KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The study aimed to examine the implementation of the decision tool for lung cancer treatment consultations within the I3LUNG project.
- The study concluded to enhance lung cancer decision aids by exploring diverse outcomes, consulting experts, and developing patient-focused guidelines.
Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest diagnoses globally, necessitating a range of available treatments and modalities typically discussed during patient-doctor consultations. Integrating decision tools into medical consultations is crucial to aid patients in decision-making and healthcare management. Research indicates that decision tools effectively support patients with lung cancer in making informed decisions and managing their health during consultations.
Valeria Sebri and the team aimed to systematically review the implementation of decision tools to facilitate medical consultations regarding oncological treatments for patients with lung cancer in the I3LUNG project.
Researchers conducted a systematic review adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. They performed an electronic computer-based search across three databases: Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. About 10 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. These articles specifically addressed decision tools within the context of oncology, focusing on patients with lung cancer.
The discussion emphasizes the promising findings regarding the beneficial impact of decision aids in medical consultations concerning oncological treatments, particularly concerning anxiety, decision-making, and patient knowledge. However, no single predominant decision aid tool was identified. Selecting a more recent timeframe to include articles could provide insights into the current landscape of available decision-aid tools.
The study concluded that future review efforts may benefit from alternative search strategies to explore additional lung cancer-specific outcomes during medical consultations for treatment decisions and the implementation of decision aid tools. Engaging with experts in oncology, patient decision-making, or health communication could provide valuable insights and recommendations for relevant literature or research directions that may not be readily accessible through traditional search methods. The development of guidelines for future research aims to promote decision aids focused on meeting patients’ needs.
Funding was provided by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 caLL topic “HORIZON-HLTH-2021-CARE-05-02—Data-driven decision-support tools for better health care delivery and policy-making with a focus on cancer.”
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38741546/
Sebri V, Marzorati C, Dorangricchia P, et al. (2024). “The impact of decision tools during oncological consultation with lung cancer patients: A systematic review within the I3LUNG project.” Cancer Med. 2024 May;13(9):e7159. doi: 10.1002/cam4.7159. PMID: 38741546.