Methods: Files of 130 patients who were performed pneumonectomy in our clinic for NSCLC between November 1995 and August 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with other malignancies and/or distant metastasis, and who underwent completion pneumonectomy were excluded, and the remaining 116 patients (113 males, 3 females; mean age 57 years; range 31 to 82 years) constituted the study group. Neoadjuvant treatment was administered to 47 patients (group 1) who had advanced stage (T3-4N0-1 or T1-3N2) NSCLC. Pneumonectomy without neoadjuvant treatment was performed in 69 patients with T2-4N0-1 (group 2). Survival, morbidity, and mortality rates were compared between the groups.

Results: Sixty-two patients (53%) underwent left pneumonectomy. The median length of hospital stay was 6.4 days (range 1-33 days). Chemotherapy was administered in 29 patients (62%), and chemoradiotherapy in 18 patients (38%) preoperatively. Left pneumonectomy was performed in 29 patients after neoadjuvant treatment. Complications were detected in 31% of patients (group 1: 28%, group 2: 33%). Ninety-day mortality rate was 4.2% in group 1, and 5.8% in group 2. Five-year-survival rate was 41% and 35% for group 1 and group 2, respectively. Median survival time was 41 months and 40 months for group 1 and group 2, respectively. No statistically significant difference was detected between the two groups in terms of morbidity, mortality, and survival.

Conclusion: This study showed that pneumonectomy after neoadjuvant treatment may be safely administered in patients with locally advanced NSCLC with acceptable morbidity, mortality, and survival rates.