The Center of Data Management and Statistics Analysis (DAMASAC), Faculty of Public  Health developed a database system named CASCAP Tools (CASCAP: Chloangiocarinoma screening and care program) focused on essential data for analysis and creating knowledge in line with objectives. And creating a system which can be linked to the Health Ministry’s database easily and benefit research and regular work as well as caring for patients. This is meant to create sustainability effectiveness in solving problems of biliary tract cancer in Isan in the long term. It is an innovation for the people of Isan. The event was honored by Asst. Prof. Dr. Somsak Pitaksusanurat, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University who presided over the opening ceremony of the training on using the database. And Asst. Prof. MD. NarongKhantikaew, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University and head of the research project presented the project after welcoming participants.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bandit Thinkamrop, Director of the Center of Data Management and Statistics Analysis, said: “CASCAP Tools version 1 has been developed and the system has been installed with the goal to make CASCAP a convenient tool for problem solving related to liver fluke and biliary tract cancer for public health organizations and to practice using the system.”

The training is held for the 3^rd time for 13 provinces of the Northeast including 33 hospitals, 13 regional units (PCU) and 222 public health support centers. In total, there were 262 people in the first batch on the 6^th of January 2014 included 153 people responsible for problem solving in case of liver fluke and biliary tract cancer from sub-district public health centers. The second batch of participants on the 7^th of January included 74 participants from community hospitals people. And at the third batch, on the 8^th of January, at the Saksila room, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, participants included 35 doctors and nurses as well as people responsible for solving problems of liver fluke and biliary tract cancer from central hospitals. The faculty was assisted by the Faculty of Management Science  to develop the project for public health screening, diagnosis and patient management of biliary tract cancer in the Northeast and the Center of Data Analysis and Statistics (DAMASAC), Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University.

Bilirary tract cancer in the Northeast has the highest numbers of occurrences and there is an increasing trend. More than half of the patients have been diagnosed with terminal illness. And the survival rate of this is very low. Therefore, the project has developed a system to screen, diagnose and manage treatment of patients with this disease in the Northeast. The project was supported as one of the 50 year anniversary projects of Khon Kaen University and falls under the agreement of cooperation with the Public Health Ministry to make it possible to find early stage patients and offer quality treatment in the network and integrate the mission of the ministry in the sustainable development of work.

Author: Pusit Kaiwong

Photography: Piyaporn Chantra