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Innovation

IBM launches Clinical Genomics, cancer analytics platform

The biomedical platform, dubbed Clinical Genomics, aims to deliver personalized treatments for a wide range of long-term health issues.
Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor

IBM on Thursday launched an analytics platform designed to offer personalized treatments for cancer patients.

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A look at IBM

The biomedical platform, dubbed Clinical Genomics, aims to deliver personalized treatments for a wide range of long-term health issues including cancer, hypertension and AIDS care. IBM's analytics effort was a collaboration with Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, a cancer research and treatment center in Italy.

Big Blue's research and services units often collaborate with companies and institutions to develop new platforms that can be used in other verticals. IBM has also pushed heavily into healthcare and has been adapting its Watson system for use in hospitals. IBM said that Clinical Genomics uses some of the natural language processing and machine learning found in Watson, but is designed to complement the Jeopardy star in a healthcare setting.

According to IBM, the platform will deliver personalized treatment recommendations based on an automated interpretation of pathology guidelines as well as cases documented in hospital information systems. The recommendations are based on data as well as characteristics ranging from genetic profile to weight and family history.

Clinical Genomics was developed by IBM researchers in Haifa, Israel and combines personal health history with an analysis of guidelines and past cases. For instance, Clinical Genomics found that more aggressive treatments were given to women than men who are sick with the same issue. The system also found that geriatric patients often do better with no treatment for certain diseases.

The system offers an outline of how patient care will develop and provide physicians with the most efficient treatments. Hospital administrators get a report on aggregated patient care.

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This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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