Editorial Page 1 of 7 A novel prediction model for the probability of mediastinal lymph node metastases detected by endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration in non-small cell lung cancer: possible applications in clinical decision-making Aldo Carnevale1, Gianluca Milanese2,3, Nicola Sverzellati2, Mario Silva2,3 1Section of Radiology, Department of Morphology Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; 2Section of Radiology, Unit of Surgical Sciences, Department of Medicine and Surgery (DiMeC), University of Parma, Parma, Italy; 3bioMILD Lung Cancer Screening Trial, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy Correspondence to: Mario Silva. Section of Radiology, Pad. Barbieri, via Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy. Email:
[email protected]. Comment on: O’Connell OJ, Almeida FA, Simoff MJ, et al. A Prediction Model to Help with the Assessment of Adenopathy in Lung Cancer: HAL. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2017;195:1651-60. Received: 17 March 2018; Accepted: 08 May 2018; Published: 01 June 2018. doi: 10.21037/med.2018.05.02 View this article at: http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/med.2018.05.02 Surgery is the most successful radical approach to non-small and address the most appropriate therapy (e.g., surgery, cell lung cancer (NSCLC), provided accurate preoperative radiation therapy, or medical treatment) (6). systemic and mediastinal staging for stratification of patients Each of CT and PET show limitations in N staging, with potentially resectable disease (1). In particular, pre- especially with smaller lymph nodes (7). As a consequence, surgical mediastinal nodal staging (N staging) is performed the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) issued by a combination of diagnostic tests with different levels of guidelines with four main categories on the basis of thoracic accuracy and invasiveness (2,3), as well as cumulative costs radiographic appearance to drive the most appropriate use of and risks.