At the 2026 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Annual Meeting, CTSNet Editor-in-Chief, Joel Dunning, a cardiothoracic surgeon at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, UK, spoke with Dr. Philip Linden, a thoracic surgeon at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA. Their conversation focused on the newly released AATS expert consensus document on the evaluation and management of N2+ non-small cell lung cancer.
During their discussion, they explored several statements from the expert consensus document regarding the proper use of neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapies, as well as the safety of resection after chemoimmunotherapy. They highlighted key aspects of staging, emphasizing the importance of determining resectability prior to initial treatment. They also discussed bulky lymph nodes and recommended imaging scans. Additionally, they addressed pathologic restaging, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) testing, and the key advantages of these guidelines. The conversation also touched on the topic of pneumonectomy and the future of this expert consensus document.
At the 106th American Association for Thoracic Surgery Annual Meeting, surgeons gathered from around the word to discuss essential topics in cardiothoracic surgery. Interviews with leading surgeons addressing these critical issues were captured, and more interviews from the meeting will be available in the coming weeks.
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