Table 1

 Baseline characteristics of women in derivation and validation cohorts used to determine algorithm for identification of those with ovarian cancer. Patients were free from diagnosis of ovarian cancer at baseline. Figures are numbers (percentages) unless otherwise specified

Derivation cohort (n=1 158 723)Validation cohort (n=608 862)
Mean (SD) age (years)51 (15.5)50.9 (15.4)
Mean (SD) Townsend score (deprivation)−0.4 (3.3)−0.2 (3.5)
BMI recorded before study entry956 594 (82.6)512 388 (84.2)
Mean (SD) BMI26.1 (5.0)26.2 (5.0)
Smoking status:
 Non-smoker666 968 (57.6)348 702 (57.3)
 Ex-smoker190 871 (16.5)102 369 (16.8)
 Current smoker (number not recorded)25 634 (2.2)14 067 (2.3)
 Light smoker (<10/day)63 092 (5.4)33 721 (5.5)
 Moderate smoker (10-19/day)88 433 (7.6)47 486 (7.8)
 Heavy smoker (≥20 day)53 408 (4.6)29 228 (4.8)
 Not recorded70 317 (6.1)33 289 (5.5)
Alcohol status:
 None329 078 (28.4)176 830 (29.0)
 Trivial (<1 unit/day)381 599 (32.9)207 388 (34.1)
 Light (1-2 units/day)196 164 (16.9)100 966 (16.6)
 Moderate or heavy (≥3 units/day)28 396 (2.5)14 740 (2.4)
 Not recorded223 486 (19.3)108 938 (17.9)
Medical history:
 Previous cancer apart from ovarian cancer29 333 (2.5)15 404 (2.5)
 Family history of ovarian cancer1991 (0.2)1297 (0.2)
Current symptoms:
 Abdominal pain132 576 (11.4)73 674 (12.1)
 Abdominal distension5140 (0.4)3185 (0.5)
 Appetite loss5920 (0.5)3176 (0.5)
 Rectal bleeding25 274 (2.2)13 988 (2.3)
 Postmenopausal bleeding18 244 (1.6)10 285 (1.7)
 Weight loss13 858 (1.2)7725 (1.3)
Symptoms in preceding year:
 Constipation9081 (0.8)5138 (0.8)
 Diarrhoea12 259 (1.1)6858 (1.1)
 Tiredness15 265 (1.3)8608 (1.4)
 Urinary frequency931 (0.1)745 (0.1)
 Haemoglobin recorded242 535 (20.9)130 067 (21.4)
 Haemoglobin <110 g/L23 589 (2.0)12 894 (2.1)