Thoracoscopic intrapericardial lingular segmentectomy for advanced lung cancer following immunotherapy

Abstract

Abstract Very little data exists on salvage surgery in previously unresectable or metastatic disease treated with initial immunotherapy. Only a handful of case reports/series regarding surgery for advanced lung cancer after immunotherapy mention the technical challenges involved. We report the case of a 67‐year‐old female with a left lung squamous cell lung cancer revealed by computed tomography‐guided biopsy. Treatment started with chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy in which a partial response was recorded. Subsequent salvage lingulectomy with the thoracoscopic approach was performed. The patient fully recovered and shows no sign of recurrence at follow‐up 16 months on. Our case discusses the surgical tactics involved in the procedure, highlights similar findings encountered in the literature, and contributes to the few reports therein.

Keywords

• immune checkpoint inhibitor
• immunotherapy
• non‐small cell lung cancer
• salvage surgery
• thoracoscopic surgery