title: Pattern of recurrence and survival of c-Ia NSCLC diagnosed by transpleural methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate if transpleural diagnostic methods as percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) or tumour wedge resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) impact on local recurrence and long term survival of patients affected by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Records concerning 179 patients with peripheral c-Ia NSCLC who underwent complete resection from 1994 to 2000 have been reviewed. Patients were randomized into two groups according to the diagnostic method employed, as follows: in group I (N.=63) diagnosis was obtained by bronchoscopy; in group II (N.=116) diagnosis was obtained by FNAB (N.=59) or tumour wedge resection by VATS (N.=57) after a negative bronchoscopy. Survival curves were compared using log-rank test. Distribution of frequencies was analyzed with Chi-square and Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups of patients did not significantly differ in terms of age, gender, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, comorbidities, histological type and tumour size; pathologic stage IIb was more frequent in group I. At a median follow-up of 48 months, (range 2-108 months), local recurrence was found in 9.5% (N.=6) of the patients in group I and in 12.5% (N.=15) of patients in group II (P=NS); distant metastasis were found in 28.6% (N.=18) of patients in group I and in 13.8% (N.=16) in group II (P=0.03). Patients in group II had a statistically better five-year survival rate than patients in group I (70% and 55% respectively P=0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FNAB and tumour wedge resection by VATS represent valuable diagnostic methods for lung cancers, since they do not seem to increase the risk of local recurrence. On the other hand, tumours diagnosed by bronchoscopy have a worse prognosis, that may be related to their higher metastatic potential rather than to diagnostic procedure itself.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy. lucavolt@jumpy.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Voltolini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luzzi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scolletta
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ligabue
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campione
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghiribelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D015996:Survival Rate; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted