Pathologic Stage IA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Research Articles

Outcomes of Completion Lobectomy for Locoregional Recurrence after Sublobar Resection in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

This retrospective study aimed to determine the treatment patterns and the surgical and oncologic outcomes after completion lobectomy (CL) in patients with locoregionally recurrent stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who previously underwent sublobar resection. Data from 36 patients who initially underwent sublobar resection for clinical, pathological stage IA NSCLC and experienced locoregional recurrence between 2008 and 2016 were analyzed. Thirty-six (3.6%) of 1,003 patients who underwent sublobar resection for NSCLC experienced locoregional recurrence. The patients' median age was 66.5 (range, 44-77) years at the initial operation, and 28 (77.8%) patients were men. Six (16.7%) patients underwent segmentectomy and 30 (83.3%) underwent wedge resection as the initial operation. The median follow-up from the initial operation was 56 (range, 9-150) months. Ten (27.8%) patients underwent CL, 22 (61.1%) underwent non-surgical treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, concurrent chemoradiation therapy), and 4 (11.1%) did not receive treatment or were lost to follow-up after recurrence. Patients who underwent CL experienced no significant complications or deaths. The median follow-up time after CL was 64.5 (range, 19-93) months. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and post-recurrence survival (PRS) were higher in the surgical group than in the non-surgical (p<0.001) and no-treatment groups (p<0.001). CL is a technically demanding but safe procedure for locoregionally recurrent stage I NSCLC after sublobar resection. Patients who underwent CL had better OS and PRS than patients who underwent non-surgical treatments or no treatments; however, a larger cohort study and long-term surveillance are necessary.

Long-term Survival After Lung Cancer Resection in the National Lung Screening Trial

BackgroundThis study sought to evaluate the long-term survival and causes of death after surgery among patients with pathologic stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). MethodsPatients who underwent surgery and who had a diagnosis of pathologic stage IA NSCLC in the NLST were identified for analysis. The 5- and 10-year overall survival and lung cancer–specific survival, stratified by operation type, were evaluated. Among patients who underwent lobectomy, the causes of death and the cumulative incidence of lung cancer death were assessed. ResultsA total of 380 patients (n = 329, 86.6% lobectomy; n = 20, 5.3% segmentectomy; n = 31, 8.1% wedge resection) met inclusion criteria. Median follow-up time from the date of surgery was 7.8 years (interquartile range, 4.8-10.7 years). The 10-year overall survival rate was 58.3% (95% CI, 52.4%-63.8%) for lobectomy, 59.9% (95% CI, 33.2%-78.8%) for segmentectomy, and 45.2% (95% CI, 20.8%-66.9%) for wedge resection. The 10-year lung cancer–specific survival rate was 74.3% (95% CI, 68.6%-79.1%) for lobectomy, 81.3% (95% CI, 51.3%-93.8%) for segmentectomy, and 84.8% (95% CI, 64.0%-94.1%) for wedge resection. Lung cancer was the leading cause of death, accounting for 55.8% of deaths after lobectomy. The 10-year cumulative incidence of lung cancer death after lobectomy was 22.5% (95% CI, 18.3%-27.1%). ConclusionsThe 10-year overall survival rate after lobectomy among patients with pathologic stage IA NSCLC in the NLST was 58%. Lung cancer was the leading cause of death, accounting for more than 55% of deaths.

Survival impact of fibrotic interstitial lung abnormalities in resected stage IA non-small cell lung cancer.

To assess the association between fibrotic interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) and long-term survival in patients with resected Stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data of patients who underwent curative resection of pathological Stage IA NSCLC between 2010 and 2015 were retrospectively analysed. ILAs were evaluated using pre-operative high-resolution CT scans. The association between ILAs and cause-specific mortality was assessed via Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to determine the risk factors for cause-specific death. Overall, 228 patients were identified (63.27 ± 8.54 years, 133 men [58.3%]). ILAs were detected in 24 patients (10.53%). Fibrotic ILAs were observed in 16 patients (7.02%), and there was a significantly higher cause-specific mortality rate among patients with fibrotic ILAs compared with patients with no ILAs (p < 0.001). Patients with fibrotic ILAs had a significantly higher cause-specific mortality rate than patients without ILAs at 5 post-operative years (survival rate: 61.88% vs 93.03%, p < 0.001). The presence of afibrotic ILA was an independent risk factor for cause-specific death (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.22; 95% confidence interval: 1.10, 9.44; p = 0.033). The presence of afibrotic ILA was a risk factor for cause-specific death in patients with resected Stage IA NSCLC. Radiologists and clinicians should be familiar with the relatively new concept of ILAs and understand the close association between ILA status and long-term survival in resected Stage IA NSCLC. Patients presenting fibrotic ILAs should receive appropriate surveillance and management to optimise prognosis. Fibrotic ILAs are important findings implicated inthe long-term survival of patients with resected Stage IA NSCLC. Specific management is required for this group.

Survival outcomes in a prospective randomized multicenter Phase III trial comparing patients undergoing anatomical segmentectomy versus standard lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer up to 2 cm

ObjectivesThe oncological equivalence of anatomical segmentectomy for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still controversial. Primary aim of this study was survival outcomes in combination with improved quality of life after segmentectomy compared with lobectomy in patients with pathological stage Ia NSCLC (up to 2 cm, 7th edition) Materials and MethodsWe conducted a prospective, randomized, multicenter phase III trial to confirm the non-inferiority of segmentectomy to lobectomy in regard to prognosis (trial No. DRKS00004897). Patients were randomized to undergo either segmentectomy or lobectomy and followed up for 5-years survival and tumor recurrence. The 5-year hazard ratio comparing lobectomy with segmentectomy was required to remain above 0.5. ResultsBetween October 2013 and June 2016, 108 patients with verified or suspected NSCLC up to 2 cm diameter were enrolled; 54 were assigned to lobectomy and 54 (1 drop-out) to segmentectomy. In-hospital and 90 days mortality was 0% in both groups. Overall survival at 5 years was 86.52% in the lobectomy compared to 78.21% in the segmentectomy group (HR = 0.61, (95% CI 0.23–1.66), p-value of non-inferiority test, p-ni = 0.687). Disease free survival was 77.29% for the lobectomy and 77.96% for the segmentectomy patients (HR = 1.50, (95% CI 0.60–3.76), p-ni = 0.019). At a median follow-up of 5 years, no differences were noted in either the locoregional or distant recurrent disease in both groups (9.4% vs 7.4%, p-ni = 0.506). ConclusionOverall survival, locoregional and distant recurrences was not significantly difference for patients undergoing either segmentectomy or lobectomy for stage Ia NSCLC. The targeted non-inferiority of segmentectomy to lobectomy could not be proven for primary endpoint overall survival, but was significant for the secondary endpoint of disease free survival.

Interstitial lung disease and wedge resection are poor prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer.

BackgroundAlthough several prognostic factors in patients undergoing pulmonary resection with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been reported, the risk factors are varied and have not been consistent among reports.MethodsClinical data of 540 patients with pathological stage IA NSCLC were analyzed. Patient factors, such as the sex, age, comorbidities, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, and smoking history, and surgical factors, such as the operative approach and procedure, were collected and analyzed.ResultsThere were significant prognostic differences in the relapse-free survival (RFS) depending on the presence of interstitial lung disease (P<0.0001), CEA level (P=0.007), and wedge resection (P=0.002). There were significant prognostic differences in the overall survival (OS) depending on the presence of interstitial lung disease (P=0.0015), CEA level (P<0.0001), and smoking history (P=0.0003). Interstitial lung disease [hazard ratio (HR): 7.725, P=0.003], the CEA level (HR: 1.923, P=0.045), and operative procedure (HR: 2.086, P=0.025) were risk factors for the RFS in a multivariate analysis. The smoking history (HR: 2.539, P=0.002) and CEA level (HR: 2.464, P=0.002) were risk factors for the OS in a multivariate analysis.ConclusionsInterstitial lung disease, the CEA level, and operative procedure were risk factors for the RFS, while the smoking history and CEA level were risk factors for the OS.

Segmentectomy Provides Comparable Outcomes to Lobectomy for Stage IA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer with Spread through Air Spaces

This study aimed to compare the recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) among wedge resection (non-anatomical resection), segmentectomy and lobectomy for pathological stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with spread through air spaces (STAS). Patients underwent surgical treatment for pathological stage IA NSCLC between January 1, 2005, and March 31, 2016, at our hospital. Surgical procedures were classified as lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection. Among the 555 analyzed cases, STAS was observed in 148 patients (26.7%). STAS was correlated with worse RFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P < 0.001) and was an independent poor prognostic factor for RFS (hazard ratio: 2.37, P < 0.001) and OS (hazard ratio: 2.02, P < 0.001) in the multivariate analysis. In patients with STAS, the RFS and OS in the segmentectomy group were comparable to those in the lobectomy group. However, the RFS and OS in the wedge resection group were significantly lower than those in the lobectomy group (RFS, P < 0.001; OS, P=0.001). Wedge resection was an independent prognostic factor for poor RFS (hazard ratio [HR]=3.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.84 - 8.12, P < 0.001), and poor OS (hazard ratio [HR]=3.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.33 - 8.76, P=0.011) in the multivariate analysis. Segmentectomy is an adequate operation for patients with stage IA NSCLC with or without STAS. However, wedge resection is associated with a higher risk of recurrence in this patient population.

Clinical significance of intrapulmonary lymph node dissection in pathological stage IA non-small cell lung cancer: A propensity score matching analysis.

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of intrapulmonary lymph node (ILN, stations 13–14) dissection on disease‐free survival (DFS) in stage IA non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in order to facilitate a more suitable determination of surgical strategies for early‐stage cases.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 416 patients with pathological stage IA NSCLC from February 2016 to November 2019. The patients were divided into a group with ILN dissection (ILND+ group) and a group without ILN dissection (ILND‐ group). DFS was compared using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared statistically using the log‐rank test before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Subgroup analysis of DFS stratified based on tumor size was also calculated.ResultsBoth before and after PSM, the four‐year DFS of the ILND+ group was greatly increased compared to that of ILND‐ group (90.1% vs. 79.7%, p = 0.003; 95.5% vs. 80.6%, p = 0.003, respectively) and multivariable cox regression analysis revealed ILN dissection was an independent factor favoring DFS in stage IA NSCLC (p = 0.016 and p = 0.015, respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed the four‐year DFS was comparable between the ILN D+ and ILND‐ groups with regard to tumor size ≤1.5 cm (90.6% vs. 92.7%, p = 0.715). However, the ILN D+ group was found to have a better oncological outcome compared with the ILND‐ group with regard to tumor size >1.5 cm (90.0% vs. 73.8%, p = 0.003).ConclusionsThe prognostic impact of ILN dissection on patients with stage IA NSCLC appears to be significantly influenced by tumor size, and this should be taken into account when choosing the most appropriate therapeutic modality.

Surgical modality for stage IA non-small cell lung cancer among the elderly: analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database.

BackgroundThe appropriate surgical modality for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) among the elderly remains controversial; identifying appropriate modalities will be helpful in clinical practice.MethodsIt’s a cohort study and we explored the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for identifying patients aged ≥70 years with pathologic stage IA NSCLC. Three types of surgeries were compared (lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection) via survival and stratification analyses.ResultsOverall, 6,197 patients were enrolled. Among patients aged ≥76 years with tumor diameters ≤1 cm, significant differences in survival were noted for segmentectomy vs. lobectomy [hazard ratio (HR) =0.294, P=0.007] and wedge resection vs. lobectomy (HR =0.548, P=0.017) but not in those with tumors diameters >1 cm. Among patients aged 70–75 years with tumor diameters >1–2 cm, significant differences in survival were observed for segmentectomy vs. lobectomy (HR =0.671, P=0.037) and segmentectomy vs. wedge resection (HR =0.556, P=0.003) and for wedge resection vs. lobectomy (HR =1.283, P=0.003) among those with tumor diameters >2–3 cm but not in those with tumor diameters ≤1 cm.ConclusionsBoth age and tumor size should be considered when selecting the surgical modality. Lobectomy is not recommended for lesions ≤1 cm among patients aged ≥76 years. Segmentectomy was associated with superior prognosis for tumor diameters >1–2 cm and survival favored lobectomy rather than wedge resection for NSCLCs >2–3 cm among patients aged 70–75 years. Surgeons could rely on personal experience to determine the appropriate surgical modality for NSCLCs >1 cm among patients aged ≥76 years and NSCLCs ≤1 cm among patients aged 70–75 years.

Nomograms for Predicting Overall and Recurrence-free Survival From Pathologic Stage IA and IB Lung Cancer After Lobectomy

BackgroundStage I non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is potentially curable with surgical resection. Significant proportions of patients may still experience recurrence and death despite undergoing curative surgery. This study describes predictive nomograms for recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after lobectomy. Patients and MethodsA total of 301 patients with the American Joint Committee on Cancer pathologic stage IA and IB NSCLC who underwent open, thoracoscopic, or robotic lobectomy from January 2011 to April 2017 were analyzed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to create nomograms for OS and RFS. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated for OS and RFS comparing high-risk and low-risk cohorts based on nomogram scores. ResultsHistology (hazard ratio [HR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.56; P = .002), lymphovascular invasion (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.74; P = .001), smoking status (HR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.25-9.55: P = .02), and total lymph nodes removed (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10; P = .021) were significant predictors for OS in a multivariate model. Lymphovascular invasion (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36-0.83; P = .0040), smoking status (HR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.16-5.62; P = .02), total lymph nodes removed (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.08; P = .029), and tumor size (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.30-1.68; P = .047) were significant predictors of RFS in a multivariate model. ConclusionNomograms can predict OS and RFS for pathologic stage IA and IB NSCLC after lobectomy regardless of operative approach. The risk for death and recurrence after stratification by the nomogram scores may provide guidance regarding adjuvant therapy and surveillance.

Complete Blood Cell Count-Derived Inflammatory Biomarkers in Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Complete blood cell count (CBC)-derived inflammatory biomarkers are widely used as prognostic parameters for various malignancies, but the best predictive biomarker for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. We retrospectively analyzed early-stage NSCLC patients to investigate predictive effects of preoperative CBC-derived inflammatory biomarkers.Patients and Methods: We selected 311 consecutive patients with pathological stage IA NSCLC surgically resected from April 2006 to December 2012. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional analyses of recurrence-free survival (RFS) were used to test the preoperative systemic immune inflammation index (SII), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte–lymphocyte ratio (MLR).Results: Preoperative high MLR levels were significantly associated with patient sex, smoking status, and postoperative recurrence (p <0.0001, p = 0.0307, and p = 0.0146, respectively), and preoperative high SII levels were significantly correlated with postoperative recurrence (p = 0.0458). Neither NLR nor PLR were associated with any related factors. Only preoperative MLR levels (p = 0.0269) were identified as an independent predictor of shorter RFS. The relative risk (RR) for preoperative high MLR level versus low level patients was 2.259 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.094–5.000). Five-year RFS rates in patients with preoperatively high MLR levels were significantly lower than in those with low MLR levels (82.21% vs. 92.05%, p = 0.0062). In subgroup analysis by tumor size and MLR level, the high MLR level subgroup with tumors >2 cm had significantly shorter RFS than other subgroups (p = 0.0289).Conclusions: The preoperative MLR level is the optimal predictor of recurrence in patients with pathological stage IA NSCLC.

P3.16-37 Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes Between VATS and Open Lobectomies for Stage I NSCLC: Propensity Score-Matching Analysis

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is widely spread for patients with clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The postoperative survival and safety of VATS lobectomy are reported equal or better than those of open lobectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 186 patients underwent lobectomy with clinical and pathological stage IA NSCLC from January 2008 to December 2013. Perioperative clinical factors and outcomes of patients with clinical and pathological stage IA NSCLC who underwent lobectomy were compared between VATS (n=63) and thoracotomy (n=123) using a propensity score-matching analysis. In the analysis of 61 matched cases, the VATS group showed decreased blood loss and lower value of the C-reactive protein (CRP) at the peak, despite longer operative time. The VATS group demonstrated a significant longer survival, despite greater number of preoperative comorbidities than the thoracotomy group. The 5-year overall survival (OS) of VATS and thoracotomy were 100% and 89% each (log-rank p=0.02). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) of VATS and thoracotomy were 100% and 81% in each (log-rank p<0.01). The results of this study indicate that VATS has some advantages compared with thoracotomy in early stage lung cancer patients.

MA24.03 Biologic Profiling of Pre-Metastatic Niche in Completely Resected Pathological Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Despite refinement of treatment strategy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pathological Stage I NSCLC still develops recurrent disease in approximately 20% of patients even after complete resection. Recently, tumor microenvironment which promotes distant metastasis, or 'pre-metastatic niche', has been indicated to play pertinent roles in postoperative recurrence of cancer. Our aim is to investigate biologic profiles of pre-metastatic niche in pathological Stage I NSCLC. Eighteen (12.7%) of 141 patients with pathological Stage IA or IB NSCLC who underwent R0 lobectomy between Jan. 2008 and Dec. 2013 developed distant metastasis postoperatively. From archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens, these 18 cases of postoperative distant metastasis and matched cases were selected for total RNA extraction. To overcome inherent bias in selecting control patients, one-to-one matched pairs were created using propensity score matching of which model included age, sex, smoking history, and pathological stage. The samples with inadequate mRNA quality/ quantity were excluded. Gene expressions were detected by nCounter (NanoString Technologies, WA, USA) with PanCancer Immune Profilling Panel and PanCancer Progression Panel. Detected expressions were then analyzed and compared between the two groups by nCounter Advanced Analysis (version 2.0.115). Genes with unadjusted P-value < 0.01 were regarded as candidates for further investigation From preliminary comparative study on 6 paired cases, distant metastasis group showed upregulations of TPM2, CCL21, SOX2, CXCL12, EGFL7, PTGDS, BGN, PS8L1, ID4 and TGFB, whereas it showed downregulations of MTOR and CCL8 compared to recurrence-free group. In LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACT, we will report following results: 1) Complete dataset of the comparative analysis including all pairs with adequate mRNA. 2) Immunohistochemstry and/or in situ hybridization of the candidate genes/proteins on pathological sections. Biologic profilings of brain metastasis from NSCLC may subsequently help to understand underlying mechanism of postoperative distant metastasis and ultimately lead to novel targeted therapy. Futher details will be added in LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACT.

Effect of Adjuvant Chemotherapy on DFS for Patients with Stage I NSCLC

背景与目的手术是早期肺癌的首选治疗方法，但早期肺癌术后的预后仍有很大差异，术后是否应用辅助化疗也有争议。本研究探讨术后辅助化疗在Ⅰ期非小细胞肺癌患者中的作用，尤其是在高危人群中的作用。方法选择北京大学人民医院2009年1月-2013年6月接受手术的Ⅰa期、Ⅰb期肺癌患者，分别以是否行术后化疗分为两组，用Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析，比较两组术后无瘤生存时间（disease-free survival, DFS）的差异；并按危险因素个数进行评分，分为0分、1分、≥2分三组，比较三组术后DFS的差异；单独比较术后化疗对≥2分的高危组患者的作用。结果经过筛选后共有465例患者纳入研究，Ⅰa期284例，Ⅰb期181例。Ⅰa期化疗组和对照组术后DFS并无明显差异（P=0.171），但化疗组生存曲线位于对照组下方，Ⅰb期两组术后DFS也无明显差异（P=0.630）。危险因素评分后的三组患者DFS有明显差异（P < 0.001），危险因素越多，术后DFS越差，可看作是高危患者。但单独分析显示，术后化疗与否对这部分高危患者的DFS并无显著影响（P=0.763）。结论术后化疗对早期非小细胞肺癌的DFS并无积极作用，即使是对于具有多个高危因素的Ⅰ期非小细胞肺癌患者，术后化疗也许也不适用。

Prognostic Effect of Lymphovascular Invasion on TNM Staging in Stage I Non–Small-cell Lung Cancer

IntroductionLymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a known adverse prognostic factor for early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nonetheless, the prognostic effect of LVI on TNM staging of stage I NSCLC remains inconclusive. We thus hypothesized that it might be better to upstage pathologic stage IA NSCLC with LVI to pathologic stage IB NSCLC. Patients and MethodsUsing a Cox proportional hazards model, we examined the effect of LVI on disease-specific survival (DSS) in stage IA versus stage IB disease in 660 consecutive patients with stage I NSCLC (598 with adenocarcinoma, 62 with squamous cell carcinoma) who had undergone complete resection. ResultsOn univariable analysis of stage IA cases, vascular invasion (VI) was significantly associated with inferior DSS (univariable hazard ratio [HR], 3.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46-7.89; P = .005). In contrast, lymphatic invasion exhibited a tendency toward inferior DSS (univariable HR, 2.90; 95% CI, 0.97-8.66; P = .056). Multivariable analysis of DSS in stage IA cases identified VI as an independent significant prognostic factor (multivariable HR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.58-5.18; P = .007). With VI, DSS was significantly poorer for stage IB than for stage IA patients without VI (univariable HR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.67-7.09; P < .001). In contrast, no difference was observed between patients with stage IA and VI and stage IB patients (P = .97). ConclusionThe presence of VI independently and significantly affects DSS in patients with stage IA NSCLC. We found that stage IA with VI and stage IB disease had equivalent prognostic outcomes. Our results suggest that stage IA with VI should be upstaged to IB in the TNM classification of NSCLC.

Clinical significance of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level in patients with clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer.

The objective of this study was to assess the preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in patients with clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to evaluate its clinical significance. Between January 2005 and December 2014, a total of 378 patients with clinical stage IA NSCLC underwent complete resection with systematic node dissection. The survival rate was estimated starting from the date of surgery to the date of either death or the last follow-up by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analyses by log-rank tests were used to determine prognostic factors. Cox proportional hazards ratios were used to identify independent predictors of poor prognosis. Clinicopathological predictors of lymph node metastases were evaluated by logistic regression analyses. The 5-year survival rate of patients with an elevated preoperative serum CEA level was significantly lower than that of patients with a normal CEA level (75.5% vs. 87.7%; P=0.02). However, multivariate analysis did not show the preoperative serum CEA level to be an independent predictor of poor prognosis. Postoperative pathological factors, including lymphatic permeation, visceral pleural invasion, and lymph node metastases, tended to be positive in patients with an elevated preoperative serum CEA level. In addition, the CEA level was a statistically significant independent clinical predictor of lymph node metastases. The preoperative serum CEA level was not an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with pathological stage IA NSCLC but was an important clinical predictor of tumor invasiveness and lymph node metastases in patients with clinical stage IA NSCLC. Therefore, measurement of the preoperative serum CEA level should be considered even for patients with early-stage NSCLC.

Heterogeneous prognosis and adjuvant chemotherapy in pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients.

BackgroundEven after curative resection, the prognosis of pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be heterogeneous, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in these patients is controversial. We aimed to identify the prognostic factors and role of adjuvant chemotherapy in pathological stage I NSCLC.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the correlations between clinicopathological factors and survival in 179 patients with resected pathological stage I NSCLC.ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 93 months, overall and disease-free survival were not significantly different between pathological stage IA (n = 138) and IB (n = 41) patients. The prognosis of pathological stage I patients with poorly differentiated tumors was significantly worse than that of those with non-poorly differentiated tumors (P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis revealed that poor tumor differentiation was an independent factor for poor survival (hazard ratio = 6.889). A marginally significant survival benefit was observed in poorly differentiated pathological stage I patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.053).Pathological stage IA patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy had a worse prognosis than those who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001), whereas pathological stage IA patients with poorly differentiated tumors who received adjuvant chemotherapy had better survival than who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001).ConclusionsPoor differentiation is an independent prognostic factor in pathological stage I NSCLC after surgical resection. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be beneficial in poorly differentiated pathological stage IA NSCLC patients.

Long-term outcomes after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy versus lobectomy via open thoracotomy for clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer.

BackgroundVideo-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is a standard treatment for lung cancer. This study retrospectively compared long-term outcomes after VATS lobectomy versus lobectomy via open thoracotomy for clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsFrom July 2002 to June 2012, 160 patients were diagnosed with clinical stage IA NSCLC and underwent lobectomy. Of these, 114 underwent VATS lobectomy and 46 underwent lobectomy via open thoracotomy.ResultsThe 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 88.0% in the VATS group and 77.1% in the thoracotomy group for clinical stage IA NSCLC (p = 0.1504), and 91.5% in the VATS group and 93.8% in the thoracotomy group for pathological stage IA NSCLC (p = 0.2662). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 94.1% in the VATS group and 81.8% in the thoracotomy group for clinical stage IA NSCLC (p = 0.0268), and 94.8% in the VATS group and 96.2% in the thoracotomy group for pathological stage IA NSCLC (p = 0.5545). The rate of accurate preoperative staging was 71.9% in the VATS group and 56.5% in the thoracotomy group (p = 0.2611). Inconsistencies between the clinical and pathological stages were mainly related to tumor size, nodal status, and pleural invasion. Local recurrence occurred for one lesion in the VATS group and six lesions (five patients) in the thoracotomy group (p = 0.0495).ConclusionsThe DFS and OS were not inferior after VATS compared with thoracotomy. Local control was significantly better after VATS than after thoracotomy. Preoperative staging lacked sufficient accuracy.

Survival After Surgery for Pathologic Stage IA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Associated With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Many problems exist in regard to the treatment of lung cancer patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but few reported studies have investigated the long-term prognosis after pulmonary resection in such patients. The purpose of the present study was to determine the postoperative survival of patients with pathologic stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and IPF. We retrospectively reviewed 350 patients with pathologic stage IA NSCLC who underwent pulmonary resections at our institution between September 1994 and December 2007. We analyzed and compared 28 of these patients, who had simultaneous lung cancer and IPF, with the remaining 322 lung cancer patients without IPF. The 5-year survival rates were 54.2% in pathologic stage IA lung cancer patients with IPF and 88.3% in those without IPF (p < 0.0001). Univariate analyses showed that age, sex, Brinkman Index, limited resection, operation time, adenocarcinoma, and IPF were significant prognostic factors for survival (p < 0.10). By multivariate analysis, however, only IPF was a significant prognostic factor for survival (p = 0.007). Propensity score-matching analysis confirmed that only IPF was significant prognostic factor (p = 0.043). The 5-year survival rate of patients with pathologic stage IA NSCLC and IPF is 54.2%. IPF has independent, adverse effects on survival of pathologic stage IA NSCLC patients treated with pulmonary resection.

Prognostic impact of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 expression in pathologic stage IA non‐small cell lung cancer

The purpose of the present study was to assess the value of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression and other potential prognostic factors in predicting the clinical outcome of patients after definitive surgery for pathologic stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). One hundred and forty-six consecutive and non-selected patients who underwent definitive surgery for stage IA NSCLC were included in this study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were stained for MMP-2 and MMP-9, which were statistically evaluated for their prognostic value and other clinicopathological parameters. Of the 146 patients studied, 102 (69.9%) cases were classified as having high expression for MMP-2. A total of 89 carcinomas (61.0%) had high expression for MMP-9. MMP-9 expression correlated with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, pT stage, and differentiation (P = 0.005, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). Vessel invasion, pT stage, and MMP-9 expression maintained their independent prognostic influence on overall survival (P = 0.037, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). From results of our relatively large database, MMP-9 may be considered as a viable biomarker that can be used in conjunction with other prognostic factors such as vessel invasion and pT stage to predict the prognosis of patients with completely resected pathologic stage IA NSCLC.

Computed tomography (CT) predicts accurately the pathologic tumour size in stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

In stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumour size has been the most consistent determinant of survival. The choice of therapy option is based on accurate definition of the stage. The aim of our study is to correlate tumour size by computed tomography scan (CT) with pathologic size and to determine possible prognostic factors in surgically resected pathologic stage IA and IB NSCLC patients. Retrospective review of CT scans and medical history data from 89 pathologic stage I NSCLC patients. Clinical prognostic factors analysed were age, gender, smoking status, pulmonary function, performance status (PS), surgical procedure, histopathology, vessel invasion, pleural infi ltration, tumour size and number of lymph nodes resected. According to the new TNM classification for lung cancer, tumour size was divided into five groups (I: <2 cm, II: 2-3 cm, III: 3-5 cm, IV: 5-7 cm and V: >7 cm). After a median surveillance of 55.2 months, 42 patients relapsed and 55 had died. The 5-year progressionfree survival was 55.7% and 5-year overall survival (OS) 49.9% (median 58.97 months). None of the clinical parameters analysed were predictors of OS. Significant correlation was found between tumour size in CT scan and pathologic stage (Pearson 0.75). In our analysis with 89 surgically resected stage IA and IB NSCLC patients we found a good correlation between clinical and pathologic tumour size by CT scan. The prognoses factors analysed had no significant impact on survival.