Journal Series

Introduction The cornerstone of curative intent treatment for early-stage cancers of the chest, such as lung and esophageal tumors, is thoracic surgery. However, depending on the type of major thoracic surgery, there is a high risk of postoperative adverse events (AEs), which are defined as any deviation from the expected recovery from surgery. AEs worsen patient experience, and lengthen hospital stays, resulting in more readmissions, raising health care expenditures, and increasing mortality risk. The cornerstone of curative intent treatment for early-stage cancers of the chest, such as lung and esophageal tumors, is thoracic surgery. However, depending on the type of major thoracic surgery, there is a high risk of postoperative adverse events (AEs), which are defined as any deviation from the expected recovery from surgery. AEs worsen patient experience, and lengthen hospital stays, resulting in more readmissions, raising health care expenditures, and increasing mortality risk. We in...