A Graph-Based Approach to Identify Factors Contributing to Postoperative Lung Cancer Recurrence among Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Simple Summary This study aimed to model the causal relationship between radiographical features derived from CT scans and postoperative lung cancer recurrence and recurrence-free survival. A cohort of 363 lung cancer patients was retrospectively identified, and a novel causal graphical model was used to identify and visualize the causal relationship between these factors. Body composition, particularly with respect to adipose tissue distribution, was found to have a significant and causal impact on both recurrence and recurrence-free survival. The accurate identification of the preoperative factors impacting postoperative cancer recurrence is crucial for optimizing neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies and guiding follow-up treatment plans. We modeled the causal relationship between radiographical features derived from CT scans and the clinicopathologic factors associated with postoperative lung cancer recurrence and recurrence-free survival. A retrospective cohort of 363 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent lung resections with a minimum 5-year follow-up was analyzed. Body composition tissues and tumor features were quantified based on preoperative whole-body CT scans (acquired as a component of PET-CT scans) and chest CT scans, respectively. A novel causal graphical model was used to visualize the causal relationship between these factors. Variables were assessed using the intervention do-calculus adjustment (IDA) score. Direct predictors for recurrence-free survival included smoking history, T-stage, height, and intramuscular fat mass. Subcutaneous fat mass, visceral fat volume, and bone mass exerted the greatest influence on the model. For recurrence, the most significant variables were visceral fat volume, subcutaneous fat volume, and bone mass. Pathologic variables contributed to the recurrence model, with bone mass, TNM stage, and weight being the most important. Body composition, particularly adipose tissue distribution, significantly and causally impacted both recurrence and recurrence-free survival through interconnected relationships with other variables.