Using artificial intelligence to identify the most deadly prostate cancer patients may soon be a reality.
This pioneering computer software allows doctors to make early decisions about which patients should receive intensive and targeted treatment to stop the spread of the disease.
The ambitious project, funded by Prostate Cancer UK, involves studying blood samples from thousands of patients to identify genetic mutations associated with aggressive cancers.
“Armed with this knowledge, we will develop a model that can predict whether a man’s prostate cancer will progress based on a blood sample,” says Professor Ross Eales from the Cancer Research Institute.
“This will help clinicians overcome a significant challenge and could revolutionize the way prostate cancer is diagnosed, treated and managed.”
Prostate Cancer UK is funding AI software that can identify men suffering from the most severe forms of prostate cancer.
Some men develop aggressive prostate cancer and die within a few years. As a result, 12,000 people die each year
One in eight men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Approximately 55,000 men are diagnosed with this disease each year.
Growth is often slow. Some patients can live with the condition for more than 10 years without symptoms, and in some cases, no treatment is necessary.
However, some people develop aggressive prostate cancer and die within a few years. As a result, 12,000 people die each year.
However, doctors have no way of determining which patients’ cancer will become aggressive if diagnosed early.
Professor Eales and his colleagues say that by studying blood samples from men who have undergone radiotherapy, they can develop an AI model that can predict which men’s cancers are likely to return after treatment.
The researchers will then test the accuracy of the software before introducing it to the NHS.
“When a man receives the frightening and often unexpected news that he has prostate cancer, it’s important that he gets the right plan of action for that specific cancer right away,” says Director of Prostate Cancer Research UK. Dr. Matthew Hobbs explained.
“We invested in this research because it will ultimately give men and their doctors more information they need to find and treat the most deadly cancers as quickly as possible. .”
