Cost-Effectiveness and Closing Perspectives in Early-Stage NSCLC

Patients and health care systems must consider the economic impact and resource utilization associated with intensive multimodal treatment approaches for early-stage lung cancer, as recent pharmacoeconomic analyses suggest that perioperative chemoimmunotherapy may not be cost-effective for all patients with stage III disease. Health care providers should incorporate discussions of financial toxicity and time burden alongside traditional treatment-related adverse effects when counseling patients about intensive treatment regimens. The importance of patient selection becomes paramount when considering resource-intensive approaches, ensuring that treatments are targeted to those most likely to benefit while avoiding unnecessary exposure for patients unlikely to gain significant advantage.

The rapid expansion of treatment options for patients with early-stage lung cancer since 2021 has fundamentally transformed the therapeutic landscape, moving beyond decades of reliance solely on cisplatin-based chemotherapy approaches. Health care providers emphasize that optimal patient outcomes require appropriate staging procedures, comprehensive biomarker testing, and coordinated multidisciplinary care that brings together surgical, medical, and radiation oncology expertise. The complexity of modern lung cancer treatment demands systematic approaches to ensure all patients receive appropriate evaluation and treatment sequencing.

Patients benefit most from health care systems that prioritize collaborative, team-based approaches to cancer care, with recognition that patient perspectives and preferences must be integrated into treatment decision-making processes. Health care providers increasingly acknowledge patients as key members of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that treatment recommendations align with individual values and goals while maintaining focus on curative intent approaches. The future of early-stage lung cancer treatment will likely involve further refinement of patient selection criteria, optimization of treatment sequencing, and continued integration of emerging therapies within evidence-based frameworks that prioritize both efficacy and quality of life for patients facing this challenging diagnosis.