Outcomes of lung cancer surgery for patients with interstitial pneumonia and coronary disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of lung cancer patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) and/or coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 2830 patients who underwent surgical resection for lung cancer between 2009 and 2018. Seventy-one patients (2.6%) had both IIP and CAD (FC group). The remaining patients were divided into those with IIP only (group F), those with CAD only (group C), and those without IIP or CAD (group N). We compared mortality and overall survival (OS) among the groups. RESULTS: The 90-day mortality and OS were poorer in group FC than in groups C and N, but equivalent to those in group F. Multivariate analyses revealed that IIP (odds ratio [OR] 3.163; p = 0.001) and emphysema (2.588; p = 0.009) were predictors of 90-day mortality. IIP (OR 2.991, p < 0.001), diabetes (OR 1.241, p = 0.043), and a history of other cancers (OR 1.347, p = 0.011) were all predictors of OS. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term and long-term mortality after lung cancer surgery were not dependent on coexistent CAD but were related to IIP. Thus, computed tomography (CT) should be done preoperatively to check for IIP, which is a risk factor for surgical mortality.

Evaluation of solid portions in non-small cell lung cancer-the solid part is not always measurable for clinical T factor.

BACKGROUND: Solid component size on thin-section computed tomography is used for T-staging according to the eighth edition of the Tumor Node Metastasis classification of lung cancer. However, the feasibility of using the solid component to measure clinical T-factor remains controversial. METHODS: We evaluated the feasibility of measuring the solid component in 859 tumours, which were suspected cases of primary lung cancers, requiring surgical resection regardless of the procedure or clinical stage. After excluding 126 pure ground-glass opacity tumours and 450 solid tumours, 283 part-solid tumours were analysed to determine the frequency of cases where the measurement of the solid portion was difficult along with the associated cause. Pathological invasiveness was also evaluated. RESULTS: The solid portion of 10 lesions in 283 part-solid nodules was difficult to measure due to an underlying lung disease (emphysema and pneumonitis). The solid portion of 62 lesions (21.9%) without emphysema and pneumonitis was difficult to measure due to imaging features of the tumours. Among the 62 patients, five had no malignancy and one with a tumour size of 33 mm had nodal metastasis. There were 56 lesions with a tumour size of ≤30 mm, wherein nodal metastases, vascular and/or lymphatic invasions were not observed. CONCLUSION: For one-fifth of the part-solid tumours, measurement of the solid component was difficult. Moreover, these lesions had low invasiveness, especially in T1. The measurement of the solid portion and the classification of T1 in 1-cm increments may be complex.

New revisions and current issues in the eighth edition of the TNM classification for non-small cell lung cancer.

In the eighth edition of the TNM classification of lung cancer, the prognostic impact of tumor size is emphasized as a descriptor of all T categories. Especially in lung cancer where tumor size is 5 cm or less, the 1-cm cutoff point significantly differentiated the survival outcome. In addition, the new staging categories were assigned, namely, Tis (adenocarcinoma in situ) and T1mi (minimally invasive adenocarcinoma). Furthermore, the measurement of a radiological solid component size excluding the ground glass opacity component or pathological invasive size without a lepidic component was proposed for deciding the cT/pT categories for lung adenocarcinoma. The N descriptors were kept the same as in the eventh edition on the whole, however, quantification of nodal disease had a prognostic impact based on the number of nodal stations involved in the eighth edition, i.e. N1a as a single N1 station, N1b as a multiple N1 station, N2a1 as a single N2 station without N1 (skip metastasis), N2a2 as a single N2 station with N1 disease, and N2b as a multiple N2 station. In the M descriptors, subclassification was performed based on the location or numbers of distantly metastatic lesions, i.e. M1a as any intrathoracic metastases, M1b as a single distant metastatic lesion in one organ, and M1c as multiple distant metastases in either a single organ or multiple organs. Survival analysis of the eighth edition of the TNM classification clearly separated the distinct groups, however, unsolved issues still remain that should be discussed and further revised for the forthcoming TNM staging system.

The maximum dimension of the inferior vena cava is a significant predictor of postoperative mortality in lung cancer patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.

PURPOSE: Several vascular measurements in computed tomography (CT) were reported to be indicators of pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. We evaluated the usefulness of these parameters as predictors of postoperative mortality in lung cancer patients with IIP. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed on 1888 patients. The following CT findings were evaluated: diameter of the main pulmonary artery, ascending aorta, and the short axis of the inferior vena cava (IVC). Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine predictors of surgical mortality. RESULTS: In the IIP patients, the 90-day mortality was 0.8%, and the 2-year mortality was 5.8%. Regarding the 90-day mortality in patients with IIP, a multivariate analysis revealed a short axis of IVC > 21 mm [odds ratio (OR) 6.4, p < 0.01) and the risk score reported by Japanese Association for Chest Surgery (JACS) (OR 1.4, p = 0.01) as independent predictors. Regarding the 2-year mortality in patients with IIP, a multivariate analysis revealed IVC > 21 mm (OR 2.3, p < 0.04), %VC < 80% (OR 2.4, p = 0.02), and pathological cancer stages II and III vs. I (OR 7.2, p < 0.001) as independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Enlargement of the IVC as measured by CT was a significant predictor of mortality after surgery for lung cancer with IIP patients.

New simple radiological criteria proposed for multiple primary lung cancers.

BACKGROUND: Controversies remain as to the differential diagnosis between multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) and intrapulmonary metastasis (IM) in lung cancers. We have investigated the clinical criteria for MPLC and here propose a set of new and simple criteria from the stand point of prognosis. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 588 consecutive patients with resected lung cancer of clinical Stage IA between 2009 and 2012. Multiple lung cancers (MLCs) were observed in 103 (17.5%) of the 588 patients. All main and other tumors were divided into solid tumor (ST) and non-solid tumor (non-ST). We defined Group A as MLCs having at least one non-ST and Group B as all tumors being ST. Cox's proportional hazard model was used for the multivariate analyses to investigate the preoperative prognostic factors. We divided the MLCs into MPLC and IM based on the preoperative prognostic factors, and survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A multivariate analysis with Cox's proportional hazards model revealed that Group A independently predicted good overall survival (HR = 0.165, 95% CI: 0.041-0.672).Differences in the 3- and 5-year overall survivals between Groups A and B were statistically significant (96.3%/92.2% vs. 70.0%/60.0%, Pvalue = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that Group A, defined as the presence of at least one tumor with a ground glass opacity component and clinical N0, should be excluded from the conventional concept of multiple lung cancers based on the criteria of Martini and Melamed as it has a very good prognosis. This group would be considered to be radiological MPLC.

Surgical intervention for ground glass dominant lesions: observation or outright resection?

BACKGROUND: The management of ground glass opacity (GGO) on computed tomography (CT) remains controversial. Information of the relationship between clinical behavior and pathological invasiveness of GGO is valuable for management. We conducted this retrospective study to establish differences in the pathological invasiveness between GGO with and without changes. METHODS: Among 1762 patients, the following criteria was used: (1) maximum tumor diameter of 3 cm or less, (2) tumor having 50% or more GGO and (3) resection after at least three months of follow up. A change of CT findings was defined as an increase in the diameter or consolidation compared with the initial CT. The relationship between preoperative changes and ratio of invasive adenocarcinoma was investigated. Predictors of GGO growth were also examined. RESULTS: There were 250 patients: pure GGO without changes (G-N group; n = 118), pure GGO with changes (G-C group; n = 35), part-solid GGO without changes (S-N group; n = 78), and part-solid GGO with changes (S-C group; n = 20). The ratio of invasive adenocarcinoma in each group was 0.54, 0.89, 0.8, and 0.90. There was a significant difference between the G-N and G-C group (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the G-C, S-N and S-C group. Multivariate analysis indicated age was a predictor of preoperative changes (OR = 1.953, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: The pathological results of part-solid GGO with changes were not different from those without changes. Therefore surgery can be deferred until those lesions demonstrate changes. The pathological results of pure GGO with changes were equivalent to those of part-solid GGO. Therefore, even for pure GGO, follow up is necessary especially in elderly patients.

Surgical resection for clinical-Stage I radiological pure-solid lung cancer that met the current high risk criteria.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether surgical resection is acceptable for radiological invasive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that met the current high-risk criteria. METHODS: We reviewed 500 clinical-Stage I NSCLCs with a radiological pure-solid appearance. High-risk criterion was defined as follows: (1) preoperative FEV1% ≤ 50% or DLco% ≤ 50%, (2) age > 75y with 50% < FEV1% < 60% or 50% < DLco% < 60%, and (3) three or more severe general comorbidities. RESULTS: The high-risk group comprised 184 (37%) patients. The percentages for elderly, male, smoker, non-adenocarcinoma histology were significantly higher than those of the normal-risk group (P < 0.001). Lobectomy was performed in 148 (80%) patients. Overall survival (OS) was significantly worse in the high-risk group (59.4% vs 73.1%, P = 0.004), however, a multivariate analysis revealed that high-risk was not associated with poor survival (P = 0.519). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the high-risk and normal-risk groups regarding cancer-specific survival (74.5% vs 79.2%, P = 0.569). Postoperative morbidity rates were significantly different between the two study arms (45% vs 25%, P < 0.001), however, the 30-day and 90-day mortality rates for the high-risk group were 1.6% and 3.8%, respectively. In the high-risk patients, the difference in survival between lobectomy and sublobar resection was not significant (69.4% vs 78.6%, P = 0.716), and was also proven in the propensity-score matched patients (82.1% vs 76.0%, P = 0.623). CONCLUSIONS: Conventional high-risk criteria are not always appropriate prognostic variables, and lung cancer specific survival or short-term mortalities for high-risk patients were fully acceptable. Surgical therapy including lobectomy should not be readily excluded from radical local management even when a patient meets the high-risk criteria.

Surgical Management of Multifocal Ground-Glass Opacities of the Lung: Correlation of Clinicopathologic and Radiologic Findings.

Background We evaluated the clinicopathologic characteristics and oncologic outcome in patients who underwent surgical resection for multifocal ground-glass opacities (GGOs) of the lung. Methods We examined 131 patients who underwent surgical resections for multiple clinical-N0 lung cancers. Multifocal GGOs were defined as tumors showing GGO dominance with a consolidation/tumor ratio (CTR) < 0.5 for all, whereas solid lesions were defined as having at least one tumor that showed CTR ≥0.5. Results Multifocal GGOs were found in 53 (40.5%) patients. A significantly large number of GGOs with a median of 3 per patient (range 2-41) was observed in multifocal GGOs (p < 0.0001). A multivariate analysis demonstrated tumor size ≤ 20 mm (p = 0.0407) and multifocal GGOs (p = 0.0345) were significantly associated with the survival. Regarding surgical managements for multifocal GGOs, the 5-year overall survival (OS) of multiple synchronous or staged limited resection only (n = 26) versus anatomical resection with or without additional limited resection (n = 27) was not significantly different (100% and 91.9%, p = 0.2287). The total number of resected multifocal GGOs was 278, most of which revealed adenocarcinoma or precancerous lesions. Unresected or new GGOs developed in 19 (35.8%) patients, all of which remained pure-GGO of < 10 mm in size without any interventions. The 5-year OS of multifocal GGOs and solid lesions were 94.4% and 80.6% (p = 0.0096), with a median follow-up time of 60 months. Conclusion Surgical interventions combined with limited surgery or adequate follow-up management based on the findings on thin-section CT could provide acceptable oncologic outcomes for multifocal GGOs.

The impact on the prognosis of unsuspected N2 disease in non-small-cell lung cancer: indications for thorough mediastinal staging in the modern era.

PURPOSE: Predicting the prognosis of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who present with clinically unsuspected N2 is very different due to the heterogeneity of this cohort. Thus, this study was undertaken to identify the clinicopathological features and survival of patients with clinical N0 or N1 and pathological N2, namely, unsuspected N2. METHODS: Among 239 patients with pathological N2 NSCLC, we reviewed the cases of 92 (38.5 %) patients who showed unsuspected N2. The prognosis was investigated using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox regression model. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival (5yOS) of the patients with unsuspected N2 was 51.2 %. Based on a multivariate analysis, age and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the lymph nodes were significant prognostic factors of unsuspected N2 (p = 0.0081, 0.0228, respectively). The 5yOS of PET-negative unsuspected N2 (n = 68) was 58.9 %, whereas that of PET-positive unsuspected N2 (n = 24) was 29.7 % (p = 0.0026). Furthermore, the 5yOS of PET-negative unsuspected N2 was significantly better than that of both clinical and pathological N2 s (i.e., suspected N2; n = 60; 5yOS, 42.1 %; p = 0.0051), while no significant difference was observed between PET-positive unsuspected N2 and suspected N2 (p = 0.6325). CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative evaluation of the lymph nodes by PET/CT has a potential benefit in predicting the prognosis. A thorough evaluation of the lymph nodes is, therefore, needed if the lymph nodes show an FDG uptake, even in cases that show a clinical N0 status on thin section CT scans.

Novel biomarkers that assist in accurate discrimination of squamous cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma of the lung.

BACKGROUND: Targeted therapies based on the molecular and histological features of cancer types are becoming standard practice. The most effective regimen in lung cancers is different between squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AD). Therefore a precise diagnosis is crucial, but this has been difficult, particularly for poorly differentiated SCC (PDSCC) and AD without a lepidic growth component (non-lepidic AD). Biomarkers enabling a precise diagnosis are therefore urgently needed. METHODS: Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) is a method used to quantify promoter activities across the whole genome by determining the 5' ends of capped RNA molecules with next-generation sequencing. We performed CAGE on 97 frozen tissues from surgically resected lung cancers (22 SCC and 75 AD), and confirmed the findings by immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) in an independent group (29 SCC and 45 AD). RESULTS: Using the genome-wide promoter activity profiles, we confirmed that the expression of known molecular markers used in IHC for SCC (CK5, CK6, p40 and desmoglein-3) and AD (TTF-1 and napsin A) were different between SCC and AD. We identified two novel marker candidates, SPATS2 for SCC and ST6GALNAC1 for AD, as showing comparable performance and complementary utility to the known markers in discriminating PDSCC and non-lepidic AD. We subsequently confirmed their utility at the protein level by IHC in an independent group. CONCLUSIONS: We identified two genes, SPATS2 and ST6GALNAC1, as novel complemental biomarkers discriminating SCC and AD. These findings will contribute to a more accurate diagnosis of NSCLC, which is crucial for precision medicine for lung cancer.

Clinicopathological characteristics of lung cancer mimicking organizing pneumonia on computed tomography-a novel radiological entity of pulmonary malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer could be misdiagnosed as benign due to its atypical radiological findings or difficulty in the histological diagnosis. We intended to elucidate the clinicopathological features of such lung cancers. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2011, we performed surgical resection for 564 consecutive patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Findings on thin-section computed tomography were reviewed for all patients, 13 of whom were found to have lung cancer mimicking organizing pneumonia. The radiological and clinicopathological features of lung cancer mimicking organizing pneumonia and other adenocarcinomas were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 13 patients with lung cancer mimicking organizing pneumonia, 4 were men. The median age was 70 years (range 62-81 years). Six patients were followed up for more than 1 year (range 1-108 months) as their lesions were misdiagnosed as organizing pneumonia. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen was significantly high (P = 0.025), and maximum tumor dimension was significantly large for lung cancer mimicking organizing pneumonia (30 vs. 23.6 mm, P = 0.001). Pathologically, there was no vascular invasion (P = 0.012) and only one lymphatic invasion (P = 0.064). One case of lymph node metastasis to the N2 node was found due to misdiagnosis as organizing pneumonia for 9 years. CONCLUSIONS: Basically, lung cancer mimicking organizing pneumonia was less invasive and showed slow growth. However, nodal metastasis could be found. Thus, radiological diagnosis based on the findings of thin-section computed tomography is valuable to avoid delay in diagnosis.

Anesthetic Management of Patients Undergoing Right Lung Surgery After Left Upper Lobectomy: Selection of Tubes for One-Lung Ventilation (OLV) and Oxygenation During OLV.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate anesthesia management in patients undergoing right lung surgery after a previous left upper lobectomy (LUL) that may require special precautions since angulation of the left bronchus can hamper correct placement of a left-sided double-lumen tube (DLT), and one-lung ventilation (OLV) depending solely on the left lower lobe may lead to inadequate oxygenation. DESIGN: A retrospective data analysis. SETTING: Single university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients underwent right lung surgery after previous LUL. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Anesthesia management was investigated in 18 patients who underwent right lung surgery following LUL. All intubation procedures were performed under bronchoscopic guidance to prevent airway trauma. OLV could be achieved with a left-sided DLT in 12 patients, while tubes other than this were required in 6 patients, including a right-sided DLT (n = 3) and a bronchial blocker (n = 3). The presence or absence of remarkable bronchial angulation, characterized by a combination of a wide (>140°) angle between the trachea and left main bronchus and a narrow (<100°) angle between the left main and lower bronchi critically affected tube selections. The minimum SpO2 during OLV was 90.9±4.1%. In 2 patients, intermittent bilateral ventilation was required to treat desaturation. In all the patients, the scheduled surgery could be completed. CONCLUSIONS: Extent of left bronchial angulations had a critical impact on whether or not a left-sided DLT could be used in patients undergoing right lung surgery after LUL.

The oncological outcomes of segmentectomy in clinical-T1b lung adenocarcinoma with a solid-dominant appearance on thin-section computed tomography.

PURPOSE: We investigated the surgical outcomes of clinical-T1b lung adenocarcinomas patients whose tumors had a solid-dominant radiological appearance and who were treated with segmentectomy or lobectomy. METHODS: We examined 154 surgically resected clinical-T1b lung adenocarcinomas with a "solid-dominant" appearance on thin-section computed tomography (CT). The preoperative thin-section CT images of all cases were reviewed. "Solid-dominant" was defined as 0.5≤ consolidation/tumor ratio (CTR) <1.0. RESULTS: Pathological nodal metastasis, lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion, and pleural invasion were found in 7 (4.5 %), 27 (18 %), 21 (14 %), and 15 (10 %) patients with clinical-T1b solid-dominant lung adenocarcinoma, respectively. Lobectomy and segmentectomy were performed in 123 (80 %) and 31 (20 %) cases, respectively. The 3-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) of patients with clinical-T1b solid-dominant lung adenocarcinoma were 95.5 and 92.4 %, respectively. The 3-year RFS and OS did not differ significantly between the patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy (3-year RFS, 92.3 vs. 93.4 %, p = 0.8713; 3-year OS, 95.3 vs. 96.6 %, p = 0.7603). Segmentectomy was not found to be a prognostic factor for RFS (p = 0.8714), or OS (p = 0.7613). CONCLUSIONS: Segmentectomy can achieve acceptable oncological outcomes (both in terms of OS and RFS), which are similar to those achieved with standard lobectomy, in patients with clinical-T1b solid-dominant lung adenocarcinoma.

Outcomes of lung cancer resection for patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema.

PURPOSE: Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) has recently been reported as a prognostic factor that may increase the risk of lung cancer for patients with respiratory disorders; however, there have been no reports published on mortality and morbidity following major lung resection for patients with CPFE. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 1507 patients who underwent surgical resection of lung cancer at our institute between 2008 and 2013. We reviewed the computed tomography findings and divided the patients into four groups: CPFE group, fibrosis group, emphysema group, and normal group. The surgical outcomes of the patients with CPFE were compared with those of the patients in the other groups. RESULTS: The CPFE group comprised 137 (10.0 %) patients. This group had worse surgical morbidity and mortality rates than either the fibrosis group or the emphysema group. The 90-day mortality rates for the CPFE, fibrosis, and emphysema groups were 7.3, 0, and 3.0 %, respectively. A multivariate analysis of the CPFE group revealed that the distribution of IIP (HR 13.29, p = 0.038) and blood loss (ml) (HR 1.001, p = 0.013) predicted the hazard ratio for 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative outcome of patients with CPFE in this study was poor with respect to morbidity and mortality. The high rate of complications and poor survival warrants further investigation of the indications for surgery in patients with CPFE.

Surgical intervention strategy for postoperative chylothorax after lung resection.

PURPOSE: The optimal surgical management of postoperative chylothorax has not been established. Thus, we evaluated the treatment strategy for postoperative chylothorax and identified associated predictors of surgical intervention. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 50 patients who suffered postoperative chylothorax, representing 4 % of 1235 patients who underwent pulmonary resection between 2008 and 2012. The chylothorax patients were classified into two groups based on their postoperative management: a conservative group and a surgical group. The following parameters were investigated to establish the predictors of surgical intervention for chylothorax: mode of surgery, preoperative complications, intraoperative management, and postoperative clinical status. RESULTS: Forty-one (82 %) patients were treated conservatively and 9 (18 %) underwent reoperation, as direct or concomitant ligation of the thoracic duct at the point of leakage. The frequency of postoperative chest tube drainage just after initial surgery was significantly greater in the surgical group than the conservative group before oral intake was restarted (448 ± 189 vs. 296 ± 117 ml/12 h, respectively; p = 0.003). Furthermore, it was a significant predictor of reoperation based on a multivariate analysis (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: The amount of chest tube drainage just after surgery and before oral intake was a useful predictor to help us decide on the need for early surgical intervention for postoperative chylothorax.

Patency of grafts after total resection and reconstruction of the superior vena cava for thoracic malignancy.

PURPOSES: Resection and reconstruction of the superior vena cava (SVC) is used for the complete resection of advanced lung cancer and mediastinal tumors. However, the optimal postoperative management for this procedure remains to be elucidated. METHODS: 1897 patients with lung cancer and/or mediastinal tumors underwent surgical resection at our institute. Among them, 12 patients underwent combined resection and replacement with a vascular graft of the SVC. Preoperative SVC syndrome was noted in 4, and preoperative chemo and/or radiotherapy were used in 2. The SVC pathway was reconstructed bilaterally in 9 patients (75 %), while 2 patients underwent a right-side single bypass, and 1 had a Y-shaped bypass. Antithrombotic agents were not used postoperatively. The factors related to occlusion of the graft were investigated. The median follow-up time for the surviving patients was 474 days. RESULTS: There were no instances of surgical mortality. Among the 22 grafts, three (14 %) were occluded. One (8 %) case of occlusion was noted on the right side and 2 (20 %) in the left graft. Bilateral reconstruction was performed in all except 2. Two single side reconstructions did not result in occlusion, while 3 occlusions were noted in the patients who had undergone bilateral reconstruction. CONCLUSION: Resection and reconstruction of the SVC system was feasible. Postoperative anti-thrombotic agents are not always needed to prevent acute graft occlusion.

Predictors of pathological non-invasive lung cancer with pure-solid appearance on computed tomography to identify possible candidates for sublobar resection.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to establish favorable predictors for patients with clinical stage IA radiological pure-solid lung cancer to identify possible candidates for sublobar resection. METHODS: We examined 275 patients with surgically resected clinical stage IA radiological pure-solid lung cancer. Pathological grade PL0, Ly0, V0, or N0 disease was defined as non-invasive pure-solid lung cancer (NIPS). RESULTS: Nodal involvement was observed in 63 (23 %) patients with clinical stage IA pure-solid lung cancer, while NIPS was identified in 77 (28 %). Multivariate analysis revealed that air bronchogram (p = 0.0328), clinical T1a (p = 0.0041), and SUVmax (p = 0.0002) were significant clinical predictors of NIPS. When these clinical predictors were combined and the relevant patients' disease was classified as favorable, the frequency of nodal involvement was only 4 %. Furthermore, the 3-year overall survival (OS) of the patients with "favorable" clinical stage IA pure-solid lung cancer was 100 % despite their operative modes. In contrast, the 3-year OS even for patients with clinical stage IA disease, if they had neither of these clinical predictors, was 74.1 %. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size, the presence of air bronchogram, and the SUVmax level were significant favorable predictors of pathological non-invasive status, and patients with these clinical predictors could be candidates for sublobar resection for clinical stage IA pure-solid lung cancers.

Distribution of interstitial pneumonia: a new radiological predictor of 90-day mortality after resection of lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Surgery for lung cancer complicated by idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is associated with a high rate of postoperative mortality. Thus, preoperative predictors of surgical mortality are needed to aid in the selection of suitable surgical candidates. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 1625 patients who underwent resection of primary lung cancer between 2000 and 2012, 203 (12.5 %) of whom were found to have IIPs. The following radiological findings were also evaluated: presence of honeycombing and the distribution (diffuse or localized) and extension (central extension or peripheral localized) of honeycombing or infiltration. We also investigated clinical factors and conducted multivariate analyses to identify the predictors of surgical mortality. RESULTS: The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.5 and 1.4 % overall and 1.6 and 6.4 % in the IIP patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that a preoperative pO2 < 70 mmHg (HR 15.3), diffuse distribution and central extension of interstitial pneumonia on computed tomography (HR 9.2), and operative blood loss (ml: HR 1.003) were significant predictors of 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse distribution and central extension of IIPs, as well as preoperative hypoxia and operative blood loss, were significant predictors of 90-day mortality.

Cardiomegaly Is a Significant Predictor of Postoperative Atelectasis following Left Upper Superior Segmentectomy.

BACKGROUND: Segmentectomy is becoming more common since many lung cancers are small when found. Left upper superior segmentectomy (LUSS) is the most popular procedure for segmentectomy. Atelectasis is a common postoperative complication following segmentectomy. In this study, we sought to better understand atelectasis of the lingular segment following LUSS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 265 patients who underwent segmentectomy of the lung at our institute between February 2008 and August 2012, 60 patients who underwent LUSS were investigated retrospectively. An intersegmental plane was created using a stapler in 41 and by cautery in 19. The relationships between atelectasis of the lingular segment and clinical factors were analyzed by multivariate analysis. The clinical factors examined included body mass index, preoperative cardio/thoracic dimension ratio (CTR), preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), the method used to make an intersegmental plane, the interval of thoracic drainage, and the degree of lobulation. RESULTS: Atelectasis of the lingular segment was seen in nine (15.0%) patients. Preoperative CTR predicted atelectasis of the lingular segment (p = 0.004). FEV1 was preserved in 73.8% of patients with atelectasis of the lingular segment and in 86.8% of the controls. This difference was significant (p = 0.027). Atelectasis of the middle lobe following RUL was seen in 10/238 (4.2%) within the same period. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CTR was related to atelectasis of the lingular segment. One of the advantages of segmentectomy is that it enables the postoperative preservation of respiratory function. However, in patients with cardiomegaly, respiratory function following LUSS may be preserved less than expected.

Prognostic Significance of the Standardized Uptake Value on Positron Emission Tomography in Patients with Multiple Clinical-N0 Lung Cancers.

BACKGROUND: While there have been many attempts to differentiate multiple lung cancers (MLCs) using the clinicopathological presentation and molecular profile, there are still some controversies regarding the prognostic factors for MLCs with clinical-N0 status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2012, 131 patients were diagnosed as MLCs pathologically. The main lesion of MLCs was defined as follows: (1) among synchronous lesions, the radiologically denser or larger tumor on thin-section computed tomography (CT) or (2) the second tumor among metachronous lesions. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) scan was examined to evaluate maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the main tumor. RESULTS: Among 131 patients with clinical-N0 status, 66 were men and 65 were women and they had an average age of 67 years. One-hundred nine patients were diagnosed as MPLCs, and 22 were intrapulmonary metastases (PMs). Based on multivariate analyses, SUVmax was a significant prognostic factor in both synchronous and metachronous clinical-N0 MLCs (p = 0.0060, 0.0451, respectively). Among the overall patients, while pathological diagnosis, maximum tumor dimension, consolidation status, and SUVmax were all significant prognostic factors by a univariate analysis, SUVmax (p = 0.0016) was superior to pathological diagnosis based on the Martini and Melamed classification (p = 0.2258) based on a multivariate analysis. The 5-year survival rate of MPLCs (78.7%) was significantly greater than that of PMs (30.5%) (p = 0.0036). Furthermore, the 5-year survival rate in patients with low SUVmax (91.1%) was far better than that in patients with high SUVmax (17.9%) (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: SUVmax on PET was a significant clinical factor that more precisely reflected the prognosis of MLCs with clinical-N0 status, and could be superior to a pathological diagnosis based on the Martini and Melamed classification.