title: Coverage of oncology drug indication concepts and compositional semantics by SNOMED-CT.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, USA.
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Dietland L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Wahner-Roedler
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Elkin
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000145:classification*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012660:Semantics; D039061:Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents