A ray of hope is shining on cancer research, and it is coming from Big Data. This umbrella concept, more common in the technology sector is making its way into other industries, including healthcare, through its applications. The idea behind Big Data is that by analyzing vast volumes of information like medical records, lab tests, and even DNA information, it is possible to detect patterns. To be of any use, these patterns should be unique to each type of cancer, like a signature. So far, doctors look at symptoms and work to identify the cause; now they are aiming to get a tissue sample, analyze it and look for signatures by comparing results with an existing, ever-growing database.
Why is mesothelioma frightening?
Cancer, in general, is one of the most chilling words. It is associated with painful treatments, a significant decrease of if the quality of life and even a gloomy perspective on surviving. To make matters worse, mesothelioma is considered a particularly aggressive type of cancer. The tumor affects the lining of internal organs, for example, the pleura that surrounds the lungs. It is believed that the cause is the exposure to asbestos.
The survival rates of mesothelioma, although improving in the last few years, are drastic for the pleural type (12%) but significantly higher (65%) for the peritoneal type. Yet, on average, the 5-year survival rate after the diagnosis is only about 9%. The problem is that the diagnosis is usually given in the very late stages and the treatment is mostly palliative.
Personalized medicine
With the introduction of Big Data as a healthcare tool, a paradigm shift is about to happen in the form of individualized healthcare. Currently, a diagnosis is issued based on symptoms, medical history, lab tests and, most importantly, general assumptions. In personalized medicine, the diagnosis will be based on the genetic analysis, thus more targeted and precise.
A potential obstacle to this meticulous approach is the large volume of information that needs to be processed. Just studying the genome of a single tumor takes impressive computing power. To overcome this problem, there are numerous initiatives like the Collaborative Cancer Cloud (CCC) whose goal is to minimize the time between the biopsy and the treatment to as little as one day or less.
Another solution is crowdsourcing computational power, something already happening through the DreamLab app. This piece of software lends the computing power of each device on which it is installed to a cloud to be used for computing the genome of cancerous cells, thus shortening the time it takes to process the information and reducing costs for research. The best part is that it only functions during the night, when the device is inactive, so you just need a mobile device to help fight cancer.
The QUILT initiative
If the genome of each cancer type is mapped correctly, this opens the door for less invasive treatments and gives immunotherapy a chance. With a clear understanding of which gene is responsible for the erratic behavior of cancer cells, new therapies are possible. It could be as simple as a vaccine or as a pill that helps the body’s natural immune system to target only the affected cells.
The project aiming to develop such a vaccine is known as the QUILT (Quantitative Integrative Lifelong Trial) and is set on the ambitious goal of creating tailored immunotherapy for each tumor signature. It aims to do this by analyzing over 100,000 patients and aggregating data.
If the project is successful, this could mean the elimination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and returning to a more natural approach, using the body’s own defense mechanisms to defeat cancer.
Expected outcomes
So far, traditional treatment methods are not so efficient. For example, a recent article on survivingmesothelioma.com discussing advances made by Japanese scientists shows that surgery alone is not enough to increase survival chances for patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma.
The problem is that usually in these cases, an extension of the original tumor appears in the first two years after the surgery and aggressive additional intervention is needed, either through chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Stop invasive treatment
For mesothelioma, it is not only that the tumor can reappear, but the procedure itself can make the patient feel weakened and shorten their expected survival rate. By receiving an accurate diagnosis, as early as possible, the need for chemotherapy and radiation therapy are reduced.
Since cancer is triggered by changes in DNA, it makes more sense to focus on projects like Cancer Genomics which aim to decode the mutations which occur in cells. The long-term goal is to stop or reverse these with appropriate drugs.
Help cure rare cancers
The methods used to create immunotherapy treatments are not specific only to one type of cancer, which makes them valuable for rare conditions like mesothelioma. Although only between 2-10% of people with substantial exposure to asbestos will develop this disease, it doesn’t make it less critical. Yet, with traditional approaches, it would not get the necessary funding or exposure. With the help of Big Data, this type will just be classified along with the others, giving patients an equal chance to a personalized treatment.
Target mesothelioma
Around 3000 people are diagnosed each year in the US, most of whom are old, and not acquainted with the latest options offered by clinical trials. Given the low survival rates, most of them would be willing to try any treatment. These people are essential to help the research advance since they hold both the information about the disease and the history of failed procedures and should be encouraged to enroll in such programs.
Cancer Moonshot 2020
The only way cancer knowledge will grow is a close collaboration between the stakeholders: patients, doctors, researchers and organizations offering to fund. The Moonshot initiative is all about enhancing this cooperation and relies on Big Data for success. It is an initiative open to the public and looking for new ideas and even giving hope to patients is a step forward.
