Treatment and survival after lung resection for NSCLC in patients with microscopic residual disease at the bronchial stump

The surgical treatment of non-small cell lung cancer mandates complete rese ction of the primary tumor in combination with mediastinal lymphadenectomy. Incomplete resection can result from the finding of microscopic residual d isease at the bronchial resection margin. That depends from the presence of mucosal microscopic residual disease (MMRD) spreading directly along endob ronchial pathways or from extramucosal microscopic residual disease (EMRD) infiltrating peribronchial lymphatics or other connective tissues. The aim of this study is a retrospective evaluation of survival, in patient s who had undergone lung resection and in whose a microscopic residual dise ase was found,according to the type of infiltration, the histology, the lym phonode involvement and the postoperative treatment.