title: [Tumor size and survival in lung cancer, stage IA].
abstract: TNM staging is an important long-term predictor for survival of lung cancer patients. Some studies have shown, however, that tumor size may have intrinsic prognostic value independent of TNM stage. The relationship between tumor size and survival is particularly unclear in T1 tumors. The objective of this study was to assess the prognostic value of tumor size in surgically resected stage I of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinical records of 79 patients with stage IA NSCLC were reviewed. In 34.4% of patients (n = 28) size was < or = 1.5 cm. Surgical mortality was 1.3%. Disease recurrence was noted in 19%. Patients with tumors < or = 15 mm had a significantly higher 5-year survival (95% CI:0.05 vs. 77% CI: 0.07 in > 15mm group). Disease-free survival was 95% for tumors less than 15 mm vs. 72% in larger tumors. Using Cox Multivariate analysis, the most determinant factor for higher risk of mortality was size > 15 mm (relative risk 25.9, IC: 2.3-292, p = 0.004). The independent influence of tumor size in stage IA NSCLC may have practical implications with regards to proposals for screening asymptomatic individuals at high risk for lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Oncología Torácica del Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quadrelli
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chimondegy
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iotti
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors