2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) - ePosters-EP.14B.07 Does Surgical Incision Affect Quality of Life in Masaoka Stage 1-2 Thymomas?

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The study investigates the impact of surgical incision methods on the quality of life in patients with Masaoka stage 1-2 thymomas who underwent surgery via either the open sternotomy method or minimally invasive techniques such as VATS (Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery). It involves a retrospective analysis of 33 patients treated between 2007 and 2022, focusing on those who could be reached for the study, namely 18 patients (10 underwent VATS and 8 underwent sternotomy).<br /><br />The patients' quality of life post-surgery was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire, which includes a series of questions addressing general health perception, limitations in physical activities, emotional well-being, pain, and social functioning. Results indicated similar levels of restrictions across general activities and emotional impacts on daily routines between both groups.<br /><br />Key findings highlighted specific areas where VATS outperformed sternotomy. In particular, patients in the VATS group reported better general health and less limitation in performing work or daily activities due to physical health or emotional problems. They also experienced better outcomes in physical activities, pain perception, and emotional well-being compared to the previous year, although many quality-of-life parameters showed no significant differences between the two groups.<br /><br />The study concludes that while minimally invasive surgeries like VATS show some advantages in terms of quality of life, especially in holistic health perception, many quality-adjusted life parameters were comparable to those following sternotomy. Nevertheless, considering the general quality of life benefits observed, VATS should be preferred in appropriate thymoma surgery cases, bolstered by the ongoing advancements in minimally invasive surgical technologies. However, caution remains regarding the risk of residual tissue with these methods.

Asset Subtitle

Akif Turna

Meta Tag

Speaker Akif Turna

Topic Mesothelioma, Thymoma, and Other Thoracic Tumors

Keywords

surgical incision methods

quality of life

Masaoka stage 1-2 thymomas

open sternotomy

minimally invasive techniques

VATS

SF-36 questionnaire

retrospective analysis

general health perception

emotional well-being