The new international staging system for lung cancer. Evolution of the system and concerned remarks.

: The rationale of the Staging System of Lung Cancer is discussed from his presentation (Mountain, 1985) to the recent revision and proposals of new classifications. Survival rates offered a strong statistical support to the latest revision in 1997. Stage Group have become 7 out of Stage 0 (Tis). In the New Lymph Node Map, station 4 is confirmed as mediastinal (N2). The improved definition of Stage Grouping requires a golden standard of staging and a worldwide consensus on the surgical approach to mediastinal lymphadenectomy. IASLC, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, is now moving to collect a new largest database with the aim to offer the next expected Revision.