Indeterminate pulmonary nodules in patients with sarcoma affect survival.

We prospectively studied 331 sarcoma patients treated between April 1999 and December 2004 to see if small, indeterminate pulmonary nodules are of prognostic significance. Seventy-one (21%) had indeterminate pulmonary nodules on initial spiral CCT. Twenty of 71 (28%) patients with indeterminate nodules progressed with metastatic disease. Metastatic disease developed in 18/20 (90%) in the area of the original indeterminate nodule. The presence of tiny (<5 mm) indeterminate nodules was not a prognostic variable, however, the presence of nodules > or =5 mm was associated with worse 3 year disease-free survival compared to those with no nodules or tiny nodules (81% versus 49%) but better than those with definite metastatic disease at presentation (49% versus 5%). Because patients with pulmonary nodules > or =5 mm are at increased risk for metastatic disease compared to patients with normal CCT or those with <5 mm nodules but better survival than patients with Stage IV disease, we believe a new staging system of these patients should be considered and recommend careful followup.