ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, responsible for 1.18 million deaths in 2002.1,2 More than 80% of all newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For patients with early stage disease, from clinical stage IA through IIB, surgical resection represents the standard of care.3 However, those patients represent only one-third of all newly diagnosed cases, and even if they undergo complete resection, approximately 50% of patients will relapse and die of recurrent disease within 5 years.4 Most of these relapses are distant metastases to central nervous system, bone, contralateral lung, liver, and adrenals, whereas loco-regional relapse is less common (Table 9.1).5-8 Relapse at distant organs is thought to be a result of occult micrometastatic disease, undetectable at preoperative staging.9
