title: Guideline familiarity predicts variation in self-reported use of routine surveillance PET/CT by physicians who treat head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of routine surveillance testing beyond guideline recommended levels is common in many oncologic disciplines, including head and neck cancer. The impact of guideline familiarity and other physician characteristics on surveillance imaging use are not well understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional national survey was performed of physicians responsible for surveillance of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The primary outcome was self-reported use of routine surveillance PET/CT in asymptomatic patients. A secondary outcome was familiarity with guideline recommendations. Using multivariable regression, the impact of guideline familiarity and other physician characteristics on PET/CT use was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 502 responders, 79% endorsed ever using PET/CT scans for routine surveillance imaging, and 39% were high imaging users (used PET/CT scans on more than half of their asymptomatic patients); 76% were familiar with the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Head and Neck Cancers recommending against routine surveillance PET/CT scans. Although guideline familiarity was associated with being a low imaging user or a never-user, among those who were familiar with guidelines, 31% were nonetheless high imaging users and 73% endorsed ever using PET/CT scans. In multivariable analysis controlling for physician characteristics, guideline familiarity was the strongest predictor of PET/CT use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Familiarity with the NCCN Guidelines predicts self-reported routine surveillance PET/CT use among physicians who treat patients with HNSCC. However, given the observed variation and high levels of imaging even among physicians who are familiar with the guidelines, further research should examine the reasons physicians choose to use surveillance PET/CT scans.
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Benjamin R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Snehal G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Marilene B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pou
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: F Christopher
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Holsinger
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Myssiorek
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swisher-McClure
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Jatin P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: From the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program/Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Head and Neck Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Deparment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Judy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shea
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010820:Physicians; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D057566:Self Report; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden