University of Exeter Medical School

Dr Sarah Bailey

Dr Sarah Bailey

Associate Professor of Primary Care Diagnostics

 s.e.r.bailey@exeter.ac.uk

 6445

 +44 (0) 1392 726445

 College House 

 

College House, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK

Overview

Sarah is an NIHR Advanced Fellow and deputy lead of the Discovery (DISCO) Group at the University of Exeter Medical School. Sarah's programme of research is focussed around the integration of genomics into primary care cancer assessment, the use of routine blood tests to identify patients at risk of cancer in primary care, the impact of multimorbidity on cancer diagnosis, and the evaluation of new cancer detection strategies in primary care, including the faecal immunochemical test (FIT). Her work is supported by grants totalling over £6,000,000 from sources including the NIHR, Cancer Research UK, and the Department of Health's Policy Research Unit.

Upon joining the Discovery Group led by Prof. Willie Hamilton in 2014, Sarah began her PhD on the association between thrombocytosis (raised platelet count) and cancer diagnosis. Her PhD found that thrombocytosis is an important risk marker of undiagnosed cancer in primary care, particularly in men aged over 40 years. This work has had a significant impact on clinical practice since its publication in 2017, and was the top-rated paper of the British Journal of General Practice in that year. 

Research Income

Identifying novel biomarkers for enhanced prediction and early detection of cancer. Co-applicant. Cancer Research UK Early Detection and Diagnosis Primer award. £71,000. 2023 - 2024

Supporting clinical decision making in patients with symptoms of cancer and pre-existing health conditions. Principal investigator. NIHR Advanced Fellowship. £758,158. 2022 - 2026

COLOFIT - Optimal use of Faecal Immunochemical Testing for patients with symptoms of possible colorectal cancer. Co-applicant and work package lead. NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme. £755,864.02. 2021 - 2023

Saving Lives: Improving the Early Diagnosis of Cancer using Platelet Count. Principal investigator. Philanthropic donation. £400,000. 2022 - 2025

Expediting cancer diagnosis in primary care: the Higgins programme. Principal investigator. Philanthropic donation. £243,750. 2021 - 2024

The SPOtting Cancer among Comorbidities (SPOC) study. Supporting clinical decision making in patients with symptoms of cancer. Co-applicant and Work Package lead. NIHR Programme Grant. £1,498,126. 2021 - 2026

Investigating ethnic differences in blood test results for suspected cancer in primary care. Co-principal Investigator. Cancer Research UK Early Detection and Diagnosis Project Grant. £136,365. 2021 - 2024

Covid-19: impact on recorded cancer incidence in England. Co-applicant. CanTest Internal Project award. £15,000. 2022 

Improving cancer risk strati cation using population based patient characteristics and cancer genotype. Co-applicant. GW4 BioMed MRC Doctoral Training Partnership. £75,000. 2022 - 2025

Evaluating ethnic differences in blood markers of cancer in primary care. Co-Principal Investigator. Cancer Research UK £136,365. 2021 - 2023

An investigation of the prevalence of mental health problems in parent carers in England and pathways to support and treatment. Co-applicant. NIHR Three Schools Mental Health Research Project Award. £283,486. 

Determining the biological mechanisms driving racial disparity in prostate cancer using an interdisciplinary approach. Co-applicant. Wellcome Trust Seed Corn Funding. £25,594.84.

Evaluating ethnic differences in Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for detecting prostate cancer in primary care. Co-Principal Investigator. NIHR School for Primary Care Research Project Award. £30,506.

Exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying pre-diagnostic thrombocytosis in lung cancer patients and evaluating its diagnostic value. Co-applicant. GW4 BioMed MRC Doctoral Training Partnership. £75,000. 2019 - 2022

The risk of cancer with high normal platelet counts (NORMA). Co-applicant. Department of Health, Policy Research Unit (PRU) in Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis. £131,699. 2018

A feasibility study of virtual reality as a therapeutic intervention in children with ambulatory cerebral palsy. Co-applicant. NIHR Research for Patient Benefit programme. £227,431. 2014 - 2016

Involving families in developing ideas for research, designing collaborative studies, seeking research grants and producing outputs directly useful to families. Co-applicant. Cerebra. £796,303. 2014 - 2019

Awards

  • Royal College of General Practitioners Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award 2023 (winner)
  • CanTest International School 2021: Most Helpful for Patients and Public (winner)
  • Health Services Journal Value Awards 2020: Cancer Care Initiative of the Year (finalist)
  • CanTest Travelling Fellowship (April 2019)
  • Cancer Research UK Early Diagnosis Conference bursary (February 2019)
  • Lead author of top rated paper in the British Journal of General Practice (2018)
  • Lead author of Royal College of General Practitioner's Research Paper of the Year (Cancer) 2018
  • The Cancer and Primary Care Research International Network conference poster prize (2017)
  • South West Society for Academic Primary Care best junior abstract award (2016)
  • University of Exeter EU Facilitation Fund (2016)
  • Runner up patient poster prize, National Early Diagnosis Initiative conference, London (2015) 

Prospective Students

I welcome enquiries from prospective students with interests in primary care research and cancer diagnosis. If you have a proposal that aligns with my research interests, please get in touch.  

Qualifications

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

PhD in Medical Science - University of Exeter

Masters of Public Health - Cardiff University

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science (Physiology) - Cardiff University

Links

Research group links

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Research

Research interests

  • Developing risk assessment models for cancer detection in primary care
  • Integrating genomics into primary care cancer assessment
  • Evaluating and modelling the impact of new cancer detection strategies
  • Faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer
  • Using routine blood tests available in primary care to diagnose cancer 

Observational data experience

  • The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and linked datasets
  • National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) data
  • Purpose-built datasets for evaluation and research within the NHS
  • Caerphilly Prospective Study

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Publications

Journal articles

Bailey S, Green H, Merriel S, Oram R, Thirlwell C, Ruth K, Tyrrell J, Weedon M (In Press). Applying a genetic risk score for prostate cancer to men with lower urinary tract symptoms in primary care to predict prostate cancer diagnosis: a cohort study in the UK Biobank. British Journal of Cancer
Down E, Barlow M, Bailey S, Mounce L, Martins T (In Press). Association between patient ethnicity and prostate cancer diagnosis following a Prostate Specific Antigen test: a cohort study of 730,000 men in primary care in the UK. BMC Medicine
Merriel S, Martins T, Bailey S (In Press). Exploring the causes of death among patients with metastatic prostate cancer: a changing landscape. Jama Network Open
Barlow M, Hamilton W, Bailey SER (2024). The Clinical Value of Pre-Diagnostic Thrombocytosis for the Detection of Lung Cancer in Primary Care. Cancers, 16(6).
Hamilton W, Bailey SER (2023). Colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients: How to improve the diagnostic pathway. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, 66, 101842-101842.
Bailey SER, Butler CAM, Katsampouris E, Kessler L, Quaife SL, Saya S, Merriel SWD (2023). Determining the role of genetic risk scores in symptomatic cancer detection. British Journal of General Practice, 73(728), 106-107.
Barlow M, Down L, Mounce LTA, Merriel SWD, Watson J, Martins T, Bailey SER (2023). Ethnic differences in prostate-specific antigen levels in men without prostate cancer: a systematic review. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis, 26(2), 249-256. Abstract.  Author URL.
Green HD, Merriel SWD, Oram RA, Ruth KS, Tyrrell J, Jones SE, Thirlwell C, Weedon MN, Bailey SER (2023). Response to: Genetic risk scores may compound rather than solve the issue of prostate cancer overdiagnosis (BJC-LT3342090). Br J Cancer, 128(4), 487-488.  Author URL.
Bailey SER, Abel GA, Atkins A, Byford R, Davies S-J, Mays J, McDonald TJ, Miller J, Neck C, Renninson J, et al (2021). Diagnostic performance of a faecal immunochemical test for patients with low-risk symptoms of colorectal cancer in primary care: an evaluation in the South West of England. British Journal of Cancer, 124(7), 1231-1236. Abstract.
Farr WJ, Green D, Bremner S, Male I, Gage H, Bailey S, Speller S, Colville V, Jackson M, Memon A, et al (2021). Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial to evaluate home-based virtual reality therapy in children with cerebral palsy. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(1), 85-97. Abstract.
Barlow M, Hamilton W, Ukoumunne OC, Bailey SER (2021). The association between thrombocytosis and subtype of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Translational Cancer Research, 10(3), 1249-1260. Abstract.
Clarke C, Hamilton W, Price S, Bailey SER (2020). Association of non-malignant diseases with thrombocytosis: a prospective cohort study in general practice. British Journal of General Practice, 70(701), E852-E857. Abstract.
Mounce LTA, Hamilton W, Bailey SER (2020). Cancer incidence following a high-normal platelet count: cohort study using electronic healthcare records from English primary care. British Journal of General Practice, 70(698), E622-E628. Abstract.
Bailey SER, Abel GA, Atkins A, Byford R, Davies S-J, Mays J, McDonald TJ, Miller J, Neck C, Renninson J, et al (2020). Diagnostic performance of the faecal immunochemical test for patients with low-risk symptoms of colorectal cancer in primary care: a service evaluation in the South West of England. Abstract.
van Melle M, Yep Manzano SIS, Wilson H, Hamilton W, Walter FM, Bailey SER (2020). Faecal immunochemical test to triage patients with abdominal symptoms for suspected colorectal cancer in primary care: Review of international use and guidelines. Family Practice, 37(5), 606-615. Abstract.
Hopkins R, Bailey SER, Hamilton WT, Shephard EA (2020). Microcytosis as a risk marker of cancer in primary care: a cohort study using electronic patient records. British Journal of General Practice, 70(696), E457-E462. Abstract.
Barlow M, Hamilton W, Ukoumunne OC, Bailey SER (2020). The association between thrombocytosis and subtype of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Abstract.
Watson J, Mounce L, Bailey SER, Cooper SL, Hamilton W (2019). Blood markers for cancer. BMJ, l5774-l5774.
Watson J, Hamilton F, Bailey S, Mounce L, Hamilton W (2019). Clinical implications of increased testing in primary care. BMJ (Online), 364
Bailey SER, van Melle MA, Nicholson BD (2019). Faecal immunochemical (rule-in) testing in general practice. British Journal of General Practice, 69(681).
Ankus E, Price S, Ukoumunne O, Hamilton W, Bailey S (2018). Cancer incidence in patients with a high normal platelet count: a cohort study using primary care data. Family Practice
Bailey SE, Ankus EJ, Hamilton W (2017). Authors' response. Br J Gen Pract, 67(662), 396-397.  Author URL.
Bailey SER, Ukoumunne OC, Shephard EA, Hamilton W (2017). Clinical relevance of thrombocytosis in primary care: a prospective cohort study of cancer incidence using English electronic medical records and cancer registry data. British Journal of General Practice, 67(659), e405-e413. Abstract.
Farr W, Green D, Male I, Morris C, Bailey S, Gage H, Speller S, Colville V, Jackson M, Bremner S, et al (2017). Therapeutic potential and ownership of commercially available consoles in children with cerebral palsy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 80(2), 108-116. Abstract.
Bailey S, Boddy K, Briscoe S, Morris C (2015). Involving disabled children and young people as partners in research: a systematic review. Child Care Health Dev, 41(4), 505-514. Abstract.  Author URL.
Shilling V, Bailey S, Logan S, Morris C (2015). Peer support for parents of disabled children part 1: Perceived outcomes of a one-to-one service, a qualitative study. Child: Care, Health and Development, 41(4), 524-536. Abstract.
Shilling V, Bailey S, Logan S, Morris C (2015). Peer support for parents of disabled children part 1: perceived outcomes of a one-to-one service, a qualitative study. Child Care Health Dev, 41(4), 524-536. Abstract.  Author URL.
Shilling V, Bailey S, Logan S, Morris C (2015). Peer support for parents of disabled children part 2: How organizational and process factors influenced shared experience in a one-to-one service, a qualitative study. Child: Care, Health and Development, 41(4), 537-546. Abstract.
Shilling V, Bailey S, Logan S, Morris C (2015). Peer support for parents of disabled children part 2: how organizational and process factors influenced shared experience in a one-to-one service, a qualitative study. Child Care Health Dev, 41(4), 537-546. Abstract.  Author URL.
Bailey S, Ukoumunne O, Shephard E, Hamilton W (2015). Thrombocytosis: an underused risk marker of cancer in primary care?. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, 24, 11-11.  Author URL.
Bailey S, Ukoumunne O, Shephard E, Hamilton W (2014). Thrombocytosis: an underused risk marker of cancer in primary care?. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, 23, 5-5.  Author URL.
Barnes E, Bullock AD, Bailey SER, Cowpe JG, Karaharju-Suvanto T (2013). A review of continuing professional development for dentists in Europe. European Journal of Dental Education, 17(SUPPL. 1), 5-17. Abstract.
Bailey SER, Bullock AD, Cowpe JG, Thomas HS, Yuen-Lee F, Wood M, Newcombe RG (2013). An evaluation of CPD activity of dentists in Wales. European Journal of Dental Education, 17(1). Abstract.
Bullock A, Bailey S, Cowpe J, Barnes E, Thomas H, Thomas R, Phillips S, Kavadella A, Kossioni A, Tsiklakis K, et al (2013). Continuing professional development systems and requirements for graduate dentists in the EU: survey results from the DentCPD project. Eur J Dent Educ, 17 Suppl 1, 18-22. Abstract.  Author URL.
Bullock A, Bailey S, Cowpe J, Barnes E, Thomas H, Thomas R, Phillips S, Kavadella A, Kossioni A, Tsiklakis K, et al (2013). Continuing professional development systems and requirements for graduate dentists in the EU: survey results from the DentCPD project. Eur J Dent Educ, 17(1), e77-e81. Abstract.  Author URL.
Bailey S, Bullock A, Cowpe J, Barnes E, Thomas H, Thomas R, Kavadella A, Kossioni A, Karaharju-Suvanto T, Suomalainen K, et al (2013). Core continuing professional development (CPD) topics for the European dentist. Eur J Dent Educ, 17(1), e82-e87. Abstract.  Author URL.
Bailey S, Bullock A, Cowpe J, Barnes E, Thomas H, Thomas R, Kavadella A, Kossioni A, Karaharju-Suvanto T, Suomalainen K, et al (2013). Core continuing professional development (CPD) topics for the European dentist. Eur J Dent Educ, 17 Suppl 1, 23-28. Abstract.  Author URL.
Suomalainen K, Karaharju-Suvanto T, Bailey S, Bullock A, Cowpe J, Barnes E, Thomas H, Thomas R, Kavadella A, Kossioni A, et al (2013). Guidelines for the organisation of continuing professional development activities for the European dentist. European Journal of Dental Education, 17(SUPPL. 1), 29-37. Abstract.
McHugh C, Bailey S, Shilling V, Morris C (2013). Meeting the information needs of families of children with chronic health conditions. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr, 33(3), 265-270.  Author URL.
Kavadella A, Kossioni AE, Tsiklakis K, Cowpe J, Bullock A, Barnes E, Bailey S, Thomas H, Thomas R, Karaharju-Suvanto T, et al (2013). Recommendations for the development of e-modules for the continuing professional development of European dentists. European Journal of Dental Education, 17(SUPPL. 1), 45-54. Abstract.
Kossioni AE, Kavadella A, Tzoutzas I, Bakas A, Tsiklakis K, Bailey S, Bullock A, Cowpe J, Barnes E, Thomas H, et al (2013). The development of an exemplar e-module for the continuing professional development of European dentists. European Journal of Dental Education, 17(SUPPL. 1), 38-44. Abstract.
Barnes E, Bullock AD, Bailey SER, Cowpe JG, Karaharju-Suvanto T (2012). A review of continuing professional development for dentists in Europe. European Journal of Dental Education, 16(3), 166-178. Abstract.
Bailey SER, Wilson MJ, Griffiths R, Bullock AD, Cowpe JG, Newcombe RG, Lewis MAO (2012). Continuing dental education: Evaluation of the effectiveness of a disinfection and decontamination course. European Journal of Dental Education, 16(1), 59-64. Abstract.

Conferences

Bailey S, Hamilton W (In Press). Establishing the optimum threshold value for haemoglobin in faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) for use in the primary care symptomatic population: South West Cancer Alliance FIT programme evaluation.
Bailey SER, Ankus E, Price S, Pula G, Hamilton W (2018). The diagnostic potential of 'high normal' platelet counts for identifying cancer in primary care.  Author URL.

Reports

Bailey SER, Ukoumunne OC, Shephard E, Hamilton W (2017). How useful is thrombocytosis in predicting an underlying cancer in primary care? a systematic review. 6 pages. Abstract.
Shilling V, Morris C, Hawton A, Bailey S, Logan S (2015). What are the benefits and costs of providing peer support to parents of disabled children?., Final Report: PenCLAHRC, University of Exeter Medical School. Abstract.  Author URL.
Bailey SER (2014). PROTOCOL: How useful is thrombocytosis in predicting underlying cancer? a systematic review.

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External Engagement and Impact

Invited lectures & workshops

  • Integrating a genetic risk score for prostate cancer into UK suspected cancer pathways. PRACTICAL consortium annual meeting, London (2022)
  • Using genetic risk scores to improve cancer detection in primary care. University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter (2022)
  • Integrating a genetic risk score for prostate cancer into UK suspected cancer pathways: a UK Biobank study. CanTest International School, Oxford (2022)
  • Cancer detection in primary care: emerging evidence. Guy's and St Thomas' Vocational Training Scheme online event (2021)
  • The faecal immunochemical test (FIT) in primary care: past, present, and future. The Cancer Research UK Early Diagnosis virtual conference (2021)
  • Diagnosing cancer with routine healthcare data. The Bazalgette Series: the role for data across the South West, Exeter (2018)
  • Introducing the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in the South West of England. Cancer Research UK Cascade Event, Exeter (2018)
  • Cancer Research at the University of Exeter. Fundraising dinner for the University of Exeter, London (2018)
  • Thrombocytosis in primary care. University of Malmo, Sweden (2017)
  • How routinely collected data helps cancer diagnosis. The Hunts Community Cancer Network cancer survivor's conference, Huntingdon (2017)

Media Coverage

  • The Daily Express. 'Simple test can detect early signs of bowel cancer'. 19th January 2021
  • The I. 'Easy new test for colorectal cancer could save lives'. 19th January 2021
  • The Daily Telegraph. '£4 bowel cancer test should be used more widely to save lives, researchers say'. 19th January 2021
  • The Daily Mail. '£4 bowel cancer breakthrough'. 19th January 2021
  • NIHR Alert. 'Results from a routine blood test could help in early detection of cancer'. 14th October 2020
  • BBC Radio 4 Inside Health (radio interview), 4th July 2017
  • The Guardian Weekly (print) ’Blood test for cancer’, 2nd June 2017
  • ITV West Country (television interview), 23rd May 2017
  • BBC Radio Devon (radio interview), 23rd May 2017
  • The Times (print) ‘Blood test could save thousands from cancer’ [front page], 23rd May 2017
  • The Guardian (print) ‘Common blood test points way to early cancer diagnosis’, 23rd May 2017

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Teaching

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Tutor on Making Sense of Evidence module for BMBS, including delivering workshops on diagnostics

Professional Training Year provider for BSc Medical Sciences

Student supervision

  • Becky Ward, University of Exeter (2022 - 2026) Improving cancer risk stratification using population-based patient characteristics and cancer genotype (PhD supervisor)
  • David Shotter, University of Exeter (2022 - 2028) Clinical features of cancers in patients with selected comorbidities, and an investigation into the statistical robustness of the methods for identifying them (lead supervisor)
  • Melissa Barlow, University of Exeter (2019 - 2022) Which of the histological subtypes of lung cancer are associated with pre/peri-diagnostic raised platelet levels? (PhD supervisor)
  • Jan Clark, University of Exeter (2018) Investigating outcomes for patients with thrombocytosis (Masters dissertation supervisor)
  • Emily Ankus, University of South Florida (2017) Determining 3% risk for underlying malignancy in patients with a high normal platelet count (summer placement)
  • Punit Sevak, University of Exeter (2017) The association between red cell distribution width (RDW) and undiagnosed cancer in primary care: an observational cohort study (summer placement)
  • Katie Ho, University of Exeter (2017) The association between idiopathic thrombosis, thrombocytosis, and cancer diagnosis in primary care: an observational cohort study using electronic medical records (summer placement)

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