AI model could help improve outcomes of prostate cancer focal therapy
A new study shows that an artificial intelligence (AI) model co-developed by researchers in the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and department of Urology at UCLA can help doctors determine the extent of cancer within the prostate.
In a series of tests, the AI model was found to be more accurate at predicting tumor margins than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), potentially improving the effectiveness of focal therapy, standardizing treatment margin definition, and reducing the chance of cancer recurrence.
Working with scientists at Avenda Health, the team used biopsy data from multiple institutions to train the AI model, called Unfold-AI, to define margins during focal therapy. Testing was then conducted in an independent dataset of 50 patients who had radical prostatectomy for intermediate-risk cancer at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The team found the AI model was more accurate and effective at predicting tumor margins than conventional methods.
