Prognostic factors for recurrence in patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer

Patients with lung cancer receive treatment according to National Cancer Comprehensive Network (NCCN) standards. However, disease recurrence is reported in about 30% of patients during the first five years. Our study aimed to establish independent predictors of lung cancer recurrence.

104 patients with definitive treatment for non-small-cell lung carcinoma receiving standard adjuvant chemotherapy in the period 2014-2018 in our cancer center were retrospectively reviewed. The prognostic significance of five routine immunohistochemical (IHC) markers was examined.

During the follow-up period disease recurrence occurred in 42 (40.4%) of the 104 enrolled patients. The median recurrence-free survival was 56.3 months, range 4-84.0 months (95% CI = 46.866-65.683). The recurrence-free survival rate was 58.8%. The frequencies of locoregional recurrence, lung recurrence, kidney, bone, lymph nodes of the neck, liver, and brain recurrence were 23.8%, 21.5%, 16.7%, 9.5%, 9.5%, 9.5% and 9.5%, respectively.

Using the Cox regression model, category T, histological differentiation, and smoking status were identified as independent predictors of disease recurrence. The studied biological markers (PD-L1, Ki67, p53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and ALK) did not help the model predict disease recurrence. For statistical reliability, it is necessary to conduct a study on a larger cohort of patients and compare the mutual influence of several biomarkers.