Prostate cancer discovery using AI could save thousands of lives
Technology
Artificial intelligence helped researchers make the breakthrough
(Web Desk) - Scientists may be able to save thousands of lives after discovering there are two subtypes of prostate cancer.
Artificial intelligence helped British researchers make the breakthrough, which could lead to better tailored treatments for one in eight men that are affected by the disease.
A study analysed tumour samples from 159 patients to see how their DNA changed over time.
Professor Colin Cooper, of the University of East Anglia, said: “This study is really important because until now, we thought that prostate cancer was just one type of disease.
“But it is only now, with advancements in artificial intelligence, that we have been able to show that there are actually two different subtypes at play.
“We hope that the findings will not only save lives through better diagnosis and tailored treatments in the future, but they may help researchers working in other cancer fields better understand other types of cancer too.”
Prostate cancer is the most common form of the disease in British men, with 52,300 new cases spotted and 12,000 deaths a year.
Symptoms usually do not appear until the prostate has become so large it affects the bladder, leading to needing to pee more regularly or straining when you do so.
There is no screening programme in the UK but patients with symptoms are encouraged to go to their GP.
They may perform a digital rectal examination or offer a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, although these are controversial because they can be unreliable.
If either of these tests pick up signs of the disease, an MRI scan is usually performed before patients are given biopsies to confirm the cancer.
Previous research has shown AI software could cut NHS waiting lists by analysing MRI scans and spotting the disease more accurately.
