CARENET–A Clinical Analysis and Reporting Enhancement Network
Session Number
Project ID: CMPS 28
Advisor(s)
Theresa L. Walunas, PhD, Northwestern University
Discipline
Computer Science
Start Date
17-4-2024 9:20 AM
End Date
17-4-2024 9:35 AM
Abstract
In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)–developed primarily from the knowledge of T-cell immunoreceptor (TCR) signaling–have revolutionized the treatment of various cancers, offering newfound hope to patients. However, their usage is associated with a considerable incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). While ICI-induced blockage of TCR inhibitory signaling pathways can successfully bolster anti-tumor immune response, it remains that as much as 40% of patients suffer irAEs in some capacity during treatment. These adverse effects range from manageable conditions like gastrointestinal irregularity to severe, life-threatening complications such as colitis and pneumonitis. With the delay of immunotherapy occurring in up to 73% of patients as a result of irAEs, accurate phenotyping and early detection of these adverse effects are critical for timely intervention. To rise to this pursuit, we introduce the Clinical Analysis and Reporting Enhancement Network, or CARENET. A HIPAA-compliant proactive monitoring aid in clinical environments, CARENET utilizes advancements in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and knowledge representation to provide electronic health record (EHR) data-driven insights for commencing or in-progress ICI treatments. By utilizing vast repositories of data and providing answers to practitioner inquiries via powerful, detailed human-computer interaction (HCI), CARENET improves patient outcomes by enabling faster, more informed clinical treatment decisions.
CARENET–A Clinical Analysis and Reporting Enhancement Network
In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)–developed primarily from the knowledge of T-cell immunoreceptor (TCR) signaling–have revolutionized the treatment of various cancers, offering newfound hope to patients. However, their usage is associated with a considerable incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). While ICI-induced blockage of TCR inhibitory signaling pathways can successfully bolster anti-tumor immune response, it remains that as much as 40% of patients suffer irAEs in some capacity during treatment. These adverse effects range from manageable conditions like gastrointestinal irregularity to severe, life-threatening complications such as colitis and pneumonitis. With the delay of immunotherapy occurring in up to 73% of patients as a result of irAEs, accurate phenotyping and early detection of these adverse effects are critical for timely intervention. To rise to this pursuit, we introduce the Clinical Analysis and Reporting Enhancement Network, or CARENET. A HIPAA-compliant proactive monitoring aid in clinical environments, CARENET utilizes advancements in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and knowledge representation to provide electronic health record (EHR) data-driven insights for commencing or in-progress ICI treatments. By utilizing vast repositories of data and providing answers to practitioner inquiries via powerful, detailed human-computer interaction (HCI), CARENET improves patient outcomes by enabling faster, more informed clinical treatment decisions.