Managing incidental pancreatic cystic neoplasms with integrated molecular pathology is a cost-effective strategy.

ABSTRACT:

Background and study aims

Current guidelines recommend using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing and cytology to manage incidental pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN); however, studies suggest a strategy including integrated molecular pathology (IMP) of cyst fluid may further aid in predicting risk of malignancy. Here, we evaluate several strategies for diagnosing and managing asymptomatic PCN using healthcare economic modeling.

Patients and methods

A third-party-payer perspective Markov decision model examined four management strategies in a hypothetical cohort of 1000 asymptomatic patients incidentally found to have a 3 cm solitary pancreatic cystic lesion. Strategy I used cross-sectional imaging, recommended surgery only if symptoms or risk f

SUBMITTER: Das A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4612224 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature