A retrospective study analyzing the clinical course of patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving local or systemic therapy after post-operative recurrence

Background: While systemic therapy is one of the therapeutic options available for post-operative recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer, efficacy of local therapy for locoregional recurrence or limited metastatic lesions has also been reported. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the clinical course of patients with post-operative recurrence (locoregional or limited metastatic lesion) after receiving local or systemic therapy. Methods: Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed and survival duration was compared using the logrank test. Results: A total of 22 patients were included. Median progression-free survival in patients receiving local therapy, systemic chemotherapy, or a combination of both therapies was 15.1 months, 6.3 months, and 13 months, respectively. Two patients receiving treatment with EGFR-TKI did not show disease progression at 41.3 months and 45.8 months (p=0.265). Median overall survivals in patients receiving local therapy, systemic chemotherapy, or a combination of both therapies were 26.5 months, 20 months, and 37.9 months, respectively (p=0.510). After the treatment, 6 patients showed regrowth of the recurrent lesion, 8 patients showed remote metastases, and 2 patients showed both regrowth of the recurrent lesion and remote metastases. Conclusion: Patients who received treatment including local therapy showed longer survival duration, but statistical significance was not detected. Our study suggested that regrowth of the recurrent lesion and remote metastases can be equally observed after treatment.