Physicians and researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute announced on June 17 that they have developed an artificial intelligence model which outperforms physicians in evaluating treatment response for pleural mesothelioma. The AI tool, named ARTIMES, measures the entire volume of a tumor using CT scans and provides more accurate assessments than the current international standard criteria known as RECIST.
Pleural mesothelioma presents challenges for traditional measurement methods because it grows in a thin, irregular layer along the lung wall. This makes it difficult to determine where to measure diameter, leading to uncertainty for both patients and physicians. The new AI model addresses this issue by analyzing every pixel of a scan to determine if it is tumor tissue.
Pulmonologist Sjaak Burgers said, "It is difficult and time-consuming to determine for every pixel whether it is tumor tissue or not. Checking whether the AI model has done it correctly, however, is simple." Kevin Groot Lipman, technical physician and lead author of the study published in Lancet Oncology, said, "We are the first in the world to demonstrate that AI outperforms humans in this area, and that physicians can actually base their decisions on it." The development involved radiologists and more than 11,000 CT scans from over 2,000 patients across 121 hospitals worldwide.
Pulmonologists at the Netherlands Cancer Institute have already begun using ARTIMES following its development. To assist with clinical decision-making beyond measuring tumor volume alone, researchers also created guidelines supporting when treatments should start or stop. Burgers said, "We can now assess tumor response to treatments much more accurately... This allows a patient to stop treatment earlier and, if possible, switch to a different treatment. This not only provides certainty but also spares our patients unnecessary side effects and reduces healthcare costs." All measurements by ARTIMES are reviewed by a physician.
Currently, ARTIMES may only be used at the Netherlands Cancer Institute due to regulatory exemptions under EU rules. Groot Lipman said efforts are underway for broader approval: "We obviously want patients worldwide to benefit from this... We are also eagerly awaiting a proposal from the EU to simplify the approval process for this type of medical device." He added, "I expect this model to come as a shock to physicians and researchers outside the mesothelioma field," predicting wider research adoption as ARTIMES becomes publicly available online.
