Enhancing patient outcomes with AI-driven intratumoral immunotherapy

A new editorial was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on September 17, 2024, entitled, "The emerging role of AI in enhancing intratumoral immunotherapy care."

As highlighted in the abstract of this editorial, the emergence of immunotherapy (IO), and more recently, intratumoral IO, offers a novel approach to cancer treatment. This method enhances immune responses, allows for combination therapies, and helps reduce systemic adverse events. These techniques aim to transform the therapeutic paradigm of oncology care, highlighting the limitations of traditional assessment methods and the need for innovative approaches. Artificial intelligence (AI), along with machine learning algorithms and radiomics, offers promising solutions by analyzing complex imaging data to identify biomarkers. These advancements help refine diagnoses, guide interventions, predict treatment responses, and adapt therapeutic strategies.

In their editorial, researchers Abin Sajan, Abdallah Lamane, Asad Baig, Korentin Le Floch and Laurent Dercle from the Department of Radiology, NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, explore how integrating these technologies could revolutionize personalized oncology. 

"We discuss their potential to enhance the survival and quality of life of patients treated with intratumoral IO by improving treatment effectiveness and minimizing side effects, potentially reshaping practice guidelines." 

The authors also identify areas for future research and review clinical trials to confirm the efficacy of such promising approaches.