Patient-centered visualization of multistage cancer treatment trajectories

Abstract

Abstract

Effective communication of multistage cancer treatment trajectories remains a major challenge, particularly for patients with limited health literacy. We present a patient-centered visualization approach for representing complex, phase-based oncology treatments, integrating principles from information visualization, user experience (UX) design, and cognitive psychology. Using acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a case study, we developed two timeline-based representations: a static, visually simplified trajectory emphasizing structure and hierarchy, and an interactive variant with layered information. We evaluated both approaches in a quantitative survey, measuring comprehension of treatment sequences, perceived confidence, and information quality. Results show that the static visualization significantly improves understanding and clarity, highlighting the importance of visual hierarchy, consistent encoding, and reduced complexity when communicating temporal medical processes compared to the baseline. In contrast, additional interactivity did not improve performance and introduced navigational overhead, suggesting that interaction must be carefully aligned with cognitive demands. Our findings contribute to visualization research by demonstrating how patient-centered design can improve the interpretability of multistage treatment trajectories. We derive design implications for temporal medical visualizations, emphasizing simplicity, structural clarity, and accessibility to support informed decision-making in clinical contexts.