Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in stage i non-small cell lung cancer that underwent anatomic resection: The role of a recurrence promoter

Background: Despite the use of anatomic resection, the post-surgical recurrence rate remains high in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Chronic inflammation plays a role in the mechanism that promotes tumor initiation. This study aimed to investigate the association between recurrence outcome and chronic inflammation-related co-morbidities in early-stage resected NSCLC. Methods: A review of medical records for recurrence outcome and co-morbidities, in terms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), DM, asthma and cardiovascular diseases, was performed with 181 patients with stage I NSCLC that underwent anatomic resection. Results: Subjects with T descriptors as T2a disease (49.5 vs. 28.0%, p <0.05) and the presence of COPD (42.4 vs. 20.7%, p <0.01) had a higher risk of tumor recurrence. Univariate analysis for recurrence-free survival showed T descriptor as T2a (21.5 months vs. NR, p <0.05) and the presence of COPD (20.5 months vs. NR, p <0.01) as significant factors predicting reduced survival. The presence of COPD (HR: 1.98; 95% CI, 1.29-.02, p <0.01) and T descriptor as T2a (HR: 2.01; 95% CI, 1.04-3.91, p <0.05) remain independent predictors of reduced recurrence-free survival in the Cox regression model. Patients with COPD were at higher risk of brain recurrence (OR: 7.88; 95% CI, 1.50-41.3, p <0.01). In contrast, patients without COPD showed a tendency toward recurrence in bone and liver (OR: 4.13; 95% CI, 1.08-15.8, p = 0.05). Conclusion: Subjects with COPD and T2a disease had a higher risk of recurrence. The role of COPD as a recurrence promoter merits further prospective investigation.