Health data tools to catch pancreatic cancer earlier
Official title: Health informatics approaches to reduce missed opportunities in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
Funded at Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center · NIH-11193227 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will build electronic alerts that scan Veterans' medical records to find missed signs of pancreatic cancer so they can get diagnosed earlier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2HX003346-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193227 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans receiving care within the VA system who have symptoms or clinical findings that could suggest pancreatic cancer—such as unexplained abdominal pain, weight loss, or abnormal liver/pancreas-related labs—are the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not receive care through the VA or whose medical records are incomplete in the VA system may not be included or directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would be part of work that uses VA health records to find situations where a different action might have led to an earlier pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The team will create and test electronic 'trigger' algorithms that flag patients with symptoms, imaging, or lab patterns that suggest possible missed diagnosis. Clinicians will review the flagged records to confirm missed opportunities and improve the algorithms. The aim is to integrate these alerts into VA care so clinicians get timely prompts to follow up.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tools could lead to earlier pancreatic cancer diagnoses and improve chances for effective treatment and survival.
How similar studies have gone: Electronic trigger tools have identified missed diagnostic opportunities for other conditions, but applying them specifically to pancreatic cancer is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khalaf, Natalia — Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Khalaf, Natalia
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.