Impact of different variables on the outcome of patients with clinically confined prostate carcinoma: Prediction of pathologic stage and biochemical failure using an artificial neural network

Ali M. Ziada, Turner C. Lisle, Peter B. Snow, Richard F. Levine, Gary Miller, E. David Crawford

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND. The advent of advanced computing techniques has provided the opportunity to analyze clinical data using artificial intelligence techniques. This study was designed to determine whether a neural network could be developed using preoperative prognostic indicators to predict the pathologic stage and time of biochemical failure for patients who undergo radical prostatectomy. METHODS. The preoperative information included TNM stage, prostate size, prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, biopsy results (Gleason score and percentage of positive biopsy), as well as patient age. All 309 patients underwent radical prostatectomy at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. The data from all patients were used to train a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network. The failure rate was defined as a rise in the PSA level > 0.2 ng/mL. The biochemical failure rate in the data base used was 14.2%. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to validate the results. RESULTS. The neural network statistics for the validation set showed a sensitivity and specificity of 79% and 81%, respectively, for the prediction of pathologic stage with an overall accuracy of 80% compared with an overall accuracy of 67% using the multivariate regression analysis. The sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of failure were 67% and 85%, respectively, demonstrating a high confidence in predicting failure. The overall accuracy rates for the artificial neural network and the multivariate analysis were similar. CONCLUSIONS. Neural networks can offer a convenient vehicle for clinicians to assess the preoperative risk of disease progression for patients whoa re about to undergo radical prostatectomy. Continued investigation of this approach with larger data sets seems warranted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1653-1660
Number of pages8
JournalCancer
Volume91
Issue number8 SUPPL.
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 15 2001

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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