The IPCOR dataset is unique: it is the most comprehensive cancer-specific dataset in Ireland with over 1000 variables on 6816 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. The high-quality data encompasses every aspect of clinical care, from referral and initial investigations, through treatment, to follow-up, complemented by patient-reported outcome data on symptoms, unmet needs, and quality-of-life. It is securely housed in University College Dublin (UCD).
Under the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2025, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) is required to engage in research and audit relating to guideline implementation. Access to high-quality data regarding clinical practice and patient outcomes is not easily obtained, and there is an unmet need in the NCCP for more comprehensive clinical data. The availability of the IPCOR data provides a unique opportunity to address a range of crucial questions relevant to prostate cancer care and service provision for the NCCP and support transparent decision-making.
The project will use IPCOR data to:
Assess the implementation of the National Clinical Guideline for the Diagnosis, Staging and Treatment of Prostate Cancer 2015, and evaluate specific recommendations (Work package 1)
Assess the national service delivery requirements of the updated 2022 NCCP prostate cancer guidelines (including expansion of multiparametric MRI of the prostate) and inform service planning (Work package 2)
Assess prostate cancer survivors’ unmet care needs to inform NCCP prostate cancer survivorship programmes and update the national clinical guidelines thereby empowering the patients’ voice within NCCP processes (Work package 3)
Develop and launch a user-friendly digital interface and search engine for the dataset, allowing easier access to data for external researchers and for IPCOR to reach its full research potential (Work package 4)
