Prediction of recurrence in early stage non-small cell lung cancer using computer extracted nuclear features from digital H&E images

Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 19;7(1):13543. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-13773-7.

Abstract

Identification of patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high risk of recurrence could help identify patients who would receive additional benefit from adjuvant therapy. In this work, we present a computational histomorphometric image classifier using nuclear orientation, texture, shape, and tumor architecture to predict disease recurrence in early stage NSCLC from digitized H&E tissue microarray (TMA) slides. Using a retrospective cohort of early stage NSCLC patients (Cohort #1, n = 70), we constructed a supervised classification model involving the most predictive features associated with disease recurrence. This model was then validated on two independent sets of early stage NSCLC patients, Cohort #2 (n = 119) and Cohort #3 (n = 116). The model yielded an accuracy of 81% for prediction of recurrence in the training Cohort #1, 82% and 75% in the validation Cohorts #2 and #3 respectively. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model of Cohort #2, incorporating gender and traditional prognostic variables such as nodal status and stage indicated that the computer extracted histomorphometric score was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 20.81, 95% CI: 6.42-67.52, P < 0.001).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Area Under Curve
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology*
  • Cell Nucleus / pathology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Discriminant Analysis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • ROC Curve
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tissue Array Analysis