Cancer decision support tools (CDS)

Urgent suspected cancer referrals

The NHS has set ambitious targets to increase the proportion of cancers diagnosed early (at stage I & II) to 75% by 2028. Cancer Decision Support (CDS) Tools can offer a helpful way for clinicians to identify suspected cancer earlier.

Cancer decisions tools are designed to help you access and navigate NG12 cancer guidelines more easily. They do not include local guidelines.

The videos and presentations that follow provide an overview and demonstration of the most common cancer decision tools available.

👉 CRUK NICE (NG12) Suspected Cancer: Recognition & Referral guidelines

👉 CRUK NICE (NG12) Cancer referral body infographic

QCancer and Cancer Mind Maps are both free online CDS tools.

QCancer – summary

QCancer uses an algorithm to calculate the absolute risk of a symptomatic or asymptomatic individual having a yet undiagnosed cancer. The risk score considers patient symptoms, risk factors, such as age and sex, smoking status, family history, postcode and certain comorbidities.

It produces a gender specific patient centred score for:

  • Today’s QCancer® score
    • the risk of an undiagnosed cancer for the individual across a whole range of tumour sites.
  • The QCancer® 10 year score
    • risk of a patient developing cancer over the next 10 years given their individual risk factors

The tool can be integrated into EMIS.

👉 QCancer 

Cancer Mind Maps (GatewayC) – summary
  • Interactive MIND MAP tool
  • Summarises NG12 guidance in 3 Maps
  • Can toggle view between MAP 1, 2 or 3 or view all
  • Each Map summarises different cancer areas
  • Click on branches to see NG12 guidance
  • Can use Maps to review NG12 guidance, including investigations
  • Please note it does NOT conform to Regional Lower GI or FIT guidance

👉 Cancer Mind Maps – GatewayC

Cancer Research UKs evaluation of Mind Maps can be found 👉here

Watch this 15 minute overview or access the Cancer Decision Support Tools presentation

Ardens Cancer Support Tools Overview

Ardens provides Cancer Support Tools built into all packages within EMIS and Systmone. The videos below provide an overview of these support tools for either EMIS and Systmone:

EMIS

Systmone