• Jing-wei Liu, Jian Li, Gang Lin, and Xue-qian Shang.
• Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
• Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2012 Sep 4; 92 (33): 2314-8.

ObjectiveTo explore the postoperative recurrence patterns in the patients undergoing potentially curative resection of stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsA total of 63 patients underwent curative operation from September 2004 to December 2008 at Peking University First Hospital and were pathologically diagnosed as stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. Their clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. The follow-ups were conducted to detect the recurrent lesions. The recurrence rates at Year 2-3 were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method while the Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the risk factors associated with recurrence.ResultsThe 2 and 3-year recurrence rate was 46.6% and 57.3% respectively. Only one patient experienced local failure. However, the predominant recurrence pattern was distant failure (27/28). As demonstrated by the univariate Cox regression analysis, 4 significant factors associated with recurrence and the arm of lymphatic or vascular invasion (LVI), number of positive N2 station > 1, number of positive node > 3 and involvement of subcarinal lymph nodes were found to increase the risks of failure (P < 0.05).ConclusionDistant failure is the predominant pattern of postoperative recurrence in the patients of stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. In addition to LVI, the level of positive N2 station, the number of positive N2 node and the involvement of subcarinal lymph nodes are associated with the postoperative risk of recurrence.

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