Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine Pikeville, KY
R. J. Afzal1, R. Akers2, and M. M. Basree3; 1University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pikeville, KY, 2Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, 3Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI
Purpose/Objective(s): The perception of radiation oncology on social media has been analyzed on platforms like X/Twitter but has not been described on TikTok. TikTok, a large social media platform, which became the most downloaded application in 2022, offers opportunities for physicians and patients involved in radiation oncology to educate and document experience in this field. The objective of this study was to evaluate overall presence and content of radiation oncology on TikTok using the hashtag #radiationoncology. Materials/
Methods: TikTok was analyzed for accounts using the search term “radiation oncology”. Accounts were accessed in January of 2024 for content review dating back up to four years. Fifty-two accounts were identified and fifty met the inclusion criteria (videos in English language and role clearly defined in account biography). Follower count, account type, gender, specialty, and main focus were recorded. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics and analyzed via statistical software. Results: Of the 50 accounts included in the study, 25 (50%) were patients, 10 (20%) were physicians, and 8 (16%) were radiation therapists. The remaining 7 accounts were composed of other allied health professionals and trainees. Half of physician accounts were owned by a female (n=5). Specialties that used the search term was comprised of radiation oncology (5), surgical oncology (1), general surgery (1), neurosurgery (1), plastic surgery (1), and herbal medicine (1). Among radiation oncologists, roughly two-thirds were women (n=3). While limited sample size, follower count was different between female and male accounts (9,508 vs 1,011,550; p <0.001). Radiation oncology content consisted mostly of patients sharing their cancer journey while receiving radiation treatment. Several patients documented receipt of treatment, such as CT simulations, on-beam treatment, side effects, and tips on managing post-radiation side effects. Patients also shared their last radiation treatment with the symbolic bell ringing. Out of the 25 patient accounts, 22 mentioned a specific type of cancer. The most common type of cancer covered by patient video was breast (n=11, 50%), followed by brain n=6 (27%), colorectal (n=2, 11%). Mucoepidermoid carcinoma, nasopharyngeal cancer, and squamous cell cancer were all mentioned once (n=1, 4.5%). Physician content was tailored to raising awareness on the role of radiation oncology in cancer treatment, indications for radiation therapy, and highlighting female radiation oncologists as part of women in medicine campaigns. Conclusion: This small review shows that radiation oncology does not have a strong presence as a specialty on TikTok, compared to other platforms and to other specialties. In the future, we hope to broaden search terms, systematically analyze patient experiences and perceptions of radiation therapy, and evaluate educational content of radiation oncology for both the general public and medical students, on TikTok.
