Assessing Quality Gaps and Clinician Perspectives on AI Integration in Colorectal Cancer NGS Pathways

Abstract

Simple Summary For people with advanced colorectal cancer, choosing the most effective treatment depends on timely genetic testing of the tumour. When these results are delayed or hard to access, treatment may be postponed or started before the best targeted option is known. Because this testing involves many steps, from biopsy and pathology review through laboratory processing, reporting, and decision-making, delays and inefficiencies can arise. We interviewed 22 medical oncologists and pathologists from 14 hospitals across Ontario, Canada, to find where delays, omissions, and gaps occur, and to gauge their perspectives on wider use of digital tools and artificial intelligence in testing. Participants described vulnerabilities in how testing is started, tracked, owned, reported, and linked to electronic health records. They were optimistic that validated, clinician-supervised digital and artificial intelligence tools could help identify cases, track progress, and flag overdue results. These findings highlight practical ways to make testing more reliable and equitable.