Risk factors of lobar lymph node metastases in non-primary tumor-bearing lobes among the patients of non-small-cell lung cancer

PURPOSE: Lobar lymph node metastases in non-primary tumor-bearing lobes (NTBL) are rarely reported. This study examined the risk factors of lobar lymph node metastasis in NTBL. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 301 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent surgical pulmonary resection with systematic lymph node dissection plus extended lobar lymph node dissection of NTBL. Patients were classified into positive and negative NTBL groups. Unconditional logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for lobar lymph node metastasis in NTBL. RESULTS: NTBL lobar lymph nodes were identified in 38 patients (12.6%). A higher proportion of adenocarcinomas occurred in the positive NTBL group compared to the negative NTBL group (73.7% vs. 46.4%, P = 0.01). Risk of NTBL lobar lymph node metastases was significantly elevated in the lower lobe of primary site compared to the upper lobe (OR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.26–5.75, P = 0.01), and with adenocarcinomas compared to squamous cell carcinomas (OR = 2.75, 95% CI = 1.09–7.65, P = 0.04). No differences were observed when comparing left and right lobes. NTBL lobar lymph node metastasis was most often observed among patients with larger tumor size, N1/N2 nodal involvement, with lymph vascular invasion (LVI), and visceral pleural invasion (VPI). CONCLUSION: NTBL lobar lymph node metastases occurred more often in patients with a primary NSCLC tumor in the lower lobe, with adenocarcinomas, larger tumor size, N1/N2 nodal involvement, LVI or VPI. Extended lymphadenectomy including NTBL nodes may be clinically advantageous when these risk factors are present.