Impact of intrapulmonary tumour location of non-small-cell lung cancer on surgical outcomes for segmentectomy

OBJECTIVES: While segmentectomy is considered a viable option for small peripheral non-small-cell lung cancer, its efficacy for central lesions remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess the oncological outcomes of segmentectomy for central lesions compared to peripheral ones. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 338 clinical stage IA non-small-cell lung cancer patients who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical segmentectomy at our institution from January 2013 to December 2021. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on intrapulmonary tumour location: inner two-thirds (central group, n = 82) and outer one-third (peripheral group, n = 256). RESULTS: The gender, body mass index, performance score, smoking, comorbidities and preoperative pulmonary function were similar in both groups. On computed tomography images, tumour diameter and consolidation-to-tumour ratio were comparable between the groups. The central group had significantly greater tumour-to-pleura distances [mm, 23 (18-27) vs 11 (8-14); P < 0.001], shorter margin distances [mm, 20 (15-20) vs 20 (20-20); P < 0.001] and larger resected lung volumes based on subsegment count [4 (3-6) vs 3 (3-5); P = 0.004] than the peripheral group. Surgery duration, bleeding, hospitalization or drainage period, mortality, readmission and pathological stage were equivalent between the groups. The central group showed significantly more postoperative pleural effusions (5% vs 1%; P = 0.03) than the peripheral group, with no adverse impact on postoperative pulmonary functions. During the follow-up period, local-only recurrence rates were 0% and 8% in the respective groups (Gray test P = 0.07), and total recurrence rates were 6% and 11% (Gray test P = 0.70), with no significant differences. Moreover, no significant inter-group difference in overall survival rates was observed (82% vs 93%; P = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Segmentectomy may be a promising therapeutic option for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer located in the inner two-thirds of the parenchyma.