Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40473767›Full record

ArticleNPJ digital medicine2025

When investigator meets large language models: a qualitative analysis of cancer patient decision-making journeys.

Neta Shanwetter Levit, Mor Saban

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ digital medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–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

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Beyond one-size-fits-all: mapping information-seeking and decision-making pathways in cancer care.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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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

2 authors.

Neta Shanwetter LevitSchool of Health Professions, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. netas3@mail.tau.ac.il.
Mor SabanSchool of Health Professions, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Large language models (LLMs) are transforming the landscape of healthcare research, yet their role in qualitative analysis remains underexplored. This study compares human-led and LLM-assisted approaches to analyzing cancer patient narratives, using 33 semi-structured interviews. We conducted three parallel analyses: investigator-led thematic analysis, ChatGPT-4o, and Gemini Advance Pro 1.5. The investigator-led approach identified psychosocial and emotional themes, while the LLMs highlighted structural, temporal, and logistical aspects. LLMs demonstrated efficiency in identifying recurring patterns but struggled with emotional nuance and contextual depth. Investigator-led analysis, while time-intensive, captured the complexities of identity disruption and emotional processing. Our findings suggest that LLMs can serve as complementary tools in qualitative research, enhancing analytical breadth when paired with human interpretation. This study proposes a hybrid model integrating AI-assisted and human-led methods and offers practical recommendations for responsibly incorporating LLMs into qualitative health research.

Identifiers

PMID40473767
PMCPMC12141523

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.