Interview
Meng Chen, Ph.D.
Deputy Director of National Cancer Data Center, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College
Follow your heart, strive towards excellency
As a cancer patient’s family, Meng Chen witnessed the poise and professionalism of oncologists when she was a teenager. The experience kindled her curiosity for cancer research, a field she has been studying for 20 years now — with the help of big data. Chen is leading big data research at the Chinese Academy of Medical Science to build a national cancer clinical database for data analysis and sharing. Her work can better inform policy decisions, healthcare management, and pharmaceutical research in the future.
When Meng Chen was in junior high school, a family member was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and, fortunately, defeated the cancer after surgery and chemotherapy. The professionalism and dedication of the doctors that she witnessed had a deep impression on her. It also introduced cancer-related questions into her life.
“Why do people get cancer?”
“What is the pathological result, how should we treat it, and with what medicine?”
“How about the five-year survival rate…”
Her curiosity about the pathogenesis of cancer and the determination to defeat cancer for the sake of the patient became the driving force in her future work.
Meng kept thinking about these questions, which set her on the path of cancer research. Her curiosity about the pathogenesis of cancer and the determination to defeat cancer for the sake of the patient became the driving force in her future work. “I have deeply experienced how painful and far-reaching the impact of cancer can be on patients and their families. I hope that through my efforts, I can find practical methods for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,” she says, following her heart and striving towards excellence.
After more than 20 years of study and research, in which Meng engaged in cutting-edge big data cancer research at top cancer hospitals across China and the United States, she is approaching her goals, step by step.
Challenging emerging fields and establishing a national cancer database
Big data cancer research is an emerging field, which collects, transforms, and leverages data from cancer hospitals to reveal patterns or build models for assisting clinical decision-making. The method can improve the accuracy of malignant tumor diagnosis, standardize the diagnosis and treatment process, strengthen patient management, promote precision medicine development, and optimize cancer prevention and control. It also provides a digital infrastructure for clinical medicine research and national public health management.
As the deputy director of the National Cancer Data Center of the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Meng focuses on organizing and promoting the “National Cancer Data Center and Cancer Big Data Platform,” a major project from the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Health Commission, also called “One Database, One Network.” This project aims to build a nationwide remote collaboration network that aggregates clinical data from the National Cancer Center, 30 provincial cancer hospitals, 128 cancer-specialized hospitals, and more than 1,000 cancer clinics from general hospitals. The goal is to create high-value oncology data resources for accessibility and interoperability in China.
“The accumulation of a large amount of data does not equal big data. The development and utilization of big data relies on having a high-quality database…”
“I have been doing cancer epidemiological research since 2006. It has been always difficult to obtain data, and the data collected was often either incomplete or poor quality. These are the most common obstacles encountered in data science,” says Meng. Since then, she realized that it’s essential to have a high-quality database for clinical research. “The accumulation of a large amount of data does not equal big data. The development and utilization of big data relies on having a high-quality database, which is manifested in its standardization, real-time operation, traceability, and the ability to update continuously. These are the qualities required to reflect the current clinical practice and ensure the reproducibility of biomedical research.” Meng takes the ASCO Cancer Learning Intelligence Network for Quality (CancerLinQ) as an example to illustrate the importance and feasibility of real-time support for clinical decision-making. “We have recently conducted in-depth discussions with many well-known companies on how to accomplish real-time operation with big data. Moving data processing ahead to the hospital side where the data were produced could be a potential alternative to achieve T+1 and T+0 goals.”
Steering research direction to break through research barriers
Before joining the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Meng studied and worked at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in the United States for 10 years. As a cancer molecular epidemiologist, she focused on identifying and validating biomarkers for bladder cancer and kidney cancer. Her research won her several international awards including four scholar-in-training awards from American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) from 2008 to 2011. In 2012, Meng became the youngest faculty at the Department of Epidemiology of MD Anderson Cancer Center. She also won a CPRIT Innovation Fellowship by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) and a special fellowship for junior faculty from the Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention.
Meng wasn’t satisfied with these achievements. Although she worked at the top-ranked cancer center in the United States, Meng often stumbled in research because she “couldn’t get the data to do the research I wanted to.” Intending to conduct translational research, she joined the Department of Laboratory Medicine at MD Anderson and received the COMACC-certified clinical chemistry training for lab director. Meng went through residency rotations at six world-famous hospitals (Methodist Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, St. Luke, Ben Taub, VA Hospital, and MD Anderson Cancer Center) in Texas Medical Center in Houston. During her training, Meng got to know hospital information systems, such as HIS and LIS, and participated in clinical trials. “I was responsible for the data collection and analysis for high-sensitivity troponin T to detect myocardial toxicity caused by chemotherapy. The method was later approved by the FDA and currently is the gold standard for myocardial infarction diagnosis, which can quickly save patients’ lives. I thought that was really meaningful,” she says. After her training ended in 2015, Meng worked as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Science at University of New Hampshire for three years. During that time, she trained numerous students and health professionals for partnering hospitals such as Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital while honing her skills to organize, coordinate, and integrate projects across institutions.
“Over my years abroad, what supported me is the curiosity about the unknown and pursuing my research. But I’ve always been homesick, and the sentiment grew stronger with time,” says Meng. “From being a student to an assistant professor, 16 years of experience abroad has given me a clear understanding of the prospects of my professional development.” My family is in China. If I can find an ideal job there, why wouldn’t I go home?” The Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences is undoubtedly her first choice. “It is the number one cancer hospital in China and has gained international recognition for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research. It is also a sister institute with MD Anderson Cancer Center, a professional counterpart. I hope to become a bridge between the Cancer Hospital and MD Anderson for international collaborations.”
She noted that China’s medical research had been rapidly growing in the past years. “My family is in China. If I can find an ideal job there, why wouldn’t I go home?” The Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences is undoubtedly her first choice. “It is the number one cancer hospital in China and has gained international recognition for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research. It is also a sister institute with MD Anderson Cancer Center, a professional counterpart. I hope to become a bridge between the Cancer Hospital and MD Anderson for international collaborations.”
Cultivating standards informed oncology data ecosystem
“Big data in cancer belongs to the field of medical information, but it also requires multidisciplinary knowledge. My background in epidemiology and clinical experiences gave me an advantage,” says Meng. In 2019, Meng joined the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
The Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has been gathering experience and meticulously planning for many years to welcome the arrival of big data. From China’s first cancer registration site initiated in 1959 to the establishment of the National Cancer Center under Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the center has been responsible for the whole nation’s cancer registry. Recently, the “National Cancer Data Center” officially launched. The Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences spent 15 years building a solid infrastructure in the field of clinical big data on cancer. “I see the hope of solving the two problems that have troubled the data science field—the difficulties in obtaining data and the barriers to applying it clinically. In China, there is a cancer collaboration network and government policy support, which bring all sectors of cancer community together. The findings can have an impact on the nation through macro-management, policy formulation, resource allocation, performance evaluation, and more.”
Looking back on the past two years of experience, Meng appreciates this better opportunity after returning to China. “Our department was just approved as the National Cancer Data Center, which is a milestone of the National Cancer Center in the leveraging of big data in medicine. I can foresee its bright future prosperously.”
Looking at the next 10 years, “Big data in medicine is no longer optional, but instead is an important pillar of the whole industry. It may be a gradual process, and we’re still in the early stage where different entities are investing efforts in planning strategies and redistributing data assets. Once the foundation is set, the medical industry may experience a lot of new growth,” says Meng.
“Learning from other countries’ experience of big data research and development, there are a variety of cancer-related data and databases from institutions at all levels now. However, a national standard for cancer data that keeps pace with the times and has clinicians’ support is needed urgently.
“Collaborations among the government, industries, and academia can drive the national standards for clinical data on cancer, which will in turn impact the fields of national public health management, clinical practice, and pharmaceutical research profoundly. The high-quality standards will improve China’s cancer care in clinical settings, translate cancer research to clinical applications, and provide better support and service in public policies,” says Meng.
With such a grand vision, more challenges are coming Meng’s way. “The technology for big data application based on artificial intelligence is yet to be developed. The balance of development and data security, ethics, and regulations are all vital elements to consider for building a healthy ecosystem for cancer big data applications,” she says.
“I have received a lot of support, thanks to the national policies, the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the talent recruitment projects in Beijing, such as the Phoenix Project, and funding supports,” says Meng.
The yearning to cure cancer and the pursuit of research drove Meng forward. Today, she has grown into a crucial asset to the National Cancer Data Center. Whether it’s fate or serendipity, Meng carries the momentum, exploring knowledge and striving towards excellence.
