Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24853550›Full record

ArticleChest2014

When is a biopsy-proven diagnosis necessary before stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for lung cancer?: A decision analysis.

Alexander V Louie, Suresh Senan, Pretesh Patel, Bart S Ferket, Frank J Lagerwaard, George B Rodrigues, Joseph K Salama, Christopher Kelsey, David A Palma, Myriam G Hunink

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Chest, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
6.5field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 65 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. The lung cancers: staging and response, CT,The British journal of radiology · 2023
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Observational
  9. A Prediction Model to Help with Oncologic Mediastinal Evaluation for Radiation: HOMER.American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine · 2020
    Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Observational
  14. Observational
  15. Absence of Pathological Proof of Cancer Associated with Improved Outcomes in Early-Stage Lung Cancer.Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer · 2016
    Article
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Stereotactic body radiotherapy in lung cancer: an update.Jornal brasileiro de pneumologia : publicacao oficial da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisilogia
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Alexander V LouieThe Department of Radiation Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; The Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; The Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Electronic address: Dr.alexlouie@gmail.com.
Suresh SenanThe Department of Radiation Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Pretesh PatelThe Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Bart S FerketThe Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Frank J LagerwaardThe Department of Radiation Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
George B RodriguesThe Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada.
Joseph K SalamaThe Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Christopher KelseyThe Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
David A PalmaThe Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada.
Myriam G HuninkThe Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc · NLDuke Medical Center · USCancer Care Ontario · CAErasmus MC · NLErasmus University Rotterdam · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe practice of treating a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) suspicious for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in the absence of pathology is growing. In the absence of randomized evidence, the appropriate prior probability threshold of lung cancer of when such a strategy is warranted can be informed using decision analysis.

methodsA decision tree and Markov model were constructed to evaluate the relative merits of surveillance, a PET scan-directed SABR strategy (without pathology), or a PET scan-biopsy-SABR strategy, when faced with an SPN at different prior probabilities for lung cancer. Diagnostic characteristics, as well as disease, treatment, and toxicity parameters, were extracted from the literature. Deterministic analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to inform the appropriate lung cancer prior probability threshold between treatment strategies.

resultsIn the reference case analysis, the prior probability threshold between surveillance and PET scan-biopsy-SABR was 17.0%; between PET scan-directed SABR and PET scan-biopsy-SABR, the threshold was 85.0%. The latter finding was confirmed on probabilistic sensitivity analysis (85.2%; 95% CI, 80.0% to 87.2%). This predicted lung cancer prior probability threshold was most sensitive to the diagnostic sensitivity of transthoracic biopsy (range, 77.2% to 94.0%) and the detection rate of false negatives on CT scan surveillance (range, 82.4% to 92.3%).

conclusionsThis model suggests that if there are concerns about morbidity related to biopsy for an SPN, a PET scan-directed SABR strategy is warranted when the prior probability of lung cancer exceeds a point estimate of 85%.

Indexed as

BiopsyCarcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungDecision Support TechniquesHumansLung NeoplasmsPositron-Emission TomographyRadiosurgerySensitivity and SpecificitySolitary Pulmonary NoduleTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID24853550
OpenAlexW1969049721

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.