Differences in the prognostic implication of ground-glass opacity on CT according to pathological nodal status in lung cancers treated with lobectomy or pneumonectomy.

• The presence of ground-glass opacity was associated with a favorable prognosis, only in pathological node-negative patients (5-year disease-free survival, p = .002; 5-year overall survival, p = .002). • Within pathological node-negative patients, the effect of ground-glass opacity on 5-year disease-free survival was valid in patients with cT1 category (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.72; p < .001), but not in patients with cT2 or above category. • Within pathological node-negative patients, the effect of ground-glass opacity on 5-year overall survival was valid in patients with cT1/2 category (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.20-0.68; p = .002), but not in patients with cT3/4 category.