The cancer data library will cover not only text-centered data but also other types of data, including videos, images and genome data. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea announced a plan to establish a national cancer data library by collecting a comprehensive range of medical information on domestic cancer patients, including records of their medical treatment and examination before being diagnosed with cancer and their prognosis after being diagnosed with cancer.
The national cancer data center will be used to promote research on prevention and treatment of cancer.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that it will establish a big data system covering the records of medical treatment and examination for about 3 million cancer patients suffering from ten major cancer types.
This move is the first step to establish a comprehensive range of medical data systems specialized in cancer, cardio-cerebrovascular disease and respiratory disease, the three major causes of death for South Koreans.
Unlike in the past when medical records focused on the after-cancer period, the ministry plans to expand the range of such records to the pre-cancer period and the entire life span of the patients.
The cancer data library will cover not only text-centered data but also other types of data, including videos, images and genome data.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
