Fig. 2

Number of IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients underwent preoperative radiotherapy and PORT from 2004 to 2015. There were 241, 216, 195 IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients received preoperative radiotherapy with surgery in 2004–2007, 2008–2011 and 2012–2017, respectively. Whereas, the number of IIIA/N2 NSCLC patients who underwent PORT with surgery were 1105, 1326, 1775 in the same time periods as above. Abbreviations: NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer; IIIA/N2, stage IIIA pathologic N2; PORT, postoperative radiotherapy