Artificial intelligence 'can beat cancer by predicting how it will evolve'

A cure for cancer has been brought one step closer after scientists used artificial intelligence to develop a new technique that can predict how the disease can evolve – and therefore intervene earlier before a patient's cancer becomes drug resistant. The technique, known as Revolver (Repeated evolution of cancer), picks out patterns in DNA mutation within cancers and uses the information to forecast future genetic changes. It could help doctors design the most effective treatment for each patient and boost their chances of survival. The research team, led by the Institute of Cancer Research London (ICR) and the University of Edinburgh, also found a link between certain sequences of repeated tumour mutations and survival outcome. This suggests that repeating patterns of DNA mutations could be used as an indicator of prognosis, helping to shape future treatment.