Amsterdam, the Netherlands – WSK Medical – a pioneer in the development of AI solutions for oncology – has published in Frontiers Oncology Review.
The publication titled ‘A scoping review of TSR analysis in colorectal cancer: implications for automated solutions’ is the result of the ARABESC project between WSK Medical and IMP Diagnostics. The ARABESC project focuses on the development of an automated AI-solution for tumour-stroma ratio assessment on colorectal cancer tissue (CRC).
CRC remains one of the most prevalent forms of cancer worldwide, emphasizing the critical need for advanced diagnostic tools. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), CRC is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer type, and the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide [1]. The tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) is a histology parameter used to evaluate the proportion of stromal tissue (a type of connective tissue) relative to the tumour tissue within a cancerous lesion. This indicator has demonstrated significant prognostic value in patients with CRC and it may support decision-making in the selection of appropriate treatments for these patients [2].
Currently, the TSR is scored by visual estimation by a pathologist. However, this has significant inter-observer variability. Furthermore, the manual analysis of slides is a dulling, time-consuming task. Combined with a global shortage of pathologists [3], this results in a high workload amongst pathologists, which negatively impacts the quality and cost-effectiveness of oncology care. Therefore, there is a clear demand for a more efficient, and more consistent analysis of the TSR in cancer biopsies.
This image is an example of the automated tissue segmentation that is part of the automated AI TSR scoring pipeline
The publication, that was co-authored by several AI engineers from WSK Medical, outlines the state-of-the-art in manual TSR scoring and emphasizes the importance of a standardized method to ensure consistent and accurate TSR quantification.
The publication can be found here.
About WSK Medical
WSK Medical is a global leading Artificial Intelligence software solution provider that focuses on the development and deployment of AI software solutions for the early detection and classification of cancer. Our aim is to bring you the most advanced AI technologies to assist clinicians and doctors. We do this by working in partnership, to develop high performing and secure AI software as a medical device for oncology purposes. For more information about our AI solutions, please contact us.
