A flagship collaborative programme to virtualize cancer
Prism is a revolutionary scientific project, an innovative structure and a programme supported by the French National Center for Precision Medicine in Oncology, accredited by the French National Research Agency. It aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer progression in individual patients. Its aim is twofold: to identify individualized therapeutic targets to block, and to predict the most difficult cancers at a very early stage, so as to treat them more effectively.
Every cancer is unique. Thanks to the modeling of biological mechanisms and advances in molecular medicine, it is now possible to identify specific targets. As a result, patients will benefit from the best treatments, personalized according to the aggressiveness and evolution of their cancer, and will be directed, if necessary, towards innovative therapies at a very early stage. This is the aim of the 2nd generation of precision medicine at Gustave Roussy, whose ambition is to provide ultra-personalized care.
A personalized, model-based approach to cancer
Prism is an unprecedented scientific project which aims to revolutionize our understanding of the biological and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of each cancer, by identifying the therapeutic targets to be blocked by drugs for each individual patient. The programme also aims to identify the best treatment and predict the risk of death in patients with difficult-to-treat cancers, so that innovative therapies can be introduced as soon as diagnosis is made, thanks to large-scale clinical trials proposed as far upstream as possible. The aim is to build a diagnostic test that models each patient's cancer and its evolution.
Several working groups have been set up in different fields: cancer evolution, sub-clones, immunology, creation of tumor cells outside the patient (organoids) and artificial intelligence. The aim is to converge on the creation of a virtual cancer, i.e. a set of mechanisms that cause the cancer visualized on screen to evolve.
Artificial intelligence, 3D technology and molecular biology to the rescue
Prism is based on a 4-stage work plan. Firstly, it uses computational methods to model cancer biology, and more specifically to identify the mechanisms of cancer progression, immune response, mutations and response to complex drugs. Organoids are then developed to model cancers. The third step is to identify patients at higher risk of death at an early stage, and to predict relapse using artificial intelligence. Finally, data is structured, secured and shared. Multidimensional molecular and biological analyses and new mathematical approaches are also needed to integrate and model the data.
Four clinical trials
Organotreat 01, working on modeling with organoids. Prism Portal is aimed at early detection of patients with poor prognosis at diagnosis. Prism-I aims to model the response to immunotherapy in breast cancer. STING has been launched to detect genome alterations. Nearly 28 researchers are involved in this programme.
The aim is to develop a three-pronged drug construction programme, with 3D modeling of drugs according to patient profile (tastes, compliance capacity, etc.), 3D prosthesis construction and the design of personalized biotherapies with conjugated antibodies that do not yet exist.
Spearheaded by the Centre national de médecine de précision en oncologie (National Center for Precision Medicine in Oncology) and accredited by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (French National Research Agency) - a first in oncology - the Prism programme is the fruit of a modern consortium integrating medical and mathematical sciences. It includes Gustave Roussy, CentraleSupélec and Université Paris-Saclay, in partnership with Inserm. The ARC Foundation for Cancer Research and UNICANCER are also members.
