This series on “Current Advances and Innovations in Surgical Lung Cancer Treatment” is edited by Dr. Erik R. de Loos from Zuyderland Medical Center (The Netherlands), Dr. Peter B. Licht from Odense University Hospital (Denmark) and Dr. Aimée J. P. M. Franssen from Zuyderland Medical Center (The Netherlands).

Erik R. de Loos, MD, PhD
Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen, The Netherlands.

Dr. Erik R. de Loos is a board-certified general thoracic and trauma surgeon at Zuyderland Medical Center (Heerlen, the Netherlands). This center is a center of expertise for minimally invasive lung surgery and provides numerous (inter-)national training courses. It is also a tertiary referral center for chest wall disorders. With Erik’s extensive clinical experience, he is an executive board member of the Chest Wall International Group. His research group addresses the entire pallet of thoracic trauma and general thoracic surgery. In 2022, he obtained a PhD in Medicine from Maastricht University (Maastricht, the Netherlands), focusing on the surgical care of pectus excavatum.

Peter B. Licht, MD, PhD
Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

Prof. dr. Peter B. Licht is a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Southern Danish University, Odense (Denmark). He is a general thoracic surgeon that holds a senior consultant position at Odense University Hospital (Denmark) and is a past-president of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. He is head of research in general thoracic surgery and his clinical and research interests focus on minimally invasive thoracic surgery for benign and malignant lung diseases. He runs several international VATS lobectomy seminars every year.

Aimée J. P. M. Franssen, PhD
Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen, The Netherlands.

Dr. Aimée J. P. M. Franssen is a research coordinator at Zuyderland Medical Center (Heerlen, the Netherlands) in the research team of dr. Erik R. de Loos. She obtained a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, United Kingdom). After undertaking postdoctoral research at the University of Hasselt (Belgium), she took up her current position, translating research into tangible improvements in patient outcomes. She has special interest in general thoracic and chest wall surgery, including congenital, traumatic and oncological disorders. Currently, she guides multiple PhD students into their journey of becoming an independent researcher.

Series outline

Lung cancer surgery has a long history and is a critical component in the treatment of one of the most prevalent forms of cancer. Lung cancer, often diagnosed at advanced stages, requires a nuanced understanding of surgical options and their impact on patient outcomes. Over the years, we have seen a multitude of advances, driven by technological innovations, improved surgical techniques and a better understanding of cancer biology. Hence, this special series delves into the multifaceted world of lung cancer surgery, exploring the latest advancements and innovations. Together with Prof. dr. Peter B. Licht and Dr. Aimée J. P. M. Franssen, Dr. Erik R. de Loos has assembled expert authors to review the following topics:

1. Editorial on surgical treatment of lung cancer
2. Lung cancer screening
3. Prehabilitation and surgical fitness for surgical lung cancer treatment
4. Sarcopenia and its influence on NSCLC (surgical) treatment
5. Current advances in 3D preoperative imaging in surgical lung cancer treatment
6. Current advances in mediastinal staging for NSCLC
7. Current advances in surgical treatment of lung cancer: RATS vs VATS
8. Current advances in sublobar NSCLC resections
9. Current advances in sleeve resections for NSCLC
10. Current advances in extended resections for NSCLC
11. Current advances in tubeless surgery for NSCLC
12. Current advances in early-stage NSCLC treatment: radiotherapy vs. Surgery
13. Upfront resection of locally advanced NSCLC
14. Current advances in (neo-)adjuvant systemic therapy in resectable stage IB-IIIA NSCLC
15. Adjuvant radiotherapy following NSCLC surgery
16. Current advances in pain management following thoracoscopic surgery for NSCLC
17. Advanced chest tube management following NSCLC surgery
18. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)
19. Artificial intelligence in surgical treatment of NSCLC

Disclosure:
The special series “Current Advances and Innovations in Surgical Lung Cancer Treatment” was commissioned by the editorial office, Translational Lung Cancer Research without any funding or sponsorship. Erik R. de Loos, Peter B. Licht and Aimée J. P. M. Franssen are serving as the unpaid Guest Editors for the special series.