Technology becomes a state-of-the-art tool when it gets exposed to a structure that constantly tests it and allows it to evolve. Getty Images
在医学史上，研究人员已经找到了许多疾病的治疗方法，但癌症一直难以捉摸。关于这种疾病的最早记载可以在几千年前的期刊中找到。与癌症的斗争由来已久，而且仍在进行中。在同一时期，在不断发展的技术帮助下，许多流行病变成了容易治疗的疾病。肺结核、伤寒和疟疾是一些曾经致命的疾病，它们在医生手中已经从以前的歌利亚那样的存在变成了木偶一样的结构。但癌症仍然令人畏惧地存在着。
What bewilders researchers is the nature ofcancer. It attacks a point and then creeps into other parts to cast its spell. The pattern is familiar, but the impact and the ways of affecting are not. It is not the same in two different patients. So, one solution would never work for all patients. That is why close monitoring and timely treatment are needed. Modern technologies are providing researchers ample opportunities to build an architecture where diverse sectors would be interconnected with a platform. The platform would hold all the information regarding treatment procedure, patient schedule and others. So, the workflow remains seamless. This is known as theoncology information system(OIS).
The system has now turned more patient-centric. And, its success is evident from the funding this segment is receiving to innovate and transform the old models.
The OIS System Gains Momentum
Cancer treatment is often a marathon-like process. No one expects it to be a quick treatment as the disease keeps putting on different facades and asks for constant attention. To keep up with it, a few things are needed — for instance, early diagnosis and then constant monitoring. In an expert stroke, the healthcare IT software providers introduced detailedOIS它可以集成多个东西，比如全面的信息和图像管理解决方案。这种集成可以简化将所有患者数据(包括治疗时间表、治疗分娩、治疗计划和治疗摘要)放在一个位置的过程。进一步整合了放射科与医疗企业之间的沟通。
OIMS Strives to Reach Full Potential
Technology becomes a state-of-the-art tool when it gets exposed to a structure that constantly tests it and allows it to evolve. It is almost impossible to plan everything beforehand or foresee all the puzzling issues that might jeopardize the process. It is the same with the oncology information system. In its attempt to become customer-centric, the tool can encounter several obstacles. For instance, difficulties in the integration ofelectronic medical records(EMR), minimal interference from vendors, lack of customization opportunities and others are some of the fundamental flaws.
技术方面需要特别注意。但疾病发展速度的不断变化也给它的更新带来了麻烦。同步并不总是和谐的。同时，在这个过程中有多个参与者，他们的系统设计常常很糟糕，无法顺利协作。不断更新相关软件会要求增加投资，这有时会让管理层束手无策。
The Promise of OIS
寻找不同的技术进行协作并相互帮助以获得良好的表现，这总是令人着迷的。肿瘤学信息系统采用基于网络的技术来提高性能和控制成本显示出进步的迹象。Varian的360肿瘤学、RaySearch Laboratories的RayCare OIS和其他公司正在探索这些技术的机会。
Artificial intelligence(AI) is proving beneficial in the healthcare sector. For instance, DeepMind and Google Health are planning to launch a new AI that would detect breast cancer at an early stage. This depends on an algorithm the companies have developed based on the sample images they have scanned. The result is quite promising as it could provide fewer errors than a radiologist.
But it is not stopping there. Analysts from the Institute of Cancer Research in London (ICR) and the University of Edinburgh have found a way to identify the growth pattern of cancer and predict various stages to promote better treatment procedures effectively. In fact, their study has shown some successes in finding the proper mutation of the tumor.
The next step is to provide treatment recommendations and AI is not lagging behind. Pfizer’s collaboration with IBM Watson is using Watson’s AI cognitive ability to look at a patient’s information and predict the outcome of various treatments.
Oncology information systems are fast becoming a part of the healthcare system that has its foundation in an intelligence-driven process. It is evident from the integration of Mosaiq’s oncology information system into Mosaiq’s Plaza. The latter’s alliance with Elekta radiotherapy systems is showing how effective oncology information systems are becoming.
OIS Market Predictions
全球市场参与者都认为OIS市场前景光明。这一点从中国的Hedy集团与Elekta癌症治疗系统(包括广受好评的Mosaiq肿瘤信息系统和服务)签署协议就可以看出。另一方面，Elekta宣布与Jules Bordet研究所达成协议，后者计划投资Versa HD直线加速器(linacs)、Elekta Unity mr直线加速器系统以及Elekta Infinity直线加速器的改进。这不仅让癌症研究人员感到兴奋，也将影响肿瘤信息系统在未来几年的表现。Provision Healthcare计划与RaySearch公司的RayCare公司合作，改进质子治疗中心，这是朝着成功同步RayStation、RayCare和ProNova交付系统的方向迈出的一步。
The competition to the top of the league is a promising sign for OIS. On one hand, it is ensuring the influx of funds for better research and developments. On the other, cancer research is going in new directions through effective communications between patients and service providers.
Reshu Gupta is senior web executive atMarket Research Future(MRFR).
General reference:Oncology Information Systems Market Research Report – Global Forecast till 2023. Market Research Future. April 2020.https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/oncology-information-systems-market-7080.Accessed April 13, 2020.
August 10, 2022
