Artificial intelligence can predict certain mutations of a tumor

Artificial intelligence will play an increasingly important role in future cancer treatments. This is one of the lessons learned from ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology), one of the world’s largest cancer specialists, which is being held in Barcelona until Tuesday, September 17. Here, researchers are talking about second-generation artificial intelligence. A study has demonstrated the performance of a new algorithm. A gigantic bank of tumor samples has been created, with more than a billion images. By analyzing them, artificial intelligence is able to detect molecular anomalies that are invisible to the human eye, to predict certain tumor mutations and therefore relapses, explains oncologist Fabrice André. In the future, this technique will make it possible to better treat these patients.

Another tool, which also relies on AI, is emerging in the fight against cancer: virtual twins. These digital twins are computer programs made from the modeling of the patient’s tumor, but also of all its characteristics, hence the name “twin”. By analyzing this digital copy, artificial intelligence will soon be able to determine which pathways and receptors the tumor could activate to develop. Depending on the results, doctors will be able to decide on the best treatment to give the patient.

To predict cancer risks, a simple blood test will soon be enough. We are not far from it, the Gustave Roussy Institute is already using these liquid biopsies. Caregivers are already taking blood samples from patients to detect possible relapses by analyzing the DNA circulating in the blood, emphasizes oncologist Fabrice Barlesi, who heads the center. Doctors are taking blood samples from patients to detect possible relapses by analyzing the DNA circulating in the blood. Tomorrow, these same doctors will do “monitoring”. They will adapt the treatment according to the patient’s response, which they will be able to read in this biopsy. The day after tomorrow, we will even be able to do screening in the general population, we will go and do a simple blood test in the laboratory near our home and the blood samples will be sent to a specialized center to be analyzed.