Detection and Assessment of Malignancy by Symptom Evaluation (DAMSEL)
A consortium including Obex Technologies, Mountain Hare Consulting, the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, University of Cambridge, brainstrust, The Brain Tumour Charity and NIHR Brain Injury Health Technology Co-operative have developed a new cloud based platform for following patients with brain cancer through the neuro-oncology pathway. The system provides a database for the recording of presenting symptoms and then tracking treatments and outcomes across what can be a complex pathway.
The project received a funding award of £393,202 from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency in 2015 to develop this new module based on the successful ORION platform. The module went live at the Walton Centre on 1st June having been running at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for a number of months. The ongoing project is now looking at further development of the module as well as analysis of the data that it is producing to identify symptoms that could lead to the earlier diagnosis of brain tumours.
The partner organisations are each providing distinct elements of the project. Obex Technologies is the lead partner and is developing the software solution; Mountain Hare Consulting is providing project management, business case development and requirements capture support; the Walton Centre and the University of Cambridge are piloting the system in a clinical setting and analysing the data being captured; brainstrust and The Brain Tumour Charity are leading the patient engagement activity; and the NIHR Brain Injury HTC are advising and supporting in the complex area of stakeholder engagement.
Dr Alexis Joannides, Managing Director of Obex Technologies and clinical lecturer in neurosurgery at the University of Cambridge, has said: “This project represents a unique opportunity to capture data at a population level so that we can start to improve standards of care and ultimately early detection of these cancers.”
Mr Andrew Brodbelt, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Divisional Clinical Director, and Clinical Lead for Cancer at the Walton Centre stated that: “The system that has been developed provides us with a key tool to not only expand the understanding of our patient’s symptoms so we can better help them, but also to streamline the information pathway for often complex multi-centre treatments to improve outcomes for patients in the future.”
Dr Michael Gifford, Project Director and Managing Director at Mountain Hare Consulting, commented that: “The funding provided by Innovate UK has allowed us to massively accelerate the development of this module and hence allowed the team to develop what we hope will be a very important piece of the battle against brain cancer”.
Background
Brain cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK. 27 people are diagnosed with brian cancer every day in the UK. Overall survival is poor compared to other tumour types with 5,000 people losing their lives every year. Due to the nature of the condition, strategies for early diagnosis have been hampered by a lack of specific presenting symptoms.
Project Description
This collaborative project is developing and evaluating an integrated platform spanning the entire brain cancer pathway, from initial referral to end‐of‐life care, with significant implications for direct care provision, clinical research and service planning. The overall programme comprises digital brain cancer pathway integrating referrals, patient- and clinician-reported outcome measures concern-based care plans, with interfaces to local hospital records, community services and a bespoke patient-facing information portal.
Partners
Obex Technologies
Obex Technologies is a software company experienced in developing bespoke medical software solutions. Obex’s primary focus is developing specialist databases for handling complex healthcare datasets across different disciplines and sectors. The flagship cloud-based product, Outcome Registry Intervention and Operation Network (ORION), is currently used to support medical registries, emergency referrals and integrated care.
Contact for press: Michael Gifford – m.j.gifford@mountainhare.com
Mountain Hare Consulting
Mountain Hare Consulting was set up over three years ago by Dr Michael Gifford to provide project and management support to companies developing technology based products across a range of sectors. It is collocated with Obex Technologies in Cambridge and both teams work closely together on a number of projects.
Contact for press: Michael Gifford – m.j.gifford@mountainhare.com
The Walton Centre
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.
The Brain Tumour Charity is at the forefront of the fight to defeat brain tumours, making a difference every day to the lives of people with a brain tumour and their families. We fund pioneering research to increase survival, raise awareness of the symptoms and effects of brain tumours and provide support for everyone affected to improve quality of life.
We are committed to having the biggest possible impact for every person affected by a brain tumour, to defending the most amazing part of the human body, so that getting the diagnosis of a brain tumour no longer means a death sentence.
Contact for Press: Helen Hunt – helen.hunt@thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk
The Brain Tumour Charity
The Brain Tumour Charity is at the forefront of the fight to defeat brain tumours, making a difference every day to the lives of people with a brain tumour and their families. We fund pioneering research to increase survival, raise awareness of the symptoms and effects of brain tumours and provide support for everyone affected to improve quality of life.
We are committed to having the biggest possible impact for every person affected by a brain tumour, to defending the most amazing part of the human body, so that getting the diagnosis of a brain tumour no longer means a death sentence.
https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org
Contact for press: Polly Newton – polly.newton@thebraintumourcharity.org
brainstrust
brainstrust is the only national charity dedicated solely to brain tumour support. And it is the only Charity in the UK that has placed a unique, patient-centric, coaching led model at the centre of its service. This means that with a light touch, brainstrust makes a huge difference to the wellbeing and quality of life of those that need it. It helps brain tumour patients and carers engage in their care so that they can take control and be confident that they are working towards the best possible outcome for their situation. brainstrust’s relationships with patients and carers enable them to face their challenges, so that they learn how to develop resilience and utilise resources to their full potential.
brainstrust’s community that tells it ‘what’s up’ so that it can work tirelessly to address these challenges. It does so through its supportive services and its work to change the way care is delivered. brainstrust improves the lives of everyone living with a brain tumour.
Contact for press: Helen Bulbeck – helen@brainstrust.org.uk
The NIHR Brain Injury HTC is dedicated to identifying areas of unmet need for developing technology- based solution amongst patients of all ages with Traumatic (TBI), Acquired (ABI) or Developed (DBI) Brain Injury. The NIHR HTC works with patients, carers, NHS, charities, academia, inventors, SME’s and business angels to support the development of new medical devices and healthcare technologies improving the effectiveness and quality of healthcare services
Contact for press: Mita Brahmbhatt – mb994@cam.ac.uk
The National Institute for Health Research
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR is the research arm of the NHS. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government’s strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (www.nihr.ac.uk).
The University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is consistently ranked as one of the world’s leading higher education and research centres. It attracts leading researchers and the very best students from around the world. The School of Clinical Medicine is collocated with Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the Addenbrooke’s site on the South edge of the city.
Contact for project: Alexis Joannides – aj238@cam.ac.uk
Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the new name for the Technology Strategy Board – the UK’s innovation agency. Taking a new idea to market is a challenge. Innovate UK funds, supports and connects innovative businesses through a unique mix of people and programmes to accelerate sustainable economic growth. For further information visit