Moffitt Cancer Center and IBM Collaborate to Screen At-Risk Patients and Streamline Clinical Trial Recruitment
Tampa, FL (Feb 19, 2004) - The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute and IBM are collaborating on a new disease-management system designed to help researchers and clinicians speed cancer screening and diagnosis. The system will help identify patients at risk and potential clinical trial participants more rapidly.
One component of the collaboration will be the development of a new clinical research data warehouse as part of Moffitt’s comprehensive cancer care program. This system will integrate data from more than 30 disparate databases throughout the hospital and research center, thus centralizing clinical and research data platforms into a patient-centered model.
In keeping with the total cancer care vision at Moffitt, the system will have both a cancer research and cancer screening component. The initial goal will be to centrally house lung cancer data to offer Moffitt physicians and researchers and their affiliate hospitals a single data repository to help foster better collaboration and, ultimately, better patient care.
The project will provide an integrated research platform to focus on the identification of specific molecular and genetic markers that will predict the risk level of developing lung cancer, response to treatment, as well as the ultimate patient outcome. Building upon this model, Moffitt and IBM will work together to incorporate other cancer data, including myeloma and breast cancer. Additionally, other research, including functional genomics, proteomics, gene expression analyses, drug discovery and cell therapies, will be integrated into the system in later stages.
Moffitt’s more than 280 physicians, 600 researchers and network of 13 affiliate hospitals throughout Florida have a unique “bench-to-bedside” approach to patient care. The clinical and research teams work closely together, sharing data, designing innovative clinical trials that take into account the latest findings and determining tailored treatment options for Moffitt patients.
In 2001, the National Cancer Institute awarded Moffitt the status of a Comprehensive Cancer Center in recognition of its excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country's leading cancer centers, and is listed in the U.S. News & World Report as one of the top cancer hospitals in America. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.
For more information, contact: Media Relations (813) 632-1478
