Report: Second type of prostate cancer identified by AI

Feb. 29 (UPI) -- Research by two British universities has identified a new aggressive form of prostate cancer by using artificial intelligence, which could change the way the disease is found and treated.

The paper, prepared by researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Manchester, was published Thursday in the scientific publication Cell Genomics.

The prostate cancer research driven by AI found from data from DNA identified two different subtypes, called evotypes, that affect the prostate.

"The team hopes their findings could save thousand of lives in the future and revolutionize how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated," the report said. "Ultimately, it could provide tailored treatments to each individual patient according to a genetic test, which will also be delivered using AI."

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer that affects British men, with about 52,000 cases annually, according to Cancer Research UK senior science engagement manager Rupal Mistry.

"The work published today by this global consortium of researchers has the potential to make a real difference to people affected by prostate cancer," Mistry said. "The more we understand about cancer the better chance we have to develop treatments to beat it."

The research demonstrates how prostate cancer can affect physical, emotional and mental well-being.

"Our research demonstrates that prostate tumors evolve along multiple pathways, leading to two distinct disease types," Dan Woodcock, a study researcher with the University of Oxford. "This understanding is pivotal as it allows us to classify tumors based on how the cancer evolves rather than solely on individual gene mutations or expression patterns."

Naomi Elster, director of Research at Prostate Cancer Research said more needs to be known about what the prostate cancer diagnosis actually means.

"We simply don't know enough about what a prostate cancer diagnosis means at present," Elster said. "There are many men who have a disease which is or may become aggressive and being able to treat aggressive disease more effectively is critical.

"But on the other side of the coin are the too many men who live with the side effects of cancer treatment they may never have needed."