title: Pathologic lymph node staging practice and stage-predicted survival after resection of lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor in resectable nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We examined the relationship between the pattern of lymph node examination (including the number and anatomic location of resected lymph nodes), pathologic nodal stage, and survival after NSCLC resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of all NSCLC resections in the Memphis Metropolitan Area from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 656 resections, the number of lymph nodes examined differed significantly between patients grouped by pathologic nodal stage (p<0.0001) and extent of resection (p<0.001). Thirty-seven percent of "mediastinal node-negative" patients had no mediastinal lymph nodes examined. Patients with pN1 and no mediastinal lymph node examination had better [corrected] survival than patients with mediastinal lymph node examination (p < 0.02) . Approximately 10% of patients with pN0 and pN2 disease had no hilar/intrapulmonary lymph nodes examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suboptimal lymph node staging was prevalent in this cohort. Large proportions of pN1 and pN0 patients were probably understaged. In patients with pathologic positive pulmonary/hilar lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph node examination was associated with poorer survival [corrected]. Interventions are needed to improve lymph node staging of NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, and Department of Pathology, St. Francis Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38104, USA. rosarogi@uthsc.edu
authors.forename: Raymond U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Osarogiagbon
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Aamer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farooq
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome