Medical professionals have created an artificial intelligence tool capable of predicting which men diagnosed with prostate cancer are likely to benefit from treatment, potentially lowering the risk of mortality.
Abiraterone is regarded as a revolutionary treatment for the condition, which is the most prevalent cancer among men in over 100 countries. It has already enabled countless individuals with advanced prostate cancer to enjoy extended lifespans.
Nonetheless, some nations, including the UK, have ceased offering this “remarkable” medication to men whose cancer has not metastasized.
Currently, teams from the US, UK, and Switzerland are developing AI assessments that determine which men are likely to gain from Abiraterone. This “promising” advancement enhances the healthcare system to allocate medications more effectively to suitable candidates while allowing others to avoid unnecessary treatments.
The AI test was unveiled in Chicago at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the largest cancer conference globally.
Nick James, a professor specializing in prostate and bladder cancer research at the London Cancer Institute, serves as a consultant clinical oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, where he leads the development team.
“Abiraterone has already greatly enhanced the prognosis for hundreds of thousands of men with advanced prostate cancer,” James stated. “We recognize that for many men whose cancer hasn’t spread yet, it can have significant implications.
“However, the treatment comes with side effects and necessitates additional monitoring for potential issues such as hypertension or liver abnormalities. It is extremely valuable to identify those most likely to truly benefit, as it may slightly elevate the risks of diabetes and heart complications.
“This research indicates that those who respond optimally to abiraterone, as well as those who fare well with standard treatments alone, can decide between hormone therapy and radiation therapy.”
The AI tool examines tumor images and identifies features that may not be discernible to the naked eye. Prostate Cancer UK, the Medical Research Council, and arterial funded teams analyzed biopsy images from over 1,000 men exhibiting high-risk prostate cancer that had not metastasized.
AI analysis pinpointed 25% of the men in the study who were most likely to gain from Abiraterone. For these individuals, the medication halved the risk of mortality.
In the study, patients received a score indicating a positive or negative biomarker. This was then compared with outcomes. Among those with biomarker-positive tumors, the risk of death was reduced from 17% to 9% after five years for one in four men.
For patients with biomarker-negative tumors, Abiraterone decreased the risk of death from 7% to 4%. The research team indicated this result was neither statistically nor clinically significant, meaning these men are better off with standard treatment alone and can avoid unnecessary therapies.
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Professor Gert Attard, the research co-leader at UCL Cancer Institute, noted, “This study highlights that, within a sizable cohort of patients, new algorithms can be utilized to glean information from routinely available pathology slides to customize treatments to individual patients, thereby minimizing unnecessary interventions while maximizing the effectiveness of treatment.”
James mentioned that fewer men may require the medication than previously believed, suggesting that health services should contemplate administering it to men whose cancer hasn’t spread.
While it has been sanctioned for use within the NHS for advanced prostate cancer in England, it has yet to receive approval for newly diagnosed high-risk cases that have not metastasized. However, men with indications of high-risk cancer have had access to treatment in Scotland and Wales for two years.
“Abiraterone costs just £77 per pack compared to thousands for new treatments,” James remarked. “We sincerely hope this new research will clarify who truly benefits from this drug, especially given NHS England’s decision not to fund it for high-risk non-metastatic prostate cancer cases.”
Dr. Matthew Hobbs, research director at Prostate Cancer UK, termed the AI test as “promising.” He further elaborated:
Source: www.theguardian.com
