Abstract: This study aimed to explore the relationship between computed tomography ­morphology and prognosis of patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From May 2009 to May 2011, a total of 124 patients diagnosed with stage I NSCLC were included. All patients had complete chest computed tomography scans. Five-year follow-up was conducted. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to estimate the prognostic factors for patients with stage I NSCLC. The 5-year survival rate was 67.74% (84/124). The 5-year survival rates of patients with stage T1a, T1b, and T2a were 89.19%, 75.00%, and 41.86%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients with homogeneity, inhomogeneity, vacuole, and cavity were 68.42%, 72.09%, 59.46%, and 83.33%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients with different margin features were 83.33% (slick margin), 79.73% (lobulation sign), and 39.47% (short burr). The 5-year survival rates of patients with normal, halo, vessel convergence, bronchial transection, and vascular bundle thickening were 84.38%, 72.73%, 71.79%, 52.00%, and 47.06%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients with normal and pleura thickening/indentation were 81.93% and 39.02%. Univariate analysis demonstrated that tumor node metastasis staging, tumor margin, tumor periphery, and pleural invasion were related to the prognosis of stage I NSCLC patients. Cox regression analysis confirmed that T2a stage, pleura thickening/indentation were independent risk factors for poor prognosis of stage I NSCLC. In conclusion, our findings indicate that T2a stage, pleura thickening/indentation might be prognostic factors in stage I NSCLC.
Keywords: follow-up, survival rate, tumor node metastasis staging, tumor margin, tumor periphery, pleural thickening, pleural indentation