Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the perioperative outcomes and disease-free survival (DFS) between pneumonectomy after immunochemotherapy and chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy (n = 15) or chemotherapy alone (n = 12) in our single center between 2021 and 2023. The primary end point was 30-day major complications. The secondary end point was major pathologic response. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in operation time, blood loss and postoperative stay time between ICI (Received immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment including PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors) and Chemo cohort. There were also no difference in postoperative complications including complications > grade III, 90-day death and bronchial fistula. The pCR rate was 40.0% (6/15) in the ICI cohort versus 0.0% (0/12) in the chemo cohort (p = 0.020). The MPR or pCR rate was 60.0% (9/15) in the ICI cohort versus 8.3% (1/12) in the chemo cohort (p = 0.014). ICI cohort was associated with an improved overall 1, 2, and 3-year disease-free survival(DFS)compared with chemo cohort. At the same time, both patients received ICI and Chemo were grouped according to whether pCR occurred or not, and it was found that DFS in the pCR group was better than DFS in the non-pCR group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, we argue that compared with pneumonectomy after isolated chemotherapy, pneumonectomy after immunochemotherapy not added 90-day mortality, postoperative, morbidity, but improved DFS; thus, it should be the induction therapy choice for anatomically eligible centrally located lung cancers.