Radiological precursor lesions of lung squamous cell carcinoma: Early progression patterns and divergent volume doubling time between hilar and peripheral zones

Objectives: This study investigated the early progression patterns of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) on computed tomography (CT) images. Materials and methods: In total, 65 patients with SqCC who underwent surgical resection and two CT scans separated by an interval of at least 6 months were enrolled. We categorized the findings of the initial and atdiagnosis CT images into five patterns as previously reported. The volume doubling time (VDT) was calculated for measurable lesions. Results: A single nodule pattern on CT images at-diagnosis was most common in 56 (86.2 %) patients, in line with practical clinical findings. However, the patterns were diverse in the initial images, with 28 (43.1 %) patients displaying atypical findings, including multiple nodules (3.1 %), endobronchial lesions (20.0 %), subsolid nodules (10.8 %), and cyst wall thickening (9.2 %). All endobronchial lesions were located in the central/middle zone of the lung field, whereas lesions presented as multiple nodules, subsolid nodules, and cyst wall thickening were predominantly observed in the peripheral zone. The differences in the developed zones were reflected in the median VDT, and the tumors with an initial endobronchial pattern had a significantly shorter VDT than those with a subsolid nodule pattern (median: 140 days vs 276 days, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Lung SqCC initiated with various CT image patterns, although most tumors ultimately developed a single nodule pattern by diagnosis. The initial CT image patterns differed between the hilar and peripheral zones, suggesting a difference in the progression scheme, which was also supported by differences in VDT.

Automated summary

This study investigated the early progression patterns of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) on computed tomography (CT) images. The initial CT image patterns differed between the hilar and peripheral zones, suggesting a difference in the progression scheme, which was also supported by differences in volume doubling time (VDT).