Position statement on classification of basal cell carcinomas. Part 1: unsupervised clustering of experts as a way to build an operational classification of advanced basal cell carcinoma based on pattern recognition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

No simple classification system has emerged for 'advanced basal cell carcinomas', and more generally for all difficult-to-treat BCCs (DTT-BCCs), due to the heterogeneity of situations, TNM inappropriateness to BCCs, and different approaches of different specialists.

Objective

To generate an operational classification, using the unconscious ability of experts to simplify the great heterogeneity of the clinical situations into a few relevant groups, which drive their treatment decisions.

Method

Non-supervised independent and blinded clustering of real clinical cases of DTT-BCCs was used. Fourteen international experts from different specialties independently partitioned 199 patient cases considered 'difficult to treat' into as many clusters they want (≤10), c

SUBMITTER: Grob JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8518046 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature