Prognosis of T3N0M0 small-cell non-anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma

We analyzed the survival after surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) classified as T3N0. Between January 1969 and 1995, 151 patients underwent surgery for NSCLC in our hospital. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier statistical method and the curves were compared using Mantel-Cox, Breslow and Tarone-Ware tests. The estimated five-year survival in the studied population was 44.46 +/- 4.30%. Four groups were defined based on degree of tumoral invasion of mediastinal structures, parietal pleura, chest wall or superior sulcus. Significant differences in five-year survival were observed between groups. Patients in the mediastinal group (59.98 +/- 8.71%) had the best prognosis, followed by patients with parietal pleura involvement (52.79 +/- 6.69%). Survival in the chest wall group was 27.53 +/- 7.22%. No patients with superior sulcus tumors survived over five years (median survival 1.50 +/- 1.16 years; 95% confidence interval 0.00 to 3.77 years). Prognosis is clearly determined by degree of tumoral invasion in T3N0 patients. In spite of the evident conceptual improvements achieved with the revised International Staging System, the system still fails to fully define prognosis in such cases.