The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Eur Urol Focus. 2021 Jul;7(4):827-834. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2020.02.010. Epub 2020 Feb 27.
BACKGROUND: Incidentally detected small renal masses (SRMs) may be one of several benign or malignant tumor histologies, and are heterogeneous in oncologic potential. Renal mass biopsy can be used to determine the histology of SRMs. However, this invasive approach has significant limitations. Technetium-99m sestamibi single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT) is a promising imaging tool that can aid in identifying benign renal oncocytomas and hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and economic value of Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT in guiding the management of SRMs. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We developed a decision analysis model to estimate the costs and health outcomes of competing management strategies for a healthy 65-yr-old patient with an asymptomatic SRM. INTERVENTION: Empiric surgery (reference); real-world clinical practice (RWCP) consisting of empiric surgery, thermal ablation, and active surveillance (alternative reference); renal mass biopsy (option 1); Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT (option 2); and Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT followed by biopsy to confirm benign SRMs (option 3). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We assessed lifetime health utilities, measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and direct medical costs from a health payer perspective. We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for options 1-3 versus the reference and alternative reference arms, with a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50 000/QALY. Univariate, multivariate, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Option 3 had a very low risk of untreated malignant tumors (0.2%, vs 2.1% for option 1, 4.2% for option 2, and 0% for empiric surgery) and the highest probability of leaving benign tumors untreated (84.4%, vs 53.9% for option 1, 51.7% for option 2, and 0% for empiric surgery). Option 3 dominated empiric surgery and options 1 and 2 (ie, lower costs and higher QALYs). Compared with RWCP, options 1-3 were all cost effective; option 3 had the lowest ICER of $18 821/QALY. These findings were robust to alternative input values. Study limitations included data uncertainties and a limited number of centers from which Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT performance data were collected. CONCLUSIONS: Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT followed by confirmatory biopsy helps avoid surgery for benign SRMs, minimizes untreated malignant SRMs, and is cost effective compared with existing strategies. PATIENT SUMMARY: Our research suggests that by using a noninvasive imaging test, known as technetium-99m sestamibi single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography, to diagnose small renal masses, urologists may avoid unnecessary surgery for benign tumors and minimize the risk of leaving a malignant tumor untreated. Moreover, the use of this strategy to diagnose small renal masses is cost effective for the health care system.
背景:偶然发现的小肾肿块(SRM)可能是几种良性或恶性肿瘤组织学之一,其在肿瘤学方面具有异质性。肾肿块活检可用于确定 SRM 的组织学。然而,这种侵入性方法存在显著的局限性。锝-99m sestamibi 单光子发射计算机断层扫描/计算机断层扫描(Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT)是一种很有前途的成像工具,可帮助识别良性肾嗜酸细胞瘤和混合嗜酸细胞/嫌色细胞瘤。
目的:评估 Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT 在指导 SRM 管理中的临床和经济价值。
设计、地点和参与者:我们开发了一种决策分析模型,以估计健康 65 岁无症状 SRM 患者的竞争管理策略的成本和健康结果。
干预措施:经验性手术(参考);包括经验性手术、热消融和主动监测的真实世界临床实践(替代参考);肾肿块活检(选项 1);Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT(选项 2);以及 Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT 后确认良性 SRM 的活检(选项 3)。
结果和局限性:与经验性手术和选项 1-2 相比,选项 3 具有非常低的未治疗恶性肿瘤风险(0.2%,选项 1 为 2.1%,选项 2 为 4.2%,而经验性手术为 0%),并且未治疗良性肿瘤的可能性最高(84.4%,选项 1 为 53.9%,选项 2 为 51.7%,而经验性手术为 0%)。选项 3 优于经验性手术和选项 1-2(即,成本更低,QALYs 更高)。与 RWCP 相比,选项 1-3 均具有成本效益;选项 3 的 ICER 最低,为 18821 美元/QALY。这些发现对于替代输入值是稳健的。研究的局限性包括数据不确定性和收集 Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT 性能数据的中心数量有限。
结论:Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT 后进行确认性活检有助于避免良性 SRM 的手术,最小化未治疗的恶性 SRM,并与现有策略相比具有成本效益。
患者总结:我们的研究表明,通过使用一种称为锝-99m sestamibi 单光子发射计算机断层扫描/计算机断层扫描的非侵入性成像测试,泌尿科医生可以避免对良性肿瘤进行不必要的手术,并降低留下恶性肿瘤未治疗的风险。此外,使用这种策略来诊断小肾肿块对医疗保健系统具有成本效益。
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