- Metastatic disease (except peribronchial/hilar lymph nodes=N1 and ipsilateral/subcarinal mediastinal lymph nodes=N2) or malignant pleural effusion detected on preoperative evaluation. Non-malignant effusions are cytology negative, are non-bloody, and are transudates. Effusions visible only on CT and not large enough for safe thoracentesis will not result in ineligibility. Exudative effusions, even if cytologically negative are excluded. Pleural fluid is considered exudative if: the ratio of pleural fluid protein to serum protein is >0.5 or the ratio of pleural fluid LDH to serum to serum LDH >0.6 or Pleural fluid LDH is >200 IU/liter. A staging PET scan will be used to exclude patients. If there are multiple areas of FDG uptake outside the area of the primary tumor and the hilar and ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes, the patient will be excluded by virtue of having metastatic disease. If however, only one area shows an increase in FDG uptake, the area of concern will need further evaluation such as a biopsy to exclude metastatic disease.