Scientists at the University of Geneva created a special computer program that can predict if someone's cancer will spread to other parts of their body. When cancer spreads, doctors call it metastasis, and this is what makes cancer so dangerous and hard to treat.
The researchers carefully studied colon cancer cells under microscopes. They wanted to understand why some cancer cells stay in one spot while others travel through the body. They looked at how hundreds of different genes were working inside the cells. The scientists discovered patterns that showed which cells were likely to move and which would stay put.
They used this information to train a smart computer program called MangroveGS. This artificial intelligence tool can look at a patient's cancer cells and predict with nearly 80% accuracy whether the cancer will spread. This is much better than older prediction methods that doctors currently use.
The exciting part is that the tool doesn't just work for colon cancer. It can also predict spreading in stomach cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer. This helps doctors make better decisions about treatment. Patients who are at low risk can avoid harsh medicines they don't need, while patients at high risk can get stronger treatment right away to fight the cancer before it spreads.