INTRAPULMONARY SATELLITE NODULE OF LUNG-CANCER AS A T-FACTOR

Objective: We conducted a validation of the treatment of satellite nod ules in the UICC TNM classification of 1993 and 1997. Patients and met hods: The clinical records of the 352 patients with T2-4 lung cancer w ho underwent curative resection were reviewed. The UICC classification of 1993 was used to classify the pathologic stage. No satellite nodul e was found in 305 cases (PM0 group), 39 cases had a satellite nodule in the same lobe as that of the primary tumor (PM1 group), and 8 cases had a satellite nodule in another ipsilateral lobe (PM2 group). Outco me was compared based on the T classification. Results: The difference s of the survival rates between the PM0 and PM1 groups were not statis tically significant for T2 and T3 cases. For T4 cases, the 5-year surv ival rate was 0% in the PM0 group, 33.3% in the PM1 group, and 0% in t he PM2 group. Conclusion: It was appropriate for T2 and T3 cases that the rank of T classification was up-staged for a satellite nodule in t he same lobe according to the 1993 classification. For T4 cases, howev er, the PM1 group had a significantly better outcome. If all PM1 cases with any T and N factor are included in T4 according to the 1997 clas sification, it may elevate the survival rate of T4 better than that of T4 by the former classification.