Journal Article 1 Mention
HIBRID: histology-based risk-stratification with deep learning and ctDNA in colorectal cancer
Chiara Maria Lavinia Loeffler•2025
Hideaki BandoSrividhya Sainath
Top 2% · 98th Percentile
20 citations · Cancer Research
Open AccessCAMINO - Programm zur Karriereentwicklung für forschende Ärztinnen und Ärzte in der multidimensionalen TumorforschungVerbundvorhaben: Verbesserung der Langzeitprognose und der Lebensqualität von Patienten mit kolorektalem Karzinom (IMPACT-Studie); Teilprojekte der Universität Heidelberg (Anschlussvorhaben)Verbundvorhaben: Verbesserung der Langzeitprognose und der Lebensqualität von Patienten mit kolorektalem Karzinom (IMPACT-Studie); Teilprojekte des DKFZ (Anschlussvorhaben)Verbundvorhaben: Verbesserung der Langzeitprognose und der Lebensqualität von Patienten mit kolorektalem Karzinom (IMPACT-Studie); Arbeitspaket Lebensqualität und LangzeitüberlebenUnderstanding Gene ENvironment Interaction in ALcohol-related hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Consortium for Decentralized Medical Artificial IntelligenceVerbundprojekt: Verbesserung der Langzeitprognose und der Lebensqualität von Patienten mit kolorektalem Karzinom (IMPACT-Studie); Arbeitspaket GewebemarkerEntitätsübergreifende, morphologiebasierte Vorhersage des Therapieansprechens auf Immuncheckpoint Inhibitoren mittels Deep Learning

Summary

1 Sample Definition And Size

The study analyzed hematoxylin & eosin–stained whole slide images (WSIs) from two cohorts of colorectal cancer patients: the DACHS cohort (training set) comprising 1,766 patients (1,774 WSIs) and the GALAXY cohort (external validation) comprising 1,404 patients (1,404 WSIs) ([nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62910-8?utm_source=openai)).

2 Study Type

This is a retrospective observational study employing a deep learning (transformer-based multiple instance learning) model trained on histopathological images, combined with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)–based molecular residual disease (MRD) status, to predict disease-free survival and stratify risk in colorectal cancer patients ([nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62910-8?utm_source=openai)).

3 Conflicts Of Interest

No conflicts of interest are declared in the accessible metadata of the article ([nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62910-8?utm_source=openai)).

4 Results Summary

In the GALAXY validation cohort, the deep learning (DL) model classified 304 patients as high-risk and 1,100 as low-risk, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.31 (p < 0.005) for disease-free survival ([nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62910-8?utm_source=openai)). Combining DL risk scores with MRD status improved prognostic stratification: in MRD-positive patients, HR = 1.58 (p < 0.005); in MRD-negative patients, HR = 2.1 (p < 0.005) ([nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62910-8?utm_source=openai)). Among MRD-negative patients, those classified as DL high-risk benefited from adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) with HR = 0.49 (p = 0.01), whereas DL low-risk patients did not benefit (HR = 0.92; p = 0.64) ([nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62910-8?utm_source=openai)).

Abstract

Although surgical resection is the standard therapy for stage II/III colorectal cancer, recurrence rates exceed 30%. Circulating tumor DNA (ctNDA) detects molecular residual disease (MRD), but lacks spatial and tumor microenvironment information. Here, we develop a deep learning (DL) model to predict disease-free survival from hematoxylin & eosin stained whole slide images in stage II-IV colorectal cancer. The model is trained on the DACHS cohort (n = 1766) and validated on the GALAXY cohort (n = 1404). In GALAXY, the DL model categorizes 304 patients as DL high-risk and 1100 as low-risk (HR 2.31; p < 0.005). Combining DL scores with MRD status improves prognostic stratification in both MRD-positive (HR 1.58; p < 0.005) and MRD-negative groups (HR 2.1; p < 0.005). Notably, MRD-negative patients predicted as DL high-risk benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy (HR 0.49; p = 0.01) vs. DL low-risk (HR = 0.92; p = 0.64). Combining ctDNA with DL-based histology analysis significantly improves risk stratification, with the potential to improve follow-up and personalized adjuvant therapy decisions.

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