Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women and continues to have a five-year survival rate of less than 10%. Currently, complete surgical resection remains the best hope for cure. However, not all patients with lung cancer are candidates for surgical resection. This article describes the process used in selecting patients who are eligible for lung cancer resection. After determining that lung cancer is present, it is important to assess the resectability of the tumor as well as the suitability of the patient for an operation evaluating the histological type of cancer, the degree of invasion, and the patient’s other medical conditions.