title: Lymphatic vessel invasion and lymph node metastasis in patients with clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the presence of lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) in primary tumors and lymph node (LN) metastasis in clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 76 patients who underwent complete resection for clinical stage I adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumors consisted of 51 cases of adenocarcinoma and 25 cases of squamous cell carcinoma as determined by histology. LN metastasis was detected in 24.4% (19/76) of patients. Factors associated with LN metastasis on univariate analysis included LVI (p < 0.001) and increased tumor dimensions (p < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of LVI (p < 0.001) was the only predictor of LN metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LVI is significantly associated with LN metastasis in patients with clinical stage I NSCLC. These findings may be helpful in determining the most appropriate operative strategy for patients if preoperative detection of LVI becomes feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, NHIS Ilsan Hospital, Ilsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Du-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sungsoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013908:Thoracotomy