Hematology enters a new era: using algorithms based on artificial intelligence, able to analyze millions of clinical, molecular and genetic data of patients in record time, they could allow more precise diagnosis and prognosis and to rewrite the ways in which the clinician manages case by case, choosing the most suitable therapies more quickly, with greater chances of the patient’s recovery.
This is the promise that comes from the use of artificial intelligence in hematology, which will make it possible to personalize the therapy for blood cancers, many and different from the genetic point of view, even for patients affected by the same neoplasm. With this goal, the Philadelphia University project was born, organized by the National Academy of Medicine (AccMed), with the non-conditioning contribution of Novartis, with a cycle of lessons just concluded on the topic “AI and big data in hematology”, starting from clinical data in the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and myeloproliferative neoplasms. The project makes use of a scientific board composed of excellence in the haematological field, including Francesco Passamonti, Massimo Breccia, Gianantonio Rosti, Giuseppe Saglio and Alessandro Maria Vannucchi supported by experts such as professors Luca Mainardi e Pietro Cerveri of the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering of the Politecnico di Milano.
“In blood cancers there are many different genetic variants and the molecular profile of the disease of the individual patient plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and choice of therapies – explain prof. Passamonti of the University of Insubria and prof. Breccia di Sapienza University of Rome – The digitization of clinical data has produced an unprecedented mass of information that, thanks to the applications of artificial intelligence, can be analyzed even in a few hours, allowing you to choose the best treatment and the useful drug rather than another one to avoid. A further decisive step towards precision medicine capable of obtaining ever greater responses in better defined patients.
To give an example, one of the projects on AI and Big Data that also involves Italy is HARMONY – Healthcare Alliance for Resourceful Medicines Offensive against Neoplasms in Hematology: si tratta of an European project, that aims to improve the care of patients with important haematological diseases in order to achieve a faster management of the decision-making process it’s a improvement of prognosis and treatments.
Another European project, which has just started, is “Genomed4all”, Genomics and Personalized Medicine for all though Artificial Intelligence in Haematological Diseases. GENOMED4ALL will make use of existing infrastructures and superbrains starting from 10 clinical registers such as the ERN-EuroBloodNet network has the aim of enhancing the benefits of Artificial Intelligence technologies allowing to increase knowledge to support clinical research, connecting European databases on hematological diseases.
“Italy is committed on several fronts concerning the use of new technologies in hematology: the stakes are very high because on the horizon there is a new way of treating blood cancers in a truly tailor-made way – underline Passamonti and Breccia –
Our country aspires to become an international point of reference for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, with maximum training and clinical experience also supported by new transversal skills that open a new era in the management of these diseases “conclude the experts.