Mapping the Oncological Basis Dataset to the Standardized Vocabularies of a Common Data Model: A Feasibility Study

Simple Summary: Resident physicians and medical institutions in Germany are required to report diagnostics, treatments, progression, and follow-up information for tumor patients to the respective state cancer registries. The information is transmitted electronically according to a defined data scheme (oncological basis dataset [oBDS]). In this study, we first mapped oBDS elements to the standardized vocabularies, a metadata repository of the observational medical outcomes partnership (OMOP) common data model (CDM). The mapping of the oBDS to the standardized vocabularies promotes the semantic interoperability of oncological data in Germany and provides the opportunity to participate in network studies of observational health data sciences and informatics under the usage of federated analysis. In their joint effort against cancer, all involved parties within the German healthcare system are obligated to report diagnostics, treatments, progression, and follow-up information for tumor patients to the respective cancer registries. Given the federal structure of Germany, the oncological basis dataset (oBDS) operates as the legally required national standard for oncological reporting. Unfortunately, the usage of various documentation software solutions leads to semantic and technical heterogeneity of the data, complicating the establishment of research networks and collective data analysis. Within this feasibility study, we evaluated the transferability of all oBDS characteristics to the standardized vocabularies, a metadata repository of the observational medical outcomes partnership (OMOP) common data model (CDM). A total of 17,844 oBDS expressions were mapped automatically or manually to standardized concepts of the OMOP CDM. In a second step, we converted real patient data retrieved from the Hamburg Cancer Registry to the new terminologies. Given our pipeline, we transformed 1773.373 cancer-related data elements to the OMOP CDM. The mapping of the oBDS to the standardized vocabularies of the OMOP CDM promotes the semantic interoperability of oncological data in Germany. Moreover, it allows the participation in network studies of the observational health data sciences and informatics under the usage of federated analysis beyond the level of individual countries.