Prognostic Impact of Postoperative Complications in High-Risk Operable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with high-risk (HR) operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may have unique prognostic factors. This study aimed to evaluate surgical outcomes in HR patients and to investigate prognostic factors in HR patients versus standard-risk (SR) patients. METHODS: In total, 471 consecutive patients who underwent curative lung resection for NSCLC between January 2012 and December 2017 were identified and reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified into HR (n=77) and SR (n=394) groups according to the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group criteria (Z4099 trial). Postoperative complications were defined as those of grade 2 or higher by the Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: The HR group comprised more men and older patients, had poorer lung function, and had more comorbidities than the SR group. The patients in the HR group also experienced more postoperative complications (p