Staging of Lung Cancer: A Call for Developing Uniform and Universal Key Performance Indicators and Benchmarks to Elevate Clinical Standards.

Accurate staging is pivotal in lung cancer management, yet standardized key performance indicators (KPIs) for staging practices are lacking. We identified a number of critical areas in the staging process and outlined a starter set of SMART KPIs for patients with early stage NSCLC. We propose clear definitions (numerators/denominators, timing anchors) and risk-adjusted benchmarks. These KPIs should be used to monitor and improve clinical practice; they are not intended to dictate the structure of the TNM classification, which must remain an objective, globally applicable anatomic language. Implementing staging KPIs can enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes in lung cancer care.