Early and Long-Term Results of Tracheal Sleeve Pneumonectomy for Lung Cancer After Induction Therapy.

BACKGROUND

The role of induction therapy (IT) and its effects on morbidity and mortality of patients receiving tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy (TSP) are unclear. We evaluated early and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent TSP after IT.

METHODS

From 1998 to 2015, 32 patients (26 men; median age, 63 years) underwent TSP. Twenty-two patients (69%) received IT (cisplatin-based chemotherapy). The TSPs were all right sided and included three completion pneumonectomies. Superior vena cava resection was combined with TSP in 15 cases. Diaphragmatic and vertebral resection was also associated in 1 case each.

RESULTS

Operative mortality was nil. Thirty-day mortality was 9% (n = 3). Major complications occurred in 7 patients (21.8%): bronchopleural fistulas in 3; acute respiratory distress syndrome in 2; cardiac hernia in 1; and empyema in 1. The IT had no significant effects on morbidity and mortality. Resection was complete in 31 patients (97%). Pathologic N status was N0 in 2 cases, N1 in 17, and N2 in 13. Nodal downstaging was diagnosed in 13 of 22 patients (59.1%) who received IT (11 passed from N2 to N1, and 2 to N0). Mean survival was 36 months (range, 1 to 181). Overall 5-year survival and disease-free survival were 30.3% and 27.7%, respectively. Patients receiving IT had a poor survival (p = 0.03). At multivariate analysis, nodal downstaging and adjuvant treatment significantly affected survival (p = 0.035 and p = 0.007, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Tracheal sleeve pneumonectomy is a feasible but technically challenging surgical procedure and provides acceptable results in terms of early and long-term outcomes. Induction therapy did not significantly affect morbidity and mortality.