Cancer Informatics: Essential Technologies for Clinical Trials describes the National Cancer Institute¿s vision of a Cancer Informatics Infrastructure (CII). By exploiting the best that the Internet and information technology have to offer, the CII will facilitate clinical trials, for all who are involved, including the patient along with the myriad of health professionals involved in cancer trials. To bridge the chasm between discoveries and best clinical practices, the editors describe the CII and how it can function to expedite the clinical trial life cycle, facilitate faster and safer drug development, and make more appropriate treatment choices available to cancer patients. Presented in four comprehensive sections edited by leading experts, the book highlights: ¿ E-commerce ¿ Digital libraries ¿ Standards development ¿ Public health informatics ¿ Common data elements (CDEs) ¿ Clinical trials information systems ¿ Consumer education and support Cancer Informatics: Essential Technologies for Clinical Trials is an indispensable guide to clinical trials. Its contributors speak to oncologists and primary care physicians, as well as researchers, trial managers, administrators, informaticians, and consumers. Today, science is extending our knowledge of genes, proteins, and pathways, and pharmaceutical companies are developing more and more new therapies. In this rapidly changing world, the technologies that cancer informatics provides are essential to efforts to translate cancer research into cancer care, control, and, ultimately, prevention. John S. Silva, M.D., Center for Bioinformatics, National Cancer Institute Marion J. Ball, Ed.D., Vice President, Clinical Solutions, Healthlink, Inc.; Adjunct Professor, The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Christopher G. Chute, M.D., Dr.P.H., Professor of Medical Informatics, Head, Section of Medical Information Resources, Mayo Clinic Judith V. Douglas, M.A., M.H.S., formerly Associate, First Consulting Group Curtis P. Langlotz, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Radiology, Epidemiology, and Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvannia Joyce. C. Niland, Ph.D., Chair, Division of Information Sciences, Director, Department of Biostatistics, City of Hope National Medical Center William L. Scherlis, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University

Cancer Informatics chronicles the development of the National Cancer Institute's new Cancer Informatics Infrastructure (CII) - an information management system infrastructure designed to faciliate clinical trials, provide for reliable, secure information exchange, and improve patient care. The book details the challenges involved in creating and managing such a knowledge base, including technologies, standards, and current, state-of-the-art applications. The ultimate goal of CII is to function as an enabler of clinical trials, expediting the clinical trials lifecycle, faciliating faster and safer drug development and more appropriate treatment choices for cancer patients. Contributors address the role the CII must play in converting the growing knowledge of genes, proteins, and pathways into appropriate preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures. Presented in four sections, the first provides an overview of the processes involved in moving the infrastructure for cancer from theory into practice. Sections two through four offer the latest work done in the areas of technology, cancer-specific and national standards, and applications to faciliate clinical trials.