Mesothelioma, a cancer mainly caused by asbestos exposure, is very rare and aggressive. There are many challenges that doctors face when diagnosing, treating, and managing this cancer. Advances in medical technology and data analytics are helping doctors make crucial decisions for patients struggling with the hard to treat and deadly cancer. An article from the Society for Medical Decision Making looks at decision making tools, how clinicians use them, and their role in enhancing shared decision making for patients with mesothelioma. Decision tools are software or algorithms that help healthcare providers make critical decisions by combining patient-specific data with evidence-based guidelines and predictive models. These tools analyze various factors, including medical history, clinical findings, and risk factors, to give recommendations or predict outcomes. They come in many forms including risk calculators, clinical decision support systems, and tools used during patient consultations.
Decision tools can help mesothelioma patients in multiple ways. With diagnosis, they can help identify at risk patients based on exposure history and symptoms. With staging, they determine how far the disease has progressed to then guide treatment options. With treatment planning, decision making tools evaluate the benefits and risks of different treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and new therapies. With prognostication, they estimate survival rates and disease progression, helping to inform patient discussions and care planning.
Shared decision making is a process where clinicians and patients collaborate to make healthcare decisions that align with the patient’s values, preferences, and goals. Decision tools improve shared decision making by providing personalized risk assessments and treatment outcomes, making complex medical information more understandable for patients. A recent study looked at the views of primary care physicians on the use of decision-making tools for lung cancer screening, which is also easily applied to mesothelioma. The study had 96 clinicians from different Veteran’s Affairs sites who shared their opinion on using the DecisionPrecision tool for personalized lung cancer screening discussions. Clinicians’ decision to use DecisionPresicion varied wildly. Some clinicians were very enthusiastic about using the tool while others were definite non adopters.
Many clinicians found that using prediction models to personalize shared decision making was very appealing. They saw the potential to improve patient outcomes and engagement by providing tailored information. There were also barriers to using the tools regularly. Time constraints for instance made using the tools and explaining the tools difficult. More training was needed to use the tools more effectively. Integrating the tools smoothly into critical workflows and electronic health records was also challenging.
Different strategies can help facilitate the adoption of prediction-based shared decision-making tools in clinical practice. The first thing that can be done is integrating decision tools with electronic health record systems to help reduce the impact that it has on critical workflows. Second, clinicians can be trained comprehensively, helping to ensure they are comfortable and proficient in using the tools. Finally, tools that are designed to be used quickly and easily during patient consultations would greatly benefit doctors using decision making tools. Patient education materials should also be enhanced to support shared decision making, making sure the patients understand the information provided by the tools.
Decision tools have the potential to improve mesothelioma management by supporting personalized, evidence-based decisions. Many clinicians can see their value, but they have practical challenges that need to be addressed for effective use in routine practice. Overcoming barriers like time constraints, training, and workflow integration will help decision tools create better patient outcomes and more meaningful shared decision making experiences. While oncology continues to evolve, integrating decision making tools into clinical practice will be crucial for advancing personalized medicine and improving the care of mesothelioma and other cancer sufferers.
