Development and validation of pheochromocytoma of the adrenal gland scaled score for predicting malignant pheochromocytomas.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the diagnostic performances of the pheochromocytoma of the adrenal gland scaled score (PASS) proposed in a previous report and that of a logistic model developed in this investigation.


METHODS
In all 130 patients with malignant or assumed benign pheochromocytomas, 15 predictive variables were observed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of PASS. The logistic model was developed using the 15 predictive variables. Its performance was evaluated by calculating the area under the ROC curve and comparing it with that of the PASS.


RESULTS
The PASS had the area under the ROC curve of 0.899 (95% confidence interval 0.844 to 0.954). Of the 15 variables entered in the logistic regression analysis, 9 were retained in the model. The area under the ROC curve for the logistic model was 0.983 (95% confidence interval 0.967 to 0.998).


CONCLUSIONS
ROC analysis indicated that the PASS could be used for the diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytomas. The logistic model was able to improve the diagnostic performance of the PASS using a different variable weighting method. We emphasize, however, that a clinical prospective evaluation is needed to confirm their actual value.
Gao
Baohua
B
Department of Urology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
Meng
Fanwei
F
Bian
Wei
W
Chen
Jun
J
Zhao
Haifeng
H
Ma
Gang
G
Shi
Benkang
B
Zhang
Jianping
J
Liu
Yuqiang
Y
Xu
Zhishun
Z
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies