Table 2– Elements that favour observation, tailored options or standard management for patients with putative slow-growing lung cancer

	Observation	Tailored options	Standard management
Age	Relatively old^#	Relatively old^#	Relatively young^#
Comorbidity burden	High	High	Low
Detection	Screening or incidental CT finding	Screening or incidental CT finding	Clinically detected
Size	Relatively small	Relatively small	Relatively large
Morphology	Nonsolid	Part-solid	Solid
VDT	No progression or long VDT^#	No progression or long VDT^#	Relatively short VDT^#
PET/SUV	PET-negative or low SUV^#	PET-negative or low SUV^#	PET-positive, high SUV^#
Surgical options	Unsuitable for sublobar resection	Suitable for sublobar resection	Suitable for VATS lobectomy
Nonsurgical options		SBRT or RFA available
Psychological profile	Comfortable with being followed	Anxious, prefers certainty	Anxious, prefers certainty

VDT: volume doubling time; PET: positron emission tomography; SUV: standardised uptake value; CT: computed tomography; SBRT: stereotactic body radiation therapy; RFA: radiofrequency ablation; VATS: video-assisted thoracoscopy.^#: no conventional limit.