Common data elements of breast cancer for research databases: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Health Informatics
• Oncology Data Standards

Background:

• Common Data Elements (CDEs) are metadata descriptors essential for collecting, processing, and sharing research data.
• CDEs play a vital role in standardizing breast cancer data for research and clinical applications.
• This study focused on exploring CDEs relevant to breast cancer within research databases and primary care systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and explore the Common Data Elements (CDEs) used for breast cancer research.
• To identify the domains and categories of CDEs applicable to breast cancer data.
• To understand the application of CDEs in research databases and primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted.
• Searches were performed across multiple databases including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, SID, ISC, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
• Studies published in English with full-text access from 2007 to September 2019 were included.

Main Results:

• The review analyzed 25 studies, with 52% originating from the US, primarily conducted between 2013 and 2015.
• Pathology Report and Registry were the most frequent domains for CDE application.
• Breast cancer CDEs were categorized into clinical, research, and non-clinical, with a focus on clinical data like physical examination and pathology.

Conclusions:

• Integrating clinical and biomedical data through CDEs enhances research analysis and statistical power for breast cancer.
• CDEs are instrumental in collecting, storing, and retrieving patient data across diverse healthcare settings, including primary care and research databases.
• Standardized CDEs improve the understanding of effective therapeutic interventions for breast cancer.