AI in Computational Pathology of Cancer: Improving Diagnostic Workflows and Clinical Outcomes?

Abstract

Histopathology plays a fundamental role in the diagnosis and subtyping of solid tumors and has become a cornerstone of modern precision oncology. Histopathological evaluation is typically performed manually by expert pathologists due to the complexity of visual data. However, in the last ten years, new artificial intelligence (AI) methods have made it possible to train computers to perform visual tasks with high performance, reaching similar levels as experts in some applications. In cancer histopathology, these AI tools could help automate repetitive tasks, making more efficient use of pathologists time. In research studies, AI methods have been shown to have an astounding ability to predict genetic alterations and identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers directly from routine tissue slides. Here, we give an overview of these recent applications of AI in computational pathology, focusing on new tools for cancer research that could be pivotal in identifying clinical biomarkers for better treatment decisions.