Salvage Surgery for Small-Cell Lung Cancer—A Literature Review

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Salvage lung resection for lung cancer is a relatively new concept, and most of the operated patients present non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), salvage surgery is extremely rarely performed, in highly selected patients proved with limited disease after radical chemoradiation, as an alternative to second-line chemotherapy. From the published cases, it appeared that salvation surgery for SCLC presents postoperative morbidity similar to salvage surgery for NSCLC, no postoperative mortality, and a median estimated overall survival of 92% at 2 years and 66% at 5 years. Salvage lung resection for SCLC may be a reasonable treatment in very highly selected patients, offering good local control and a favorable survival outcome. ABSTRACT: (1) Background: Salvation surgery for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is exceptionally performed, and only a few cases are published. (2) Methods: There are 6 publications that present 17 cases of salvation surgery for SCLC—the salvation surgery was performed in the context of modern clearly established protocols for SCLC and after including SCLC in the TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) staging in 2010. (3) Results: After a median follow-up of 29 months, the estimated overall survival (OS) was 86 months. The median estimated 2-year survival was 92%, and the median estimated 5-year survival was 66%. (4) Conclusion: Salvage surgery for SCLC is a relatively new and extremely uncommon concept and represents an alternative to second-line chemotherapy. It is valuable because it may offer a reasonable treatment for selected patients, good local control, and a favorable survival outcome.