VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) lobectomy is a relatively new minimally invasive surgical treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), associated with low morbidity and mortality and effective oncologic results over the standard thoracotomy. However, this surgical procedure has not spread widely in china for several reasons. First , VATS surgery cost more than thoracotomy for thoracoscopic staples; second, the procedure of VATS lobectomy may be more difficult in china as the lack of VATS surgical equipments adjusted for smaller thoracic cavity of chinese, and more common adhesive and calcified lymph nodes due to infection and tuberculosis; Third, the surgical levels of VATS lobectomy are far from equal in china, and the Continuing Medical Education training programs of thoracoscopic surgery seem to be less efficient without major criterion.