Outcomes of lung cancers manifesting as nonsolid nodules

•Lung cancers manifesting as NSNs do not metastasize to LNs or other organs.•Approximately 70% of resected NSN cancers are AIS or MIA.•All Stage I adenocarcinomas with 100% long-term lung-cancer specific survival.•NSNs still need to be follow-up annually for development of a solid component.•Can be followed for growth yearly as they are slow-growing cancers if diagnosed.

This is a comprehensive review and re-analysis of available literature to assess the outcome of lung cancer presenting as nonsolid nodules (NSNs), a more indolent form of cancer. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for articles reporting on CT-detected lung cancers manifesting as NSNs published in English on or before July 17, 2015. Only studies inclu