Understaging | Potential consequence(s) |
Stage I–III (true stage IV) | Omission of comprehensive biomarker testing |
Omission of systemic therapy |
Unnecessary curative‐intent surgery or radiation therapy |
N2 disease (true N3) | Omission of radiation therapy to N3 nodes |
Single station N2 (true multi‐station N2) | Unnecessary surgery |
Delay initiating curative‐intent multimodality therapy |
N0 (true N1–N3) | Omission of comprehensive biomarker testing |
Omission of systemic therapy |
Unnecessary surgery (multi‐station N2/N3 disease) |
Failure to elicit patient preferences for multimodality therapy (stage IIIA) a |
Resectable T4N0‐1 (true unresectable T4N0‐1) | Delay initiating curative‐intent multimodality therapy |