An NCDB analysis of trends in treatment fo NSCLC between 2004-2021 reports SBRT utilization climbed from 1% in 2004 to 35% in 2021, while upfront surgery utilization declined from 68% to 41%. Encouragingly, the proportion of untreated patients fell from 16% to 10%, presumably due to broad candidacy for evermore popular SBRT. Notably, among patients receiving SBRT, the proportion coded as “not surgical candidates” decreased (22% → 18%), as “surgery not planned” increased (74% → 77%). While surgery remains the evidence-based standard, practice patterns and patient preferences are shifting to reflect the robust exceptional safety and tolerability of modern SBRT as definitive treatment of early-stage NSCLC. | Sakowitz, Chest 2025
