IBM Watson is teaming up with Quest Diagnostics to launch Watson Genomics from Quest Diagnostics, a gene sequencing and Watson diagnostic analysis service to help oncologists deliver precision medicine to their patients. Together with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), the service will provide a personalized tumor analysis of a patient’s sequenced genomic tumor that is supported by clinical evidence.
As part of the precision medicine partnership, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard cancer research centers will provide genome sequencing capabilities. The service is expected to be available nationwide to physicians and patients.
How It Works
After a patient’s tumor is sequenced by Quest Diagnostics, Watson analyzes the genetic alterations found to help identify potentially treatable mutations. This includes
locating relevant information from free text unstructured data, which has historically required an in-depth manual curation by a team of experts.
Watson Genomics from Quest Diagnostics® recommends unbiased, evidence-based approaches based on a detailed view of the tumor’s mutations, scientific journals, and MSK’s OncoKB, a precision oncology knowledge base to help inform precision treatment options for cancer patients.
For oncologists, the comparison of literature that may typically take medical experts weeks to prepare can now be completed in significantly less time and can help patients and cancer care teams feel more confident regarding their care plan. This may also help reduce treatment switching and can help identify clinical trials for which the patient may be eligible based on the tumor’s genetic landscape.
“Through this collaboration with the cancer community’s leading clinical and pathology experts, thousands of more patients can potentially benefit from the world’s growing body of knowledge about this disease,” said IBM Research and Cognitive Solutions senior vice president John Kelly in a statement.
