Inclusion and exclusion criteria
NSCLC, malignancy
NSCLC
The patient inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) histologically diagnosed with NSCLC. 2) pathologically staged as T1–3N0M0 according to the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system (eighth edition); 3) with a complete (R0) resection plus lymph node dissection or sampling; 4) with follow-up up to 5 years. The exclusion criteria were as follows: 1) with prior history of metachronous or synchronous malignancy; 2) underwent palliative surgery including sublobectomy, segmentectomy, or wedge-shaped lobectomy; 3)with positive resection margins; 4) with any therapy before surgery (chemotherapy, radiation, target therapy, or any other antitumor therapy); 5) died in 30 days after surgery.