New research using data from the ARISTOTLE clinical trial, coordinated by the CRUK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre, has identified a group of people with locally advanced rectal cancer who may benefit from more intensive treatment.

The Phase III ARISTOTLE trial recruited patients from 75 UK hospitals and investigated whether adding the chemotherapy drug irinotecan to standard chemoradiotherapy could improve outcomes. Results from the trial found that adding irinotecan did not improve outcomes for patients overall.

Researchers have specially developed an AI model to analyse tumour biopsy samples collected from 414 ARISTOTLE participants. The AI measured the concentration of cancer cells within each tumour and divided patients into groups with high or low tumour cell density.

The analysis found that, among patients with a high concentration of cancer cells, adding irinotecan was associated with around a 43% reduction in the risk of cancer returning and a 50% reduction in the risk of death over five years. Patients with lower tumour cell density did not appear to benefit from the additional treatment.

More can be read over at UCL News.