[Multidisciplinary Approach to Recurrence after Resection of Primary Lung Cancer]

The standard approach for treating recurrence after complete resection of primary non-small cell lung cancer has been controversial. We present here a multidisciplinary strategy for postoperative recurrence in patients with primary lung cancer.

Over the last 7 years, we examined the disease-free survival and overall survival of 70 patients who underwent multidisciplinary treatment for recurrence after surgical resection of primary lung cancer.

The median overall survival was 32.3 months after surgery and 17.4 months after recurrence developed, indicating significantly better prognoses in females and in patients with adenocarcinoma, stage I disease, driver mutation positivity, a longer postoperative disease-free period, and never smokers. Eight patients survived more than 5 years after recurrence;of these patients, all had adenocarcinomas, 7 had oligometastases and/or tumor dormancy, and 5 received multiple-drug regimens.

Multidisciplinary treatment for recurrence after resection of primary lung cancer was effective for patients receiving various drug regimens. In patients with oligometastases, disease control was achieved by a combination of local treatments targeting each involved organ. In patients with tumor dormancy, follow-up or a drug holiday was important to maintain the patient's quality of life.