title: Survival after recurrent nonsmall-cell lung cancer after complete pulmonary resection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Survival characteristics of patients who have recurrent nonsmall-cell lung cancer after surgical resection are not well understood. Little objective evidence exists to justify treatment for these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively followed 1,361 consecutive patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer who underwent complete surgical resection at our institution from January 1997 to December 2001. Only patients having recurrent cancer were included in the analysis. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the effect of prognostic factors on postrecurrence survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up was achieved in 1,073 patients, and recurrent cancer developed in 445. Complete information was available on 390 patients for analysis. There were 262 men and 128 women. Median age at time of recurrence was 69 years. Median time from surgical resection to recurrence was 11.5 months, and median postrecurrence survival was 8.1 months. Recurrence was intrathoracic in 171 patients, extrathoracic in 172, and a combination of both in 47. Treatments after recurrence included surgery in 43 patients, chemotherapy in 59, radiation in 73, and a combination in 96. All patients who received treatment survived longer than those who received no treatment. Preoperative chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy for the primary lung cancer, poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status, decreased disease-free interval from initial resection to recurrence, symptoms at recurrence, and certain location of recurrence significantly decreased postrecurrence survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, treatment for recurrent nonsmall-cell lung cancer significantly prolongs survival. Various treatment modalities including surgery should be considered in patients with postoperative recurrent nonsmall-cell lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.forename: Francis C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cassivi
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Pairolero
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013510:Pulmonary Surgical Procedures; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents