Background: We report the results of complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for treatment of primary nonsmall cell lung cancer, which was performed completely through the monitor in 400 consecutive patients. Patients and methods: Between September 25, 2002 and August 25, 2011, a retrospective database of 400 consecutive patients who underwent complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for treatment of primary non-small cell lung cancer was reviewed. Demographic, histopathologic, preoperative, perioperative, postoperative, and outcome variables were assessed using standard descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Results: Operating time was 258.13±62.53 min, volume of blood loss was 253.21±206.66 mL, duration of drainage was 3.6±3.2 days, volume of drainage was 708.1±522.8 mL, the postoperative respiratory complication rate was 14.8%, the reoperation rate was 1.3%, and operative mortality was 1.0%. The 5-year postsurgical survival rates for pathologic stages I, II, and III were 93.9%, 62.0%, and 61.6%, respectively; the 3-year postsurgical survival rate for pathologic stage IV was 40.0% Conclusions: Complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for treatment of primary non-small cell lung cancer is associated with safety and acceptable postoperative complication rates, operative mortality rates, and survival rates. © The Author(s) 2012 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.