ObjectiveTo investigate the mediastinal lymph node metastasis of cT1a-cN0M0 lung adenocarcinoma, so as to provide a theoretical basis for intraoperative lymph node dissection in patients with early stage lung adenocarcinoma.MethodsClinicopathological features of lung adenocarcinoma patients who received operation in our hospital from 2017 to 2018 were collected. A total of 667 patients including 241 male and 426 female patients at age of 59 (16, 87) years were included. There were 234 patients with pure ground glass nodules, 98 patients with ground glass-predominant tumor, 199 patients with consolidation-predominant tumor and 136 patinets with solid tumor in the study. Postoperative N1 lymph node metastasis occurred in 30 patients and N2 lymph node metastasis occurred in 52 patients.ResultsThe result of univariate analysis showed that male (P=0.014), higher carcino-embryonic antigen levels (P<0.001), larger nodal diameter (P<0.001), larger consolidation tumor ratio (P<0.001), smaller tumor disappearance ratio (P<0.001), solid nodules (P<0.001), cavitary sign (P=0.005), lobulation sign (P=0.002), spicule sign (P=0.003), pleural indentation sign (P=0.001), bronchus sign (P=0.025) were risk factors for mediastinal lymph node metastasis. In terms of pathology, the N2 positive group had larger size of pathological tissue (P<0.001), more N1 lymph node metastasis (P<0.001), higher pathology T stage (P<0.001), more spread through air space (P=0.001), more pleural invasion (P<0.001), and more lymphovascular invasion (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that lymphovascular invasion (OR=6.9, 95%CI 2.3-20.7, P=0.001), larger consolidation tumor ratio (OR=109.6, 95%CI 3.8-3 124.3, P=0.006), cavitary sign (OR=3.1, 95%CI 1.1-8.3, P=0.028) and N1 lymph node metastasis (OR=15.7, 95%CI 6.7-36.4, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for mediastinal lymph node metastasis.ConclusionFor lung adenocarcinoma, mediastinal lymph node metastasis will not occur in ground glass nodule and ground glass-predominant tumor patients. The probability of mediastinal lymph node metastasis increases with the increase of solid components and presence of cavitary sign. Therefore, different types of lymph node resection can be considered for patients with different imaging findings.
ObjectiveTo investigate the predictive value of preoperative radiological features on spread through air spaces (STAS) in stage cⅠA lung adenocarcinoma with predominant ground-glass opacity, and to provide a basis for the selection of surgical methods for these patients.MethodsThe clinical data of 768 patients with stage cⅠA lung adenocarcinoma undergoing operation in our hospital from 2017 to 2018 were reviewed, and 333 early stage lung adenocarcinoma patients with predominant ground-glass opacity were selected. There were 92 males and 241 females, with an average age of 57.0±10.0 years. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0.ResultsSTAS-positive patients were mostly invasive adenocarcinoma (P=0.037), and had more micropapillary component (P<0.001) and more epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations (P=0.020). There were no statistically significant differences between the STAS-positive and STAS-negative patients in other clinicopathological features. Univariate analysis showed that the maximum diameter of tumor in lung window (P=0.029), roundness (P=0.035), maximum diameter of solid tumor component in lung window (P<0.001), consolidation/tumor ratio (CTR, P<0.001), maximum area of the tumor in mediastinum window (P=0.001), tumor disappearance ratio (TDR, P<0.001), average CT value (P=0.001) and lobulation sign (P=0.038) were risk factors for STAS positive. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the CTR was an independent predictor of STAS (OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.02 to 1.07, P<0.001), and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.71 (95%CI 0.58 to 0.85, P=0.002). When the cutoff value was 19%, the sensitivity of predicting STAS was 66.7%, and the specificity was 75.2%.ConclusionCTR is a good radiological feature to predict the occurrence of STAS in early lung adenocarcinoma with predominant ground-glass opacity. For the stagecⅠA lung adenocarcinoma with predominant ground-glass opacity and CTR ≥19%, the possibility of STAS positive is greater, and sublobar resection needs to be carefully considered.
ObjectiveTo assess the accuracy of CT features of lung nodules (≤3 cm) in predicting the accuracy of the pathological subtype and degree of infiltration of adenocarcinoma. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 333 patients with non-cavitary pulmonary nodules diagnosed as adenocarcinoma by surgery and pathology in the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from 2011 to 2018, including 108 males and 225 females, aged 16-82 (59.57±10.16) years. The basic clinical data and CT characteristics of the patients were recorded. ResultsWhen the average CT value was ≥−507 Hu, the maximum diameter of the lung window was ≥14.5 mm, and the solid component ratio was ≥5.0%, it indicated more likely the invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC). The higher the average CT value of the nodule, the larger the maximum diameter of the lung window, and the more solid components, the higher the degree of infiltration. CT morphological features (including burrs, lobes, vascular signs, bronchial signs, pleural stretch or depression signs) were more common in IAC. Among them, burrs were more common in acinar adenocarcinoma and papillary adenocarcinoma. In invasive adenocarcinoma, the higher the risk of recurrence of the pathological subtype, the greater the average CT value. When the average CT value of IAC was >−106 Hu, and the proportion of solid components was ≥70.5%, the histological subtypes were more inclined to micropapillary/solid predominant adenocarcinoma. Conclusion The evaluation of CT features of lung nodules can improve the predictive value of histopathological types of lung adeno- carcinoma, thereby optimizing clinical treatment decisions and obtaining more ideal therapeutic effects.