Causal Computer Models to Accelerate Work of Swedish Cancer Institute’s Molecular Tumor Board
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SEATTLE, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Leading precision medicine company GNS Healthcare (GNS) and the Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) today announced a machine learning collaboration to strengthen, accelerate, and potentially expand the delivery of precision medicine in breast cancer care.
“Few oncologists today have the complete training or time necessary to decipher complex results of a tumor’s biologic fingerprint. GNS’ REFS-generated models will streamline this process and enhance our PMRP’s work to support providers and their patients with treatment recommendations,” said Thomas Brown, MD, Executive Director of the Swedish Cancer Institute. “This unique collaboration is intended to facilitate the practice of personalized, i.e. precision, medicine at the SCI, increasing access of this important resource to our patients, while allowing our doctors to remain patient-focused.”
Dr. Henry Kaplan, Head of Breast Medical Oncology, and Principal Investigator of the Breast Cancer Research Registry, emphasized that “this project has the potential to optimize use of genomic information in the care of our breast cancer patients, to include through our SCI Molecular Tumor Board.”
“SCI is a clear trailblazer in precision medicine, and we are honored to be collaborating on this effort that not only brings great value to SCI patients and providers, but also demonstrates how to leverage technology to scale the delivery of precision medicine,” said Iya Khalil, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of GNS. “This collaboration is the first of its kind in establishing an enhanced precision medicine capability and holistic disease understanding.”
By automating the process of connecting cancer patients with their most effective treatment, the GNS-SCI collaboration demonstrates a framework for scaling precision medicine initiatives. The approach makes it possible to generate the data needed by healthcare payers to prove the value of precision medicine, an outcome that would bring clarity to reimbursement decisions and expand access to life-saving treatments and better outcomes for patients. It brings the practice of precision medicine within reach for more providers and makes its promise a reality for a greater number of patients, their caregivers and families. In addition, the effort announced today sets the stage for a more expansive program capable of making discoveries that can deliver value for a range of healthcare stakeholders in the future.
About Swedish Cancer Institute
The Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) opened in 1932 as the first dedicated cancer-care center west of the Mississippi. Now in its 75th year, it is the largest and most comprehensive cancer treatment program in the Pacific Northwest. A true multidisciplinary program, SCI offers a wide range of advanced cancer-treatment options in chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery – backed by extensive diagnostic capabilities, patient education and support-group services. SCI’s clinical-research arm encompasses industry-sponsored and cooperative group therapeutic trials, cancer screening and prevention trials, and investigator-initiated trials. Breast-cancer screening and diagnostics are available through the Swedish Breast Care Centers and mobile mammography units. For more information, visit www.swedish.org
About GNS Healthcare
GNS Healthcare solves healthcare’s matching problem for leading health plans, biopharma companies, and health systems. We transform massive and diverse data streams to precisely match therapeutics, procedures, and care management interventions to individuals, improving health outcomes and saving billions of dollars. Our causal learning and simulation platform, REFS, accelerates the discovery of what works for whom and why. www.gnshealthcare.com
Media Contacts
GNS Healthcare
Patty Kellicker
VP, Marketing
pkellicker@gnshealthcare.com
Swedish Cancer Institute
Karrie Spitzer
Swedish Communications
karrie.spitzer@swedish.org
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