Sato S, et al. - Among early-stage lung cancer patients who underwent pulmonary resection, researchers retrospectively assessed the impact of the extent of lung emphysema on long-term outcomes, as well as on mortality and postoperative complications. Overall 364 pathological stage I patients had available data sets. Using semiquantitative computed tomography (CT), emphysema was evaluated. At 5 years, the non-emphysema group had overall survival and relapse-free survival of 89.0 and 61.3%, respectively, and these were 81.0 and 51.7%, respectively, in the emphysema group. Emphysema, higher smoking index, and higher histologic grade were identified as significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. Emphysema, higher smoking index, higher histologic grade, and presence of pleural invasion were identified as significant risk factors for poor recurrence-free survival. The emphysema group vs the non-emphysema group more frequently suffered pneumonia and supraventricular tachycardia (Grade ≥ II postoperative complications). They concluded that the long-term outcomes and the development of postoperative complications are influenced by the presence of emphysema in early-stage lung cancer patients.