Research summary
Two in five Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes—and approximately a quarter will die of the disease. As Canada Research Chair in Cancer Outcomes, Dr. Natalie Coburn’s goal is to better understand who will contract cancer and how we can improve their outcomes.
She and her research team are identifying meaningful time points and outcomes (beyond mortality) in cancer patients’ decision-making. They are also developing a set of prediction algorithms using population-level data and establishing a process for conducting external, spatial validation of these algorithms. In addition, they are building a world-leading hub for personalized risk information (powered by validated and evidence-based risk calculators) and evaluating the usability, user satisfaction, user engagement and adoption of these calculators. Ultimately, their aim is to improve decision support and enhance risk communication between patients living with cancer and the clinicians who care for them.