Tumor Location Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Completely Resected Pathological Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Thoracic Surgery
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Tumor location in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may influence prognosis, but previous findings are inconsistent.
• Understanding prognostic factors is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies in early-stage NSCLC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate tumor location as an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with completely resected pathological stage I NSCLC.
• To evaluate the predictive value of tumor location and International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) grade on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Main Methods:

• Multicenter retrospective study in Taiwan involving 208 patients with stage I NSCLC who underwent primary tumor resection.
• Analysis of variables including tumor location, pathological stage, histological differentiation, and IASLC grade.
• Multivariate analysis to identify independent predictors of DFS and OS.

Main Results:

• A total of 123 patients (59.1%) had tumors in the upper and middle lobes.
• Patients with IASLC Grade 1 disease had significantly longer DFS compared to those with Grade 3 disease.
• Tumor location and IASLC grade were identified as independent predictors for OS.

Conclusions:

• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the lower lobe is associated with a poorer prognosis.
• Higher IASLC grade (Grade 3) may also indicate a worse prognosis.
• Tumor location and IASLC grade warrant greater attention for improving outcomes in resected stage I NSCLC.