Anti-cancer revolver

Artificial intelligence will predict the development of a cancerous tumor

Ksenia Murasheva, Naked Science

A group of scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London and the University of Edinburgh has developed a new method that identifies patterns of genetic mutations in cancer cells and uses this information to predict the development of a tumor. The method was called Revolver (Repeated Evolution of Cancer).

The constantly changing nature of tumors is the biggest problem in the treatment of oncology today. The thing is that cancer often mutates and takes drug-resistant forms. However, if doctors have the opportunity to predict how the tumor will develop, they will be able to intervene in time and stop the increase in drug resistance, which will greatly increase the patient's chances of survival.

Researchers have found a link between the sequence of repeated mutations in tumor cells and the probability of survival of the patient. These sequences help in forecasting and, as a result, in drawing up a future treatment plan.

For example, in breast tumors, a mutation of the gene responsible for encoding the p53 protein, which has the property of suppressing tumor growth, leads to a deterioration in patient survival. To collect and analyze such information from different patients, scientists have developed a new machine learning method.

The researchers took 768 samples of cancerous tumors from the lungs, mammary glands, intestines and kidneys of 178 patients used in previous studies. Then they analyzed data on each type of cancer using the Revolver method to identify and compare changes in tumors. Based on the results obtained, artificial intelligence has built models that predict the development of neoplasms.

"With the help of this tool, we hope to eliminate one of the "trump cards" of cancer – the unpredictable development of tumors," shared one of the authors of the work, Dr. Andrea Sottoriva. "Using AI's ability to look into the future, we will be able to successfully treat cancer at an early stage."

"If we predict how the tumor will develop, we will change the treatment before the cancer adapts and develops resistance to drugs. This way we will be one step ahead," added Professor Paul Workman, Executive Director of the Cancer Research Institute.

Scientists have come closer to creating an individual treatment – a concept that has a promising future. In addition, the researchers succeeded in diagnosing the disease. In May, scientists from British universities presented a so-called breath test. It helps to detect cancer of the esophagus and stomach, replacing expensive and complex endoscopic methods.

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