Utility and cost-effectiveness of molecular testing in thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology. 2016

Emmanuel Labourier
BMDx, Austin, TX, USA. manulabourier@gmail.com.

BACKGROUND Molecular testing on biopsies from thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology can improve patient management by preventing unnecessary surgeries on benign nodules. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine the health outcome benefits and cost-effectiveness of molecular testing in nodules with AUS/FLUS or FN/SFN cytology. METHODS The initial diagnosis and treatment of a hypothetical cohort of adult U.S. patients with solitary thyroid nodules ≥1 cm was simulated by decision analytic modelling using Medicare cost estimates for three management strategies, standard of care without molecular testing (StC), gene expression classifier (GEC) and mutation and miRNA testing (MMT). RESULTS Gene expression classifier decreased the rate of unnecessary surgeries by 32% relative to StC, yielding incremental costs of $1008 per patient or $5070 per unnecessary surgery avoided. MMT decreased the surgery rate by 67%, yielding incremental savings of -$1384 per patient or -$3170 per unnecessary surgery avoided. Results remained robust in deterministic sensitivity analyses; MMT was dominant for every variable tested. Independent of cancer prevalence, MMT yielded 52% fewer unnecessary surgeries relative to GEC #bib70% fewer two-stage thyroidectomies and correctly identified 70% more benign nodules. Test specificity had to be >68% for molecular testing to be cost-effective and decrease by >50% the rate of unnecessary surgeries performed on benign nodules. CONCLUSIONS Molecular testing with high benign diagnostic yield can generate both positive health outcomes (less surgeries) and positive economic outputs (cost savings). These results are consistent with previously reported cost-utility data and provide valuable insights for informed decision-making by patients, physicians and payers.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D003362 Cost-Benefit Analysis A method of comparing the cost of a program with its expected benefits in dollars (or other currency). The benefit-to-cost ratio is a measure of total return expected per unit of money spent. This analysis generally excludes consideration of factors that are not measured ultimately in economic terms. In contrast a cost effectiveness in general compares cost with qualitative outcomes. Cost and Benefit,Cost-Benefit Data,Benefits and Costs,Cost Benefit,Cost Benefit Analysis,Cost-Utility Analysis,Costs and Benefits,Economic Evaluation,Marginal Analysis,Analyses, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Utility,Analysis, Marginal,Benefit and Cost,Cost Benefit Analyses,Cost Benefit Data,Cost Utility Analysis,Cost-Benefit Analyses,Cost-Utility Analyses,Data, Cost-Benefit,Economic Evaluations,Evaluation, Economic,Marginal Analyses
D003581 Cytodiagnosis Diagnosis of the type and, when feasible, the cause of a pathologic process by means of microscopic study of cells in an exudate or other form of body fluid. (Stedman, 26th ed) Cytodiagnoses
D003657 Decision Making The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea. Credit Assignment,Assignment, Credit,Assignments, Credit,Credit Assignments
D006278 Medicare Federal program, created by Public Law 89-97, Title XVIII-Health Insurance for the Aged, a 1965 amendment to the Social Security Act, that provides health insurance benefits to persons over the age of 65 and others eligible for Social Security benefits. It consists of two separate but coordinated programs: hospital insurance (MEDICARE PART A) and supplementary medical insurance (MEDICARE PART B). (Hospital Administration Terminology, AHA, 2d ed and A Discursive Dictionary of Health Care, US House of Representatives, 1976) Health Insurance for Aged and Disabled, Title 18,Insurance, Health, for Aged and Disabled,Health Insurance for Aged, Disabled, Title 18,Health Insurance for Aged, Title 18
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D016606 Thyroid Nodule A small circumscribed mass in the THYROID GLAND that can be of neoplastic growth or non-neoplastic abnormality. It lacks a well-defined capsule or glandular architecture. Thyroid nodules are often benign but can be malignant. The growth of nodules can lead to a multinodular goiter (GOITER, NODULAR). Nodule, Thyroid,Nodules, Thyroid,Thyroid Nodules
D020869 Gene Expression Profiling The determination of the pattern of genes expressed at the level of GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION, under specific circumstances or in a specific cell. Gene Expression Analysis,Gene Expression Pattern Analysis,Transcript Expression Analysis,Transcriptome Profiling,Transcriptomics,mRNA Differential Display,Gene Expression Monitoring,Transcriptome Analysis,Analyses, Gene Expression,Analyses, Transcript Expression,Analyses, Transcriptome,Analysis, Gene Expression,Analysis, Transcript Expression,Analysis, Transcriptome,Differential Display, mRNA,Differential Displays, mRNA,Expression Analyses, Gene,Expression Analysis, Gene,Gene Expression Analyses,Gene Expression Monitorings,Gene Expression Profilings,Monitoring, Gene Expression,Monitorings, Gene Expression,Profiling, Gene Expression,Profiling, Transcriptome,Profilings, Gene Expression,Profilings, Transcriptome,Transcript Expression Analyses,Transcriptome Analyses,Transcriptome Profilings,mRNA Differential Displays

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