Skipping Unnecessary Fluid Tests Could Reduce Cancer Care Costs

A recent study from Cedars‑Sinai Health Sciences University suggests that clinicians can safely cut health‑care costs by eliminating unnecessary laboratory tests on fluid samples from patients with advanced gynecologic cancers. Published in *JAMA Network Open*, the research examined diagnostic workups performed on ascitic fluid and pleural effusions, common complications in women with late‑stage ovarian, cervical, or uterine malignancies.

The investigators reviewed a cohort of patients who had fluid drained from the abdomen or around the lungs and compared the frequency of routine laboratory analyses—such as tumor markers, cytology, and metabolic panels—to clinical outcomes. They found that a substantial proportion of these tests were not associated with changes in treatment decisions or patient prognosis, indicating that many could be omitted without compromising safety.

If adopted broadly, the study’s findings could reduce unnecessary testing and lower overall care costs for women with advanced gynecologic cancers. The authors call for larger, prospective studies to confirm these results and to develop evidence‑based guidelines for fluid‑sample testing in this patient population.