Abstract
Decision analysis was carried out to compare existing treatment policies for patients with nonseminomatous germ-cell testicular cancer (NSGCTC) in clinical stage I. Two conventional approaches, radical retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) and radiotherapy (RT) of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes, were compared with the wait-and-see strategy. In the analysis, both mortality and morbidity were taken into account. The outcomes of the three approaches were quantified in quality-adjusted life years (QUALY). The assigned probabilities and utilities are varied over plausible ranges and the effect of these variations on the QUALY was investigated. The wait-and-see strategy was slightly preferable to the two conventional approaches. Decision analysis provides a good framework within which physicians, radiologists and surgeons can discuss their thoughts and treatment policies.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 176-184 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Theoretical Surgery |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 4 |
State | Published - 1 Jan 1988 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine