Sign in Subscribe
Cancer research

Robotic-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Shows Promise for Very Elderly Patients with Lung Cancer

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Lung cancer is a significant health concern, particularly among the elderly population, and the number of very elderly patients is rising due to increasing global life expectancy. Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has been studied as a potential treatment option for these patients, with promising results. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that RATS is a safe and feasible option for selected very elderly patients with lung cancer, yielding outcomes comparable to younger patients.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 93 patients who underwent major lung resections using RATS between 2015 and 2022 at two specialized centers in Milan, Italy.
  • Patients were divided into very elderly patients (VEP, 80 years) and non-elderly patients (NEP).
  • The study found that RATS is a safe and feasible option for selected very elderly patients with lung cancer, with outcomes comparable to younger patients.
  • The study highlighted the potential benefits of RATS, including reduced blood loss and shorter hospital stays compared to traditional and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).
  • The research concluded that RATS is a viable treatment option for very elderly patients with resectable lung cancer.
  • The study's findings have significant implications for the treatment of lung cancer in the elderly population.

Statistics:

  • 93 patients were included in the study, of which 74 were very elderly patients (VEP, 80 years) and 19 were non-elderly patients (NEP).
  • The patients underwent major lung resections using RATS between 2015 and 2022.
  • The study found that RATS resulted in reduced blood loss (average 200 mL) and shorter hospital stays (average 7 days) compared to traditional and VATS.
  • The study concluded that RATS is a feasible option for very elderly patients with lung cancer, yielding outcomes comparable to younger patients.

Sources:

  • Robotic Surgery Is a Safe Treatment in Very Elderly Patients with Resectable Lung Cancer. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025;14(12):4314.
  • Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute.
  • Mdpi, St Alban-Anlage 66, Ch-4052 Basel, Switzerland.
  • NewsRx. Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute Reports Findings in Lung Cancer (Robotic Surgery Is a Safe Treatment in Very Elderly Patients with Resectable Lung Cancer). Journal of Engineering. July 7, 2025; p 1354.

Read more