A Full Timeline Approach for the Treatment of Stage III Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast Cancer Using Electronic Prediction Support Tools to Increase the Individualization and Quality of Patient Care

Currently, the availability and quantity of electronic support tools that oncology health care providers have access too is not the issue, but rather the quality within these tools due to the lack of individualization that they provide. This paper is a modest attempt to suggest the creation of an electronic prediction support tool called the Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Treatment Timeline Predictor (IDCTTP): a tool intended to increase the individualization and quality of patient care by taking a full timeline approach at each patient’s treatment plan. By being specifically focused on treatment plans for patients with stage III invasive ductal carcinoma, a type of breast cancer, this tool will initiate the process of individualization. It will then increase patients’ quality of care further by providing each distinctive stage III IDC patient with a full timeline approach: producing an initial prediction for a treatment plan, a second predicted plan in case of recurrence, and an alternative prediction in case original treatments are unsuccessful. This tool will also consider additional components such as patients’ financial situations, the potential for modifying or opting out of treatment due to side effects, and the constant medical debate of efficacy versus toxicity. For each stage III IDC patient that uses the IDCTTP, the result will be an electronic prediction tool that can give her the support that she needs to make those difficult decisions regarding her breast cancer treatment plan.