Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment Research: Scientists Utilise AI to Mimic Patient Trials
Researchers at the University of Manchester and The Christie cancer hospital receive a £5.9m grant from Cancer Research UK to conduct simulated clinical trials using AI. The project aims to assess the efficacy of radiotherapy treatments on virtual patients based on real-life data. The grant will fund the project for five years, focusing on patient-specific genetics and tumours, as well as comparing proton beam therapy with standard radiotherapy for lung cancer patients.
The project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of radiotherapy treatments on virtual patients based on real-life data. Lead research professor Rob Bristow highlighted that these simulated trials could expedite research processes, making them "faster, safe, and less expensive" compared to traditional large-scale clinical studies.
The roots of radiotherapy research trace back to the 1920s, with The Christie hospital and the cancer charity at the forefront. The treatment involves using X-ray radiation to target and destroy cancer cells by damaging their DNA irreversibly. In the north-west of England alone, an estimated 44,000 individuals are diagnosed with cancer annually, as per the charity's data. The substantial £5.9m grant will sustain the project for a duration of five years.
Utilising an AI computer programme, groups of virtual patients are created based on real data, enabling researchers to test treatments and devices in simulated trials. This innovative approach allows for the rapid testing of ideas, surpassing the pace of traditional trials involving real patients. The team in Manchester is specifically focusing on exploring patient-specific genetics and tumours, alongside comparing proton beam therapy with standard radiotherapy for lung cancer patients.
Cancer Research UK acknowledged Manchester as one of seven centres of excellence within a UK-wide network dedicated to advancing radiotherapy research. Martin Storey, a lung cancer survivor who underwent radiotherapy in a clinical trial after his 2009 diagnosis, expressed his joy at seeing funding directed towards enhancing treatments. Storey, a retired delivery driver from Wythenshawe, emphasised the importance of research in extending his life to witness becoming a great-grandfather.
Storey shared, "Not everyone survives lung cancer, and I was one of the lucky ones to be able to go on a trial. Now thanks to research I’ve lived to be a great-grandad. I think artificial intelligence is the future and if more can be done with virtual trials to improve the effectiveness of clinical trials, then it will help more patients, and more people will be able to survive their cancer like I did."
Researchers at the University of Manchester and The Christie cancer hospital receive a £5.9m grant from Cancer Research UK to conduct simulated clinical trials using AI.
The project aims to assess the efficacy of radiotherapy treatments on virtual patients based on real-life data.
The grant will fund the project for five years, focusing on patient-specific genetics and tumours, as well as comparing proton beam therapy with standard radiotherapy for lung cancer patients.
Source: BBC