A research team at Myongji Hospital, led by Professor Song Yong-sang from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has announced the development of a novel diagnostic method to predict chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer patients. The tool, dubbed the Ovarian Cancer Assay, aims to personalize treatment plans by predicting resistance, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing treatment costs.
Predicting Chemotherapy Resistance
Chemotherapy resistance is a significant challenge in ovarian cancer treatment, often leading to recurrence, metastasis, and increased side effects. The Ovarian Cancer Assay focuses on predicting resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, a common first-line treatment for the disease. By analyzing gene data from Korean, North American, and European sources, the team identified 31 key genes linked to drug resistance.
Deep Learning for Accuracy
Using deep neural network models and ensemble strategies, the researchers achieved an 85 percent accuracy rate in predicting chemotherapy resistance, with 100 percent sensitivity for resistance detection. The study, published in Clinical and Translational Medicine, highlights the potential of AI-driven diagnostics in oncology.
Key Genes and Pathways Identified
The research identified key pathways involving genes such as TP53, E2F1, E2F4, HDAC1, HDAC2, and MYC1 as critical factors in understanding chemotherapy resistance mechanisms. These findings could also aid in future drug development efforts targeting these pathways.
Clinical Trials and Collaboration
Myongji Hospital has announced that clinical trials based on this research are set to begin, led by Professor Song and Professor Kim Jae-hoon of Gangnam Severance Hospital. Several medical institutions, including Seoul National University Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, and the National Cancer Center, will participate in this multi-institutional collaboration. Precision medicine companies Foretell My Health and Meteor Biotech will support the trials by providing technologies for liquid biopsy and CosmoSort, a tool for analyzing interactions between cancer and immune cells.
Impact on Personalized Treatment
"The development of a diagnostic method for ovarian cancer drug resistance will be an important turning point and a new paradigm for early diagnosis and personalized treatment of ovarian cancer," Professor Song said. "I expect that such research and technological advancements will not only be an innovation in medicine but also provide new hope for patients and their families."
