Accuracy of the Head and Neck Cancer Risk Calculator v2 in OMFS

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Comparing the Accuracy of the Head and Neck Cancer Risk Calculator v2 and NICE Guidance in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• IRAS ID

  339695

• Contact name

  Aman Ulhaq

• Contact email

  aman.ulhaq@nhs.scot

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Edinburgh

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 4 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Despite National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) referral guidance, the Urgent Suspicion of Cancer (USOC) referral pathway in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) sees many referrals of low-risk patients with benign conditions. Additionally, many Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) patients are referred via non-USOC, potentially slower pathways, which is undesirable.

  A novel tool to aid primary care referrers in selecting the most appropriate referral priority is the Head and Neck Cancer Risk Calculator version 2. Developed by Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeons in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London, the Risk Calculator indicates the likelihood that a patient’s symptoms are associated with a HNC, based on signs, symptoms, demographic and social history information. The tool has been used effectively by many ENT departments to help triage USOC referrals, ensuring that the highest-risk patients are assessed most urgently.

  To date, only one article has assessed the accuracy of the Risk Calculator in OMFS, with promising results. However a formal comparison of the Risk Calculator against the NICE criteria has not yet been undertaken, and this would be useful in determining which tool is most appropriate for primary care referrers to use.

  This study aims to retrospectively apply the NICE criteria and the Risk Calculator to a large sample of patients referred to an OMFS department, using information contained in referral letters and clinical notes. The recommended referral priority for each patient, based on these tools, will be compared with the patient’s eventual diagnosis to evaluate the tools’ accuracy. The impact of the exclusive use of each tool on the number of patients referred on the USOC pathway will also be quantified.

  The risk calculator is available at http://www.orlhealth.com/risk-calculator-2.html
  The articles explaining the development of the risk calculator are available at:
  doi.org/10.1111/coa.12597
  doi.org/10.1111/coa.13511

• REC name

  North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1

• REC reference

  24/NS/0059

• Date of REC Opinion

  19 Jun 2024

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion