Drs. Rachel Murphy (pictured) and Andrew Roth (not pictured) are recipients of the 2022/2023 Precision Health Catalyst Grant award for their project entitled “Improving Breast Cancer Screening Efficiency with Administrative Health Data”
Read a summary of the project here.
“This project aims to use administrative health data to a) develop individualized risk assessment models that improve the ability to estimate a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, and b) tailor risk models to breast cancers: pre- vs post-menopausal, hormone receptor negative vs positive, triple negative and early vs advanced stage.”
1. Can you tell us about the precision health research work you’re collaborating on?
Early detection of breast cancer via mammographic screening saves lives. For most women, recommendations for breast cancer screening are a one-size-fits all approach, with recommendations to engage in screening at given intervals (1 to 2 years) and within a defined age range (50-74). However, some women will develop breast cancer that is not be detected because they do not meet criteria for screening, while others may undergo unnecessary screening. Our proposal applies machine learning methods to administrative health data to estimate an individuals’ risk of developing breast cancer. This individualized approach has the potential to better predict and prevent breast cancer by identifying those most likely to benefit from mammographic screening and/or prevention.
2. What results have you seen so far?
Our results to date have confirmed that the individual risk assessment methods can be applied to predict personalized breast cancer risk, including time until breast cancer onset, and the probability of breast cancer onset within a defined period (e.g. 5-years). We have also identified several factors that were strongly predictive of breast cancer, and may help inform prevention approaches for an individual.
3. From your perspective, what do you think is exciting about the future direction of precision health?
I am an epidemiologist and population health researcher. So, naturally I am excited about the interplay and expansion of precision health to public health. Individualized prevention and health care are central to precision health, which seems at odds with traditional public health approaches. However, increasingly, precision is being integrated into public health interventions. Ensuring a strong evidence base to inform precision public health interventions is critical, and I’m looking forward to leading part of this effort, and learning along side others.
About Dr. Rachel Murphy
Dr. Rachel Murphy is a Senior Scientist in Cancer Control Research at BC Cancer, an Associate Professor and the Associate Director, Research in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC. She holds a PhD in Nutrition and Metabolism and completed postdoctoral training in epidemiology at the National Institutes of Health. Her research program is focused on the intersections of nutrition, human health, and public health challenges. Dr. Murphy has received a number of awards recognizing her contributions, including a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar award and a Canadian Cancer Society Early Career Development award in Cancer Prevention.