Molecular Tumor Boards and Access to Therapeutic Cancer Trials Worldwide: A Scoping Review Protocol

Introduction: Molecular tumor boards (MTBs) interpret molecular findings and connect patients with cancer to therapeutic options, including clinical trials. A recent European scoping review examines MTB implementation, while earlier global reviews address treatment attrition and clinical effectiveness. This scoping review will map global evidence on MTB-supported access to therapeutic trials and subsequent participation, including pathways, barriers, facilitators, and gaps across geographical and economic settings. Methods: The review will follow Arksey and O’Malley’s five core stages, incorporating selected refinements from Levac and colleagues and JBI guidance. Review and search reporting will follow PRISMA-ScR and PRISMA-S, respectively. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and APA PsycINFO will be searched from inception, supplemented by citation and targeted grey literature searches. Searches will combine MTB and oncology terminology without requiring enrollment or outcome terms. No date, geographical, country-income, or language restrictions will apply. Eligible empirical sources will describe an MTB and provide substantive information on at least one therapeutic-trial access or participation stage, barrier, or facilitator. Neither a complete patient pathway nor a measured enrollment outcome will be required. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full texts. A charting form will be piloted on at least five sources; one reviewer will chart each source, and a second will verify all entries. Results and Analysis: Descriptive and narrative synthesis will map countries, income groups, MTB models, trial identification, matching, referral, screening, enrollment, and subsequent participation. Country income and reported local resources will be recorded separately. Counts, denominators, matching definitions, follow-up periods, and evidence sources will be retained. Treatment initiation, withdrawal, discontinuation, and completion will be mapped when reported; response and survival will provide secondary context. Findings will identify evidence gaps and approaches that may inform future UAE pathways. Ethics and Dissemination: Ethics approval is not anticipated because the review will use publicly available information without collecting identifiable participant data. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, professional meetings, and a practical evidence summary.