The researchers hope the model will bring more value to the clinical decision-making process. Information from the model could provide guidance on the benefits and risks of active surveillance and help identify the right treatments for the right patients, according to Dr. Kang.
"There is probably a larger proportion of patients with small renal tumors who merit a fuller discussion of options than is currently recognized," she said. "While the model does not prescribe one specific treatment, it does provide a set of estimates so that patients and providers can get more information on the viable options."
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The model also suggests that the effectiveness of biopsy, the tool used most often to discriminate between cancer and benign masses, may be improved by incorporating tumor subtype information into the decision-making process.
On a broader scale, the study shows how computer simulation models could add useful, supplemental information to knowledge gained from clinical trials. While randomized clinical trials remain the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine, their reach is often limited by the significant time and expense they require, and they represent only a limited set of patients.
"Computer disease models can be useful for studying diseases and potential interventions and guiding prospective studies, helping us understand where the research is needed the most," Dr. Kang said.
"Personalized Treatment for Small Renal Tumors: Decision Analysis of Competing Causes of Mortality." Collaborating with Dr. Kang were William C. Huang, M.D., Elena B. Elkin, Ph.D., Pari V. Pandharipande, M.D., M.P.H., and R. Scott Braithwaite, M.D., M.Sc.
Radiology is edited by David A. Bluemke, M.D., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc.
RSNA is an association of over 54,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists, promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill.
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