Researchers from South China University of Technology (SCUT) in Guangdong province have successfully used artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce unnecessary surgeries in colorectal cancer patients after local excision. The AI prediction model, developed to assess the recurrence risk of T1 rectal cancer, uses pathological images to guide post-excision decision-making for both physicians and patients.
The study found that the AI-based model reduced unnecessary additional surgeries by about 34.9% compared to current U.S. guidelines. This reduction not only eased the physical burden on patients but also improved their quality of life. The research demonstrates the potential of AI based on histopathology images in predicting cancer recurrence, and the findings were published in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology.