Tag: endometrial cancer

Categories : Cancer Obstetrics & GynaecologyTags :

Using AI, Scientists Discover High-risk Form of Endometrial Cancer

On By ModernMedia
Dr Ali Bashashati observes an endometrial cancer sample on a microscope slide. Credit: University of British Columbia

A discovery by researchers at the University of British Columbia promises to improve care for patients with endometrial cancer, the most common gynaecologic malignancy.  Using artificial intelligence (AI) to spot patterns across thousands of cancer cell images, the researchers have pinpointed a distinct subset of more stubborn endometrial cancer that would otherwise go unrecognised by traditional pathology and molecular diagnostics.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, will help doctors identify patients with high-risk disease who could benefit from more comprehensive treatment.

“Endometrial cancer is a diverse disease, with some patients much more likely to see their cancer return than others,” said Dr Jessica McAlpine, professor at UBC. “It’s so important that patients with high-risk disease are identified so we can intervene and hopefully prevent recurrence. This AI-based approach will help ensure no patient misses an opportunity for potentially lifesaving interventions.”

AI-powered precision medicine

The discovery builds on work by Dr McAlpine and colleagues in the Gynaecologic Cancer Initiative, who in 2013 helped show that endometrial cancer can be classified into four subtypes based on the molecular characteristics of cancerous cells, with each posing a different level of risk to patients.

Dr McAlpine and team then went on to develop an innovative molecular diagnostic tool, called ProMiSE, that can accurately discern between the subtypes. The tool is now used across parts of Canada and internationally to guide treatment decisions.

Yet, challenges remain. The most prevalent molecular subtype, encompassing approximately 50% of all cases, is largely a catch-all category for endometrial cancers lacking discernible molecular features.

“There are patients in this very large category who have extremely good outcomes, and others whose cancer outcomes are highly unfavourable. But until now, we have lacked the tools to identify those at-risk so that we can offer them appropriate treatment,” said Dr McAlpine.

Dr McAlpine turned to long-time collaborator and machine learning expert Dr.Ali Bashashati, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and pathology and laboratory medicine at UBC, to try and further segment the category using advanced AI methods.

Dr Bashashati and his team developed a deep learning AI model that analyses images of tissue samples collected from patients. The AI was trained to differentiate between different subtypes, and after analysing over 2300 cancer tissue images, pinpointed the new subgroup that exhibited markedly inferior survival rates.

“The power of AI is that it can objectively look at large sets of images and identify patterns that elude human pathologists,” said Dr Bashashati. “It’s finding the needle in the haystack. It tells us this group of cancers with these characteristics are the worst offenders and represent a higher risk for patients.”

Bringing the discovery to patients

The team is now exploring how the AI tool could be integrated into clinical practice alongside traditional molecular and pathology diagnostics.

“The two work hand-in-hand, with AI providing an additional layer on top of the testing we’re already doing,” said Dr McAlpine.

One benefit of the AI-based approach is that it’s cost-efficient and easy to deploy across geographies. The AI analyses images that are routinely gathered by pathologists and healthcare providers, even at smaller hospital sites in rural and remote communities, and shared when seeking second opinions on a diagnosis.

The combined use of molecular and AI-based analysis could allow many patients to remain in their home communities for less intensive surgery, while ensuring those who need treatment at a larger cancer centre can do so.  

“What is really compelling to us is the opportunity for greater equity and access,” said Dr Bashashati. “The AI doesn’t care if you’re in a large urban centre or rural community, it would just be available, so our hope is that this could really transform how we diagnose and treat endometrial cancer for patients everywhere.”

Source: University of British Columbia

Categories : CancerTags :

Endometrial Cancer on the Rise among Women of African Descent

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Thought Catalog on Pexels

Compared with white women, Black women have elevated risks of being diagnosed with advanced uterine cancer – also known as endometrial cancer – and of developing aggressive tumours. Researchers recently compared the incidence and trends for endometrial cancer, both overall and by subtype, between African descent women in Florida and women in the French Caribbean, specifically, the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Endometrial cancer is classified as endometrioid or non-endometrioid (a more aggressive form) based on tumour cells’ appearance and genetic alterations. When Heidy N. Medina, PhD, MPH, of the University of Miami School of Medicine, and her colleagues analysed data on 34 789 endometrial cancer cases from Florida (US) and the French Caribbean from 2005–2018, they observed the following: 

  • Caribbean Black women had the lowest rates for both endometrioid and non-endometrioid subtypes.  
  • Non-endometrioid types were most common among US Black women (9.2 per 100 000), 2.6-times greater than the rate for US white women.  
  • For endometrioid cancer, rates increased 1.8% yearly from 2005–2018 for US Black women and 1.2% for US white women, while no change was observed for Caribbean Black women.  
  • For the more aggressive non-endometrioid cancers, rates increased among all women: 5.6% yearly among US Black women, 4.4% among Caribbean Black women, and 3.9% among US white women. 

“This study informs the current scientific evidence about endometrial cancer risk among a diverse sample of African descent women, highlighting that within group differences matter among Black women,” said Dr Medina. “Our study suggests that these differences among Black women in different regions of the world are partly due to social factors associated with assigned race rather than purely African ancestry – related factors based on genetic origin.”

Dr Medina added that the study emphasises the need to not generalise results from Black women in the US to other African descent populations worldwide where limited data exist. “This signals the need for coordinated efforts around the world in identifying disparities, emphasising the importance of strong cancer surveillance systems and registries throughout different regions, and the necessity for there to be a greater priority among the global health community in allocating resources to improve data collection for cancer registries worldwide,” she said.

Dr Medina also stressed the importance of tracking the increasing rates of the deadlier non-endometrioid types of endometrial cancer and identifying risk factors associated with these malignancies. 

Source: Wiley

Categories : CancerTags :

Coffee Consumption Lowers Endometrial Cancer Risk

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Mike Kenneally on Unsplash

Higher coffee consumption is linked with a lower risk of endometrial cancer, according to a new analysis which appears in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research. In addition, there was evidence that caffeinated coffee may provide better protection than decaffeinated coffee.

Risk factors for endometrial cancer include long-term exposure to excess oestrogen, obesity, nulliparity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, whereas protective factors include physical activity, aspirin intake, and certain dietary habits.

The analysis, which included 24 studies on coffee intake (12 case–control and 12 cohort studies), had 9833 new cases of endometrial cancer occurring in 699 234 individuals.

People in the highest category of coffee intake had a 29% lower relative risk of developing endometrial cancer than those in the lowest category. Additionally, women with a higher BMI or who smoked saw a greater benefit in risk reduction, though they still had a higher risk overall.

The authors of the analysis highlight several mechanisms that have been associated with the potential anti-cancer effects of coffee:

“Coffee contains many bioactive components, such as phenolic compounds. These polyphenols can increase the homocysteine concentrations in the plasma and inhibit DNA methylation in a dose-dependent manner, which prevents the downregulation of tumour suppressor proteins and DNA repair enzymes involved in carcinogenesis.”

They conclude that more studies with larger sample sizes are needed to better understand the effects of subgroups such as smoking status, as well as the benefits of coffee consumption in relation to endometrial cancer.

Source: Wiley