Risk Factor for Recurrence in Completely Resected Stage IB Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Seok, Yang Ki; Lee, Eung Bae

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Complete surgical resection is the most effective treatment for stage IB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recurrence accounts for the disappointing survival rates after resection. There has been renewed interest in adjuvant therapy after complete resection. Appropriate selection of effective adjuvant therapy will depend on the prognostic factors for recurrence. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study included 114 patients with completely resected stage IB NSCLC. The variables selected for the study were gender, age, the type of resection, cell type, the degree of differentiation, the tumor size and the presence of visceral pleura invasion. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival and disease-free survival rate. The results were compared using the log rank test. Multivariate analysis was performed by Cox's proportional hazard model. Two-sided p-valves <0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. RESULT: The 3-year overall survival and the disease-free survival rates were 87.0% and 79.4%, respectively. The degree of differentiation showed a significant influence on disease-free survival according to the univariate analysis. According to the multivariate analysis, a poor grade of differentiation was a significant poor prognostic factor.
CONCLUSION
These results demonstrate that poor differentiation may be a poor prognostic factor for patients with completely resected IB NSCLC. Therefore, the patients with a poor grade of differentiation may require adjuvant therapies.