[Surgical outcome for small-sized non-small-cell lung cancer]

We reviewed surgical outcome for small-sized non-small-cell lung cancer. From 2004 to 2007, 109 patients with complete resected non-small-cell lung cancer of 2 cm or less in diameter were examined retrospectively. Sixty-five were male and 44 were female. Ages ranged 41~87 (median 68) years.Overall 5-year survival rate(OS) was 89%, and 5-year disease free survival rate(DFS) was 82%.Ground-glass opacity( GGO) dominant group[ GGO ratio ≥ 50% in high resolution computed tomography(CT)] and lymph node (LN) negative group were showed favorable DFS significantly. Other parameters,such as histology, tumor diameter, serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, pleural invasion,vascular permeation, operative procedure, were showed no significant difference about DFS. All GGO dominant group patients(n=23) had no LN involvement and survived in disease free. Cases with LN involvement [n=10 (9%)] were all in solid group(GGO<50%) and their tumor diameter were over 10 mm. Sublober resections were performed in 28 cases( segmentectomy in 12, wedge resection in 16). Among these cases, intentional limited resections were done in 13 patients with GGO dominant group (tumor diameter ranged 7 to 20 mm), and they had no local recurrence. Prognosis of small-sized GGO dominant lung cancer is very favorable, so limited resection will be appropriate. But solid lesions, especially over 10 mm in tumor diameter, have possibility of LN involvement, lobectomy should be considered.