Long-term survival and recurrence in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer 1 cm or less in size

With the widespread use of computed tomography and the emergence of screening programs, non-small cell lung cancer is increasingly detected in sizes 1 cm or less. We sought to examine the long-term survival and recurrence patterns after resection of these tumors.

We conducted a retrospective review over a 15-year period to identify patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer measuring 1 cm or less. Medical records were reviewed, and survival data were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.

There were 83 patients (26 men, 57 women) with a median age of 67 years (range 43-88 years). Median tumor size was 0.90 cm. Lobectomy was performed in 71 patients, bilobectomy in 1, pneumonectomy in 1, segmentectomy in 5, and wedge resection in 5. Postoperative stage was IA in 67 patients, IB in 4, IIA in 1, IIB in 4, IIIA in 2, and IIIB in 5. Median follow-up was 31 months. There was 1 operative death (1.2%). In 5 (31.3%) of the 16 patients with non-IA disease, recurrent cancer developed after resection. No recurrences were observed in the 67 patients with stage IA disease. The 5- and 10-year overall survivals for the entire cohort were 86% and 72%, respectively, and the disease-specific survival was 91% at both time points. For patients with stage IA disease, 5- and 10-year survivals were 94% and 75%, respectively, and the disease-specific survival was 100% at both time points.

Eighty-one percent of patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer measuring 1 cm or less had stage IA disease. After surgical resection, recurrence is rare and long-term survival is excellent.