Five things big data can do in cancer research

1. Help guide the use of cancer drugs that have been passed

Although clinical trials provide doctors with useful information on how many drugs work, only about 2% of cancer patients are involved in clinical trials. In fact, tens of thousands of patients undergo diagnosis and treatment every day. This means that we can actually get a lot of important data to help doctors and patients make better choices in the face of different treatment options and their possible outcomes.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology ASCO initiated the establishment of a database: CancerLinQ, designed to obtain this data. It provides doctors with real-time advice on how to treat their data. Scientists and doctors at American Gene Tektronix (Genentech) are excited to help ASCO develop a sound cancerlinq system.

2. Determine the prognosis of each patient treatment

Understanding the patient's prognosis can help the medical team determine the intensity of treatment for the patient's cancer and the measures to be taken after the tumour disappears. Big Data is predicting long-term results by analyzing massive amounts of information collected from a large number of different patients. For example, doctors can use this information to determine which patients should receive further treatment and which patients, because their cancer is unlikely to relapse, to avoid unnecessary treatment.

3. Helping to develop potential new targets for drug discovery

Sequencing large amounts of tumor DNA can help researchers understand some of the genetic changes associated with cancer. Scientists use this to help test potential new drugs that target certain genetic changes or driving factors associated with tumor growth. Big data can be obtained from preclinical trials and used to help with the choice of drugs or combinations of drugs to be put into research in human clinical trials.

4. Tackling large public health problems

Epidemiological studies of the causes and patterns of human diseases, including cancer. Before the big data age, smoking was found to be the most important cause of lung cancer. Big data can now help solve bigger problems in cancer research. The epidemiology of the New Age is based on the massive hospitalization records and genomic data to investigate the different cancers in different populations.

5. Allow patients to participate directly

Cancer patients can now participate directly in cancer research by providing data such as genes, medical records, and therapeutic effects. This information is used to build large research databases.

Five things big data can do in cancer research