DISCOVERY

Hamilton W (PI), Walter F, Raffell A, Emery J, Rubin G, Ades T, Bankhead C, Peters T, Knowles J, Hollinghurst S, Rose P, Brindle P, Turner K, Neal R.

Funding NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research (2010-2015)

This programme is led from the Peninsula Medical School and is a collaboration between the University partners of Bristol, Durham, Cambridge, Oxford and Cardiff, and NHS Bristol. The programme aims to improve cancer diagnosis through six interlinked themes. It will consider the issue from the patients’ and the GPs’ aspect, and examine what is the optimum method of organising investigations for suspected cancer.

The University of Oxford is involved in Theme 1 and Theme 2 with Clare Bankhead and Rafael Perera providing methodological and statistical expertise to Theme 1, and Peter Rose co-leading Theme 2.

Theme 1: The Symptom Study has a patient focus and studies symptoms before they are reported to doctors. Specially designed questionnaires and in-depth interviews will be used to find out about patients' symptoms, what prompted them to seek help and what caused delays.

Theme 2 - The Caper Studies comprises two projects which look at what happens when a symptom is reported to primary care. We know the risk of cancer for a few symptoms but this programme will work out precisely the risk of cancer with specific symptoms for all the important cancers that have not been studied before.

http://discovery-programme.org/symptom_study.php

Contact: Clare Bankhead or Peter Rose for further details