title: The Cancer Informatics Infrastructure (CII): an architecture for translating clinical research into patient care.
abstract: Today, the clinical trial process remains slow and paper-based. The creation of a Cancer Informatics Infrastructure (CII) can provide the architectural base across the continuum of cancer research and cancer care. Recommendations of a Long Range Planning Committee identified near-term activities for the Office of Informatics at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). These include participating in national standards development; fostering oncology-related terminology and standards, e.g., Common Data Elements (CDEs); and leveraging mainstream informatics and Internet technologies, using the successful Internet model that focuses on facilitating stakeholder participation, sponsoring the CII rather than subsidizing it, and providing a test bed as well as an infrastructure. Diffusion tactics include extending the CII concept beyond its "early adopters" to the wider community through recommendations for the near-term and development of a major document defining next-phase activities.
authors.affiliation: Office of Informatics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA. Jc-silva-md@worldnet.att.net
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D012106:Research; D014481:United States