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Updated: Jun 14, 2025
Author Spotlight: 3D Scanning and Augmented Reality for Enhanced Cancer Surgery Communication
Published on: December 15, 2023
Identifying and closing information gaps in head and neck cancer surgery
Sabrina R Comess1, Justin K Joseph1, Michelle Yoon1
1THANC (Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer) Foundation, New York, NY 10003, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Abstract:
Contemporary cancer management relies on the precise transfer of information regarding disease and treatment details between a range of providers and facilities. The time of surgery is uniquely responsible for many ambiguities in this oncological information flow, as intraoperative communication and documentation are often unregimented and imprecise. Downstream providers such as radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and radiologists rely on surgical pathology reports for planning postoperative treatment and surveillance. However, traditional pathology reports lack critical details about the actions taken during surgery and do not make the oncologic clearance status explicit. We identified agents of change to improve information transfer and designed an improved surgical workflow and pathology report that make use of a novel pathologic reporting software to address gaps in the oncologic care timeline. Our updated workflow results in a dynamic final pathology report that integrates annotated 3D scans of the surgical specimen and extirpative defect, unequivocal reconciliation of at-risk and supplemental margins, highlighted preoperative radiographs, and brief narrative summaries by the surgeon and pathologist. These tangible changes aim to improve clarity and continuity in oncologic care.
Insights
Improving surgical pathology reports enhances cancer care. New software integrates 3D scans and margin status, ensuring clearer information transfer for oncologists and improving patient treatment continuity.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Pathology
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Cancer management requires seamless information exchange between healthcare providers.
- Intraoperative communication and traditional pathology reports often contain ambiguities and lack critical details for postoperative treatment planning.
- Gaps in oncologic care timelines stem from imprecise documentation of surgical actions and unclear margin status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address information gaps in oncologic care by redesigning the surgical workflow and pathology reporting process.
- To improve the clarity and continuity of oncologic information transfer between surgical and downstream providers.
- To implement a novel pathologic reporting software for dynamic and comprehensive surgical pathology reports.
Main Methods:
- Development of an improved surgical workflow and pathology report template.
- Utilization of a novel pathologic reporting software.
- Integration of annotated 3D scans of surgical specimens and extirpative defects.
- Explicit reconciliation of at-risk and supplemental margins.
- Inclusion of highlighted preoperative radiographs and narrative summaries from surgeon and pathologist.
Main Results:
- A dynamic final pathology report was generated, integrating diverse data points for enhanced clarity.
- The updated workflow provides unequivocal reconciliation of margin status, crucial for treatment decisions.
- The new report format facilitates better understanding of surgical actions and oncologic clearance.
Conclusions:
- The redesigned surgical workflow and pathology report significantly improve information transfer in cancer care.
- Enhanced pathology reports lead to better-informed postoperative treatment planning and surveillance.
- This approach bridges critical gaps in the oncologic care timeline, promoting continuity and precision.
