Evaluation of Interactions and Group Processes in Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards in Gynecologic Oncology

Background and Rationale Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards are central to complex oncologic decision-making. In gynecologic oncology, clinical decisions often require the integration of knowledge from different specialties, including surgery, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, radiation oncology, and other relevant disciplines. These teams function not only as groups of specialists but also as collective decision-making systems, where communication, collaboration, information sharing, psychological safety, and group dynamics may influence the quality of clinical discussion and final recommendations.

Study Objective The GOLD Study aims to investigate the decision-making process and group dynamics within ovarian and uterine cancer Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards. The study will assess how communication patterns, collaboration, minority dissent, team cohesion, team learning, task interdependence, collective information processing, individual information processing, and psychological safety contribute to Tumor Board performance.

Study Design This is a single-center, prospective, longitudinal observational study involving physicians participating in ovarian and uterine cancer Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards, either in person or online.

Methods At the end of each Tumor Board meeting, participating physicians will complete an online survey using Microsoft Forms. The questionnaire was developed within a scientific collaboration with the Department of Business and Management of LUISS Guido Carli University and includes validated measurement scales derived from the literature. In addition, data on team composition and participation will be collected for each meeting.

Statistical Analysis Survey data and participation data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential methods, and social network analysis. Network measures such as density and centralization indices will be used to evaluate the structure of interactions and participation over time. Statistical analyses will be performed using Stata, R, and UCINET where appropriate.

Target Population and Sample Size The target population includes physicians involved in the clinical decision-making process during ovarian and uterine cancer Tumor Boards. A total of approximately 400 questionnaires is planned, based on the rule of thumb of at least 10 respondents per questionnaire variable.

Study Duration The expected study duration is six months.