No abstract

Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy is associated with a lower incidence of complications compared with lobectomy via thoracotomy. For appropriate candidates, video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy may be the preferred strategy for appropriately selected patients with lung cancer.

Identifying the cells of origin of lung cancer may lead to new therapeutic strategies. Previous work has focused upon the putative bronchoalveolar stem cell at the bronchioalveolar duct junction as a cancer cell of origin when a codon 12 K-Ras mutant is induced via adenoviral Cre inhalation. In the present study, we use two “knock-in” Cre-estrogen receptor alleles to inducibly express K-RasG12D in CC10 + epithelial cells and Sftpc + type II alveolar cells of the adult mouse lung. Analysis of these mice identifies type II cells, Clara cells in the terminal bronchioles, and putative bronchoalveolar stem cells as cells of origin for K-Ras–induced lung hyperplasia. However, only type II cells appear to progress to adenocarcinoma.

Thoracoscopic lobectomy is applicable to a spectrum of malignant and benign pulmonary disease and is associated with a low perioperative morbidity and mortality rate. Survival rates are comparable to those for lobectomy with thoracotomy.