Rangabashyam M, Wee HE, Wang W, Mueller S, Karim KABA, Skanthakumar T, Hariraman B, Sommat K, Soong Y, Chua MLK, Tay G, Tan N‐C, Tan HK, Iyer NG. Electronic tumor board presentations as the basis for the development of a head and neck cancer database.
Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 2020;
5:46-54. [PMID:
32128430 PMCID:
PMC7042654 DOI:
10.1002/lio2.337]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Multidisciplinary team meetings or tumor boards (TBs) form a pivotal component of oncology practice. The crux of a TB revolves around making treatment decisions based on succinct head and neck cancer (HNC) patient data presentations, which can be challenging and complex. Apart from meticulous TB presentations, discussions and treatment plan documentation is equally important. The aim of this study was to structure an electronic synoptic TB data presentation to address all these areas. The overarching benefits of systematic TB data collection include facilitating audits and research.
METHODS
We utilized a secure web-based tool that was used for common scientific research purposes but customized to store HNC patient data. The data points were tabulated across eight TB pages: (a) TB scheduling, (b) patient biodata, (c) diagnosis details, (d) index presentation, (e) images, (f) management and histopathology, (g) TB presentation, and (h) TB discussion and decisions. Each data point leads to additional fields by branching logic to permit further relevant data entry. This was integrated within the patient electronic medical records allowing for a direct internal trajectory to recall TB data.
RESULTS
From October 2015 to October 2018, we recorded over 2000 presentations for 1279 individual patients. This is a quality improvement initiative, and hence, the results are more of a broad analysis of our TB presentation process. The most common cancers were squamous cell (523, 41%), thyroid (207, 16%), and nasopharyngeal (139, 11%) carcinomas. Importantly, this system has formed the basis for a number of clinical and translational research projects and audit outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Despite TBs being vital to oncologic practice, little attempt has been made to report TB data management. In this study, we present an efficient system that permits the integration of dual functions: TB data presentation and oncologic data collection for research, recall, and audit purposes.
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