Journal of Translational Medicine (Oct 2024)

Deep learning to estimate response of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in non-small-cell lung carcinoma

  • Jie Peng,
  • Xudong Zhang,
  • Yong Hu,
  • Tianchu He,
  • Jun Huang,
  • Mingdan Zhao,
  • Jimei Meng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05708-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Background Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is a crucial treatment for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, the use of deep learning (DL) models for predicting the response to CCRT in NSCLC remains unexplored. Therefore, we constructed a DL model for estimating the response to CCRT in NSCLC and explored the associated biological signaling pathways. Methods Overall, 229 patients with NSCLC were recruited from six hospitals. Based on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images, a three-dimensional ResNet50 algorithm was used to develop a model and validate the performance in predicting response and prognosis. An associated analysis was conducted on CT image visualization, RNA sequencing, and single-cell sequencing. Results The DL model exhibited favorable predictive performance, with an area under the curve of 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–0·92) in the training cohort and 0.84 (95% CI 0.75–0.94) in the validation cohort. The DL model (low score vs. high score) was an independent predictive factor; it was significantly associated with progression-free survival and overall survival in both the training (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.54 [0.36−0.80], P = 0.002; 0.44 [0.28−0.68], P < 0.001) and validation cohorts (HR = 0.46 [0.24−0.88], P = 0.008; 0.30 [0.14−0.60], P < 0.001). The DL model was also positively related to the cell adhesion molecules, the P53 signaling pathway, and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Single-cell analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes were enriched in different immune cells. Conclusion The DL model demonstrated a strong predictive ability for determining the response in patients with NSCLC undergoing CCRT. Our findings contribute to understanding the potential biological mechanisms underlying treatment responses in these patients.

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