To investigate the long-term clinical efficacy of patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) between video-assisted minithoracotomy(VAMT) and open lobectomy.

The clinical data of 120 patients with NSCLC treated in Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University between January 2006 and June 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Among these patients, 40 underwent VAMT(VAMT group), and conventional open lobectomy was carried out in the other 80(open lobectomy group). Patients were followed up for 5 years, and the 5-year overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival(DFS) were compared between groups. The quality of life was assessed by the 36-item short form health survey(SF-36) in Chinese version, and the causes of death were analyzed.

There was no significant difference in the sex constitution ratio, mean age and clinical stage constitution ratio between two groups before operation(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the 5-year OS and DFS between two groups(χ²=2.165, P=0.856; t=0.151, P=0.732). In the evaluation of SF-36 5 years after operation, the scores of physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional and mental health in VAMT group were significantly higher than those in open lobectomy group(t=5.298, P=0.035; t=4.508, P=0.021; t=2.085, P=0.036; t=6.316, P=0.019; t=3.584, P=0.024; t=4.903, P=0.023; t=5.354, P=0.020; t=2.772, P=0.022).

Though there is no significant difference in long-term survival between VAMT and open lobectomy, while the survival patients in VAMT group have a higher quality of life than open lobectomy group 5 years after surgery. VAMT has a better long-term efficacy than open pulmonary lobectomy, and is worthy of clinical application.