Coverage of oncology drug indication concepts and compositional semantics by SNOMED-CT.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate SNOMED-CT 's ability to represent simple and compositional concepts in FDA approved oncology drug indications.


METHODS
Oncology drug indications were decomposed into single and compositional concepts. SNOMED-CT's coverage of single concepts and the semantics needed to create compositional concepts were evaluated using automated and manual techniques.


RESULTS
SNOMED-CT covered 86.3% of single concepts present in oncology drug indications; 11.3% of indications were covered completely. Coverage was best for concepts describing diseases, anatomy, and patient characteristics. Medications accounted for 50.5% of missing concepts. Excluding drug names, 45.2% of indications were completely represented. SNOMED-CT's semantics completely represented 60.1% of compositional expressions.


CONCLUSIONS
SNOMED-CT's overall coverage of the concepts in oncology drug indications was good. Improvements or alternatives are needed for medications and semantics.
Brown
Steven H
SH
Department of Veterans Affairs, USA.
Bauer
Brent A
BA
Wahner-Roedler
Dietland L
DL
Elkin
Peter L
PL
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000145:classification*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012660:Semantics; D039061:Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents