Developing the guidelines: the techniques of uniportal VATS for sublobar resection and middle lobectomy

Since the landmark, randomized controlled trial by the Lung Cancer Study Group in 1995, lobectomy with systematic lymphadenectomy has been recognized as the standard treatment for early-stage, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (1). This study was done at a time where high definition computed tomography (CT) scan, positron emission tomography (PET) scan and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) were not available. Furthermore, a considerable portion of the procedures where wedge resections and all tumors were solid (the concept of GGO was still rudimental). These factors might have skewed the results resulting on the misleading concept that sublobar resection is not an adequate procedure for NSCLC.