ISSN : 1301-5680
e-ISSN : 2149-8156
Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery     
Prognostic significance of pathological complete response in non-small cell lung cancer following neoadjuvant treatment
Mustafa Akyıl1, Çağatay Tezel1, Fatma Tokgöz Akyıl2, Deniz Gürer1, Serdar Evman1, Levent Alpay1, Volkan Baysungur1, İrfan Yalçınkaya1
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Süreyyapaşa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
2Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Süreyyapaşa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2020.18240
Background: This study aims to investigate the factors associated with pathological complete response following neoadjuvant treatment and to examine the prognostic value of pathological complete response in patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing surgical resection.

Methods: Between February 2009 and January 2016, a total of 112 patients (96 males, 16 females; mean age 60±8 years; range, 37 to 85 years) with the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer who underwent anatomical pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, clinical, radiological, and pathological characteristics of the patients were recorded. The patients were classified as pathological complete response and nonpathological complete response according to the presence of tumors in the pathology reports. Predictive factors for pathological complete response and its prognostic significance were analyzed.

Results: The mean follow-up was 35±20 (range, 0 to 110) months. Of the patients, 30 (27%) achieved a pathological complete response. Reduction rate in tumor size was significantly higher in the responsive group (32.5±21.6% vs. 19.2±18.8%, respectively) and was a predictor of pathological complete response independent from the T and N factors (p=0.004). Survival of the responsive patients was significantly longer than unresponsive patients (75±9 vs. 30±4 months, respectively; p<0.001). During follow-up, tumor recurrence was seen in 30 patients. Recurrence was observed in only one patient in the responsive group, while 29 patients in the unresponsive group had recurrence or metastasis.

Conclusion: Tumor shrinkage rate after neoadjuvant treatment in non-small cell lung cancer is a predictive factor for pathological complete response. Survival of patients with a pathological complete response is also significantly longer than unresponsive patients.

Keywords : Neoadjuvant treatment, non-small cell lung cancer, pathological complete response
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