Development of an Undiagnosed Mass Registry: Lessons Learned From Our First 100 Patients

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Cancer Research

Background:

• The Undiagnosed Mass Clinic (UMC) addresses diagnostic gaps for potential malignant neoplasms.
• The UMC registry collects clinical data and biospecimens for research.
• Early diagnosis is critical in the cancer care continuum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the initial cohort of patients within the UMC registry.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the UMC in diagnosing potential malignant neoplasms.
• To identify areas for improving the diagnostic process.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of the first 100 UMC registry patients.
• Analysis of patient demographics, diagnoses, and time to diagnosis.
• Comparison of diagnostic times between the first and second 50 participants.

Main Results:

• The study included 100 patients, with a mean age of 64 years.
• Diagnoses included malignant/neoplastic (53%), benign (36%), and surveillance (10%).
• Time to diagnosis for malignant masses significantly decreased from 37.4 to 17.3 days (P=.006).

Conclusions:

• The UMC registry provides valuable insights into the diagnosis of potential malignant neoplasms.
• These findings will guide future efforts to enhance patient care.
• The UMC program shows promise in accelerating cancer diagnosis.