Grim outlook.

With no clear answer on how lung stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) stacks up to standard surgery for definitive treatment of early-stage lung cancer, there are myriad non-cancer related reasons patients may receive one treatment modality versus the other. This linked data analysis examines whether health-related quality of life and major depressive disorder (MDD), as measured by the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS), impacts the decision to undergo radiation versus lobectomy, as measured with linked SEER data. On multivariate analysis, better physical and mental quality of life were statistically significant predictors of receiving surgery. What’s more, a smaller proportion of those undergoing surgery were at risk of MDD (22%) than those undergoing radiation (34%). TBL: Patients' outlooks on their health influence the care they receive. | van Dams, JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2019