Ipsilateral pleural recurrence after diagnostic transthoracic needle biopsy in pathological stage I lung cancer patients who underwent curative resection.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) and pleural recurrence of cancer after curative lung resection remains unclear. We aimed to assess whether TTNB increases the ipsilateral pleural recurrence (IPR) rate and identify other potential risk factors for pleural recurrence after surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 392 patients with p-stage I non-small cell lung cancer with solid or part-solid nodules after curative lung resection in 2009-2010. Imbalances among the characteristics were adjusted using an inverse probability-weighted method based on propensity scoring. Multivariate Cox's regression analysis and the Kaplan-Meier method were used to determine independent risk factors for IPR.

RESULTS: A total of 243 (62%) patients received TTNB, while 149 (38%) underwent an alternate, or no, diagnostic technique. IPR was significantly more frequent in the TTNB group (p=0.004), while total recurrence was similar between the groups (p=0.098). After applying the weighted model, diagnostic TTNB (hazard ratio [HR], 5.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49-18.69; p=0.010), microscopic visceral pleural invasion (HR, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.08-7.01; p=0.033) and microscopic lymphatic invasion (HR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.30-8.10; p=0.012) were associated with an increased frequency of IPR. Among patients who received TTNB, microscopic lymphatic invasion was a risk factor for IPR (HR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.10-6.79; p=0.030).

CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic TTNB procedure is associated with pleural recurrence but may be unrelated to overall recurrence-free survival in early lung cancer. Moreover, microscopic lymphatic invasion could be a risk factor for pleural recurrence. TTNB should be carefully considered before lung resection and close follow-up to detect if pleural recurrence is needed.