Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38198154›Full record

ArticleThe British journal of surgery2024

Natural language processing to automate a web-based model of care and modernize skin cancer multidisciplinary team meetings.

Stephen R Ali, Thomas D Dobbs, Adib Tarafdar, Huw Strafford, Beata Fonferko-Shadrach, Arron S Lacey, William Owen Pickrell, Hayley A Hutchings, Iain S Whitaker

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The British journal of surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Natural language processing in dermatology: A systematic literature review and state of the art.Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV · 2024
    Pooled it
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Stephen R AliReconstructive Surgery and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9917-3432
Thomas D DobbsReconstructive Surgery and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.
Adib TarafdarReconstructive Surgery and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.
Huw StraffordNeurology and Molecular Neuroscience Group, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
Beata Fonferko-ShadrachNeurology and Molecular Neuroscience Group, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
Arron S LaceyNeurology and Molecular Neuroscience Group, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
William Owen PickrellNeurology and Molecular Neuroscience Group, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
Hayley A HutchingsFaculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4155-1741
Iain S WhitakerReconstructive Surgery and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3922-2079

Funding

HCRW
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are under intense pressure to reform given the rapidly rising incidence of cancer and national mandates for protocolized streaming of cases. The aim of this study was to validate a natural language processing (NLP)-based web platform to automate evidence-based MDT decisions for skin cancer with basal cell carcinoma as a use case.

methodsA novel and validated NLP information extraction model was used to extract perioperative tumour and surgical factors from histopathology reports. A web application with a bespoke application programming interface used data from this model to provide an automated clinical decision support system, mapped to national guidelines and generating a patient letter to communicate ongoing management. Performance was assessed against retrospectively derived recommendations by two independent and blinded expert clinicians.

resultsThere were 893 patients (1045 lesions) used to internally validate the model. High accuracy was observed when compared against human predictions, with an overall value of 0.92. Across all classifiers the virtual skin MDT was highly specific (0.96), while sensitivity was lower (0.72).

conclusionThis study demonstrates the feasibility of a fully automated, virtual, web-based service model to host the skin MDT with good system performance. This platform could be used to support clinical decision-making during MDTs as 'human in the loop' approach to aid protocolized streaming. Future prospective studies are needed to validate the model in tumour types where guidelines are more complex.

Indexed as

Natural Language ProcessingSkin NeoplasmsHumansInternetPatient Care TeamRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID38198154
PMCPMC10782209

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.