Spread through air spaces affects survival and recurrence of patients with clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer after wedge resection

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide (1). The significance of low-dose CT screening for lung cancer detection has been recognized (2), and small-sized lung cancers are being found more frequently. Sublobar resection is considered an alternative to lobectomy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or compromise NSCLC cases. Since randomized control studies comparing lobectomy with sublobar resection for small-sized lung cancers are ongoing, and the results have not yet been shown (3,4), lobectomy remains the standard surgical treatment, based on a previous randomized control study (5). On the other hand, sublobar resection is associated with lower morbidity rates, a shorter hospital stay, and better preservation of pulmonary function compared with lobectomy (6)