Intrapulmonary lymph node metastasis is common in clinically staged IA adenocarcinoma of the lung

Intrapulmonary lymph nodes (LNs, stations 11–14) are usually omitted in postoperative pathological examination. Some non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with intrapulmonary LN metastasis are incorrectly diagnosed as N0 cases. Furthermore, underestimation of intrapulmonary LN involvement in clinically early stage NSCLC may lead to the incorrect choice of surgical procedure: lobectomy or sublobar resection. This study was conducted to determine the status of intrapulmonary LN involvement in clinically staged IA (c‐T1N0M0) peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung