Alan Turing’s work could help improve tests for early detection of cancer, researchers say
Computer scientist’s method used to break the German force's Enigma code could measure effectiveness of disease diagnostic tools
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Work by the Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing could help develop better tests for the early detection of cancer and other diseases, according to experts.
Researchers at Edinburgh University believe his mathematical techniques could be used to help measure the effectiveness of existing diagnostic tools.
Currently the accuracy of diagnostic tests is assessed using statistical techniques developed in the 1980s.
These are unable to gauge how useful a test could be in determining an individual’s risk of developing a disease.
But now experts at the university’s Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics believe Mr Turing’s methods could improve diagnoses.
Working at Bletchley Park in 1941, Mr Turing came up with the method used to break the German forces’ Enigma code.
His approach investigated the distribution of so-called weights of evidence – which establish the likely outcomes in a given situation – to help him decide the best strategy for cracking Enigma.
The same principle could aid the development of personalised treatments, according to the research published in the journal Statistical Methods in Medical Research.
Edinburgh's professor Paul McKeigue, of Edinburgh University, said: “Most existing diagnostic tests for identifying people at high risk of cancer or heart disease do not come anywhere near the standards we could hope to see.
“The new era of precision medicine is emerging, and this method should make it easier for researchers and regulatory agencies to decide when a new diagnostic test should be used.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments