Clinical Outcomes and Prognosis of Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease Undergoing Lung Cancer Surgery: A Propensity Score Matching Study

• Published in: Clinical lung cancer 2023-01, Vol.24 (1), p.e27-e38
• Main Authors: Ki, Min Seo, Kim, Song Yee, Kim, Eun Young, Jung, Ji Ye, Kang, Young Ae, Park, Moo Suk, Kim, Young Sam, Park, Seong Yong, Lee, Sang Hoon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Humans; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - surgery; ILD-GAP index; IPF; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Non-IPF; Prognosis; Propensity Score; Pulmonary resection; Retrospective Studies; Survival
• ISSN: 1525-7304; 1938-0690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2022.10.003

Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) may have a poor prognosis after lung cancer surgery because of respiratory complications and increased recurrence rates due to limited resection. Few studies have investigated prognosis after surgery by matching clinical variables between patients with and without ILD. Medical records of patients who underwent lung cancer surgery between January 2010 and August 2020 at a referral hospital in South Korea were reviewed. Patients with ILD were identified based on preoperative computed tomography findings. Through propensity score matching, the clinical outcomes and prognoses of patients with (ILD group) and without ILD (control group) were compared. Of 1629 patients, 113 (6.9%) patients with ILD were identified, of whom 104 patients were matched. Before matching, patients with ILD had higher mean age, proportion of men, and rates of sublobar resection and squamous cell carcinoma than those without ILD. After matching, there was no significant difference in postoperative mortality rates between the control and ILD groups. The 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in the ILD group (66%) than in the control group (78.8%; P= .007). The 5-year survival rate of the ILD-GAP (Gender, Age, Physiology) stage III group (12.6%) was significantly lower than that of the ILD-GAP stage I (73.5%) and II groups (72.6%; P< .0001). Multivariable Cox analysis demonstrated that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, higher clinical stage, and recurrence were independent prognostic factors for mortality. Concomitant ILD negatively affects long-term prognosis after lung cancer surgery, and ILD subtype and physiological severity assessment help predict prognosis after surgery. We compared the prognosis after lung cancer surgery in 104 patients with ILD and 104 patients without ILD matched by key variables. Patients with ILD had worse survival. Concomitant IPF or high physiological severity of ILD was associated with worse survival. Evaluation of underlying ILD before surgery is thought to be helpful in predicting the prognosis after lung cancer surgery.