Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the western hemisphere. Every year there are approximately 170,000 new cases of lung cancer in the United States. Improving the outcome for treatment of lung cancer is a major challenge for society. This dismal survival statistic is due, in part, to late diagnosis and treatment. In fact, greater than half the patients are Stage III and IV at time of diagnosis, with locally and systemically advanced disease.
Early diagnosis is key to improving outcomes for treatment of lung cancer.
The most direct means of diagnosing lung cancer is with surgical removal and biopsy of lung tissue. VATS is minimally invasive, performed using three one inch incisions on the chest, resulting in significantly less morbidity and mortality when compared to a thoracotomy. Equally important, VATS allows for the complete excision of a lung nodule and reduces the risk of false diagnosis.