Preoperative evaluation of the lung resection candidate.

Lung resection provides the greatest likelihood of cure for patients with localized lung cancer, but is associated with a risk of mortality, decreased postoperative lung function, and other complications. Lung function testing using spirometry, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, and peak oxygen consumption helps predict the risk of postoperative complications including mortality. Predicting postoperative lung function using the proportion of lung segments to be resected, radionuclide scanning, or other methods is important for assessing surgical risk. The American College of Chest Physicians, the European Respiratory Society/European Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the British Thoracic Society guidelines provide detailed algorithms for preoperative risk assessment, but their recommended approaches differ somewhat. Smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation are perioperative measures that can improve patients' the short- and long-term outcomes.