Deep learning for categorizing microsatellite stability in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with its incidence rising steadily in recent decades. In colorectal cancer (CRC), microsatellite instability (MSI), and microsatellite stability (MSS) are important biomarkers that influence treatment decisions and patient outcomes. Accurate MSI classification is critical but traditional methods can be costly and time-consuming. This study explores the potential of deep learning to classify MSI and MSS in CRC. A large dataset of CRC patients with confirmed MSI and MSS status was utilized, obtained through standard testing images. Deep learning models were applied to histopathological images, analyzing tissue features from digital slides. Convolutional neural network (CNN) and residual network (ResNet)-18 models demonstrated high accuracy in distinguishing between MSI and MSS CRCs. The best-performing model, which integrated genomic and histopathological data, achieved an area under the curve (AUC) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of 0.85, indicating strong discrimination capability. The findings suggest that deep learning could be a valuable tool for clinical decision-making and personalized medicine in CRC.