Odds ratios (OR) and positive predictive values (PPV) for cancer in symptomatic patients.
| Cancer site | Symptom | OR (95% CI) | PPV (%) (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codes | Total | Codes | Total | ||
| Bladder | Visible haematuria | 100 (78 to 129) | 76 (61 to 95) | 4.0 (3.5 to 4.6) | 2.9 (2.6 to 3.2) |
| Abdominal pain | 1.9 (1.7 to 2.2) | 2.1 (1.9 to 2.3) | 0.14 (0.13 to 0.16) | 0.14 (0.13 to 0.15) | |
| Pancreas | Jaundice | 713 (339 to 1499) | 640 (354 to 1159) | 12.8 (7.3 to 21.6) | 6.3 (4.5 to 8.7) |
| Abdominal pain | 14.0 (12.6 to 15.6) | 15.4 (13.9 to 17.0) | 0.23 (0.21 to 0.25) | 0.21 (0.20 to 0.22) | |
OR and PPV values were estimated first using codes (Codes) solely, and then using codes plus hidden text records (Total).
The OR was estimated using univariable conditional logistic regression. The PPV was estimated using Bayes’ theorem assuming prior odds of 0.0006 for bladder and 0.0003 for pancreatic cancer based on 2008 UK national incidence data.