AI Predicts Patient Response to Bowel Cancer Treatment
- Scientists have developed an AI-powered method to determine which patients with advanced bowel cancer are most likely to respond to bevacizumab, a targeted drug used on the NHS.
- The research was conducted by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin.
- PhenMap allows researchers to integrate complex data regarding the genetic makeup of a tumor to predict treatment responses.
Scientists have developed an AI-powered method to determine which patients with advanced bowel cancer are most likely to respond to bevacizumab, a targeted drug used on the NHS. This development aims to identify patients who will benefit from the treatment while sparing others from the side effects of a medication that may be ineffective for them.
The research was conducted by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin. The team created an AI tool called PhenMap, which is a portmanteau of phenotype
and mapping
.
PhenMap allows researchers to integrate complex data regarding the genetic makeup of a tumor to predict treatment responses. The study involved tracking 117 European bowel cancer patients who had been treated with a combination of chemotherapy and bevacizumab.
Understanding Bevacizumab and Its Risks
Bevacizumab was approved in December for the treatment of advanced bowel cancer patients on the NHS. The drug functions by slowing the growth of cancer by depriving tumors of the proteins they require to grow.
Despite its utility, bevacizumab is only effective for a small group of patients. For those who do not respond to the drug, the treatment carries risks of serious side effects, including:
- High blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Blood clots
By utilizing the PhenMap tool, clinicians may be able to identify those least likely to respond to the drug, preventing thousands of patients from undergoing a treatment that would be ineffective for their specific cancer profile.
The Burden of Advanced Bowel Cancer
The need for more precise diagnostic tools is underscored by the prevalence and severity of the disease. In England, nearly 10,000 cases of advanced bowel cancer are diagnosed annually, with a notable rise in cases among young adults.
Bowel cancer has the second highest mortality rate of any cancer, surpassed only by lung cancer. While survival rates can reach 98% when the disease is caught early, the five-year survival rate for advanced bowel cancer can be as low as 10%.
Because there are limited options for treating advanced bowel cancer, maximizing the efficacy of available targeted drugs is a critical priority for medical researchers.
Future Implications for Treatment
Beyond the immediate goal of filtering patients for bevacizumab, the researchers intend to use the AI tool to identify patterns linked to treatment resistance. The goal is that these insights will lead to the development of new treatments for patients who do not respond to current therapies.
This approach represents a shift toward more personalized medicine in oncology, where genetic and phenotypic mapping is used to tailor drug administration to the individual patient’s tumor characteristics.