HUMANITAS LAUNCHES DIGITAL TWIN PROJECT FOR PERSONALIZED ONCOLOGY
Humanitas IRCCS and Humanitas University have secured a €3 million grant from Italy’s Ministry of University and Research to launch their Digital Twin project, an innovative initiative aimed at revolutionizing care for rare tumors and, eventually, all cancer types. This cutting-edge effort follows the center’s status as Italy’s first hospital to establish an integrated AI Center, and is led by Prof. Matteo Della Porta, head of Leukemia research.
Rare cancers—those affecting fewer than 6 people per 100,000 annually—make up approximately 25% of all neoplasms. Their scarcity of data and limited clinical studies demand new strategies. The Digital Twin project employs patient-specific avatars created from multimodal data (clinical records, genomics, imaging, treatments, outcomes) to simulate disease progression and predict treatment responses, with particular focus on leukemias and myelodysplasias in its prototype phase. Plans include extending its use to solid tumors in later stages.
What makes this innovative:
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AI-generated patient avatars enable virtual testing of therapeutic scenarios and treatment personalization.
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The project builds on existing European collaborations in hematology and AI, including GenoMed4All and initiatives supported by GIMEMA.
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Adoption of generative AI deepens model sophistication, while prototyping is scheduled over the next two years, followed by validation and regulatory certification phases.
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Collaboration between physicians, engineers, and data scientists ensures robust, real-world applicability.
Why this matters for medical tourists:
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Precision oncology: Patients gain access to an advanced clinical environment leveraging virtual models to optimize care.
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Tailored treatment decisions: Clinicians use simulation outputs from digital twins to select the most effective therapies.
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Frontline innovation: Participants join a center advancing oncology through AI-supported tools.
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Collaborative expertise: Research-driven care combines clinical mastery with technological innovation.
As Humanitas pioneers the use of digital twins in oncology, international patients have the opportunity to benefit from data-informed treatment planning, especially for rare cancers. For those considering advanced cancer care in Italy, we facilitate contact with Humanitas specialists, access to the Digital Twin programme, and full guidance through your medical journey.
References: Humanitas News
Humanitas is a highly specialized teaching and research hospital.
It combines specialized centers for the treatment of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, neurological and orthopedic disorders, as well as an Ophthalmology Centre and a Fertility Center. 118 Operation Theatres, 110,000 Annual surgeries, 3,400 Physicians, 190,000 Annual Inpatient Admissions, 14,000,000 Annual Outpatient Visits.
Humanitas also operates a highly specialized Emergency Department.
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The International Department of Humanitas Research Hospital has helped over 20.000 people from over 150 nations to receive exceptional medical care, offered by world-level doctors that use state-of-the-art technology and follow the latest care protocols. The goal of the Department is to ensure that international patients have comfortable and stress-free stay at our Hospital. To this end, we offer continued organizational, language, and psychological support and provide interpreters, night nurses, remote 24h translation services, medical reports in patients’ native languages, and other services, which facilitate our patients’ treatment and recovery.
Note, that Humanitas Research Hospital holds contractual provider agreements with numerous international insurance companies. Therefore, if you have a medical plan with one of these insurers, you can receive medical care at Humanitas without bearing the cost, by letting your insurer cover the expenses.
Humanitas International Department is the reference point for non-Italian patients throughout the entire course of treatment, acting as your care tutor.
