AI Predicts If Breast Cancer Will Spread To Other Parts Of The Body

(CTN News) – By using artificial intelligence (AI), doctors can better predict aggressive breast cancers.

A group of scientists from London have developed a programme for detecting changes in the lymph nodes under the arms – these structures are one of the first places breast cancer can spread to in women who have triple negative breast cancer due to their location under the arm.

In these cases, patients are likely to require more intensive treatment, but scientists say the AI model could help doctors plan treatment for patients with triple negative breast cancer, and it could also give patients peace of mind when it comes to the likelihood that their cancer will spread.

At King’s College London, Dr Anita Grigoriadis, who led the research, said that by demonstrating the ability of lymph node changes to predict whether triple negative breast cancer will spread, we have contributed to a growing awareness of the role the immune system plays in understanding a patient’s prognosis by demonstrating the importance of lymph node changes.

As a result of these findings under the microscope, a deep-learning framework was developed to translate them into an AI model to potentially assist doctors in treating and caring for patients, providing another tool in their arsenal for preventing secondary breast cancer.

It is estimated that around one in seven breast cancers in the United Kingdom are triple negative, with more than 8,000 cases occurring each year.

About 25% of breast cancer deaths are caused by this type of cancer,

Which does not have any of the receptors (proteins) commonly found in breast cancer.

In particular, women who have inherited an altered BRCA gene, black women, and women who have not reached menopause are at a higher risk of developing triple negative cancer.

Researchers tested their artificial intelligence model on more than 5,000 lymph nodes donated by 345 patients and stored in biobanks such as Cancer Now.

Furthermore, the AI model was able to make these predictions by analyzing immune responses in lymph nodes, even when the breast cancer cells had not spread to the organs.

Among the next steps, the researchers hope to have their AI model tested in clinical trials.

According to Dr Grigoriadis, “we are planning to test the model further at research centers throughout Europe so that it becomes even more robust and precise.”.

In the NHS, the transition from assessing tissue on glass slides under a microscope to using computers is gaining momentum.

The goal is to leverage this change to develop AI-powered software based on our model for pathologists to use to help women with this difficult to treat cancer.”

Dr. Simon Vincent, director of research, support, and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Each year, around 8,000 UK women are diagnosed with triple negative cancer, which is an aggressive form of the disease with a poorer prognosis.
If, as a result of this research, women are able to receive more tailored treatment and care based on the likelihood of their breast cancer spreading, it could save lives and reduce stress and anxiety for women.

In the future, we look forward to studying how this could be applied in practice to benefit women suffering from this type of breast cancer.”

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