Enhancing patient understanding of pathology reports: Insights from a large database of patient inquiries.

• DOI: 10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e13512
• Publication Date: 2025-05-28T16:28:13Z
• Authors: Ali Brown; Sophia Lewin Adams; Sachin Gupta; Alexandra Tierney; Jason Wasserman

e13512 Background: The 21st Century Cures Act and the adoption of electronic health records have given patients immediate access to their diagnostic reports via patient portals. However, viewing pathology results before consulting with physician can cause significant stress as struggle interpret technical language used in these reports. MyPathologyReport.ca is a website designed help understand navigate site features over 500 articles 400 dictionary definitions. Since its inception, has been visited 10 million times, cancer-related content being most popular. One unique feature “Ask Pathologist,” where submit questions about 2022, 6,000 emails submitted worldwide, providing valuable insights into common concerns. Moreover, better understanding concerns us create tools aimed at improving literacy. Methods: A study protocol was created analyze Pathologist” on MyPathologyReport.ca. This reviewed by Patient Champions Data Analytics committees. We analyzed 680 from 06/15/2024 01/14/2025, excluding 299 deemed be irrelevant (spam, duplicates). Using ChatGPT, were summarized sorted categories: cancer or non-cancer-related, organ system, treatment diagnosis questions. using pivot tables Excel. Results: Of 381 relevant inquiries: 137 (36%) related diagnoses 214 (56%) non-cancer 30 (8%) not diagnosis-specific For diagnoses, involved systems were: Breast (19%) GI (12%) Gynecologic Lymph node (11%) Skin Soft tissue (6 4%) Lung (5 Thyroid (3%), Pancreas (2%) Bladder, Kidney, Liver, Brain, Adrenal, Penis (1% each) 14 (10%) biomarkers. Most inquiries (78%) diagnosis-related, 23% 18% accessing information. Conclusions: As become more complex accessible, there growing need for high-quality educational resources. helps reports, "Ask Pathologist" section provides data questions, aiding creation high-yield content.