Identifying risk in the use of tumor markers to improve patient safety.
Moreno-Campoy EE, De la Torre FJM-, Martos-Crespo F, et al. Identifying risk in the use of tumor markers to improve patient safety. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2016;54(12):1947-1953. doi:10.1515/cclm-2015-0760.
Inappropriate use of laboratory tests can contribute to missed and delayed diagnosis. This retrospective chart review found that the majority of tumor marker tests requested in an academic hospital were incompletely or inaccurately ordered when compared to current guidelines. These results suggest that enhancing test ordering is critical for improving diagnostic safety.