Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS) in the elderly patients with early non-small cell lung cancer. Methods A total of 248 patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy for early non-small cell lung cancer from June 2018 to May 2019 in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital were selected. All the patients were divided into group A (99 cases receiving ERAS) and group B (149 cases without ERAS). The postoperative complications, including atelectasis, pleural effusion, pneumonia, atrial fibrillation and 90-day mortality were observed and compared between the two groups. Results The incidence rate of postoperative pleural effusion in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P=0. 045). During the follow-up, there were no deaths. There were no significant differences in other postoperative complications between the two groups. Conclusions Elderly patients with early non-small cell lung cancer undergoing ERAS have significantly greater prognosis.

Key words: enhanced recovery after surgery, non-small cell lung cancer, pulmonary lobectomy, aged