AI Could Revolutionize Cancer Care By Detecting High-Risk Tumors More Accurately

Artificial intelligence's reach extends beyond making fantastical artwork or songs into the potential to save lives.  Detecting and treating cancer promptly is crucial to thwart its progression, but a significant challenge for healthcare professionals is identifying patients with high-risk tumors and providing early intervention. A new study found AI outperformed biopsies in assessing tumor grades, potentially transforming oncology and care guidelines.

A recent study conducted by the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) highlights AI's capabilities in assessing cancer aggressiveness, particularly in the case of sarcomas. This group of rare cancers develops in the body’s connective tissues, such as fat, muscle and nerves.

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The study revealed that AI algorithms significantly outperformed traditional biopsies in grading the aggressiveness of sarcomas. By providing clinicians with a more accurate method of tumor grading, AI has the potential to help clinicians make informed treatment choices and can improve patient outcomes. High-grade tumors are often indicative of aggressive diseases, and AI can expedite the identification and treatment of high-risk patients.

AI’s precision in assessing tumor aggressiveness can spare low-risk patients from unnecessary treatments, follow-up scans and hospital visits. The implications of this research extend beyond sarcomas, as the algorithm could potentially apply to various other types of cancer, benefiting countless patients worldwide. These groundbreaking findings appeared in The Lancet Oncology journal.

The focus of the study was retroperitoneal sarcoma, a challenging type of cancer that develops at the back of the abdomen, making it difficult to diagnose and treat. To conduct the research, the team utilized CT scans from 170 patients at the Royal Marsden suffering from the two most common forms of retroperitoneal sarcoma: leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma. Using the data extracted from these scans, they developed an AI algorithm, which was subsequently tested on 89 patients across Europe and the United States.

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The AI technology accurately graded the aggressiveness of tumors in 82% of cases, while traditional biopsies achieved only 44% accuracy among cases. The AI algorithm also demonstrated an ability to differentiate between leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma in 84% of cases, whereas radiologists could distinguish them in 35% of cases. 

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By refining and expanding the algorithm, this technology has the potential to impact the lives of thousands of cancer patients every year who can receive more accurate and timely diagnoses with improved grading and detection. It can help clinicians spot rare sarcomas and identify the proper subtype, as many of them might not have previously seen one of these subtypes in the field given the rarity. 

Various organizations funded the study, including the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Wellcome Trust and the EORTC Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group. The promising results highlight the importance of early diagnosis in improving patient survival rates and the need for other research that facilitates better treatment, care, information and support for patients.