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

Prediction models may be considered a useful tool to guide decision-making for patients with potentially resectable lung cancer, with the aim of reducing the number of invasive mediastinal staging procedures. The HAL (Help with the Assessment of Adenopathy in Lung Cancer) model seems to have the potential for medical decision support to guide invasive mediastinal staging, also warranting a further confirmatory investigation (i.e., mediastinoscopy) after a first EBUS-TBNA result suspicious for false-negative.