Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham and Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed an AI tool to predict cancer spread in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma.
The noninvasive tool uses CT imaging data to estimate the number of lymph nodes with pathologic extranodal extension — a key indicator of prognosis and treatment response, according to a Dec. 24 news release from Mass General Brigham. ENE is currently diagnosed only through surgery.
Researchers applied the tool to imaging from 1,733 patients and found it accurately predicted uncontrolled cancer spread and worse survival outcomes. The AI model improved clinical risk stratification when integrated into existing prognostic frameworks.
The study was published Dec. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
