A forward stepwise procedure was adopted to obtain the final model of significant predictors for OS consisting of the factors lymph-node metastasis, diameter, invasion of lung membrane, and expression of TGFβR2. According to multivariable Cox regression model analysis, high expression of TGFβR2 was identified as a predictor of shorter OS in NSCLC patients. Here, TGFBR2 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.