Wedge Resection Offers Similar Survival to Segmentectomy for Typical Carcinoid Tumors

Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022 Spring;34(1):293-298. doi: 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2021.03.005. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Abstract

Current guidelines recommend anatomic lung resection of typical bronchopulmonary carcinoids. Typical carcinoid tumors have excellent prognosis and sublobar resection has been associated with noninferior long-term survival. It's unclear whether wedge resection is acceptable for small typical carcinoid tumors. We hypothesize there is no difference in survival between wedge resection and segmentectomy for Stage I typical bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors. Using the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2016, we identified clinical T1N0M0 typical bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors by wedge resection or segmentectomy. Short-term outcomes included length of stay, lymph nodes evaluated, pathologic node status, positive margin status, and 90-day mortality. Primary outcome was overall survival and estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. 821 patients were identified: 677 receiving wedge resection, 144 receiving segmentectomy. Segmentectomy was more commonly performed in an academic setting (70.0% vs 57.3%, P = 0.005). The mean tumor size for segmentectomy was 1.7 cm versus 1.4 cm for wedge resection (P < 0.001). There was no difference in LOS, positive margin status, and 90-day mortality between groups. There were significantly more lymph nodes evaluated in segmentectomy patients (median 4 vs 0, P < 0.001), but there was no difference in positive lymph node status (5.3% vs 2.6%, P = 0.165). The OS was similar between wedge and segmental resection (P = 0.613): 3-year survival (93.5% vs 92.8%) and 5-year survival (83.8% vs 84.9%). Wedge resection and segmentectomy have similar survival for Stage I typical bronchopulmonary carcinoids in a large national database. This analysis suggests nonanatomic, parenchymal-sparing resection should be considered an appropriate alternative for Stage I typical bronchopulmonary carcinoids.

Keywords: Pulmonary carcinoid; Segmentectomy; Thoracic surgery; Wedge resection.

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoid Tumor* / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoid Tumor* / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Pneumonectomy / adverse effects
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome