BTOG 2021 | Establishing the future role of surgery in lung cancer treatment

Leanne Ashrafian, MD, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, talks on the role of surgery in the future of treatment for locally advanced resectable lung cancer and its position in the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Dr Ashrafian highlights findings from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) report, run in collaboration with NHS England, which conducted a national review into services for patients with lung cancer in the UK, commenting on regional discrepancies in resection rates and survival outcomes. Dr Ashrafian outlines the potential introduction of a second opinion MDT, discussing the rationale for and challenges of its implementation. Finally, Dr Ashrafian gives a brief overview of the role of multimodality therapy in lung cancer treatment and the benefits of robotic surgery. This interview took place during the 19th British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Annual Conference 2021.