Abstract
BackgroundThe Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG™) is a network of individuals and institutions, creating a world wide web of cancer research. An important aspect of this informatics effort is the development of consistent practices for data standards development, using a multi-tier approach that facilitates semantic interoperability of systems. The semantic tiers include (1) information models, (2) common data elements, and (3) controlled terminologies and ontologies. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) cancer protocols and checklists are an important reporting standard in pathology, for which no complete electronic data standard is currently available.MethodsIn this manuscript, we provide a case study of Cancer Common Ontologic Representation Environment (caCORE) data standard implementation of the CAP cancer protocols and checklists model – an existing and complex paper based standard. We illustrate the basic principles, goals and methodology for developing caBIG™ models.ResultsUsing this example, we describe the process required to develop the model, the technologies and data standards on which the process and models are based, and the results of the modeling effort. We address difficulties we encountered and modifications to caCORE that will address these problems. In addition, we describe four ongoing development projects that will use the emerging CAP data standards to achieve integration of tissue banking and laboratory information systems.ConclusionThe CAP cancer checklists can be used as the basis for an electronic data standard in pathology using the caBIG™ semantic modeling methodology.
Highlights
The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid is a network of individuals and institutions, creating a world wide web of cancer research
We provide an in-depth example of this methodology, using a single complex domain model – the College of American Pathologists (CAP) cancer checklists
Terminology support Throughout the entire modeling process, Enterprise Vocabulary Services (EVS) staff worked closely with the project team to ensure that National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus terminology and semantics could accurately support both the overall information model and detailed coding requirements of the CAP protocols
Summary
The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIGTM) is a network of individuals and institutions, creating a world wide web of cancer research. The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIGTM) [1,2] is a voluntary association or Grid dedicated to creating an interoperable network of data and analytical services that benefits the cancer research community. The NCI chose to conduct the three-year caBIGTM pilot to determine how to integrate multiple heterogeneous data sets and analytical resources to help answer complex biomedical questions. Development of biomedical data systems that support integration of multiple data types has required the creation of large, complex, highly centralized information systems. Such systems tend to be fragile, expensive, and inflexible in response to new data or analytical methods that are developed within the biomedical research community. CaBIGTM will help create the technology and the community that are required to allow locally developed data systems to interoperate in novel ways that were not necessarily anticipated by their developers
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