Introduction

Patients with lung cancer receive treatment according to National Cancer Comprehensive Network (NCCN) standards. However, disease recurrence is reported in about 30% of patients during the first five years. Our study aimed to establish independent predictors of lung cancer recurrence.

Material and methods

104 patients with definitive treatment for non-small-cell lung carcinoma receiving standard adjuvant chemotherapy in the period 2014–2018 in our cancer center were retrospectively reviewed. The prognostic significance of five routine immunohistochemical (IHC) markers was examined.

Results

During the follow-up period disease recurrence occurred in 42 (40.4%) of the 104 enrolled patients. The median recurrence-free survival was 56.3 months, range 4–84.0 months (95% CI = 46.866–65.683). The recurrence-free survival rate was 58.8%. The frequencies of locoregional recurrence, lung recurrence, kidney, bone, lymph nodes of the neck, liver, and brain recurrence were 23.8%, 21.5%, 16.7%, 9.5%, 9.5%, 9.5% and 9.5%, respectively.

Conclusions

Using the Cox regression model, category T, histological differentiation, and smoking status were identified as independent predictors of disease recurrence. The studied biological markers (PD-L1, Ki67, p53, epidermal growth factor receptor, and ALK) did not help the model predict disease recurrence. For statistical reliability, it is necessary to conduct a study on a larger cohort of patients and compare the mutual influence of several biomarkers.