and surgical method. The clinical pathological baseline characteristics and perioperative outcomes between the two groups were compared, including operative time, blood loss volume, dissected lymph nodes, conversion rate, postoperative duration of drainage, postoperative hospital stay, the incidence of persistent air leakage and postoperative 30 d mortality. ResultsThere was no statistical difference in baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05). No postoperative 30 d death was observed. One patient in the complex segmentectomy group was transferred to thoracotomy. No statistical difference was observed between the two groups in the operative time (97.36±38.16 min vs. 94.65±31.67 min, P=0.515), postoperative duration of drainage (3.69±1.85 d vs. 3.60±1.90 d, P=0.679), postoperative hospital stay (4.07±1.85 d vs. 4.05±1.97 d, P=0.957), dissected lymph nodes (5.15±3.53 vs. 5.13±2.93, P=0.952), incidence of blood loss volume<100 mL (98.2% vs. 99.1%, P=0.650), and incidence of postoperative persistent air leakage (6.5% vs. 5.2%, P=0.661). ConclusionThe safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted complex segmentectomy and simple segmentectomy are satisfactory in the treatment of stage ⅠA NSCLC. The perioperative results of RATS complex segmentectomy and simple segmentectomy are similar.
It is very limited that the benefit of perioperative chemotherapy in early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the 5-year survival rate is only 5% higher than surgery. Antibodies that block programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death receptor-ligand 1 significantly improve the survival of advanced NSCLC. The value of immunotherapy in early NSCLC is also being explored. This paper firstly summarized and analyzed the progress of immunotherapy in the perioperative period of NSCLC. Secondly, the safety and feasibility of surgical resection after neoadjuvant immunotherapy were discussed. Finally, the clinical value of different therapeutic efficacy prediction indicators was summarized, in order to clarify the current status of immunotherapy in the perioperative period, so as to improve the clinical benefits of early NSCLC patients.
ObjectiveTo analyze the perioperative outcome of consecutive 1 000 patients undergoing robotic lung resection and summarize surgical experience.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 1 000 patients undergoing robotic lung resection between May 2009 and June 2018 in Shanghai Lung Tumor Clinical Medical Center. Robotic lobectomy was compared with traditional VATS over the same period using a propensity-matched analysis. There were 327 males and 673 females at average age of 56.21±11.33 years. Lobectomy was performed in 866 patients (11 bilobectomy included), sublobar resection was performed in 129 patients, sleeve lobectomy was performed in the remaining 5 patients. Pathology was as follows: adenocarcinoma in 875 patients, squamous carcinoma in 52 patients, benign tumors in 73 patients. 90.5% of the primary lung cancer were in stage Ⅰ.ResultsThe mean operative time was 90.31±19.70 min; 95.70% of patients’ estimated blood loss was less than 100 ml. Conversion rate to thoracotomy was 0.90% (9 patients) . The average lymph node station and count harvested was 5.59±1.36 and 9.60±3.21 respectively. The mean volume of chest tube drainage on the first postoperative day was 229.19±131.67 ml. Median chest tube time was 3.85±1.43 d. There was 1 in-hospital death due to pulmonary embolism. A total of 189 patients had postoperative complications (18.90%) whose majority was postoperative air leak more than 5 days. The mean overall hospital costs was 92 710.53±12 367.23 Yuan. Compared with VATS, RATS was associated with significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss, time to chest tube removal and postoperative hospital stay. The operative time, conversion rate, lymph nodes removed, morbidity and mortality were similar between the two groups.ConclusionRobotic-assisted lung resection is safe and effective with low conversion rate and less complications, and it can overcome many disadvantages of traditional VATS.
Robotic surgery system has been widely used in various types of pulmonary resections. With the unremitting efforts of Chinese thoracic surgeons, the quantity and quality of robotic pulmonary resections in China have reached a remarkable level. With the development and rapid promotion of this technology, the popularity of robotic surgery is also increasing. In order to standardize the clinical practice, guarantee the quality of treatment and promote the development of robotic pulmonary resections, the Committee of Thoracic Surgery, Doctor Society of Medical Robotics, Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized relevant domestic experts to formulate the consensus of Chinese clinical experts on robot-assisted lung cancer surgery.
Objective To explore the feasibility of 5G remote robot-assisted pulmonary lobectomy through animal experiments. Methods In this research, the Toumai® surgical robot was manipulated remotely by the surgeon in the Control Center of the MedBot Company through the 5G network established by China Telecom, and the experimental pig underwent lobectomy in simulated operating room. Results The animal experiment surgery was successfully completed. The surgeon remotely manipulated the surgical robot to complete the lobectomy of right apical lobe and mediastinal lymph node dissection. The entire animal experiment took about 60 minutes, with an average round-trip network delay of 125 (110-155) ms, and no network interruption or robot malfunction occurred. Conclusion This animal experiment is the first attempt of 5G remote thoracic surgery, which preliminarily proves the feasibility of completing remote lobectomy through the Toumai® surgical robot 5G wireless network connection. The systematic surgical procedure is summarized, which lays a foundation for the subsequent experiments and clinical applications of 5G remote robot-assisted thoracic surgery.