Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a significant global health burden and is a leading cause of cancer-related death. The correct staging of patients with NSCLC is a key step in selecting an adequate treatment regimen, and combined positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) with fluorine 18–labeled fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is increasingly used for staging and treatment monitoring of patients with NSCLC. The principal strengths of PET-CT with FDG in staging NSCLC include the assessment of intrathoracic lymph nodes and the detection of unanticipated stage IV disease. However, data on the effects of PET-CT with FDG on cancer-related mortality in NSCLC remain sparse.