Online community collaborative map A geospatial and data visualization tool for cancer data

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop an online collaborative map to enable researchers to locate, explore, and share cancer data. This 2-scale (global and country-level) cancer map adopts a database-driven model, which was implemented using the Google Map Application Programming Interface (API) and asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) technology. Seven visualization techniques were used to present data. Data on worldwide cancer mortality between 1950 and 2013 were taken from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) database. Incidence data were from the IARC CI5plus database. Survival data were from the IARC SURVCAN study. Prevalence data between 1990 and 2017 were from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's (IHME) catalog while demographic data were from the World Bank Data Catalog. Cancer data for Taiwan between 1991 and 2016 were obtained from the Department of Health and Welfare. This study used visualization techniques that included: a choropleth map to display the prevalence of cancer; a tornado diagram to show the age-standardized mortality rates of all cancers among men and women in 2013; a treemap to show a ranking of cancer mortality data; a sunburst chart to show mortality rates of all cancers by gender; a line chart to show mortality trends for all cancers; a bar chart to show mortality and incidence rates and a heatmap to show variations in cancer across different countries. The world cancer map generated by this study can be accessed at http://worldmap.csmu-liawyp.tw. Country-level mortality data are presented as crude and age-standardized rates. We used visualization methodologies and constructed an easily maintainable web-based user interface with cancer data from administrative regions in 150 countries. This serves as a platform that allows researchers to manage and disseminate cancer data.