Abstract: Objective To investigate the association of clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis with lymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer（NSCLC）.
MethodsData from 154 NSCLC patients receiving lobectomy or pneumonectomy with systematic lymph node dissection in Fujian Provincial Hospital from January 2010 to August 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The frequency of intrathoracic lymph node metastasis in each group， and the relationship of tumor type， primary site， clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis with lymph node metastasis were analyzed.
ResultsA total of 748 groups of intrathoracic lymph node were removed in 154 cases of lung cancer patients. Metastasis occurred in 133 groups of lymph node. Intrathoracic lymph node metastasis occurred in 74 patients， the transfer rate was 48.1％. The 4，5，6，10，11 groups had a higher frequency of lymph node metastasis than 1，2，3，7，8，9 groups. The metastasis rate of hilar lymph node in central lung cancer patients was significantly higher than that of peripheral lung cancer（51.2% vs. 28.4%，P＜0.05）. Subcarinal lymph node metastasis rate of lower lobe cancer patients was higher than that of upper and middle lobe patients. The frequency of lymph node metastasis and skip N2 metastasis in patients with stage Ⅲ lung cancer were higher than those of lung cancer patients with stageⅠ and Ⅱ. The total rate of lymph node metastasis in central lung cancer patients was significantly higher than those of peripheral lung cancer. The metastasized lymph nodes were divided into 3 groups： one group without lymph node metastasis（Ng0）， 1 to 3 groups with lymph node metastasis（Ng1）， 4 to 6 groups with lymph node metastasis（Ng2）. Survival analysis suggested that Ng， lymph node stage， T stage and lung cancer types were associatied with prognosis. Cox regression analysis showed that Ng, lymph node stage and T stage were independent factors of the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Conclusion The lymph node metastasis of lung cancer occurred more likely in interlobar， hilar and pulmonary root lymph node. The lymph node metastasis frequency of lung cancer was associatied with TNM stage and lung cancer types. Ng, lymph node stage and T stage were significantly related with prognosis of lung cancer patients.