In conclusion, low expression of pro-SFTPB in primary tumors compared to adjacent tissue is a potentially robust biomarker for recurrence of early-stage NSCLC, and downregulation of pro-SFTPB expression promotes early-stage NSCLC recurrence by activating the PGK1-mediated Akt signaling pathway. Here, AKT1 is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.