The Persistent Problem of Local/Regional Failure After Surgical Intervention for Early-Stage Lung Cancer.

Background: The goal of the present study was to estimate the rate of local/regional failure (LRF) after definitive surgical intervention for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), without postoperative radiotherapy, in the era of contemporary imaging and minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Methods: Medical records of patients with early-stage NSCLC (pathologic T1-4, N0-1) who underwent lobectomy, sleeve lobectomy, bilobectomy, or pneumonectomy, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy, between 2007 and 2015, were retrospectively reviewed. LRF was defined as recurrence at the ipsilateral lung, bronchial stump, mediastinum, chest wall, or supraclavicular region.