Reducing the Overtreatment of Breast Cancer: UPMC’s Innovative Push for Accurate Surgical Interventions published in JAMA Surgery

INNOVATIVE BREAKTHROUGH

Researchers from University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center harnessing cutting-edge #AI technology developed by Realyze Intelligence, a UPMC Enterprises portfolio company, to revolutionize the field of precise surgical decision-making.

Read the press release.

The latest breakthrough? An electronic prompt or ‘digital nudge’ integrated within the electronic health record (EHR) system, aimed at reducing the overtreatment of breast cancer.

Serving as a vital alert for surgeons, the prompt highlights older patients with initial-stage breast cancer who might be subjected to unnecessary lymph node surgery. This research marks a significant step towards the ultimate goal of enhancing personalized care for breast cancer patients, while reducing risks from surgery.

JAMA SURGERY STUDY

Read the study.

The study, published in JAMA Surgery today, reveals the incredible impact of the novel prompt with a key statistic: The rate of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB)—a surgical procedure to check for the spread of cancer—was nearly cut in half among eligible patients following the nudge’s implementation.

The study’s senior author, Priscilla F. McAuliffe, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and breast surgical oncologist at UPMC Hillman and UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, advocates for a shift towards ‘right-sized care’—a customized approach to treating each breast cancer patient with meticulous precision.

“In breast cancer, there is a growing movement toward precisely treating each individual patient, what we call right-sized care,” said Dr. McAuliffe. “SLNB helps us determine if breast cancer has spread to the underarm lymph nodes, but it’s not necessary for every patient. The simple, user-friendly nudge provides a timely reminder to surgeons to consider the value of SLNB for each patient.”

MOVING FORWARD

Learn more about Realyze Intelligence.

Additionally, experts from UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh also utilized are using the AI-driven prowess of Realyze Intelligence to efficiently align patients with suitable clinical trials.

Moving forward, researchers plan to roll out the nudge to UPMC doctors beyond the Magee breast surgical team in the hopes that it will improve care for more patients across the system, including those seen in community settings who are often excluded from clinical trials.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Read the JAMA Surgery Study.

Priscilla McAuliffe, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of surgery at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and breast surgical oncologist at UPMC Hillman and UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital [Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation], Neil Carleton Ph.D., a student in Pitt’s Medical Scientist Training Program and their multidisciplinary team, including Adrian Lee Ph.D. of the Institute for Precision Medicine, Thomas R. Radomski, M.D., M.S. and Gary Fisher, M.D. of the Division of General Internal Medicine at Pitt, developed and evaluated the electronic health record nudge that reminds surgeons to consider the value of SLNB in patients who are flagged as potentially eligible to forgo the surgery based on their age and tumor biology.