The Development of an Artificial Intelligence based Predictive Biomarker to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma is the most common cancer of the oesophagus in Australia. Despite improvements in treatment, survival and outcomes remain poor. Furthermore, current treatment regimens follow a one-size-fits-all approach with two-thirds of patients receiving toxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy prior to their surgery without clear benefit or evidence of cancer shrinkage or response. At present, we do not have an effective means of determining which patients will benefit from particularly therapies.

We have set up a new study to develop personalised treatment approaches for oesophageal cancer. We are using cutting edge artificial intelligence technology to analyse biopsy specimens to allow us to determine which patients will have a treatment response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. By better understanding which patients will have a positive response to chemotherapy, we can target these patients and conversely, withhold toxic chemotherapy for patients who will not receive any benefit. This is a novel and exciting application of artificial intelligence technology that has great potential in the development of personalised or tailored treatment for patients with oesophageal cancer.