Researchers discover new types of breast cancer using artificial intelligence
| Aug 5, 2019, 12:50 IST
New types of breast cancers have been identified with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).Researchers, from The Institute of Cancer Research in London, were able to detect five new kinds of diseases and even matched it to various personalized treatments with the help of AI in a new study.
"We are at the cusp of a revolution in healthcare, as we really get to grips with the possibilities AI and machine learning can open up," study author Dr Anguraj Sadanandam, Team Leader in Systems and Precision Cancer Medicine at The Institute of Cancer Research, told a news portal. Adding, " Our new study has shown that AI is able to recognise patterns in breast cancer that are beyond the limit of the human eye, and to point us to new avenues of treatment among those who have stopped responding to standard hormone therapies. AI has the capacity to be used much more widely, and we think we will be able to apply this technique across all cancers, even opening up new possibilities for treatment in cancers that are currently without successful options."
The team used AI and machine learning to study gene sequences and molecular data from breast tumours.These cancers were previously clubbed together as one type. Their findings revealed one was likely to cause a relapse if treated with tamoxifen. Meanwhile, they also found two types had an increased chance of responding to immunotherapy. Now, the team are developing tests for these new kinds of breast cancer in the hopes of making personalised therapy a standard part of treatment in the future. Previously, the team also used AI to unearth different kinds of bowel cancer.
Cheang further explained: "The AI used in our study could also be used to discover new drugs for those most at risk of late relapse, beyond five years, which is common in oestrogen-linked breast cancers and can cause considerable anxiety for patients."
The study's findings were originally published the journal NPJ Breast Cancer.
"We are at the cusp of a revolution in healthcare, as we really get to grips with the possibilities AI and machine learning can open up," study author Dr Anguraj Sadanandam, Team Leader in Systems and Precision Cancer Medicine at The Institute of Cancer Research, told a news portal. Adding, " Our new study has shown that AI is able to recognise patterns in breast cancer that are beyond the limit of the human eye, and to point us to new avenues of treatment among those who have stopped responding to standard hormone therapies. AI has the capacity to be used much more widely, and we think we will be able to apply this technique across all cancers, even opening up new possibilities for treatment in cancers that are currently without successful options."
The team used AI and machine learning to study gene sequences and molecular data from breast tumours.These cancers were previously clubbed together as one type. Their findings revealed one was likely to cause a relapse if treated with tamoxifen. Meanwhile, they also found two types had an increased chance of responding to immunotherapy. Now, the team are developing tests for these new kinds of breast cancer in the hopes of making personalised therapy a standard part of treatment in the future. Previously, the team also used AI to unearth different kinds of bowel cancer.
Cheang further explained: "The AI used in our study could also be used to discover new drugs for those most at risk of late relapse, beyond five years, which is common in oestrogen-linked breast cancers and can cause considerable anxiety for patients."
The study's findings were originally published the journal NPJ Breast Cancer.