DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Outcomes Research
Lung Cancer

Research Abstract

My research has focused on informing decisions about the appropriate use of imaging strategies for the diagnosis of cancer and other diseases.

I was a co-investigator on a project to develop a comprehensive Lung Cancer Policy Model (LCPM), (R01 CA97337, PI: Gazelle) to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of helical CT screening for lung cancer. The potentially enormous costs of a screening program and the large societal burden of disease from lung cancer are compelling reasons to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening protocols. Furthermore, imminent decisions on whether to screen for lung cancer will be made prior to the conclusions of ongoing trials; a model developed with existing information can help inform the debate. Results from the LCPM (in press and in preparation) suggest that screening asymptomatic current and former smokers could moderately decrease lung cancer mortality and lead to gains in life expectancy. We are currently evaluating the potential cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening.

My current research involves developing approaches for modeling genomic and proteomic profiles in lung cancer; this work is funded by a National Cancer Institute Howard Temin Pathway to Independence (K99-R00) Award.

Other methodological research interests include Bayesian evidence synthesis, estimation of competing mortality risks, and calibration techniques for complex microsimulation models.

Publications

• McMahon PM, Kong CY, Weinstein MC, Tramontano AC, Cipriano LE, Johnson BE, Weeks JC, Gazelle GS.Adopting helical CT screening for lung cancer : potential health consequences during a 15-year period.Cancer 2008 Dec 15;113(12):3440-9.
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• McMahon PM, Christiani DC.Computed tomography screening for lung cancer.BMJ 2007 Feb 10;334(7588):271.
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• Knudsen AB, McMahon PM, Gazelle GS.Use of modeling to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of cancer screening programs.J Clin Oncol 2007 Jan 10;25(2):203-8.
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• McMahon PM, Zaslavsky AM, Weinstein MC, Kuntz KM, Weeks JC, Gazelle GS.Estimation of mortality rates for disease simulation models using Bayesian evidence synthesis.Med Decis Making 2006 Sep-Oct;26(5):497-511.
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• Gazelle GS, McMahon PM, Beinfeld MT, Halpern EF, Weinstein MC.Metastatic colorectal carcinoma: cost-effectiveness of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation versus that of hepatic resection.Radiology 2004 Dec;233(3):729-39.
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• McMahon PM, Araki SS, Sandberg EA, Neumann PJ, Gazelle GS.Cost-effectiveness of PET in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.Radiology 2003 Aug;228(2):515-22.
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