Pretreatment fibrotic interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) were associated with postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC)s, higher postoperative mortality, and longer hospital stay in a cohort of elderly patients undergoing curative resection for early-stage NSCLC, according to a study published in Cancer Research and Treatment. The study team sought to identify pretreatment ILAs due to their predictive value for complications after lung cancer treatment. Patients aged 70 and older (n = 262) who underwent curative resection for pathologic stage I or II NSCLC with normal preoperative spirometry results (pre-bronchodilator FEV1 second to forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio > 0.70 and FVC ≥ 80% of the predicted value) were retrospectively identified. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess risk factors for PPCs. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to analyze the relationship between ILAs and postoperative mortality. One-way analysis of variance was performed to assess the correlation between ILAs and hospital stay duration. The researchers found that among several relevant risk factors, fibrotic ILAs independently predicted both overall PPCs (adjusted OR, 4.84; 95% CI, 1.35-17.38) and major PPCs (adjusted OR, 8.72; 95% CI, 1.71-44.38). Fibrotic ILAs were significantly associated with higher postoperative mortality and longer hospital stay.

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