Preoperative identification of clinicopathological prognostic factors for relapse-free survival in clinical N1 non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective single center-based study.

For patients with cN1 NSCLC, preoperative prognosis and stratification might be performed based on CEA expression, age, and the primary tumor's SUVmax value. To enhance the prognostic value of the primary tumor's SUVmax value, minimizing bias between facilities and models could lead to a more accurate prognostication.