Complications and Survival After Lung Cancer Resection in Interstitial Lung Disease

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis guidelines changed the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) pattern from 3 to 4 categories in 2018. We assessed the relationship between surgical outcomes and HRCT patterns according to the 2018 guidelines.

Among 1503 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for clinical stage Ⅰ to stage Ⅲ lung cancer at our institution between April 2007 and June 2019, we retrospectively investigated 218 with interstitial lung abnormalities based on preoperative HRCT. We reclassified all interstitial lung abnormality cases with preoperative HRCT from 3 patterns-usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), possible, and inconsistent with UIP-of the previous (2011) guidelines to 4 patterns-UIP, probable UIP, indeterminate, and alternative diagnosis-according to the new consensus guideline of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (2018). The occurrence of acute exacerbations and survival were analyzed, and the association with HRCT pattern was investigated.

Interstitial lung abnormality cases were reclassified as UIP (n = 55 [25.2%]), probable UIP (n = 36 [16.5%]), indeterminate UIP (n = 56 [25.7%]), and alternative diagnosis (n = 71 [32.6%]). Acute exacerbations developed in 21 patients (UIP pattern, n = 9 [16.4%]; probable UIP, n = 5 [13.9%]; indeterminate, n = 3 [5.4%]; and alternative diagnosis, n = 4 [5.6%]). Multivariable Cox regression revealed that UIP pattern or probable UIP pattern of the 2018 guideline was an independent risk factor for severe acute exacerbations (grade III-Ⅴ; odds ratio, 6.81; 95% CI, 1.42-32.60) and postoperative overall survival (hazard ratio, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.70-5.73).

UIP and probable UIP patterns were risk factors for postoperative severe acute exacerbations and death. The HRCT patterns of the 2018 guidelines can stratify outcomes of lung resection.