The revision of 8th edition TNM stage criteria is more accurate in prediction postoperative survival for SCLC patients. 
The 8th edition TNM lung cancer classification was enacted in January 2017.  An important change is the old T2a was revised to new T2a and T2b.  Whether a postoperative survival difference exists between the two stages is still undefined.  The purpose of this study is to investigate the postoperative outcomes of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients and compare the survival difference between the two stages.  Data of patients with SCLC who underwent surgery between October 2005 and August 2013 at our institute were reviewed.  A total number of 194 patients were enrolled and were reclassified according to the 8th edition TNM stage.  Survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis, the log-rank test was used to compare survival differences.  Surgical resection included 165 lobectomy or bilobectomy, 19 sublobectomy and 10 pneumonectomy.  There were 159 patients received chemotherapy, 35 underwent surgery alone.  The 5-year survival rate and median survival time (MST) of whole group was 34.5% and 45 months.  For patients who received similar therapy (surgery plus chemotherapy) in N0 stage, the MST of T2a stage was 83 months, significantly longer than 62 months in T2b stage (P = 0.017).  In the 8th edition TNM lung cancer stage criteria, the postoperative survival of T2a is superior to T2b for non-metastatic SCLC at N0 stage.