Assessing risk of cancer using GP patient records
- Collaborators: Brian Nicholson, Karthik Ramasamy, Constantinos Koshiaris, Kassim Javaid
- Challenge: Assessing cancer risk
Oxford researchers are using electronic health records to assess and predict the risk of several types of cancer. One project involves classifying the characteristics of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a condition that increases the risk of myeloma. MGUS affects ~3% population over 50 years old but is frequently undiagnosed and 80–90% of myelomas are diagnosed without first receiving an MGUS diagnosis. Using GP records to identify a greater proportion of individuals with MGUS creates opportunities for earlier myeloma detection to better manage symptoms and improve survival.