Table 2.

Adaptive Conjoint Analysis Attributes with Their Levels and Explanation to the Patients

Attribute	Explanation to Patients	Levels
Futile surgical lung tumor resection	Surgical lung tumor resection was futile in case unforeseen N2 disease is detected after surgery. Your survival will not be extended as result of the surgery, while surgical lung tumor resection is associated with 30% overall complications (18% mild complications, 10% severe complications, 2% mortality). The levels represent the proportion of futile surgical lung tumor resections.	3% 6% 9% 12%
Complications of staging procedures	During the invasive mediastinal nodal staging procedures complications could occur. However, complications are rare, some could be severe.	0% 4% 6% 8%
Length of staging period	The process of scheduling, performing and pathology investigation of confirmatory mediastinoscopy takes time. This process has to be completed before lung cancer treatment can start, and therefore this will be prolonged by performing confirmatory mediastinoscopy. On the other hand, confirmatory mediastinoscopy can prevent you from futile lung surgery.	1 week 3 weeks 5 weeks
Resection of the lung tumor	When confirmatory mediastinoscopy is omitted you will directly be referred for surgical lung tumor resection. When confirmatory mediastinoscopy is not omitted, the surgical lung tumor resection will only be performed if mediastinoscopy does not show mediastinal lymph node metastases. If mediastinal lymph node metastases are detected at mediastinoscopy, generally no surgical lung tumor resection will be performed.	Always Only if mediastinoscopy is N2–3-negative
Mediastinoscopy scar in the neck	Cervical mediastinoscopy is performed through an incision in the neck. A scar of approximately 3–4 centimeter just above the sternum will be created.	Yes No