Abstract:Objective To investigate the role of tumor doubling time (DT) in the prognosis evaluation of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A retrospective analysis of 247 patients who underwent surgical resection of non-small cell lung cancer was performed with a thin-slice CT scan of the chest two or more times before surgery. The Schwartz formula was used to calculate the tumor doubling time (TDT) of lung cancer, and to explore the relationship between the length of TDT and its pathological growth characteristics, histological type and degree of differentiation. The Kaplan Meier survival method was used to map the relationship between TDT and OS and RFS, and the patients' survival time was analyzed. Results The proportion of patients with tumor diameter > 3?cm, poorly differentiated and solid density in TDT < 400?d group was higher than that in TDT ≥ 400?d group, the difference was statistically significant (P?0.05). The proportion of women, no history of smoking and adenocarcinoma in TDT ≥ 400 d group was higher than that in TDT < 400?d group (P?0.05). There was no significant difference in age, serum CEA and tumor location between TDT≥ 400?d group and TDT < 400?d group (P?>?0.05). The overall survival (OS) and the recurrence-free survival (RFS) of the TDT≥ 400?d group were better than the TDT < 400?d group, and the differences were statistically significant (P?0.05). Conclusion Tumor doubling time has a good clinical value in evaluating the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.