Digital technology and innovation are increasingly becoming the hottest trends in healthcare. The hype is largely reasonable, considering the major strides the field has made in recent years.
It is one of the most important areas where technology has made a real impact in the field of cancer care and treatment.
Among the most famous examples is IBM Watson, which has made great strides in the field of cancer. The Watson platform was developed with a broad vision to “bring together data, technology and knowledge to transform health.”
His initiatives in cancer are widespread and influential, including:
Diagnostic imaging solutions: “Medical imaging is critical to cancer care, and innovative imaging solutions can help clinicians scale care delivery and transform raw data into action vision. ”
Life Sciences Technology Solutions: “Unnecessary delays in clinical trials or poor protocol decisions can lead to the development of more expensive new treatments. IBM technology can help you manage the complexity of oncology tests while at the same time reducing test costs. ”
Search: “The complex nature of health data makes it difficult for human scientists alone to identify the best treatments for cancer patients. IBM Research has been exploring how AI systems can incorporate raw data and support oncologists in making decisions for their patients. “
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY – JANUARY 13: Overview of IBM ‘Watson’ computer system in press … [+]
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IBM is not the only one entering this field. Other companies have developed their own fields within the field of cancer care and oncology. Take for example Lantern Pharma, which describes itself as “an emerging clinical stage pharma, based on oncology, at the crossroads of Artificial Intelligence, Genomics, and Machine Learning [with a mission] to deliver accurate oncology treatments to the right cancer patients with significantly reduced costs and timelines. “The company recently went public, and is showcasing a potential medical pipeline, from treatments for prostate cancer to brain tumors.
In addition, the company describes the use of innovative technology to help achieve its therapeutic goals: “RADR, or R.esponse A.algorithm for D.Location rug & R.escue, Lantern’s integrated data analysis, experimental biology, biotechnology, and machine learning-based platform. RADR is mainly used to predict the possible response of patients to Lantern drugs and to other drugs that Lantern reviews and studies. RADR is also being used to help define and develop mixing strategies among drugs in development and those approved for a range of oncology symptoms. RADR uses transcription data, genomic data and drug sensitivity data from a wide range of stored sources that are constantly being reviewed, analyzed and updated. ”
Of course, time will tell how effective this technology is and how well the company can deliver its relatively young vision.
As an indication, there is another example of how technology treats cancer on diagnostics and imaging, particularly with the use of AI.
First lady Jill Biden (C) talks to Kim Thiboldeaux (L) Head of the Cancer Support Community, and … [+]
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In a National Cancer Institute study for cervical cancer, different diagnostic methods were tested for diagnosing pre-cancerous lesions over 60,000 cervical tumors. The conclusions were strong: automated visual evaluation using an in-depth, artificial learning method had been significantly more effective compared to visual inspection or pap smear studies of the same samples. Notably, in a scale where “1” represented perfect accuracy, the automated visual evaluation method received a score of .91, while visual inspection produced a score of .69, and a pap smear usage score of .71.
This is by no means that AI is the obvious solution to imaging, cancer diagnosis, or overall health care problems in general. Instead, it may be one way to increase patient care, in specific, targeted and well-documented areas.
That foundation largely applies to healthcare technology in general, whether in terms of cancer or in general. While technology can have a significant impact on healthcare, the knowledge base and clinical experience of trained medical professionals cannot be replaced, given the critical role of clinical judgment and the intangible factors of inter- patient operation in determining treatment plans. However, if technology can be used to address specific care needs, and can be developed in a way that is safe, secure, well-managed, and ultimately beneficial to patient care, it might be worth considering.
The content of this article is not intended to be and should not be relied upon or substituted for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment in any way, nor is it written or intended as such. This content is for informational and news purposes only. Consult a trained medical professional for medical advice.