Controversies regarding T status and N status for non-small cell lung cancer

According to the newest version of NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), increasing attentions are paid to the role of nodal status and other high-risk factors, including vascular invasion, wedge resection, tumors > 4 cm, visceral pleural involvement, and incomplete lymph node sampling in the individual clinical treatment. Precise definitions of T status and N status, closely associated with prognosis and treatment, are worth expanding further. However, complexity arises because no unity definition exists regarding individual T and N descriptors. In an attempt to explore the potential prognostic values of the T status and N status, we systematically review relevant literature and found that there still remained some disputes about the definitions and prognosis. The adjacent lobe invasion regarded as T2 or T3 has not been reached consensus yet so far. Lymph node spread patterns are associated with the treatment strategies of NSCLC. This review mainly focus on the role of T status and N status and tried to seek appropriate and individual treatment strategies in NSCLC.