: Patients in certain rural or underserved counties are less likely to receive the recommended surgical treatment compared to those in urban medical hubs.

: Because surgery is the primary curative treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, these county-level variations directly correlate with differences in patient survival rates. Contextual Usage

: There is significant regional variation in surgery rates across U.S. counties, even when accounting for patient health and socioeconomic status.

The study, titled "County-level variations in receipt of surgery for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer in the United States," was published in (pages 212–222) in 2020. It investigates how geographical location impacts the likelihood of patients receiving curative-intent surgery. Key Findings