Postoperative radiotherapy improves survival in completely resected non-small cell lung cancer with pathologic N2 stage IIIA and positive lymph node count greater than one: a SEER-based retrospective cohort study.
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes approximately 85% of lung cancer cases, with 20%-30% of patients diagnosed at stage III. While multimodal therapy is the standard for treating locally advanced NSCLC, the role of PORT remains controversial. This study seeks to evaluate the effect of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with resected pathologic N2 (pN2) stage IIIA NSCLC.
Methods: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) 17 registry (2010-2019) were analyzed. The cohort included 1,471 patients aged 65 years or older, diagnosed with stage IIIA pN2 NSCLC, who had undergone lobectomy or total pneumonectomy. Patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy were excluded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the association of PORT with OS and CSS. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were employed to estimate survival outcomes, while the COX proportional hazards model was utilized for comparative analysis. PLN counts were stratified into two categories: ≤1 and >1.
Results: Among the 1,471 patients included in the study, 613 (41.67%) received PORT, while 858 (58.33%) did not. PORT was associated with a significantly higher 1- and 3-year OS (89.96% and 68.49%, respectively) compared to the non-PORT group (87.44% and 61.88%, respectively, P = 0.03). However, no significant difference in CSS was observed between the groups (P = 0.15). Among patients with PLN counts >1, PORT significantly improved OS (HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.04-1.68, P = 0.0016) and CSS (HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.99-1.70, P = 0.026), whereas no significant differences were seen in patients with PLN counts ≤1.
Conclusions: This study underscores the potential of PORT in enhancing OS in patients with resectable pN2 stage IIIA NSCLC, particularly in those with PLN counts exceeding one. These findings suggest that PORT may offer improved outcomes in patients with extensive lymph node involvement, emphasizing the need for further prospective studies to validate and expand upon these observations.
期刊介绍:
Evidence of surgical interventions go back to prehistoric times. Since then, the field of surgery has developed into a complex array of specialties and procedures, particularly with the advent of microsurgery, lasers and minimally invasive techniques. The advanced skills now required from surgeons has led to ever increasing specialization, though these still share important fundamental principles.
Frontiers in Surgery is the umbrella journal representing the publication interests of all surgical specialties. It is divided into several “Specialty Sections” listed below. All these sections have their own Specialty Chief Editor, Editorial Board and homepage, but all articles carry the citation Frontiers in Surgery.
Frontiers in Surgery calls upon medical professionals and scientists from all surgical specialties to publish their experimental and clinical studies in this journal. By assembling all surgical specialties, which nonetheless retain their independence, under the common umbrella of Frontiers in Surgery, a powerful publication venue is created. Since there is often overlap and common ground between the different surgical specialties, assembly of all surgical disciplines into a single journal will foster a collaborative dialogue amongst the surgical community. This means that publications, which are also of interest to other surgical specialties, will reach a wider audience and have greater impact.
The aim of this multidisciplinary journal is to create a discussion and knowledge platform of advances and research findings in surgical practice today to continuously improve clinical management of patients and foster innovation in this field.