Vascular invasion predicts recurrence in stage IA2-IB lung adenocarcinome but not squamous cell carcinoma

NCCN-guidelines list vascular invasion (VI) as a risk factor warranting consideration of adjuvant therapy among stage IB NSCLC. A retrospective analysis among resected IA2-IB patients of two US centers found that VI predicted worse 5-year recurrence-free survival for lung adenocarcinoma (64% versus 90%; p<0.001) but not squamous cell carcinoma (83% versus 80%; p=0.852). The authors conclude that guidelines should be modified to specify VI as a risk factor only for stage I adenocarcinoma.