Data Visualization Support for Tumor Boards and Clinical Oncology: Scoping Review (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Complex and expanding data sets in clinical oncology applications require flexible and interactive visualization of patient data to provide physicians and other medical professionals with a maximum amount of information. In particular, interdisciplinary tumor conferences profit from customized tools to integrate, link, and visualize relevant data from all professions involved. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to identify and present currently available data visualization tools for tumor boards and related areas. We not only want to provide an overview of the digital tools currently used in tumor board settings but also of the data they include, the respective visualization solutions, and their integration into hospital processes. METHODS The scoping review is based on the Arksey and O'Malley scoping study framework. The following electronic databases were searched for articles: PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and SCOPUS. Articles were deemed eligible if published in English in the last ten years. Eligible articles were first deduplicated, followed by the screening of titles and abstracts. Second, a full-text screening was conducted to decide on article selection. A scoping review protocol was set up and published to prepare for the study, which can be accessed via the IRRID. The manuscript was written following the checklist “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews” (PRISMA-ScR). RESULTS The review process started with 2049 articles, of which 1014 were included in the title-abstract screening. (112/2049, 5%) Publications were eligible for full-text screening, leading to (60/2049, 3%) Publications eligible for final inclusion. They covered 49 distinct visualization tools and applications. We discovered a variety of innovative visualization solutions, often driven by the complexity of *omics data. However, many projects remain unused and are mostly abandoned once the publications have been written and published. CONCLUSIONS There is a wide range of projects providing visualization solutions for tumor boards and clinical oncology applications. Under the few tools that find their way into clinical routine settings, there are both commercial and academic solutions alike. While tables for a variety of data types remain the dominant visualization strategy, the complexity of omics data appears to be the driving force behind many visualization innovations in the area of tumor boards. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/53627