Risk prediction tools for cancer in primary care

open access
 

What types of risk prediction models exist?

• What types of risk prediction models exist?
• How are risk prediction models developed and evaluated?
• How can the information derived from risk prediction models be used?
• Conclusions
• Conflict of interest
• References
• Figures and Tables

Although there is some overlap, the two main types of risk prediction model for cancer in primary care are as follows:

1. To predict the risk of prevalent but undiagnosed disease in those with symptoms.
2. To predict the risk of future incident disease in asymptomatic individuals.

 Models that predict the risk of current cancer in individuals with symptoms are principally designed to guide further investigation and referral. Many have been developed for a range of cancers; in the United Kingdom the best known are the risk assessment tools (RATs) developed from case–control studies in primary care......