Clinical prediction tools for patient-reported outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer: a scoping review protocol.

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most significant contributors to the global cancer burden, causing substantial physical and emotional distress. Effective management of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is essential for enhancing quality of life and overall survival in cancer care. Despite significant advances in cancer care, understanding PROs and their integration into clinical practice remains limited. Prediction models for PROs have the potential to support patient-centred care by improving shared decision-making and informing care plans. However, the development and application of clinical tools that predict PROs in patients with GI cancer have not been systematically explored. This scoping review aims to explore clinical prediction tools for PROs and the quality of life in patients with GI cancer, identifying current tools, predictors and outcomes, as well as evaluating their clinical usability and equity considerations.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A scoping review methodology, guided by the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis and the Arksey and O'Malley framework, will be used. The review will include studies of adult patients with primary GI cancer that developed or validated clinical prediction tools for PROs or quality of life. Inclusion criteria require the use of self-reported PRO measures. A systematic search of Ovid Medline, Embase and CINAHL will be conducted from 1946 to 2024. The search strategy will be updated periodically to incorporate the most recent literature and complemented by hand-searching references. Data extraction will focus on tool characteristics, predictors, statistical methods and equity considerations. The findings will be synthesised descriptively, mapping trends, identifying gaps and highlighting areas for future research.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required for this literature-based study. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conferences and patient advocacy networks to maximise the impact on research, policy and clinical practice.