HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (14) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Li, W. W. L. Articles by Yim, A. P. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Li, W. W. L. Articles by Yim, A. P. C.

Quality of Life Following Lung Cancer Resection^*

Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery vs Thoracotomy

^* From the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Correspondence to: Anthony P. C. Yim, MD, FCCP, Professor and Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China; e-mail: yimap{at}cuhk.edu.hk

Study objectives: Quality of life (QOL) following video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) major lung resection has not been systematically studied. This study was designed to evaluate the intermediate to long-term QOL in patients with lung cancer following resection, comparing VATS with thoracotomy.

Design: Cross-sectional study, telephone survey.

Methods: Of 136 disease-free surviving patients with non-small cell lung cancer operated on between 1994 and 2000, 45 patients were excluded because of large tumors (> 5 cm) or locally advanced disease, and another 27 patients were excluded because of adjuvant therapy, coexisting cancer from another source, or psychiatric illness. At the time of the survey, 13 patients were found to be either unsuitable or unwilling to participate. This left a total of 51 patients, with 27 patients in the VATS group and 24 patients in the thoracotomy group (open group), for the final analysis. QOL was assessed using Chinese versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 and the EORTC QLQ-LC13, supplemented with nine self-developed surgery-related questions.

Results: Mean follow-up time was 33.5 months in the VATS group (median, 20.8 months; range, 6.0 to 84.2 months) and 39.4 months in the open group (median, 37.7 months; range, 7.0 to 75.1 months). Both groups had good QOL and high levels of functioning despite a fairly high incidence of symptoms. There was a trend for VATS patients to score higher on the QOL and functioning scales and to report fewer symptoms. However, these differences did not lead to statistical significance.

Conclusions: This study showed that lung cancer patients with resectable disease following surgical treatment without recurrence have good QOL and high levels of functioning on intermediate to long-term follow-up, with no significant differences between the VATS and open groups.

Key Words: lung cancer • quality of life • thoracotomy • video-assisted thoracic surgery

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. H.F. Tsang, S.-S. Chung, and A. D.L. Sihoe Video-assisted thoracic surgery for bronchopulmonary sequestration Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, August 1, 2006; 5(4): 424 - 426. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Maguire, J. A. Latter, R. Mahajan, F. D. Beggs, and J. P. Duffy A study exploring the role of intercostal nerve damage in chronic pain after thoracic surgery. Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., June 1, 2006; 29(6): 873 - 879. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Maguire, A. Ravenscroft, D. Beggs, and J. P. Duffy A questionnaire study investigating the prevalence of the neuropathic component of chronic pain after thoracic surgery. Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., May 1, 2006; 29(5): 800 - 805. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Solaini, F. Prusciano, P. Bagioni, and D.B. Poddie Long-term results of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer: a single-centre study of 104 cases Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, March 1, 2004; 3(1): 57 - 62. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Takahama, K. Kushibe, T. Kawaguchi, M. Kimura, and S. Taniguchi Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Is a Promising Treatment for Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Pleura Chest, March 1, 2004; 125(3): 1144 - 1147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. K. Ferguson and A. G. Lehman Sleeve lobectomy or pneumonectomy: optimal management strategy using decision analysis techniques Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2003; 76(6): 1782 - 1788. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Pompeo, E. De Dominicis, V. Ambrogi, D. Mineo, S. Elia, and T. C. Mineo Quality of life after tailored combined surgery for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer and severe emphysema Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2003; 76(6): 1821 - 1827. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. K. Ferguson Optimal management when unsuspected N2 nodal disease is identified during thoracotomy for lung cancer: cost-effectiveness analysis J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., December 1, 2003; 126(6): 1935 - 1942. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Fuentes Pneumonectomy: historical perspective and prospective insight Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., April 1, 2003; 23(4): 439 - 445. [Full Text] [PDF]