New insights about the oncologic value of VATS lobectomy from big data

Boffa et al. report an extensive analysis from the General Thoracic Surgery Database concerning patients undergoing VATS lobectomy for NSCLC (1). The information obtained has been cross-linked to the Center of Medicare and Medical Services (CMS) database, which provides insight about longitudinal follow up of medicare beneficiaries in the united states who are >65 years old. By doing so, critical data about the surgical course are linked to survival data, providing an invaluable tool for survival analysis.