Advances in biomedical informatics for the management of cancer

Increased access to health care, and advances in education and technology have resulted in a larger proportion of the population having longer life expectancy. The strong correlation between age and cancer has resulted in a major healthcare problem for this century, and until recently cancer has defied any long-lasting cure. However, progress, especially in the field of biomedical informatics, promises a successful prediction and possibly a permanent cure for cancer within the next two decades. Biomedical informatics-with its roots in computer science, biomedical engineering, biostatistics, and mathematics-helps to bring the patient closer to the physician, facilitates access to specialist information and knowledge bases across the world, and makes it possible to identify genetic expression profiles for malignant or cancerous cells. This paper reviews the new research findings in biomedical informatics, working toward the ultimate goal of successfully predicting cancer, solving complex problems in prevention and treatment of cancer, and perhaps completely curing the scourge of cancer.