Introduction to Systems Approaches to Cancer

Abstract

Despite major advances in research into and treatment of cancer, there remain exceptional difficulties arising from the disease’s complexity and variability. These could be eased by integrated systems approaches to biology, bioinformatics and medicine. Such approaches have already proved successful in optimizing cancer-related research and clinical applications, building upon existing practice. In particular, they enhance the quantitative basis of knowledge and decisions; organize information in more accessible and applicable ways; extend understanding of complicated biological interactions; and provide numerical test beds for planning and implementing biomarker and drug development and treatment strategies.