This proof of concept study examines using a deep learning-based method for the automatic analysis of digital mammograms as a tool to aid in the assessment of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) treatment response to breast cancer. The authors found that the initial AI performance was able to indicate the potential to aid in clinical decision-making, but in order to continue exploring the potential of AI in predicting responses to NACT for breast cancer, further research must be undertaken.
Key points
- We aimed to answer the following question: Prior to initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, can artificial intelligence (AI) applied to digital mammograms (DM) predict breast tumour response?
- DMs contain information that AI can make use of for predicting pathological complete (pCR) response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
- By developing an AI system designed to focus on relevant parts of the DM, fully automatic pCR prediction can be done well enough to potentially aid in clinical decision-making.
Authors: Ida Skarping, Måns Larsson & Daniel Förnvik