Prognostic influence of a ground-glass opacity component in hypermetabolic lung adenocarcinoma

We evaluated the oncological role of a ground-glass opacity (GGO) component in hypermetabolic lung adenocarcinoma with a high maximum standardized uptake value.

Between 2008 and 2017, we retrospectively reviewed the data of surgically resected clinically node-negative lung adenocarcinomas with a hypermetabolic activity. Furthermore, they were classified based on the presence of GGO. The prognostic significance of a GGO in hypermetabolic tumours was evaluated using the Cox proportional-hazards model. The overall survival (OS) was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method using a log-rank test.

Of the 1134 surgically resected clinically node-negative lung adenocarcinoma, 603 cases with hypermetabolic activity (maximum standardized uptake value ≥3.0 mg/dl) were evaluated. Among them, there were 120 (20%) cases in the With GGO group and 483 (80%) in the Solid group. The 5-year OS of patients with hypermetabolic lung adenocarcinoma was significantly different between the With GGO and Solid groups (83.1% vs 59.4%, P < 0.001). After stratifying by the presence of GGO, maximum standardized uptake value and maximum tumour size were independently significant prognosticators in the Solid group by multivariable analysis; however, no clinical factors were associated with survival among the With GGO group. The 5-year OS was favourable despite the solid component size among the With GGO group (T1a + T1b: 85.5%, T1c: 80.0%, T2a or more: 84.2%, P = 0.904). For the Solid group, survival diminished drastically with increasing tumour size (T1a + T1b: 68.7%, T1c: 62.8%, T2a or more: 48.0%, P < 0.001).

The prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma with GGO was favourable even in hypermetabolic tumours. Accordingly, the presence of GGO should be considered as an important parameter in the next clinical T classification.