ASCO 2021 | Is minimally invasive surgery the way forward in lung cancer?

Jonathan Spicer, MD, PhD, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, discusses minimally invasive versus open surgical techniques in lung cancer, a hotly debated area under investigation in several notable trials. While many experts believe minimally invasive techniques are likely to provide short-term benefits, questions remain over the long-term benefits. Dr Spicer highlights the VIOLET trial (NCT03521375) of video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy versus conventional open lobectomy which reported 1-year outcome results at ASCO 2021 and will provide important evidence in the field. A comparative study of pulmonary segmentectomy and lobectomy by the Japanese Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG0802) has also shown impressive results in support of minimally invasive surgery. Further evidence with longer patient follow-up is required to shed light on the optimal surgical approaches in lung cancer. This interview took place at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2021 Virtual Meeting.