Researchers at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology have developed an artificial intelligence tool designed to assist in determining whether patients with early-stage breast cancer are likely to benefit from chemotherapy. The model analyzes digitized images of tissue samples, known as histopathology images, to identify patterns not easily discernible to the human eye.
The study, led by Professor Ron Kimmel and doctoral student Gil Shamai, was published in the journal Nature in 2023. The AI model was trained on thousands of images from multiple international medical centers to predict patient response to chemotherapy prior to surgery, a process known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
According to the verified research, the tool demonstrated high accuracy in predicting pathological complete response, meaning no detectable cancer cells remain after chemotherapy. This could help clinicians personalize treatment, potentially sparing patients with low likelihood of benefit from the harsh side effects of unnecessary chemotherapy.
The researchers emphasize the tool is intended to support, not replace, clinical decision-making. Further validation in prospective clinical trials is required before the technology can be widely implemented in standard medical practice.
