AI discovery fuels hope of new prostate cancer care
THOUSANDS of lives could be saved following the discovery of a new type of prostate cancer, experts say.
Using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, scientists have pinpointed a previously unknown strain of the disease – and the discovery could revolutionise diagnosis and treatment.
Their study has found prostate cancer, which affects one in eight men in their lifetime, includes two different subtypes. The development could lead to tailored treatments for each individual patient depending on which type they have. The team, led by researchers at the University of Oxford and the University of Manchester, identified two distinct cancer groups among these patients and were able to generate an ‘evolutionary tree’ showing how each developed – ultimately converging into two distinct disease types called ‘evotypes’.
This is significant as, until now, it was thought that prostate cancer was just one type of disease.
Lead researcher Dr Dan Woodcock, from the University of Oxford, said: ‘Our research demonstrates that prostate tumours evolve along multiple pathways, leading to two distinct disease types.
‘This understanding is pivotal as it allows us to classify tumours based on how the cancer evolves rather than solely on individual gene mutations or expression patterns.’
The researchers worked together as part of an international consortium called The Pan Prostate Cancer Group, set up by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the University of East Anglia to analyse genetic data from thousands of prostate cancer samples across nine countries.
The team’s collaboration with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) – which funded the study – aims to develop a genetic test that, when combined with conventional staging and grading, can provide a more precise prognosis for each patient, allowing tailored treatment decisions.
Dr Rupal Mistry, of CRUK, said: ‘The work... by this global consortium of researchers has the potential to make a real difference to people affected by prostate cancer. The more we understand about cancer the better chance we have of developing treatments to beat it.’
Researcher Professor Colin Cooper, from the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School, highlighted that while prostate cancer is responsible for a large proportion of all male cancer deaths, it is more commonly a disease men die with rather than from.
This means that unnecessary treatment can often be avoided, sparing men from side-effects such as incontinence and impotence.
He added: ‘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.’
The findings were published in the journal Cell Genomics.
ENDTHE NEEDLESS PROSTATE DEATHS