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Background: Before lung cancer resection, patients inquire about dyspnea and the potential need for supplemental oxygen. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of discharge with supplemental oxygen for patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer., Methods: Using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database, study investigators conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent lobectomy for lung cancer from July 2018 to December 2021. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted association of pulmonary function with discharge on supplemental oxygen and identify independent predictors of discharge with supplemental oxygen. Pulmonary function was modeled as the minimum of either predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second or predicted postoperative diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide., Results: Overall, 2100 (8.4%) patients who underwent lobectomy were discharged with supplemental oxygen. Those patients with a minimum of either predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second or predicted postoperative diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide ≤60% had a progressively increased risk of discharge with supplemental oxygen than patients with minimum function >60%. The 2 strongest predictors of discharge with supplemental oxygen were increasing body mass index (25-29 kg/m 2 : adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.38; 95% CI, 1.21-1.57; 30-39 kg/m 2 : aOR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.88-2.45; ≥40 kg/m 2 : aOR, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.79-4.39; reference, 18.5-24 kg/m 2 ) and former (aOR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.67-2.52) or current (aOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 2.10-3.26) smoking status (reference, never smoker)., Conclusions: Of those patients who underwent lobectomy for lung cancer, 8.4% were discharged with supplemental oxygen. The study identified preoperative independent predictors of discharge with supplemental oxygen that may be useful during shared decision-making discussions of treatment options for lung cancer and setting expectations with patients., Competing Interests: Disclosures Brian Mitzman reports a relationship with Intuitive Surgical that includes: consulting or advisory, speaking and lecture fees, and travel reimbursement; and reports membership on The Annals of Thoracic Surgery editorial board. Luis Godoy reports a relationship with Intuitive Surgical that includes: consulting or advisory, speaking and lecture fees, and travel reimbursement. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: It has been postulated that a possible barrier to pursuing cardiothoracic surgery is a lack of exposure and mentorship during training. In 2006, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons began the Looking to the Future Scholarship to expand interest in the field. Undecided trainees with limited exposure were prioritized in the selection process. This report summarizes the career outcomes of general surgery resident and medical student recipients., Methods: Scholarship recipients and nonrecipients (control) were queried in a Google search. The percentage of those who were cardiothoracic surgeons or in cardiothoracic training (%CTS) was calculated, as well as the percentage of female surgeons in cardiothoracic surgery., Results: From 2006 to 2021, there were 669 awardees. The %CTS was 63.7% for resident recipients and 31.4% for students, respectively. There was no significant difference in %CTS between resident and student recipients compared to nonrecipients. Notably, the percentage of female cardiothoracic surgeons was significantly greater for both resident and student recipients., Conclusions: The majority of resident recipients are now in cardiothoracic surgery, comparable to nonrecipients. While there was no significant difference between the percentage of recipients and non-recipients in cardiothoracic surgery, these groups differed substantially as nonrecipients had greater exposure and commitment to the field at the time of application., (Copyright © 2024 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) continues its trajectory of growth and enhancement, solidifying its stature as a premier global thoracic surgical database. The past year witnessed a notable expansion with the inclusion of 10 additional participating sites, now totaling 287, augmenting the database's repository to more than 800,000 procedures. A significant stride was made in refining the data audit process, thereby elevating the accuracy and completeness metrics, a testament to the relentless pursuit of data integrity. The GTSD further broadened its research apparatus, with 15 scholarly publications, a 50% uptick from the preceding year. These publications underscore the database's instrumental role in advancing thoracic surgical knowledge. In a concerted effort to alleviate data entry exigencies, the GTSD Task Force also instituted streamlined data submission protocols, a move lauded by participant sites. This report delineates the recent advancements, volume trajectories, and outcome metrics and encapsulates the prolific research output emanating from the GTSD, reflecting a year of substantial progress and academic fecundity., (Copyright © 2024 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prior studies have noted that patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) possess an increased incidence of lung cancer and risk of postoperative respiratory failure and death. We sought to understand the impact of ILD on national-scale outcomes of lung resection., Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was conducted of patients who underwent a pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer between 2009 and 2019. Baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes were compared between patients with and without ILD (defined as interstitial fibrosis based on clinical, radiographic, or pathologic evidence). Multivariable logistic regression models identified risk factors associated with postoperative mortality, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and composite morbidity and mortality., Results: ILD was documented in 1.5% (1873 of 128,723) of patients who underwent a pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer. Patients with ILD were more likely to smoke (90% vs 85%, P < .001), have pulmonary hypertension (6% vs 1.7%, P < .001), impaired diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide 40%-75%: 64% vs 51%; diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide <40%: 11% vs 4%, P < .001), and undergo more sublobar resections (34% vs 23%, P < .001) compared with patients without ILD. Patients with ILD had increased postoperative mortality (5.1% vs 1.2%, P < .001), acute respiratory distress syndrome (1.9% vs 0.5%, P < .001), and composite morbidity and mortality (13.2% vs 7.4%, P < .001). ILD remained a strong predictor of mortality (odds ratio, 3.94; 95% CI, 3.09-5.01; P < .001), even when adjusted for patient comorbidities, pulmonary function, extent of resection, and center volume effects., Conclusions: ILD is a risk factor for operative mortality and morbidity after lung cancer resection, even in patients with normal pulmonary function., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Observation of paraesophageal hernias (PEHs) may lead to emergent surgery for hernia-related complications. This study evaluated urgent or emergent repair outcomes to quantify the possible sequelae of failed conservative PEH management., Methods: The impact of operative status (elective vs urgent or emergent) on perioperative mortality or major morbidity for patients who underwent hiatal hernia repair for a PEH diagnosis from 2012 to 2021 in the Society of Thoracic Surgery General Thoracic Surgery Database was evaluated with multivariable logistic regression models., Results: Overall, 2082 (10.9%) of 19,122 patients with PEHs underwent urgent or emergent repair. Patients undergoing nonelective surgery were significantly older than patients undergoing elective surgery (median age, 73 years [interquartile range, 63-82 years] vs 66 years [interquartile range, 58-74 years]) and had a lower preoperative performance score (P < .001). Nonelective surgical procedures were more likely to be performed through the chest or by laparotomy rather than by laparoscopy (20% vs 11.4%; P < .001), and they were associated with longer hospitalizations (4 days vs 2 days; P < .001), higher operative mortality (4.5% vs 0.6%; P < .001), and higher major morbidity (27% vs 5.5%; P < .001). Nonelective surgery was a significant independent predictor of major morbidity in multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 2.06; P < .001). Patients more than the age of 80 years had higher operative mortality (4.3% vs 0.6%; P < 0.001) and major morbidity (19% vs 6.1%; P < .001) than younger patients overall, and these older patients more often had nonelective surgery (26% vs 8.6%; P < .001) CONCLUSIONS: The operative morbidity of PEH repair is significantly increased when surgery is nonelective, particularly for older patients. These results can inform the potential consequences of choosing watchful waiting vs elective PEH repair., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTSD) remains the largest and most robust thoracic surgical database in the world. Participating sites receive risk-adjusted performance reports for benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives. The GTSD also provides several mechanisms for high-quality clinical research using data from 274 participant sites and 781,000 procedures since its inception in 2002. Participant sites are audited at random annually for completeness and accuracy. Over the last year and a half, the GTSD Task Force continued to refine the data collection process, implementing an updated data collection form in July 2021, ensuring high data fidelity while minimizing data entry burden. In addition, the STS Workforce on National Databases has supported a robust GTSD-based research program, which led to eight scholarly publications in 2021. This report provides an update on volume trends, outcomes, and database initiatives as well as a summary of research productivity resulting from the GTSD over the preceding year., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer patients with multiple high-risk socioeconomic factors experience treatment and survival disparities. We aim to assess whether disparities in treatment and survival vary by region for patients with 3 or more high-risk socioeconomic factors., Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with clinical stage I-IIA non-small cell lung cancer diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. Patients were categorized into 3 groups: standard treatment, nonstandard treatment, and no curative treatment. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate regional differences in treatment. Cox proportional hazards regression and the Kaplan-Meier method were used for survival analysis. All statistical tests were 2-sided., Results: A total of 93,211 patients met inclusion criteria. For patients with 3 or more high-risk socioeconomic factors, the odds of nonstandard treatment were significantly greater in 6 regions compared with New England, greatest in West North Central (odds ratio 2.09, P < .001). The odds of no curative treatment were significantly greater in 7 regions compared with New England, greatest in West South Central (odds ratio 3.56, P < .001). West North Central was associated with the highest risk of all-cause mortality compared with New England (hazard ratio 1.10, P < .001), and Middle Atlantic was associated with the lowest (hazard ratio 0.86, P < .001). The 5-year overall survival was longest in Middle Atlantic (60.8%) and shortest in Mountain (36.8%)., Conclusions: Patients with 3 or more high-risk socioeconomic factors experience treatment and survival disparities across the United States, though disparities are more pronounced in certain regions. Regional interventions may help mitigate disparities among highest risk non-small cell lung cancer patients., (Copyright © 2022 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTSD) remains the largest and most robust thoracic surgical database in the world. Participating sites receive risk-adjusted performance reports for benchmarking and quality improvement initiatives. The GTSD also provides several mechanisms for high-quality clinical research using data from 271 participant sites and nearly 720,000 procedures since its inception in 2002. Participant sites are audited at random annually for completeness and accuracy. During the last year and a half, the GTSD Task Force continued to refine the data collection form, ensuring high-quality data while minimizing data entry burden. In addition, the STS Workforce on National Databases has supported robust GTSD-based research program, which led to 10 scholarly publications in 2020. This report provides an update on outcomes, volume trends, and database improvements as well as a summary of research productivity resulting from the GTSD over the preceding year., (Copyright © 2021 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The utility of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) after neoadjuvant therapy and curative intent surgery for clinical stage IIIA (cIIIA) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not defined. We sought to evaluate the contribution of AC to overall survival (OS) in patients with cIIIA NSCLC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by curative intent surgical resection., Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried from 2010 to 2016 for patients with cIIIA NSCLC who underwent curative intent surgical resection after neoadjuvant therapy. Patients were grouped by receipt of AC, and OS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The association between mortality and AC was evaluated using Cox regression. Ninety-day landmark and propensity score-matched analyses were performed to address bias associated with early postoperative morbidity and mortality., Results: Of 3847 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 780 received AC (20.2%). In the unadjusted cohort there was no difference in 5-year OS between the AC and no AC groups (42.8% vs 43.9%, P = .105). Cox regression demonstrated a decreased risk of mortality in pN > 0 patients receiving AC (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.92; P < .003), whereas no difference was seen in node-negative patients (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.17; P = .64). In the propensity score-matched groups OS was significantly increased in pN > 0 patients who received AC (5-year OS: 42.4% vs 37%, P < .01), whereas no survival benefit was seen in those who were pN0., Conclusions: For patients with completely resected cIIIA NSCLC after neoadjuvant therapy, AC is associated with an increase in OS for patients with residual pathologic lymph node involvement., (Copyright © 2021 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Current smokers undergoing lobectomy are at greater risk of complications than are former smokers. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) composite score for rating program performance for lobectomy adjusts for smoking status, a modifiable risk factor. This study examined variability in the proportion of current smokers undergoing lobectomy among STS database participants. Additionally, the study determined whether each participant's rating changed if smoking was excluded from the risk adjustment model., Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of the STS cohort used to develop the composite score for rating program performance for lobectomy. The study summarized the variability among STS database participants for performing lobectomy on current smokers and compared star ratings developed from models with and without smoking status., Results: There were 24,912 patients with smoking status data: 23% current smokers, 62% former smokers, and 15% never smokers. There was significant variability among participants in the proportion of current smokers undergoing lobectomy (3% to 48.6%; P < .001). Major morbidity or mortality (composite) was greater in current smokers (12.1%) than in former smokers (8.6%) and never smokers (4.2%) (P < .001). Using the current risk adjustment model, participant star ratings were as follows: 1 star, n = 6 (3.2%); 2 stars, n = 170 (91.4%); and 3 stars, n = 10 (5.4%). When smoking status was excluded from the model, 1 participant shifted from a 2-star to a 3-star program., Conclusions: There is substantial variability among STS database participants with regard to the proportion of current smokers undergoing lobectomy. However, exclusion of smoking status from the model did not significantly affect participant star rating., (Copyright © 2021 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) remains the largest and most robust thoracic surgical database in the world. The GTSD provides participant sites with risk-adjusted performance reports for benchmarking and facilitates quality improvement initiatives. In addition the GTSD provides several mechanisms for high-quality research using data from over 283 participant sites and nearly 620,000 procedures since its inception in 2002. Participant sites are audited at random annually to ensure continued completeness and accuracy of the GTSD. In 2020 the GTSD migrated to a cloud-based interactive data platform, and the Task Force continues to refine the data collection form to decrease data entry burden while maintaining data quality, granularity, and relevance. This report provides an update on outcomes, volume trends, and database improvements as well as a summary of research productivity resulting from the GTSD over the preceding year., (Copyright © 2020 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in the surgical management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are well described. Disparities in the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy are poorly understood. We assessed the influence of SES on adjuvant chemotherapy after resection in patients with pN1 NSCLC., Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried for cN0/N1 NSCLC patients who underwent surgical resection and had demonstrated pN1 disease. This cohort was further divided into those who received multiagent adjuvant chemotherapy (MAAC) vs surgery-only treatment. Factors associated with treatment assignment were examined, and long-term survival was compared., Results: Of the 14,892 patients who underwent resection for pN1 disease, 8061 (54.1%) received MAAC. Patients were less likely to receive MAAC if they resided in rural areas (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.37; P < .001), or were uninsured or on Medicaid (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07-1.41; P = .004). The propensity score-weighted 5-year survival was significantly higher for those receiving MAAC compared with surgery only (53.6% vs 39.5%, log-rank P < .001). Lower income (hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.00-1.12; P = .044) and uninsured or Medicaid insurance status (hazard ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.13-1.31; P < .001) were independently associated with increased mortality by Cox regression in the propensity score-weighted cohort., Conclusions: pN1 NSCLC patients living in rural areas or who are uninsured or on Medicaid insurance are at increased risk of not receiving MAAC. Treatment with MAAC significantly improves long-term survival of pN1 patients. Efforts should be made to ensure these at-risk groups receive guideline-concordant care., (Copyright © 2020 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Treatment decisions for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are based on patient and tumor characteristics, including socioeconomic status (SES) factors. The objective was to assess the contribution of SES factors to treatment and outcomes among patients with stage I NSCLC., Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried for operable patients with stage I NSCLC. Patients were divided into three treatment groups: primary resection (ie, surgery only); nonstandard treatments consisting of chemotherapy with or without radiation; and no therapy. The SES of patients who made up the treatment groups was assessed, and the 5-year survival of all groups was analyzed., Results: The cohort included 69,168 patients with stage I NSCLC. Each of these patients had between zero and five SES risk factors. The factors associated with no surgery were low income, nonwhite race, low high school graduation rate, Medicaid or no insurance, rural residence, and distance less than 12.5 miles from treatment facility. Patients with several SES risk factors have linearly increasing odds of undergoing nonstandard treatments and quadratically increasing odds of having no therapy (for patients with five factors, to odds ratio 4.7; 95% confidence interval, 3.44 to 6.30). Surgery alone was associated with significantly longer 5-year survival (71.8%) compared with nonstandard treatments (22.7%) and no therapy (21.8%; P < .001)., Conclusions: Socioeconomic status factors increase the risk of undergoing guideline discordant therapy for stage I NSCLC. As the number of SES factors increases, the odds of no therapy rises quadratically whereas the odds of nonstandard treatments rises constantly. The surgery only group had significantly longer survival than the nonstandard treatment and no therapy groups., (Copyright © 2020 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The objective of this study was to identify the most effective treatment for survival in patients with solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura (SFTP)., Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with malignant SFTPs. Patients were divided into two groups, those who had surgical treatment and those who did not. The primary outcome was 5-year overall survival, which was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test., Results: There were 204 patients with SFTPs identified between 2004 and 2014. Of those, 65% of patients (133) had surgical intervention, whereas 18% (37) had no surgical intervention, and 17% (34) had unknown treatment information. Among patients who underwent resection, 42% (56) had sublobar resections, 45% (60) had lobectomies, and 13% (17) had pneumonectomies. The overall 5-year survival for SFTP patients was 56%. Patients who had surgical intervention had a relative survival of 64%, and patients with no surgical intervention had 22% (p < 0.001). There was no difference in 5-year survival among patients who had sublobar resections compared with patients who had greater anatomic resections (65% versus 64%, p = 0.823)., Conclusions: Patients with SFTP who were managed with surgical intervention have better overall survival than patients who are not managed with surgery. Furthermore, similar 5-year survival for sublobar resections compared with greater anatomic resections suggested that the former, when possible, is sufficient., (Copyright © 2019 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The optimal extent of lung resection and lymph node (LN) assessment for surgical treatment of clinical stage T1aN0M0 typical carcinoid tumors is unclear. Using a cohort including only these patients, we aimed to determine the impact of extent of lung resection and LN assessment on overall survival., Methods: Patients undergoing lobectomy or sublobar resection for clinical stage T1aN0M0 intraparenchymal typical carcinoid tumor were identified in the National Cancer Data Base from 1998 to 2012. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine overall survival. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine independent predictors of mortality., Results: Of 1,495 patients, 536 (35.9%) had sublobar resection (wedge resection, n = 429; segmentectomy, n = 91) and 959 (64.2%) had lobectomy. There were 366 patients (24.5%) with no LN assessment. As tumor size increased, sublobar resection decreased and LN assessment increased. Overall, 60 patients (4.0%) were upstaged. Fifty-two patients were upstaged because of LN metastases (40 pN1, 11 pN2, and 1 pN3). The 5-year overall survival rate was 87%. It was 88% for lobectomy versus 87% for sublobar resection (p = 0.3), 65% for LN upstaging versus 89% for patients without LN upstaging, and 86% for patients with no LN assessment (p = 0.002). Independent predictors of mortality included LN upstaging, age, male sex, and Charlson comorbidity index., Conclusions: For patients with clinical stage T1aN0M0 typical carcinoid, sublobar resection results in similar overall survival compared with lobectomy. However, regardless of resection type, LN assessment is important to identify LN upstaging, the strongest independent predictor of overall mortality., (Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for patients with completely resected (R0) pT3N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with chest wall invasion. There is minimal evidence to support this recommendation. We aimed to determine whether there is a survival benefit with AC and if so whether it depends on tumor size., Methods: Patients who had undergone R0 resection for pT3N0M0 NSCLC with chest wall invasion were identified in the National Cancer Data Base from 2008 to 2012. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine independent predictors of overall mortality., Results: Of 247 patients, 92 (37.3%) received AC. The median tumor size without AC was 42 mm (interquartile range [IQR], 30 to 60 mm) and with AC was 56 mm (IQR, 40 to 70 mm; p = 0.003). Median follow-up was 21.7 months (IQR, 10.6 to 29.1 months). There was no difference in AC based on tumor grade, but the 3-year overall survival for those with well-differentiated or moderately differentiated tumors was 68% versus 55% in those with poorly differentiated or undifferentiated tumors. Three-year overall survival for the entire cohort was 59%. There was no difference in overall survival between those who received AC and those who did not. The only significant predictor of mortality in both univariable and multivariable analyses was poorly or undifferentiated tumor grade., Conclusions: For patients with pT3N0M0 NSCLC with chest wall invasion there is no survival benefit with AC, regardless of tumor size or grade, after R0 resection. Poorly differentiated or undifferentiated tumor grade is an independent predictor of mortality., (Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: For advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer, chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are the primary treatments. Although surgical intervention in these patients is associated with improved survival, the effect of selection bias is poorly defined. Our objective was to characterize selection bias and identify potential surgical candidates by constructing a Surgical Selection Score (SSS)., Methods: Patients with clinical stage IIIA, IIIB, or IV non-small cell lung cancer were identified in the National Cancer Data Base from 1998 to 2012. Logistic regression was used to develop the SSS based on clinical characteristics. Estimated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess discrimination performance of the SSS. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare patients with similar SSSs., Results: We identified 300,572 patients with stage IIIA, IIIB, or IV non-small cell lung cancer without missing data; 6% (18,701) underwent surgical intervention. The surgical cohort was 57% stage IIIA (n = 10,650), 19% stage IIIB (n = 3,483), and 24% stage IV (n = 4,568). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve from the best-fit logistic regression model in the training and validation sets were not significantly different, at 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 0.83) and 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 0.83). The range of SSS is 43 to 1,141. As expected, SSS was a good predictor of survival. Within each quartile of SSS, patients in the surgical group had significantly longer survival than nonsurgical patients (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: A prediction model for selection of patients for surgical intervention was created. Once validated and prospectively tested, this model may be used to identify patients who may benefit from surgical intervention., (Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prognostic significance of the number of lymph nodes sampled (NLNS) during resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The NLNS is influenced by many factors, and some have argued that it should be a surrogate for quality. We sought to determine the influence of the NLNS on overall survival and cancer-specific survival for surgically resected NSCLC., Methods: The California Cancer Registry was queried from 2004 to 2011 for cases of stage I to III NSCLC treated with surgical resection, identifying 16,393 patients. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to determine the influence of NLNS on overall survival and cancer-specific survival., Results: In all, 15,195 patients had information regarding nodal sampling. Eighty percent (13,167 of 15,195) were treated with lobectomy. Patients who were younger, male, non-Hispanic white, highest socioeconomic status, higher stage, or larger size tumor had more nodes removed. Sampling fewer than 10 nodes was associated with poorer overall survival when compared with sampling 10 or more nodes after adjustment for demographic and clinical factors for stage I: overall survival hazard ratio 1.78 (95% confidence interval: 1.54 to 2.05, p < 0.0001), hazard ratio 1.43 (95% confidence interval: 1.27 to 1.59, p < 0.0001), and hazard ratio 1.16 (95% confidence interval: 1.05 to 1.28, p = 0.004), for 0, 1 to 3, and 4 to 10 nodes, respectively. Of patients who underwent sublobar resection, 43.8% had no nodes sampled., Conclusions: For NSCLC, the NLNS influenced both overall survival and cancer-specific survival, but the influence is dependent on stage. Surgeons should perform mediastinal lymphadenectomy to maximize patient survival, but the optimal NLNS remains unclear., (Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: For patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), chemotherapy and chemoradiation are the principal treatment modalities, and the role of surgical resection remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate current trends and oncologic outcomes for advanced stage NSCLC. We hypothesized that surgery is associated with increased survival and may be an underutilized treatment modality., Methods: The California Cancer Registry was queried from 2004 to 2012 for cases of stage IIIA, IIIB, and IV NSCLC, and we identified 34,016 cases. Patients were categorized by treatment group, and linear regression was used to calculate trends in treatment and predictors of treatment group. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression modeling were used to determine the influence of treatment group on overall survival., Results: Twenty-seven percent of patients (9,223 of 34,016) received no treatment. For the entire cohort, treatment with chemotherapy alone increased (p < 0.001), but treatment with radiation alone, surgery alone, or in any combination decreased (p = 0.011, p < 0.001, p = 0.021, p = 0.007, and p = 0.094). Treatment group, age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, stage, histology, and tumor size were all significant predictors of overall survival. Overall survival was significantly longer for patients who had surgery as part of their treatment regimen (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: For patients with advanced stage NSCLC, the use of multimodality regimens that include surgery are decreasing despite longer overall survival. Future studies are needed to identify the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients with advanced stage NSCLC who may benefit from surgery., (Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Women in Thoracic Surgery was founded in 1986, with 2016 marking its 30th anniversary. Reflecting back on the last 3 decades of history, accomplishments, and enormous strides in our field, we review the past, present, and future of this organization. Although women still constitute a small minority of practicing surgeons in our field today, opportunities currently abound for women in thoracic surgery. Owing much to the early female pioneers in the field and to the support of male sponsors and our national societies, Women in Thoracic Surgery has grown and prospered, as have its members and the global community of female thoracic surgeons as a whole. In celebration of our 30th anniversary, we share with the readership the rich history of Women in Thoracic Surgery and its goals for the future., (Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cardiac paragangliomas are an extremely rare subset of chromaffin cell tumors that develop from neural crest cells., Methods: Between March 2004 and October 2010, 7 male patients from our two institutions who underwent surgical resection of cardiac paraganglioma were retrospectively reviewed., Results: In 5 patients, paragangliomas originated from the roof of the left atrium, and in 2 patients, they originated from the aortic root. Hospital mortality was 14%., Conclusions: Complete surgical resection remains the mainstay of therapy and can be curative, but carries a significant risk of intraoperative bleeding and usually requires cardiopulmonary bypass and often complex resection techniques, including cardiac autotransplantation., (Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Surgical palliation can improve quality of life, provide local control, and extend survival. However, oncologists often view surgical intervention as a drastic measure with prohibitive morbidity. During the past decade, surgical palliation has played a role in the management of many metastatic malignancies, including those of the colon, breast, prostate, and kidney. In concert with this, the morbidity and mortality associated with surgical interventions has continued to decline. We present 2 patients with thoracic sarcoma recurrences after pneumonectomy that were associated with symptomatic compression of pulmonary vessels and airway. Both patients underwent surgical resection, with immediate relief of symptoms, improved quality of life, and extended survival., (Copyright © 2011 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)