About the project
RACOON-COMPARE is a multi-site study that analyses existing CT images of female cancer patients. The aim is to gain a better understanding of body composition (e.g. muscle and fat percentage). The researchers want to determine typical comparative values and find out whether and how these values relate to patients' chances of survival.
The most important facts at a glance
RACOON-COMPARE is investigating whether additional information from body composition analysis (BCA) offers added value for assessing the prognosis of cancer. Routine CT images are used for this purpose without the need for additional examinations ("opportunistic screening"). The focus is on common types of abdominal tumours, such as liver, pancreatic, stomach, oesophageal and bowel cancer. The data comes from patients from several university hospitals in Germany. The aim of the study is to find out whether certain measurements of body composition - which are collected during the initial diagnosis - can help to better assess patients' chances of survival.
Smaller studies have already shown that certain body composition values can indicate the course of a disease. However, this has not yet been confirmed in a large, joint study by several university medical centres, which would be important for everyday use, which is precisely where RACOON-COMPARE comes in: In this study, data from around 30,000 cancer patients from all over Germany is being analysed. This makes it the largest study of its kind to date and aims to clarify whether these measurements can be used reliably in everyday clinical practice.
The biggest challenges in implementing the project are the onboarding and fulfilment of all ethical and data protection requirements at all 36 university sites, ensuring binding data quality and the central evaluation of this large amount of data.
The successful implementation of RACOON-COMPARE requires the strategic involvement of external partners whose expertise and resources are not available in the required depth within the NUM. These collaborations add critical technical, methodological and social dimensions to the expertise of the university medical centres.
The project uses innovative technology to record and analyse data in a simple and standardised way. Body composition is analysed automatically using special software (fully automated BOA analysis). Data is collected from around 790 patients per participating university hospital. This is done according to clearly defined criteria so that the results are easily comparable. A standardised data collection system (MINT template) is used for this purpose.
The aim of the study is to determine reliable comparative values for body composition. For example, for different types of cancer, age groups and treatments. These values should later help to make such analyses widely available in everyday clinical practice. Another important point is the close collaboration with other projects within the Network University Medicine network. These include RACOON-PAIN, RACOON-AI Brain Tumor and RACOON-INCLUDED. By sharing data, harmonising evaluation methods and developing joint analysis models, it is possible to gain insights that go beyond individual clinical pictures. Uniform technical standards, such as "HL7 FHIR", are used to ensure that the exchange functions smoothly. Established platforms such as MINT are also used. Regular meetings and joint studies ensure that all participants work closely together and share their knowledge.