Robotic vs thoracoscopic vs open lobectomy and segmentectomy for lung cancer: a multicenter cohort study in the ATS of Milan
Robotic lung surgery for cancer reduces hospital stays and conversion rates versus traditional approaches, with survival comparable to or better than open surgery.
This multicenter cohort study (n=1605, 8 Italian hospitals) using inverse probability weighting shows robotic surgery (RATS) for early NSCLC offers shorter length of stay and fewer conversions vs VATS, with better adjusted overall survival vs open thoracotomy, while early mortality and readmission are similar across all approaches. These findings support RATS as a preferred minimally invasive option when available, though randomized data remain lacking.
What the study was
- Study design
- Multicenter cohort study with IPW (8 hospitals, retrospective 2016-2021 + prospective 2023-2025)
- Population
- Early-stage NSCLC patients undergoing anatomical lung resection (8 Milan hospitals)
- Sample size
- 1605
- Category
- Treatment Innovation
- Maturity
- Validated
- Journal
- J Robot Surg
Why it surfaced
Unsolicited find from sentinel scan. Large multicenter cohort (n=1605), rigorous IPW methodology, multicenter Italian network. Supports RATS for early NSCLC but lacks randomized evidence.
A plain-language summary of published research — not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own care.