Segment 7: Guidelines for Diagnostic Test Use

Francisco J. Esteva, MD, PhD, and Daniel F. Hayes, MD, discuss guidelines for diagnostic test use from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the differences in how each organization approached the development of guidelines.

John L. Fox, MD, added that the biggest challenges with guidelines are the underuse and overuse of diagnostics—the former being a larger issue than the latter. From a payer vantage, tests that are well validated and have clinical utility should be done and they are willing to pay because the high cost of patients receiving an inappropriate therapy is an avoidable expense.

“So we’re encouraging testing and making sure that patients are appropriate for therapy,” he said.