Natural Language Processing for serious illness communications in palliative surgical oncology

Abstract

Approximately one-fifth of surgeries performed at major cancer centres worldwide are palliative in nature, and one-third of advanced cancer patients receive surgery during their last year of life.1,2 Serious illness communication (SIC) is an essential component of palliative care. In the context of palliative surgical oncology, the surgical team will facilitate a shared decision-making with patients who are considered for high-risk palliative surgery or other interventions. This explores the goals of surgery or other proposed interventions and the prognosis; it also clarifies code status, assesses for suitability for hospice care, and explains the associated risks of surgical morbidity and mortality for the advanced cancer patients and their families.3