Prime Highlights:
- DoMore Diagnostics has developed a tool that scans cancer tissue images to predict how aggressive a tumour is, helping doctors decide which patients truly need chemotherapy.
- This technology could spare many patients from toxic treatments that may not improve outcomes.
Key Facts:
- Colorectal cancer is the third most common and the second deadliest cancer worldwide, with 2.74 million new cases recorded in Europe in 2022.
- Most patients are cured by surgery alone, yet a large percentage still receive chemotherapy, exposing them to side effects without added benefit.
Background:
A Norwegian start-up is pioneering a new approach that could spare colorectal cancer patients from undergoing chemotherapy they may not need. DoMore Diagnostics has created a tool that looks at images of cancer tissue and estimates how fast a tumour might grow, helping doctors understand the patient’s risk.
Usually, doctors examine biopsies under a microscope, but small details that show how serious the cancer is can sometimes be missed. DoMore Diagnostics’ technology analyses these tissue samples in far greater detail than the human eye, offering a more precise way to tailor treatment.
“While cancer care has improved significantly in recent years, many patients still undergo toxic treatments with little benefit,” said Torbjørn Furuseth, CEO of DoMore Diagnostics. By identifying which patients truly need chemotherapy, the system can help avoid exposing others to unnecessary side effects.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common and the second most deadly cancer in the world. In 2022, Europe recorded about 2.74 million new cases. Most patients are cured with surgery, yet chemotherapy is often applied as a standard precaution, even when it may not improve outcomes. The company reports that 96–98% of stage two and 80% of stage three patients face side effects without real benefit.
The AI tool has been trained on thousands of images and correlates tissue features with long-term patient outcomes. According to Andreas Kleppe, research director at Oslo University Hospital, the system identifies patterns linked to cancer recurrence and mortality that human pathologists may not detect.
Currently, DoMore Diagnostics’ colorectal cancer test is used to validate prognostic analyses in hospitals across Europe, the United States, Japan, and Mexico. Experts say this innovation could mark a significant step toward more personalized and safer cancer treatment.
