ASYMS-SERAT: A Side-Effect Risk Assessment Tool to Predict Chemotherapy Related Toxicity in Patients with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

Citation

Cowie J, Swingler K, Leadbetter C, Maguire R, McCall K & Kearney N (2008) ASYMS-SERAT: A Side-Effect Risk Assessment Tool to Predict Chemotherapy Related Toxicity in Patients with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy. In: Azevedo L & Londral AR (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Health Informatics, HEALTHINF 2008, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, January 28-31, 2008, Volume 2. HEALTHINF - International Conference on Health Informatics 2008, Madeira, Portugal, 28.01.2008-31.01.2008. Setubal, Portugal: INSTICC - Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication, pp. 225-230. http://www.healthinf.biostec.org/Healthinf2008/

Abstract
Patients undergoing chemotherapy want specific information on potential toxicities of their treatment. Such information includes what side-effects they are likely to experience, how severe these side-effects will be, how long they will experience them for, and the best ways of managing them. As well as improving the experiences of patients, information about potential side-effects may also be of significant benefit clinically, as patients who are ‘at risk’ of developing certain toxicities may be identified, facilitating more targeted, cost-effective interventions. This paper describes research which uses risk modelling techniques for identifying patterns in patient side-effect data to aid in predicting side-effects patients are likely to experience. Through analysis of patient data, a patient can receive information specific to the symptoms they are likely to experience. A user-friendly software tool SERAT (Side-Effect Risk Assessment Tool) has been developed, which presents side-effect information to the patients both at the start of treatment and reviews and monitors predictions with each new cycle of chemotherapy received.

Keywords
Risk modelling; side-effect prediction; cancer; chemotherapy; Cancer Chemotherapy; Cancer Research; Health risk assessment