When is a Biopsy-Proven Diagnosis Necessary Before Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer? A Decision Analysis

Abstract

The practice of treating a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) suspicious for stage I NSCLC with stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) in the absence of pathologic confirmation of malignancy is becoming more common. In the absence of randomized evidence, the appropriate lung cancer prevalence threshold of when such a strategy is warranted can be informed using a decision modeling approach.