Post-recurrence survival analysis of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer

BackgroundThe aim of this retrospective study was to review recurrence patterns of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer and identify prognostic factors for post-recurrence survival.MethodsAmong 940 patients with pathological stage I non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent curative resection, 261 experienced a recurrence; of these, 188 had adenocarcinoma and 62 had squamous cell carcinoma. Oligo-recurrence was defined as 1–3 recurrent lesions restricted to a single organ. Potentially curative local treatment included surgery, stereotactic radiotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.ResultsThe median follow-up duration was 65 months (range 4–186 months). The most common site of recurrence was the lung in 145 patients, followed by mediastinal lymph nodes in 49, pleura in 30, and brain in 27. Local treatment for recurrent tumors included surgery in 59 patients, stereotactic radiotherapy in 46, photodynamic therapy in 2, and other radiotherapy in 41. Seventy-eight patients received chemotherapy only, and 35 received...